It has been more than 80 years since Wan Laiming, the father of
Chinese animation, created the first cartoon short "Uproar in the
Art Studio" in 1926.
Now you can watch it and see a character emerge from a
canvas.
A new "animation art corridor" gives cartoon lovers a picture of
Chinese animation, from its "golden age" from the 1950s-80s to its
decade-long decline due to Western competition.
The industry at this time is trying to reinvent itself and come
up with memorable animation with Chinese elements, not Japanese or
Western.
The underground corridor has been launched by the Shanghai
Animation Film Studio at its site. It can be visited by groups with
advance reservations.
The corridor features posters and pictures of well-known Chinese
cartoon works and distinctive characters such as the Monkey King,
the Calabash Brothers and the Warrior.
It also screens classic cartoon films and showcases properties
used in production. There's a simulated studio of the popular
puppet movie "Xiyue Qitong" ("Saving Mother"), screened in
2006.
Veteran animation directors will give talks on the concepts and
technologies used in cartoon production.
"We hope to arouse public concern for the domestic cartoon
industry," says Wang Tianyun, director of the Shanghai Animation
Film Studio. "This will serve as a 'second classroom' in
cultivating students' enthusiasm for the art of animation."
(Shanghai Daily February 15, 2008)