"Two Guys Named Joe" is available in bookstores now

Many people wonder about the success story of Pixar Animation Studios. The studio’s rise from near-extinction to critical and financial success is a fairy tale that is fascinating to learn about. Then there is the larger Walt Disney Studios that is known for its animated classics such as Snow White and Dumbo. In theatres, we get to see the final products, but there are the unsung heroes (unkown to many in the audience) who work laboriously to bring us the memorable characters and emotional storylines. Two of those individuals, Joe Ranft of Pixar and Joe Grant of Disney, helped to change the way the animation industry is viewed. Tragically, in 2005, the world lost both of these artists. In his book, Two Guys Named Joe, renowned animation historian John Canemaker recounts the lives of the “two Joes” assisted by the narrations of those who loved them. After reading the book, you may not only grow fond of Ranft and Grant, but you will be moved by the realization of how much we owe both of them. [Read more…]