I have a Facebook page dedicated to uploading every single frame of Richard Williams’ animation in order. Yes, this is how I’ve chosen to spend lockdown and I have no regrets.
I’m in the process of uploading the frames of the Pink Panther dancing in the opening title sequence of The Return of the Pink Panther (1976) and while the sequence itself is beautiful in motion, viewing the frames as individual pieces of a whole is pretty astounding.
Dance animation is something I have a strong interest in (I’ve long been wanting to animate stuff to jazz music), so stuff like this is great study material. I can only hope to one day animate as gracefully as this. Each pose is incredibly strong as its own silhouette and moves beautifully. Though Richard himself doesn’t own the rights to the panther, he reused the dance animation as a tutorial in The Animator’s Surival Kit.
Here’s the full sequence in its entirely, moving as it was intended (along with the ending credits at the end).
God damn it, what must I do to animate as well as this??