History Creator / RichardWilliams

Outside of the films he's created, Williams' greatest claim to fame is probably his instructional book ''Literature/TheAnimatorsSurvivalKit''. a culmination of the countless tips and tricks he had learned from his experiences and studying under many Golden Age animators of note. Since its publication in 2002, it has become widely used as a reliable reference for both animation schools and animators of all skill levels. A 16-DVD set version, featuring clips from his live classes, and a more condensed and affordable app version of the book have both since been released.

Williams had his biggest mainstream success in 1988 as the animation director of ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', bringing to life ([[RogerRabbitEffect amid live actors]]) over ninety beloved characters from classic Disney, Warner Bros. and MGM cartoons and earning both the Best Visual Effects Award ''and'' a Special Achievement Award at the 1989 Oscars.

Throughout his professional career, Williams and a core team of artists worked on a legendarily ambitious project, what was to be not only Williams' masterpiece [[note]]In the traditional sense, ie "The piece you create once you've mastered your medium."[[/note]] but [[EpicMovie a grand artistic display]] of [[StarringSpecialEffects the potential of classical animation]], what Williams described simply as "the greatest animated film ever made": ''WesternAnimation/TheThiefAndTheCobbler''. Williams' studio [[OneForTheMoneyOneForTheArt funneled profits of its many projects to fund bits of the feature]], which were all heavily re-re-re-animated over the better part of nearly thirty years from the '60s to the late '80s to ensure their perfection. Tragically, through a combination of time and money problems, the film was never completed as Williams had intended. After receiving funding from Warner Bros. after the success of ''Roger Rabbit'' but falling short of their enforced deadline (something that Williams had enjoyed the luxury of ignoring while working on the film independently), he and his studio were fired from production and the film was hastily completed without them. All of the animation completed by Williams' studio was later compiled by Garrett Gilchrist and released onto the internet as ''The Recobbled Cut'' in 2015, awing future generations of animators with a glimpse of Williams' ultimate vision.

Outside of the films he's created, Willaims' greatest claim to fame is his instructional book "Literature/TheAnimatorsSurvivalKit," a culmination of the countless tips and tricks he had learned from his experiences and studying under many Golden Age animators of note. Since its publication in 2002, it has become widely used as a reliable reference for both animation schools and animators all skill levels. A 16 DVD set version, featuring clips from his live classes, and a more condensed and affordable app version of the book have both since been released.

No relation to Creator/RobinWilliams, by the way, although [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk7yxJVI254&list=FLxe61f5GeKWRoTC9YtTt11w&index=6 he did present Richard with his Special Achievement Oscar for ''Roger Rabbit'']]. Also not to be confused with Richard Williams, the father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams.

Williams had his biggest mainstream success in 1988 as the animation director of ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', bringing to life [[RogerRabbitEffect amid live actors]] over ninety beloved characters from classic Disney, Warner Bros. and MGM cartoons and earning both the Best Visual Effects Award ''and'' a Special Achievement Award at the 1989 Oscars.

In 1971, Williams directed an acclaimed, Creator/ChuckJones-produced AnimatedAdaptation of ''Literature/AChristmasCarol'', which earned him his first UsefulNotes/AcademyAward. Six years later he had his feature directorial debut with ''WesternAnimation/RaggedyAnnAndAndyAMusicalAdventure'', a [[DerangedAnimation truly bonkers]] movie created by a staff consisting of many of Williams' mentors, including Warner Bros. animators Art Babbitt and Emery Hawkins and MGM animator Irv Spence, along with such future well-known animators as Creator/EricGoldberg and Tom Sito.

Throughout his professional career, Williams and a core team of artists worked on a legendarily ambitious project, what was to be not only Williams' masterpiece [[note]]In the traditional sense, ie "The piece you create once you've mastered your medium."[[/note]] but [[EpicMovie a grand artistic display]] of [[StarringSpecialEffects the potential of classical animation]], what Williams described simply as "the greatest animated film ever made": ''WesternAnimation/TheThiefAndTheCobbler''. Williams' studio [[OneForTheMoneyOneForTheArt funneled profits of its many projects to fund bits of the feature]], which were all heavily re-re-re-animated over the better part of nearly thirty years from the 60s to the late 80s to ensure their perfection. Tragically, through a combination of time and money problems, the film was never completed as Williams had intended. After receiving funding from Warner Bros. after the success of ''Roger Rabbit'' but falling short of their enforced deadline (something Williams had had the luxury of ignoring while working on the film independently), he and his studio were fired from production and the film was hastily completed without them. All of the animation completed by Williams' studio was later compiled by Garrett Gilchrist and released onto the internet as ''The Recobbled Cut'' in 2015, awing future generations of animators with a glimpse of Williams' ultimate vision.

In the early 1960s, Williams worked at George Dunning's animation studio TV Cartoons Ltd. (TVC) in England, animating television commercials. Shortly thereafter, he started his own studio, Richard Williams Studios, which produced several acclaimed commercials, {{artistic title}}s and {{animated credits opening}}s, including ''Film/WhatsNewPussycat'' and ''Film/TheReturnOfThePinkPanther'', the latter of which is considered the best of its series.

