Fascinating article - I remember referencing a film titled “Snipe, Clam, Grapple” for a commercial in the 80’s which was in an ink wash style but most likely cut-out and not straight ahead drawn animation.
The multi-exposure thing is interesting because it’s harder to do where you have a predominately white background in the final image, so perhaps they shot on negative film and used an optical printer to combine the various passes instead of in-camera..
Thank you! The Snipe-Clam film is a beautiful one -- but you're right that it was done with cutouts rather than cels. Still a stunning look, though.
As for the optical printer theory, that sounds really plausible now that you mention it. Duan and the others keep their descriptions vague, but printing does get mentioned as a part of the process, alongside the multiple exposures, changes in focus and cel layering. It could be part of the secret, for sure. We'll have to keep an eye out for clues on this!
I’m loving the sleuthing folks! Please let us know if you ever discover the secret behind the process. It is such a shame the method has been buried given the gorgeous results.
Thanks very much -- and we absolutely will. This is a mystery we've been hoping to unravel for years. Luckily, it seems inevitable that Fu Guangchao will get permission to access and publish the details someday. We'll keep an eye out!
Thanks a bunch, Jon! And it's definitely nice to see Aardman doing these again, and keeping them fresh in the process. Not many studios can keep the spirit alive over so many decades -- it's really something.
Glad we could bring you a peek into this work -- it blew us away when we discovered it, and has continued to blow us away ever since. We love sharing it.
Aaa, thank you so much for bringing this vital research into English! I was blown away when I saw Te Wei's films a couple of years ago, and until today I knew nothing about the other people who worked on them, and only the vaguest idea of how it was done from your previous articles. Multiple-exposure, out of focus camera tricks is so ingenious! But the amount of trial and error it must have taken to pin down the exact parameters of light, exposure time etc., when you don't get to see the result until the film is developed... it's incredible, and must have taken such meticulous coordination to get the results to look consistent and clean in animation. Thank you for once again carrying the torch for writing about donghua in English!
Perhaps there is signs of things getting better. I got a chance to see Busifan's 'The Storm' here in London, and while it was a limited run, the theatre was pretty full. I feel like word is maybe starting to filter out a little! I hope one day there's just as much passion abroad for translating, releasing and discussing donghua as there is anime.
This style really is an unbelievable achievement! Looking at Buffalo Boy, you just strain to understand how something like this could've been made in the early '60s -- it's so unlike anything from that time and uses so many effects that feel like they'd be impossible without computers. And thanks very much for the kind words!
As for The Storm, that's definitely a positive sign. We haven't had a chance to see it yet and the main thing we've read about its performance internationally is that mega-viral tweet about someone watching it alone in the theater. Some of these recent films (especially Chang'an) seem like they could appeal to a lot more people if they just knew they existed. Fingers crossed that it's in the process of changing soon!
Fascinating article - I remember referencing a film titled “Snipe, Clam, Grapple” for a commercial in the 80’s which was in an ink wash style but most likely cut-out and not straight ahead drawn animation.
The multi-exposure thing is interesting because it’s harder to do where you have a predominately white background in the final image, so perhaps they shot on negative film and used an optical printer to combine the various passes instead of in-camera..
Thank you! The Snipe-Clam film is a beautiful one -- but you're right that it was done with cutouts rather than cels. Still a stunning look, though.
As for the optical printer theory, that sounds really plausible now that you mention it. Duan and the others keep their descriptions vague, but printing does get mentioned as a part of the process, alongside the multiple exposures, changes in focus and cel layering. It could be part of the secret, for sure. We'll have to keep an eye out for clues on this!
I’m loving the sleuthing folks! Please let us know if you ever discover the secret behind the process. It is such a shame the method has been buried given the gorgeous results.
Thanks very much -- and we absolutely will. This is a mystery we've been hoping to unravel for years. Luckily, it seems inevitable that Fu Guangchao will get permission to access and publish the details someday. We'll keep an eye out!
Fantastic.
Thank you!
Another great post and, living in the UK am happy that Creature Comfort (style) is back. Absolute classic
Thanks a bunch, Jon! And it's definitely nice to see Aardman doing these again, and keeping them fresh in the process. Not many studios can keep the spirit alive over so many decades -- it's really something.
I never saw this film or heard of this filmmaker before. Her style is remarkable.
Glad we could bring you a peek into this work -- it blew us away when we discovered it, and has continued to blow us away ever since. We love sharing it.
Aaa, thank you so much for bringing this vital research into English! I was blown away when I saw Te Wei's films a couple of years ago, and until today I knew nothing about the other people who worked on them, and only the vaguest idea of how it was done from your previous articles. Multiple-exposure, out of focus camera tricks is so ingenious! But the amount of trial and error it must have taken to pin down the exact parameters of light, exposure time etc., when you don't get to see the result until the film is developed... it's incredible, and must have taken such meticulous coordination to get the results to look consistent and clean in animation. Thank you for once again carrying the torch for writing about donghua in English!
Perhaps there is signs of things getting better. I got a chance to see Busifan's 'The Storm' here in London, and while it was a limited run, the theatre was pretty full. I feel like word is maybe starting to filter out a little! I hope one day there's just as much passion abroad for translating, releasing and discussing donghua as there is anime.
This style really is an unbelievable achievement! Looking at Buffalo Boy, you just strain to understand how something like this could've been made in the early '60s -- it's so unlike anything from that time and uses so many effects that feel like they'd be impossible without computers. And thanks very much for the kind words!
As for The Storm, that's definitely a positive sign. We haven't had a chance to see it yet and the main thing we've read about its performance internationally is that mega-viral tweet about someone watching it alone in the theater. Some of these recent films (especially Chang'an) seem like they could appeal to a lot more people if they just knew they existed. Fingers crossed that it's in the process of changing soon!