Edited Presentation/ Extra Research
THOLU BOMMALATA
Long before animation, Indian artists and artisans told stories and implemented movements in shadow puppetry, a combination of education and entertainment.
Through shadow puppetry, they talked about mythology and folklore.
These are performed before a thin screen and feature flat, jointed puppets of brightly painted fine leather. The puppets are held close to the screen and illuminated from behind, with canes attached to guide their hands, arms, and lower legs, which swing freely from the knee. The puppeteers moved the puppets away from the screen, creating the illusion of the figures suddenly materializing and fading out. They also animated the figures to walk, sway, hop, and fly. Regionally diverse and had many versions of storytelling and character development of puppets.
STOP MOTION/2D
The 1912 film ‘The Growth of a Pea Plant’ pioneered time-lapse photography by shooting one frame per day. Later in 1915, after much struggle, he created a stop motion film using matchsticks called ‘Agkadyanchi Mouj’. ‘The Game of Match Sticks’ marked the official start of Indian animation.