New Zealand Animation History

• Most New Zealand cartoonist worked privately during the 1850's.
• The first published New Zealand cartoons appeared around 1860's.
• The earliest political cartoons were based of British cartoon models, in particular the satirical magazine, Punch (1941)
• Photo engraving was introduced in the 1880's.
• The weekly newspaper introduced cartoons nation widely in the 1890's.
• Debates raged over women's suffrage, prohibition, labour issues and the introduction of a raft of new reforms. Race was a frequent topic, as artists expressed the fear  of immigration and annoyances in the Maori's. This was around the 1890's and 1900's
• Cartooning went quiet for a small period during the 1950's and the 1960's
• In the 1970's and the 1980's New zealand was going through a period of protest, political conflict and social changes. This was an inspiration for cartoonist.
• The feminist movement and the changing role of women in the 1970's and 1980's opened the way for female cartoonists.
• During the First World War most cartoonists were patriotic, showing New Zealand soldiers as heroes and Germans as beasts. The Second World war was similar but the main focus was the enemy military leaders. Cartoonist in the armed forces produced cartoons for service publications.

James Brown
Considered the first political cartoonist, His pencil drawings did not appear in any publication but were appreciated in 1850's Otago. Two years after his death, His drawings were published in James Barr's 1879 book The old identities.

David Low
He found successes cartooning in other countries Cartooned for the Sydney Bulletin (1911) and London's Evening Standard (1930) along with other New Zealand Cartoonists. His main focus was political cartoons. He got most of his fame from his anti-fascist works of the 1930's and 1940's. Because of this Hitler put David Low on the Nazi's death list.

Fred O'Neill
This Dunedin Buisnessman and artist made quirky animated films which bought him international fame. His films encouraged children not to smoke, he brought Maori legends to the screen in a novel way, and entertained young viewers in the early years of New Zealand television.
Space Flight (1962)
Plastiphobia (1962)
The Frog and the Devil (1986)

Robert Jahnke
He created a story of a battle between Maori gods, which occurs after the separation of the Earth and Sky. The story was based on a traditional myth of New Zealand's Maori's people, Robert used styles and symbolic elements of traditional Maori art.
Te Utu (1979)

Bob Stenhouse
The first Kiwi animator to be nominated for an Academy Award. He spent 12 years working for state television. He also joined the Government's national film unit in 1980's. Stenhouse's later films have included several Joy Cowley short stories plus the award winning short The Orchard, a Japanese fable adapted to a New  Zealand setting.
The Domino (1981)
The Frog, The Dog and the Devil (1986)
Burning Yearning (1988)
The Orchard (1996)

Murray Ball
The man from Manawatu, started his career in childhood, he started by copying Walt Disney and Tom and Jerry characters. Later in his life he became a cartoonist with the Manawatu Times, he stayed for three years and became a freelancer. When he went to England in 1968, he had a successful cartoon called 'Stanley' which appeared in Punch which became the longest running strip in the history of the magazine. He also had the comic 'Bruce the Barbarian' in the Labour Weekly.
In 1976, 2 years after he returned to New Zealand, he created his most famous work. 'Footrot Flats', It's first appearance showing in the Evening Post.
Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tail Tale (1986)

Ian Taylor
Formed Taylormade Productions 1989, which was best known for running children's TV shows like 'Tiki Tiki Forest Gang', Squirt and Studio 2. Taylormade productions and the Otago University Computer Science Department set up Animation Research Limited. ARL first first 3D Production was a title sequence for a Televison New Zealand series, University Challenge.
The First commercial from Taylormade Productions was Chicago-based United Airlines. The commercial won Awards all around the world.
Animated Research Limited achieved further international claim when it change how people view the american cup with its live 3D animated sports coverage.

Len Lye
Began film-making in 1929 combining Maori, Aboriginal, Samoan and modernist influences in his animated works. his way of animation was different from others because he was unable to afford a camera, so he painted directly onto the film strips.
Colour Box (1935)