Examples of Professional Childrens Tv shows

 'Clangers'- Analysis of an Episode

 

 
 
 Clangers is a British made stop-motion animated children's television series of short stories about a family of mouse-like creatures who live on, and inside a small moon-like planet. The flutey voiced family of woollen, knitted aliens face misadventures which bring them into contact with such unlikely creatures as the Soup Dragon, the Iron Chicken and Glow Buzzers. The voice over explains what the Clangers are saying and thinking because they speak in a non-speech way. The first episode was released in 1969 and the last in 1974.

This clip is called 'The Intruders' , the Clangers are peacefully building a  house, they hear a whistling sound and won comes something. The Clangers run for cover. The thing us a terrestrial space-probe vehicle with large initials on it. it is tracked with appendages. They watch it begin its investigations, it probes about, beeping a buzzing. it finds a piece of local rock and appears to eat it. This shocks Mr.Clanger who goes out to speak to it. The space-probe does not register his existence and pushes him rudely out of the way. Mr. Clanger pushes back. The vehicle stops, backs away and produces a turret with an optical instrument on it and proceeds to examine Mr. Clanger with it. It approaches him, Mr. Clanger thinking it wishes to shakes his hand, grasps the instrument which comes off in his hand. The space-probe goes into emergency action. Mr Clanger tries to put back the instrument but the vehicle takes no notice. Its ignites it rockets and blasts off.

To create this video they used stop motion animation. Technology wasn't very advanced in the 1960s when the Clangers was first introduced, TV's only had 3 channels so shows were restricted, programmes needed to be for all the family, but the Clangers along side others were aimed at children. Its been more than 40 years since the show was last aired and recently the show will be updated and aired in the US.

 

Analysis of the opening sequence to the Clangers

 This is the opening titles for Clangers- children's TV show, It starts off with the name of the programme and music represents the kind of show it is going to be, a stop-motion, funny programme set on a small moon-like planet. There are no characters, as it starts off with the name of the show, this fades out to the earth. A strong British male voice speaks in which it explains what earth is, the camera pans along to another planet, where the show is set and the Clangers live. There is no editing in this, I think as the show is puppets the planets are hand made and filmed all in one  take.