In 1971, Williams directed an acclaimed, Creator/ChuckJones-produced AnimatedAdaptation of ''Literature/AChristmasCarol'', earning him his first UsefulNotes/AcademyAward. A few years later was his feature directorial debut with ''WesternAnimation/RaggedyAnnAndAndyAMusicalAdventure'', a [[DerangedAnimation truly bonkers]] movie created by a staff consisting both of many of Williams' mentors, including ''Looney Tunes'' animator Art Babbit, and future name-animators such as Creator/EricGoldberg and Tom Sito.

Williams had his biggest mainstream success in 1988 as the animation director of ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', bringing to life [[RogerRabbitEffect amid live actors over ninety beloved cartoon characters]] from classic Warner Bros., Disney and MGM shorts and earning him both the Visual Effects Oscar ''and'' a Special Achievement Award at the 1989 Oscars.

In the early 1960s, Williams worked at George Dunning's animation studio T.V. Cartoons Ltd. in England, animating television commercials. Shortly thereafter, he started his own studio, Richard Williams Studios, which produced several acclaimed commercials, {{artistic title}}s and {{animated credits opening}}s, including ''Film/WhatsNewPussycat'' and ''Film/TheReturnOfThePinkPanther'', the latter of which is considered the best of its series.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/animate_rw_1684.jpg]]

Richard Edmund Williams (March 19, 1933 -- August 16, 2019) was a prominent Canadian-British artist and animator born in Toronto and one of the most respected who ever lived, famous for his [[AuthorAppeal exhaustive, silky smooth, seamless animation]] and [[ShownTheirWork vast knowledge of classical animation techniques he had learned from its innovators]] and later shared with others interested in learning the medium.

* PublicDomainAnimation: His short films from 1958 to 1967 fall under this.

* ''Film/PrudenceandthePill'' (1968): contributed the [[AnimatedCreditsOpening animated sequences]]

* GodDoesNotOwnThisWorld: After ''Thief'' was taken away from him, Williams spent the next several years [[OldShame refusing to acknowledge the film or what became of it]]. There was even a story circulating on the web that Richard once broke down in tears after someone mentioned the movie by name at a panel, and afterwards began hiring security to escort anyone who does so out of the room. He's since opened up more about the film and even praised the ''Recobbled Cut'' for attempting to restore the movie [[WhatCouldHaveBeen to his initial vision]]; although he admitted to not having watched all of it.

[[http://thethiefarchive.wikia.com/wiki/Richard_Williams_Wiki Fulfills]] TheWikiRule.

Throughout his professional career, Williams and a core team of artists worked on [[DoingItForTheArt a legendarily ambitious project]], what was to be not only Williams' masterpiece [[note]]In the traditional sense, ie "The piece you create once you've mastered your medium."[[/note]] but [[EpicMovie a grand artistic display]] of [[StarringSpecialEffects the potential of classical animation]], what Williams described simply as "the greatest animated film ever made": ''WesternAnimation/TheThiefAndTheCobbler''. Williams' studio [[OneForTheMoneyOneForTheArt funneled profits of its many projects to fund bits of the feature]], which were all heavily re-re-re-animated over the better part of nearly thirty years from the 60s to the late 80s to ensure their perfection. Tragically, through a combination of time and money problems, the film was never completed as Williams had intended. After receiving funding from Warner Bros. after the success of ''Roger Rabbit'' but falling short of their enforced deadline (something Williams had had the luxury of ignoring while working on the film independently), he and his studio were fired from production and the film was hastily completed without them. All of the animation completed by Williams' studio was later compiled by Garrett Gilchrist and released onto the internet as ''The Recobbled Cut'' in 2015, awing future generations of animators with a glimpse of Williams' ultimate vision.

* DoingItForTheArt: 28 years making a movie. It's really quite humbling.

Outside of the films he's created, Willaims' greatest claim to fame is his instructional book "Literature/TheAnimatorsSurvivalKit," a culmination of the countless tips and tricks he had learned from his experiences and studying under many Golden Age animators of note. Since its publication in 2002, it has become widely used as a reliable reference for both animation schools and animators all skill levels. A 16 DVD set version, featuring clips from his live classes, and a more condensed and affordable iPad app version of the book have both since been released.

Williams had his biggest mainstream success in 1988 as the animation director of ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', bringing to life [[RogerRabbitEffect amid live actors]] [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters over ninety beloved cartoon characters]] from classic Warner Bros., Disney and MGM shorts and earning him both the Visual Effects Oscar ''and'' a Special Achievement Award at the 1989 Oscars.

After the failure of ''Thief,'' Williams' studio closed down and he semi-retired for animation production, largely busying himself with teaching through his acclaimed masterclasses at various animation studios and events. In 2008, he became "artist in residence" at Creator/AardmanAnimations, where he worked on personal projects and became a fixture who shared ideas and gave tips to younger animators and entertained staff and visitors with a bottomless well of stories from his life and career.