"The Red and the Blue", (197?), Misseri Studios

I've posted this clip as an example of how to do more with less. By limiting their palette, materials, dialogue and character design, the creators of this inventive TV series are able to appeal to a wide range of age groups and nationalities.

The series was produced by Misseri Studios, founded by Francesco Misseri in Italy in 1968. The studio has created other popular object, clay, and sand animated series such as the origami "Quak Quao", "AEIOU", and " Mio Mau".

"Kid Koala's Basin Street Blues", Monkmus (c.2004)

One of the things I love about this clip is the carefully choreographed, unconventional floaty motion style. It's the perfect match for the unconventional, floaty style of the jazz classic remix. 

In an interview with Animation Reporter, the animator Monkmus describes relistening to the audio track as an important part of his design process: 

"AR: How did you conjure up the visualization for the video Kid Koala's Basin Street Blues?
MM: By listening to the track till my ears turned blue. Kid Koala provided me with the track and as I listened to it, images of a funeral procession in New Orleans crept into my mind. It was definitely the music that sparked the initial concept, but my interest in New Orleans and it's culture really spurned me on."
Animation Reporter - Monkmus interview

Here's another article about the artist, and links to his blog and website:  
Giant Robot Magazine interview 
Monkmus (website)
Monkmus (blog)

"Grover and Chelsea YES NO" - Children's Television Workshop (date unknown)

In my experience, animators often create their work in isolation. We are rarely able to view our work with a full, unbiased audience until the project is finished. Only then do we really know if our gags have worked, or even if our intentions have been understood.

Puppeteers, on the other hand, enjoy instant feedback whilst they are performing. If the audience is bored, they will fidget or, even worse, talk amongst themselves. If the gags don't work, there are no laughs.

Just as importantly, performing live allows the normal to-and-fro of human interaction to take place over and above the scripted material. Ad-lib dialogue, subtle emotional responses, and realistic timing can evolve, adding to the piece's entertainment value.

The clip I've posted here shows us how strong this interaction can be. The performance seems to be quite fresh and unstructured, with Grover and the child feeding off one another for their lines and timing. Enjoy!