Minuscule (TV series)
| Minuscule | |
|---|---|
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| Created by | Hélène Giraud Thomas Szabo |
| Directed by | Hélène Giraud Thomas Szabo |
| Country of origin | France |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Philippe Delarue |
| Running time | 6 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Futurikon |
| Release | |
| Original network | France 2 and France 5 in Zouzous |
| Original release | October 25, 2006 – present |
Minuscule is a French series of short video animations giving "a bird's eye view of insects' day to day existence, distorted through a burlesque, yet poetic lens". The characters are computer-modelled in 3D and set against natural scenery. Each animation has a self-contained and usually humorous storyline. The audio is a combination of genuine insect and ambient recordings with artificial sound effects. The various protagonist insects often perform anthropomorphic activities, displaying ironically portrayed intelligence, enjoyment and, sometimes, pathos. The background settings are generally of rural France, and include farm houses, fences, cars, road surfaces, drains, gutters and garbage bins. In Season 1 episodes, humans appeared only peripherally (e.g., as mute drivers of intrusive vehicles) and large farm animals were the main reluctant witnesses to the variety of insect, spider and mollusc activities. Some Season 2 episodes depict more explicit interaction with humans. Production of a feature film that shares the same creative universe was commenced in March 2012. The feature film titled Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants, was released on January 29, 2014.
The creators describe the series as "an improbable blend of Tex Avery and Microcosmos", referring to the Franco-Swiss-Italian production of 1996 "Microcosmos: Le peuple de l'herbe" filming real-life insects in their natural setting. Similarities can be seen in the use of European country farm setting (for most episodes), similar camera angles and shots, and an almost identical musical score consisting largely of open-ended, repeated piano phrases. The creators also cite the Warner Bros. cartoons of the 1950s as a model for the series, aimed at both young and old alike, and the series is often described as "a cross between a Tex Avery cartoon and a National Geographic documentary !". Episodes tend to follow one or more insect characters through a specific situation and have involved storylines such as multi-insect races reminiscent of the pod race sequence in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, a spider becoming trapped on a helium balloon, and a grasshopper maliciously launching other unsuspecting insects from a catapult made from a blade of grass.
Minuscule is produced by Phillipe Delarue through his society Futurikon, Thomas Szabo and Hélène Giraud. The show's generalised country settings and avoidance of spoken dialogue enable universal accessibility and appeal. The series has been sold to more than 100 countries on television and about 30 countries on video.
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