How Cinema Was Born

A Trip into the Archaeology of film for Early and Advanced Readers

by Tereza Cz Dvořáková, Nikkarin, František Týmal

November 2017, 64 pages

The perfect book for all curious children, combining the latest knowledge of film history and epic language with practical and playful instruction manuals.

This beautiful book tells you all that had to occur before the first feature-length animated film was created. The story travels from Leonardo Da Vinci to Lotte Reiniger, journeying into the archaeology of film as an homage to the inventions and transformations of the 18th and 19th century. Without these pioneers and predecessors, we could hardly imagine today what it is to have fun at the cinema, in front of the television, at the computer or with our tablets.

The book also contains an interactive section, prepared by experimental filmmaker František Týmal.  It consists of several manuals for making optical toys to simulate the moving images watched by people more than a hundred years ago. The manuals are based on a do-it-yourself concept, and can be created at home or in school. Humorous illustrations, made by leading Czech childrens comics artist Nikkarin, extend the book to other pop-culture contexts. The book is designed for inquisitive readers from 6 years of age and beyond.