Roy Naisbitt died on Sunday, April 26, 2021. He was 90 years old. He
was the art director on the Thief, a master layout designer, scene
planning wizard and a main collaborator of Richard Williams since the
early sixties. A genius at his work, he was also most kind, patient
and generous.
Not restrained by the limitations of classical three dimensional
space, his 2D flights of fancy, by ignoring reality and bending the
art of camera moves to his own unfathomable logic, have given the
world some of the most incredible rollercoaster rides in animation
history. With him has gone a unique way of seeing the world, and
translating it into moving shapes.
As far as I (Dietmar) am concerned, I learned almost everything there
was to learn for me about Layout and traditional Animation in the time
when I had the privilege to meet Roy. I remember the Saturday mornings
with fresh rolls from an Indian takeaway especially fondly - just
talking about everything and anything in the (animation) world. There
was just one thing he could never make me comprehend - and that was
the rules of Cricket. Goodbye Roy, you will be missed.
I (Holger) saw Roy sometimes at the Kentish Town pool where I would go
for a swim before work. In the pool Roy's appearance transformed, he was
way more athletic than he came across in "normal" life. Broad
shoulders, swim goggles, looking really cool. During the time it took
me to swim from one end to the other he would pace back and forth 3
times. A very powerful swimmer. Once he invited me to join him for a
swim at an outdoor pool in Hampstead Heath. It was not during the
summer, the water of the showers felt very cold. Roy jumped in and I
followed. It was like jumping into ice. Instant headache. I was out
again in a second and the shower now felt warm by comparison. While I
was getting dressed and recovering he kept going and finished his routine. The ice-like water didn't seem to affect him at all. I was not surprised many years later when I heard about him swimming through the
English Channel.
He will be very much missed by us and everyone who worked in the
London animation scene.
Andreas, Dietmar, Holger and Michael
