Poles, wires and puppets replace pixels to craft a magical animation

The life of a cicada bug is an unusual one. Spending the vast majority of their lives underground, in this beautifully crafted animation these noisy little insects emerge from the ground just days before they die for one big party. Created by director Mauchi Baiocchi, the film is based on a children's book, with references to the classic tale of Cinderella throughout.

You'd be forgiven for thinking the short is a stop motion, or even CG, animation. However, the magical tale was brought to life using puppets and miniature models, including sets, costumes and characters crafted by a team of seriously talented artist. The cicadas themselves were animated by the team using poles and wires, which were digitally removed at a later date.

Narrated by British author and comedian Stephen Fry, the attention to detail in this film and it's overall style is nothing short of brilliant. Creating a short that makes such unloveable creatures so appealing is a true testament to this production.

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