Colin Williamson
Film historian and assistant professor of cinema studies at the University of Oregon, author of Drawn to Nature: American Animation in the Age of Science (University of Minnesota Press, 2025), specializing in animation history and intersections between cinema and science.
Best podcasts with Colin Williamson
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Dec 25, 2025 • 52min
Colin Williamson, "Drawn to Nature: American Animation in the Age of Science" (U Minnesota Press, 2025)
Colin Williamson, a film historian and assistant professor at the University of Oregon, dives into the fascinating relationship between animation and science. He discusses how early American animators, like Disney and the Fleischer Brothers, were inspired by scientific discoveries. The interplay between nature and industrialization in cartoons reveals anxieties of the time while showcasing revolutionary artistic techniques. Williamson also highlights how animations from Fantasia to UPA reflected contemporary scientific debates, illuminating the cultural impact of science on animation.
Dec 25, 2025 • 52min
Colin Williamson, "Drawn to Nature: American Animation in the Age of Science" (U Minnesota Press, 2025)
Dr. Colin Williamson, a film historian and assistant professor at the University of Oregon, explores the fascinating connections between animation and science in his upcoming book. He discusses how Disney’s Fantasia drew on scientific ideas and how animators like Winsor McCay reflected cultural debates surrounding themes like eugenics and Darwinian evolution. Williamson reveals how the interplay of nature and industrialization shaped American cartoons and previews his next project on mid-century animation landscapes.
