As far as independent filmmakers go, award winning documentarian Kevin Schreck has helped evolve non-fiction storytelling in the modern day. Going back to his first major feature-length documentary, Persistence of Vision details the journey of late animation legend Richard Williams who spent nearly 30 years to create his unfinished magnum opus, The Thief and the Cobbler. As this film chronicled both the making of the feature and the life of Williams himself before and during the insane production of his passion project, it is arguably one of the most eye opening and heart breaking summaries of dedication gone to waste.
Now The Thief & the Cobbler started production in 1964 but was ultimately released in 1995, so what Persistence of Vision details at its core is what Richard Williams and his own studio went through just to create this mammoth of a feature film. Since Williams was infamously known as a perfectionist to a default, much of the feature was ultimately a victim of improper funding and meticulous and neverending attention to detail. As a result of running a commercial animation studio and demanding his team of artists learn the craft the old fashioned way, many of Williams' finest accomplishments are shown in high respect. Many of these prestigious projects range from the lush opening titles to Charge of the Light Brigade (1968), highly innovative television commercials, the famous Oscar winning 1971 animated adaptation of A Christmas Carol and the beloved blockbuster Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). The mere factor of Williams and the many talented people who worked under his wing shows how he benefited animation for better or worse, even if it meant uncompromising his ambitious vision.
On top of highlighting the film's production history, some notable artists who sporadically worked on the feature show up in interviews giving their honest feelings about working under such a fascinatingly tough taskmaster. From employing famous animators past their prime like Warner Bros legend Ken Harris and ex Disney and UPA animator Art Babbitt to getting rid of artists at the drop of a dime for personal reasons, one can tell how somber the tone of the documentary truly is. Even after Williams finally secured proper funding for his magnum opus in the late 1980s, his ongoing perfectionism and severe pressure from studio mandates are what ultimately caused his project to be taken away from him and ruined by Hollywood. Considering that this film was made in 2012 when Williams had still refused to speak about the project in person, anyone who adores the art of filmmaking could see The Thief & the Cobbler as a tragedy of intense dedication completely destroyed under the wrong circumstances. 11 years later and some scenes in the documentary still shed tears down one's eyes.
With that all said, perhaps the context of the feature being made at a certain time is what strengthens and weakens it to some degree. Despite The Thief & the Cobbler being turned into a homogenized Hollywood turkey, it was thankfully restored and given the attention it deserved through artist and filmmaker Garrett Gilchrist in his acclaimed fan edit known as The Recobbled Cut. Obviously no documentary can detail all the factors within a project's timeline, but it is a bit coincidental that one year following its release, Richard Williams had finally opened up to the public about the project and shared his official director's cut thanks in part to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Then again, it is safe to assume that Persistence of Vision helped boost the popularity of The Thief & the Cobbler to be respected for what it was always meant to be, so perhaps no publicity is bad publicity after all. Besides, if anyone truly needs to see a concise breakdown of the three crazy decades Williams put into attempting his masterpiece, this project is just what they'll need.
Although Kevin Schreck has rightfully moved on to other chapters in his career, his directorial debut Persistence of Vision marks a breathtaking collection of chapters in someone else's career. Regardless of its dated aspects, it is still worth the watch in showcasing how one passionate artist put so much purpose and love into what they considered to be their masterpiece in their own craft. It is as engrossing as it is eye shattering, and it has earned its place as one of the biggest celebrations of a master animator's legacy and for unfinished marvels alike. Please give it a watch if you haven't already.
Now The Thief & the Cobbler started production in 1964 but was ultimately released in 1995, so what Persistence of Vision details at its core is what Richard Williams and his own studio went through just to create this mammoth of a feature film. Since Williams was infamously known as a perfectionist to a default, much of the feature was ultimately a victim of improper funding and meticulous and neverending attention to detail. As a result of running a commercial animation studio and demanding his team of artists learn the craft the old fashioned way, many of Williams' finest accomplishments are shown in high respect. Many of these prestigious projects range from the lush opening titles to Charge of the Light Brigade (1968), highly innovative television commercials, the famous Oscar winning 1971 animated adaptation of A Christmas Carol and the beloved blockbuster Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). The mere factor of Williams and the many talented people who worked under his wing shows how he benefited animation for better or worse, even if it meant uncompromising his ambitious vision.
On top of highlighting the film's production history, some notable artists who sporadically worked on the feature show up in interviews giving their honest feelings about working under such a fascinatingly tough taskmaster. From employing famous animators past their prime like Warner Bros legend Ken Harris and ex Disney and UPA animator Art Babbitt to getting rid of artists at the drop of a dime for personal reasons, one can tell how somber the tone of the documentary truly is. Even after Williams finally secured proper funding for his magnum opus in the late 1980s, his ongoing perfectionism and severe pressure from studio mandates are what ultimately caused his project to be taken away from him and ruined by Hollywood. Considering that this film was made in 2012 when Williams had still refused to speak about the project in person, anyone who adores the art of filmmaking could see The Thief & the Cobbler as a tragedy of intense dedication completely destroyed under the wrong circumstances. 11 years later and some scenes in the documentary still shed tears down one's eyes.
With that all said, perhaps the context of the feature being made at a certain time is what strengthens and weakens it to some degree. Despite The Thief & the Cobbler being turned into a homogenized Hollywood turkey, it was thankfully restored and given the attention it deserved through artist and filmmaker Garrett Gilchrist in his acclaimed fan edit known as The Recobbled Cut. Obviously no documentary can detail all the factors within a project's timeline, but it is a bit coincidental that one year following its release, Richard Williams had finally opened up to the public about the project and shared his official director's cut thanks in part to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Then again, it is safe to assume that Persistence of Vision helped boost the popularity of The Thief & the Cobbler to be respected for what it was always meant to be, so perhaps no publicity is bad publicity after all. Besides, if anyone truly needs to see a concise breakdown of the three crazy decades Williams put into attempting his masterpiece, this project is just what they'll need.
Although Kevin Schreck has rightfully moved on to other chapters in his career, his directorial debut Persistence of Vision marks a breathtaking collection of chapters in someone else's career. Regardless of its dated aspects, it is still worth the watch in showcasing how one passionate artist put so much purpose and love into what they considered to be their masterpiece in their own craft. It is as engrossing as it is eye shattering, and it has earned its place as one of the biggest celebrations of a master animator's legacy and for unfinished marvels alike. Please give it a watch if you haven't already.
