The structure of the art companion book isn’t much different here than usual, although there’s less of an emphasis on craft and more on true art. Every character and detail from the film is analyzed through the eyes of the people who made “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” like Guillermo Martinez (Head of Story), Lindsey Olivares (Production Designer), Toby Wilson (Art Director), David R. Bleich (Lead Color Designer), Alan Hawkins (Head of Character Animation), and Mike Lasker (VFX Supervisor). Written and assembled by Ramin Zahed, The Art of the Mitchells vs. the Machines also includes a brief and clever introduction from Debbie Rianda, the mother’s director. It’s a perfect tone-setter for the volume that matches a film that’s about the importance of encouraging relationships between parents and children.
The “Team Snapshots” from the people mentioned above are the best of the book, and the rest is filled with a lot of art from the film itself. I wished there was a little more behind-the-scenes information about the production and insight into its themes and construction, but the truth is that “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” is a visual experience, something that’s filled to the brim with art that often replicates the worldview of its protagonist Katie. It makes sense for the companion book to mimic that abundance of visual pleasures. It’s a fun book for fans of the film to leaf through and remind themselves why they love the movie so much. And it’s a movie that more and more people are going to love every day, through 2021 and beyond.
Official Synopsis:
The official behind-the-scenes art book for Sony Pictures Animation’s feature film The Mitchells vs. The Machines
The Art of The Mitchells vs. The Machines gives insight into how the filmmakers behind Sony Pictures Animation’s new movie The Mitchells vs. The Machines were able to bring a fresh, new vision to the screen through concept art, sketches, and early character designs. The book also features exclusive commentary from director/cowriter Michael Rianda and codirector/cowriter Jeff Rowe, alumni of the team behind Emmy Award–winning Gravity Falls, and producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the innovative and creative minds behind The LEGO Movie and the Academy Award–winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
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