Small Films Presentation: Further Research

I’ve been learning more about the very simple beginnings of SmallFilms, and how Oliver Postgate essentially started this production company with no animation experience at all. His first production was “Alexander the Mouse”, which he had the idea for while working as the stage manager at Associated-Rediffusion’s Children’s Programming Department. He wrote it and pitched it, and got it commissioned, and all animation on it was done live by using magnets. The backgrounds were placed over an aluminium film, and magnets were attached to the characters, and manipulated by magnets underneath the background held by Postgate. It was actually broadcast live, with many mistakes being made by him using this slightly rudimentary system. I love that he had the idea so he made it. and that he learned on the job. Although I think he was lucky to be in the position he was at the time, and that children’s programming was still quite new in the 1950s, I admire that he went for it and did it.

He and Firmin tried a number of different techniques as they went from production to production. They really went by trial and error, and had a totally DIY mindset. I love that they didn’t rely on a big budget and made their films with such little experience. I think that this really contributed to the magic of the things they made. There is a strong sense of spirit in everything that they made, and I believe that is what really connects with people. Big budgets and technology are exciting and entertaining, but they don’t move people in the way something made by human hands with love does. I have a terrible attention span, but when I watch something made by SmallFilms, I’m enrapt. There is something spell-like in them. There are very few things that have the warming, comforting, and magical effect that SmallFilms have.

I’m also enjoying learning about the creative ways they used what they had to make their work

I always get excited about DIY ethics and especially when it involves some improvised, DIY mechanical engineering, and when that is being used to create something as wonderful as the Clangers, I’m beside myself

I also follow the official Clangers account, which frequently updates (at least once a day). I found the fact that it’s still active interesting, as the new series of The Clangers stopped being made at the beginning of 2018, so I messaged them asking whether The Clangers was still in production:

I think their reboot of this wonderful series is very faithful and enjoyable, so the fact that new episodes are not out of the question is good news to me 🙂

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^ edit: i wrote some of this into my presentation.. but i took out the “human hands with love” bit even tho i mean it cause i’m scared of the CGI stans

toodles