Chinese Puzzle (1974)

Concept and creative process

Titles for a children’s adventure serial about strange events at a disused airfield. The titles created an enigmatic and dramatic opener for the drama serial in their depiction of an exploding Chinese pottery foo dog, traditionally a symbol of protection and in the animation of the programme logo with its labyrinthine linear quality. The explosion was filmed high-speed live action and the logo animation was achieved by panning two pieces of linear artwork over each other in opposite directions on the rostrum camera, before briefly conjoining as one single image, from the centre of which the ‘Chinese Puzzle’ logotype zooms up and holds centre screen.