"Se-Ma-For - Polish Animation Studio and its most recognisable productions" by Zuzanna Szyszak

POLISH ANIMATION STUDIOAND ITS MOST RECOGNISABLE PRODUCTIONS

Z u z a n n a S z y s z a k

SEMAFOR STUDIO - THE BEGINNINGS: 1947 - 1960

“In Times of King Krakus” (“Za Króla Krakusa”), 1947Dir. Zenon WasilewskiThe first puppet stop-motion short film made in Polish Semafor Studio.

THE SEMAFOR “STUDIO OF SMALL FORMS”: 1960 - 1990

The Sixties - “golden era” of Polish animated series for children. Semafor Studio was producing puppet series, as well as cartoon or plasticine ones.

PUPPET SERIES FOR CHILDREN: “COLARGOL”, “TEDDY FLOPPY-EAR”

“Colargol”, 1967 - 74, 53 episodes

“Teddy Floppy-Ear”, 1975 - 87, 104 episodes

CARTOON SERIES FOR CHILDREN: “MAGIC PENCIL”, “FILEMON THE CAT”,“FEW ADVENTURES OF SPARROW TWEET”

“Magic Pencil”, 1964-77, 39 episodes, “Filemon the Cat”, 1972-81, 42 episodes

“Few Adventures of Sparrow Tweet”, 1983-89, 39 episodes,

1983 - THE FIRST OSCAR AWARD FOR SEMAFOR STUDIO!

“Tango”, 1980Dir. Zbigniew Rybczyński

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Bad times for Semafor Studio: 1990 - 1999

1999 - The shut down of Semafor Studio

- Polish National Television withdrew from producing animated series for kids.

- Private animation studios appeared, making Polish animation market really competitive.

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1999 - “Se-Ma-For” Studio: reopening

1999 - today

- Still producing short and feature animations as well as short series or videoclips.

- Puppet stop motion, 2D, 3D and mixed media.

PUPPET SHORT FILM: “ICHTHYS”

“Ichtsys”, 2005Dir: Marek Skrobecki

PUPPET SHORT FILM: “DANNY BOY”

“Danny Boy”, 2010Dir: Marek Skrobecki

MIXED MEDIA SHORT FILM: “ŚWITEŹ, THE LOST TOWN”

“Świteź, The Lost Town”, 2010Dir: Kamil Polak

(TOTALLY) MIXED MEDIA SHORT FILM: “CITY FLOWS”

“City Flows”, 2008Dir: Balbina Bruszewska

2008: SECOND OSCAR AWARD FOR SE-MA-FOR STUDIO!

“PETER AND THE WOLF”, 2006DIR. SUZIE TEMPLETONBASED ON A MUSICAL TALE WRITTEN BY SERGIEJ PROKOFIEV, A RUSSIAN COMPOSER

Director: Suzie TempletonScreenplay: Suzie Templeton, Marianela MaldonadoCinematography: Hugh GordonMusic: Siergiey ProkofievProduction: Se-ma-for, BreakThru Films, Storm StudiosCo-financing: Polish Film Institute, Channel Four Television, Archangel, Kreis Consulting, Art Haus Musik,

Nesta, Well-go, Tv Unam, Tae-Won, Storm Studio

Polish Team:Set Designer: Marek SkrobeckiStop Motion Animators: Adam Wyrwas, Krzysztof BrzozowskiCinematography: Mikołaj JaroszewiczVFX: Kamil PolakCo-Production: Zbigniew Żmudzki

“PETER AND THE WOLF” - SET DESIGN

“Peter and The Wolf”, 2006Dir. Suzie Templeton, Set Design: Marek Skrobecki

“PETER AND THE WOLF” - FACIAL EXPRESSION

“Peter and The Wolf”, 2006Dir. Suzie Templeton, Stop motion Animators: Adam Wyrwas, Krzysztof Brzozowski

AND IT’S ALL THANKS TO THESE PIVOTS, WIRES AND HINGES!

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.se-ma-for.com/

http://www.kinopolska.pl/index.php?strona=nasze_programy&podstrona=starszaki

http://www.uml.lodz.pl/miasto/o_miescie/skarby_lodzi/oscarowy_semafor

http://www.switez.com

http://www.miastoplynie.com/

http://breakthrufilms.co.uk/uk/films/peter_and_the_wolf/

THANK YOU!