London’s V&A Explores Stop-Mo with Kids

The Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood in London will be marking the final weeks of its special Smallfilms exhibition — Clangers, Bagpuss & Co. — with a celebration of the magic of stop-motion with “Lurching Charm: Animation Study Day”. The all-day event on September 24 will include talks on the history of animation, accomplished creative guests, gems from the museum’s collections and hands-on activities.

The festivities begin at 9:30 a.m. with registration, workshop sign-up and pastries, followed by a 10 a.m. keynote by Prof. Paul Wells, Director of the Animation Academy at Loughborough University, on “A History of Animation in 100 Objects … or thereabouts.” At 10:45, Dr. Rachel Moseley, Director of the Centre for Television History, Heritage and Memory Research at University of Warwick, will discuss “Child’s Play: Material Aesthetics and Cultural Value in the programs of Smallfilms;” touching on classic series Clangers, Bagpuss and “forgotten” titles from the iconic studio.

At 11:30, “Re-making the Clangers” welcomes the Clangers 2015 relaunch co-director Chris Tichborne (studio director, Factory Create) and screenwriter Dan Postgate (author of Smelly Bill), who will reveal how they recreated the 1969 classic. Acclaimed puppet maker Ian Mackinnon of renowned studio Mackinnon & Saunders (characters for Fantastic Mr. Fox, Corpse Bride) will take the stage at noon to discuss “Creating lurching charm.” And at 12:30 p.m., folksinger Sandra Kerr will explore, with live illustrations, the musical elements of Bagpuss.

After a break for lunch, concurrent afternoon workshops and sessions on offer include “Drop-in: Gems from the Store” with Curator Will Newton (2-4:30 p.m.); “Paper Layers Zoetrope Workshop with ‘Cardboard Cameras'” (1:45-2:45 p.m.); “3D Zoetrope Workshop with ‘Cardboard Cameras'” (3:30-4:30 p.m.); “Magic Lantern Workshop with ‘Mirror Mirror'” (2-3 p.m.); and “Outside the Box Workshop with ‘Mirror Mirror'” (3:30-4:30 p.m.).

The day will wrap up at 4:30 p.m. with a raffle prize draw (courtesy of Coolabi). The Clangers, Bagpuss & Co. exhibition runs through October 9 at the V&A Museum of Childhood, with free admission.