Jun 27, 2013

Sarah and the Duck TV Review

Animated films for preschoolers seem to have something of a stigma in the United States. While animated films such as "Sponge Bob," "My Little Pony Friendship is Magic," and "Adventure Time," which are aimed at children ages 6-11, have attracted adult fans large and small, there seems to be an assumption that those aimed at ages 5 and under are too simple and didactic, and that older viewers There seems to be an assumption that older viewers will not be interested in them.

In the UK, the situation is slightly different. Most of the animated television productions produced in the UK today are aimed at a pre-school audience, but they often cater to adult viewers who prefer a gentle whimsy. As such, they can be seen as continuing in the tradition of Bagpuss, The Clangers, and Noggin the Nog. These children's series were not specifically intended for a pre-school audience, but as they were rebroadcast, they were embraced by that demographic as well.

The CBeebies series "Sarah and the Ducks," recently produced by Sarah Gomez Harris and Tim O'Sullivan of Karrot Entertainment, is full of charm and will have many adult fans. The appeal of the series for older viewers lies not in the winking jokes that wink over the heads of its target audience, but in its way of evoking the more fondly remembered aspects of our childhoods. [The series follows the exploits of a seven-year-old girl and her pet duck; the third central character is the narrator, who interacts with the characters and serves as the only true adult presence, offering advice but never entering their world. The stories deal with simple subjects such as visiting a store, making a kite, or drinking honey and lemon when you are poor, gently pushing trivia on the audience. Older viewers will be reminded that even the most mundane of activities in early childhood can be a fascinating journey of discovery.

This is reflected in the colorful and sometimes bizarre world in which Sarah and Duck live. When they leave their house, a line of chatty onions in the yard sees them off. They often bump into the old woman, well-meaning but somewhat dim, much to the annoyance of her temperamental chatterbags.

There are shades of Tim Burton in Sarah's quirky, wide-eyed designs. On the other hand, the fact that many inanimate objects are prone to face and talk suggests Fleischer Studios. But the series is neither self-consciously creepy nor surreal, merely reflecting how strange the world of childhood imagination can be.

The visual style is simple, but the characters are infused with genuine vitality. For example, in the episode "Sarah has a cold," the heroine assumes a slumped posture, doddering gait, and half-open eyes.

As an example of engaging character animation made on a television budget with a minimalist visual style, and as a cartoon for pre-school children that does not talk down to its audience, "Sarah and the Duck" hits the mark.

"Sarah and the Ducks" was developed, designed, scripted, and animated entirely in-house at London-based Karrot Animation. Visit the Sarah and the Ducks Facebook page for regular updates.

Credits. Director Tim O'Sullivan Screenwriters Sarah Gomez Harris, Benjamin Cook Producer Jamie Badminton Animation Director Tim Fehrenbach Lead Animators Alastair Park, Rachel Thorne Storyboard Tony Clark Senior Design Team Rufus Blacklock Art Direction Anneth Stevens, Rebecca Whiteman [19].