Book Review: Two Guys Named Joe: Master Animation Storytellers Joe Grant & Joe Ranft

This book's a nice tribute to two of the best animation storytellers. It's written by John Canemaker, very well researched, filled with stories and little anecdotes from even before these two storytellers started in animation. Now you can know all about the background stories, how they work, the influence and contribution they made, how friends and colleges felt about them and how much they were missed.

These two storytellers are very fascinating characters. It's interesting to see how they changed over the years, particularly with Joe Ranft from his turbulent childhood, or not when Joe Grant came back after a mysterious 40-year hiatus. I've seen their names mentioned many times in other books and videos but their background stories are nothing that I imagined.

The book also provides many references to the work they have done, particularly the story sequences in movies such as the early ones from Pixar where Joe Ranft was involved in much of the storytelling, and for Joe Grant the character designs for classic Disney films. You might remember the army men sequence in Toy Story, the witch from Snow White or the dancing broomsticks in Beauty and the Beast. There are some of their storyboards, caricatures, photos and drawings from other artists who share the same work with them.

It's an interesting read, recommended to those who are curious to know more about their style of storytelling. You might even pick up some storytelling or storyboarding tips.

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This book was borrowed from Basheer Graphic Books for review purposes. You can order the book from them. Check with Basheer on Facebook or visit their website.

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This book was borrowed from Basheer Graphic Books for review purposes. You can order the book from them. Check with Basheer on Facebook or visit their website.