There’s something magical about inanimate objects coming to life. The process of giving them life is a fine art where simple gestures suggest that there’s a spirit within. I’m not sure what the exact triggers are within us but we all seem to have them.
In the case of The Little Girl Giant, she blinks and tilts her head and somehow I’m convinced that she’s alive. This is the magic that I want to capture with stop-motion animation that I hope will come close to the feeling I experience when I watch these films.
On the morning of Sunday 7th May, 2006 the little girl giant woke up at Horseguards Parade in London, took a shower from the time-traveling elephant and wandered off to play in the park…
Are you wondering what the rest of story is… where did the elephant go, where did the time travel take him… watch on.
“The Sultan’s Elephant is a spectacle you’ve only imagined… Created by theatrical magicians Royal de Luxe, it tells the story of a sultan from far-off lands and his magical, time-travelling mechanical elephant. Forty feet high and 42 tonnes in weight, this beautiful creature will capture the hearts and minds of everyone who sees it.
The Sultan’s Elephant is played out over four days in the streets, squares and public spaces of central London. Whether you dip into it for three hours or follow its progress for three days, this breathtaking show will live in your memory forever.”
and of course it all has to come to end.
8 responses so far ↓
1 LuA // Feb 28, 2007 at 6:12 pm
I had never heard of the Sultan’s Elephant. Initially the little girl seemed a bit creepy, especially as she licked the ice cream, but there was something in her eyes. They seemed so innocent and full of the wonder we see in children. At times it was very easy not to see all the exposed junctions in her face, and only concentrate in the look she had as she surveyed the crowd around her.
2 Dee // Feb 28, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Lu,
I agree, creepy was my first reaction too but the more I watched the more I bought into the idea that she was alive.
What do you think was most important in making the transition for you? For me it was the way she tilted her head and blinked. From there all the little men in red really seem to be her servants. The kids sitting on her arms while she looked on was priceless. Their reaction re-enforced the idea that she was alive as they too looked back at her in some type of living exchange.
When was the last time you played with dolls? Do you remember the shift in your mind when you entered the imaginary world you created for them?
3 The Land of Deborah // Mar 2, 2007 at 1:42 am
Love it, Love it LOVE IT!
According to my sis in London this footage is actually better than the film that was shown on the TV at the time!
xx
4 Dee // Mar 2, 2007 at 2:45 am
Deb,
The wonders of the Internet. As far as I can tell, the films on YouTube are all productions of small film/video houses that took it upon themselves to make these films. Interesting that their product, made out of love/support of the idea, is better than the “official” TV production.
I only wish that I could have been in London to see these in person. It looks like it would have been four days of bliss. I would have run around like a kid wanting to see every little bit of magic.
5 Jaana // Mar 3, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Hi Dee,
These films were really beautiful as they have captured something bigger than life… the day we’ll have to quit our playfulness we’re gone, as human beings, as nations, as societies, you name it. The little girl’s eyes -praised above- however raised the only feeling of disbelief in me: why did her eyes come across as so badly exaggerated when everything else was simple and pure? Why were her eyes made to look like a hooker’s eyes, loaded with heavy mascara on artificial lashes, where the slow eye-lid movement only made it look more suggesting? It may also be that I am over sensitive to the presentation of children as my own daughter is about the age of the (otherwise very) charming little girl giant…!
Keep up the good going with the stop motion animaton, Darren, and keep us informed!
Hugs from a tiny country in Europe,
J
6 Dee // Mar 3, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Jaana, interesting point about the puppet girls eyes.
I suspect that the “exaggerated” eyes are due to an old theatrical trick where the eyes need to be the focus in order to help the process of getting the viewer to “buy into” the imaginary world.
There are many things to be distracted by as a viewer in the case of the Giant Little Girl. All the supporting hardware / equipment etc must somehow be removed from our view and the easiest way to do this is to give the viewer a point of focus - thus the eyes. For me, every blink draws me in a little more. Eyes are a point of fundamental human exchange, some say it’s like looking into someone soul. In order for us to believe that the puppet has a soul perhaps the eyes are a good place to start.
Of course, this is all speculation. Your heighten sensitivity to how a child is portrayed ends up to be an obstacle rather than a gateway. As a story teller, particularly with puppets, this is an important consideration. Thank you for pointing out that there are many ways to see a situation and the “tried and true” are not always the best route to present an idea.
PS - I still love all the vowels in your name.
7 LuA // Mar 8, 2007 at 5:55 pm
Hi Everyone,
Dee, I think the transition for me was when she started to walk. When she is raised and ‘awoken’ to the world. During the walk she seemed to have that lack of attention span we see in children. Everything is new and interesting. The kids seemed to me like ladybugs. I remember when I was a kid having grasshoppers and ladybugs crawling on my arms and legs. To me they were so interesting and if I wasn’t careful I could crush them. To me the little giant girl looks on the children like ladybugs, interested in their every move and scared she might crush it.
Her eyes made it all possible for me to buy into the fantasy. Contrary to what Jaana said I thought the exageration made me think of many young children I know. Maybe it’s because most children I know are dark skinned and latin, but most of them have long dark lashes. The slowness of the blinking made me think of a sleepy but interested child.
The scene I have in my mind is: Little girl walking in a garden with lots of little creatures around. It’s sunny and hot, and she’s due for a nap. But she wants to have a look at the little creatures around and she cannot decide what to do. So she goes on looking at the little ladybugs crawling, and the grasshoppers jumping around. Soon she gets so tired she lies down to sleep in the garden.
8 Dee // Mar 8, 2007 at 8:01 pm
LuA,
What a wonderful image you’ve painted. I dare say that there’s still very much a little girl inside of you. You’ve described the awe and innocents that we all struggle to hanging onto which often evades us as adults. Perhaps it’s this desire that allows us to “buy into” the Giant Little Girl being alive.
When I grow up I want to be a Ladybug on your arm.
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