Searching ‘In the Attic’: a visual production diary

Abstract

This is a visual essay recording the production process of a 75-minute stop-motion feature animation, made in the spirit of traditional Czech puppet animation, but using mixed media techniques. It is a story called In the Attic: Who Has a Birthday Today? and though it is a children’s animation, based on the way children conduct their games and imagine their play environment, it is also a political metaphor, reflecting upon past Czech history. The images in the essay show different aspects of production and reveal some of the approaches taken to achieve certain craft effects. The film includes puppet animation, clay animation, cut-out animation and drawn animation; and uses post-production tools, but has no computer animation.