The Zoetrope is a primitive optical device, which was invented around 1834, before the film was. It brings cartoon figures on a paper stripe to life as if by magic. It shows simple repetitive movements of one second such as walking, waving, hopping, opening and closing etc..
The participant is familiarised with the technical basics of film by learning how optical devices such as zoetropes and praxinoscopes work.
By doing it himself, he learns about the creative and expressive possibilities of animation.
Participants practise reducing their imagined animation to the essentials, dividing it into 15 images and depicting it as an endless cyclical movement within the defined image area, e.g. on the strip of paper.
The aim of the workshop is to develop your own creativity, share your experiences with other participants and work together as a team to develop and present a final audiovisual presentation.
In the Zoetrope workshop we work with different animation techniques, such as cartoon, cut-out and object animation.
Each participant creates one-second animations of repetitive movements on a paper strip. She or he tests and presents her or his animation on historical optical devices such as a Zoetrope or Praxinoscope.
In a workshop lasting several days, participants also draw or model their animation on paper or cork discs and show their animation in motion with the help of strobe lights.
Or they create their animation on a transparent strip, similar to an old film strip. Its result is projected onto a mini-screen with a primitive projection device.
In one workshop module, we make various optical devices.
In another module, we work on presenting the animations with music and sounds and producing a short animated film.
Get more details of the moduls and see how you can combine them.
Click on the image below or open a pdf-file (German).
The workshop is suitable for a larger number of participants, e. g. school classes. The minimum duration of the Zoetrope workshop is five hours with up to 15 participants. Usually, each person manages to create at least one animation strips in this duration. For more than 15 participants, a workshop duration of at least six hours is required. Only then is an individual consultation with each participant guaranteed.
You can take part in my Zoetrope workshop in Kassel or use my contact form bellow to book me for a Zoetrope workshop in your city.
The workshop results can be shown to all participants, teachers and guests on the devices. Depending on the scope of the workshop, the animations can be presented to specially created music.
After a six-day or several-week workshop, e.g. in cooperation with teachers as part of school lessons, the results can be presented to the public in an impressive way as an audiovisual performance called The Spinning Animation Show.
How a Zoetrope works
Making-of film about the workshop
Presentation of the results of a six-day workshop entitled:
The Spinning Animation Show
Report by the Hessian Broadcast TV
Advertising trailer and more information of my next Zoetrope workshop.
Watch a report by the Bavarian Broadcast TV about the final presentation of the Zoetrope workshop The Spinning History.
Check out several final presentations, so called The Spinning Animation Show, on Vimeo.
Read my experience reports about my past Zoetrope workshops.
Get more information about my next Zoetrope Workshop Kassel or take a look at my upcoming events.
The Zoetrope is a primitive optical device, which was invented around 1834, before the film was. It brings cartoon figures on a paper stripe to life as if by magic. It shows simple repetitive movements of one second such as walking, waving, hopping, opening and closing etc..
How a Zoetrope works
The participant is familiarised with the technical basics of film by learning how optical devices such as zoetropes and praxinoscopes work.
By doing it himself, he learns about the creative and expressive possibilities of animation.
Participants practise reducing their imagined animation to the essentials, dividing it into 15 images and depicting it as an endless cyclical movement within the defined image area, e.g. on the strip of paper.
The aim of the workshop is to develop your own creativity, share your experiences with other participants and work together as a team to develop and present a final audiovisual presentation.
In the Zoetrope workshop we work with different animation techniques, such as cartoon, cut-out and object animation.
Each participant creates one-second animations of repetitive movements on a paper strip. She or he tests and presents her or his animation on historical optical devices such as a Zoetrope or Praxinoscope. Usually, each person manages to create at least one or two animation strips in five hours.
In a workshop lasting several days, participants also draw or model their animation on paper or cork discs and show their animation in motion with the help of strobe lights.
Or they create their animation on a transparent strip, similar to an old film strip. The result is projected onto a mini-screen with a primitive projection device.
Making-of film about the workshop
You can take part in my Zoetrope workshop in Kassel or use my contact form bellow to book me for a Zoetrope workshop in your city.
The workshop results can be shown to all participants, teachers and guests on the devices. Depending on the scope of the workshop, the animations can be presented to specially created music.
After a six-day or several-week workshop, e.g. in cooperation with teachers as part of school lessons, the results can be presented to the public in an impressive way as an audiovisual performance called The Spinning Animation Show.
Presentation of the results of a six-day workshop entitled:
The Spinning Animation Show
The workshop is suitable for a larger number of participants, e. g. school classes. The minimum duration of the Zoetrope workshop is four hours with up to 15 participants. For more than 15 participants, a minimum of 6 hours workshop duration is required.
Get more details of the moduls and see how you can combine them.
Click on the image below and open a pdf-file (German).
Watch a report by the Bavarian Broadcast TV about the final presentation of the Zoetrope workshop The Spinning History.
Check out several final presentations, so called The Spinning Animation Show, on Vimeo.
Read my experience reports about my past Zoetrope workshops.
Report by the Hessian Broadcast TV
Get more information about my next Zoetrope Workshop Kassel or take a look at my upcoming events.
Advertising trailer and more information of my next Zoetrope workshop.
If you have any questions or consider booking me, please contact me: