History MediaNotes / Supermarionation

Supermarionation is a technique developed in the 1960s where marionette heads had Solenoid motors that moved the lower lip to give the impression of speaking. The technique was first used in the 1960s British series ''Four Feather Falls'', produced by Creator/GerryAnderson. A western with fantasy elements, FFF was soon followed by the sci-fi action series ''Series/{{Supercar}}'', which was syndicated around the world. Anderson wasn't the only producer who utilized articulated marionettes, but his Supermarionation shows were the most popular, including ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' and ''Series/CaptainScarletAndTheMysterons''. As the technique simply cannot portray walking convincingly, most of the action is futuristic-vehicles-oriented to compensate. In fact, Anderson's company proved so skilled in model shots of vehicles that it could easily create spectacular scenes in a day that other companies tried for weeks to create before delegating to these experts.

* Also from South Africa, children's show ''Series/DieLieweHeksie'', dealing with the adventures of a CuteWitch in an idyllic fairyland, was filmed with marionettes. Many of the camera and animation tricks and production techniques are instantly recognisable as being copied from

[[folder:Films]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Tugs}}'', which David Mitton co-created, was essentially a DarkerAndEdgier ''Thomas...'' [-[[RecycledInSpace WITH BOATS!]]-] As it was filmed in a water tank, the models were not as sophisticated.

* ''Series/{{Torchy the Battery Boy}}''

[[folder:Film]]

* ''Series/{{Space Patrol|UK}}'': early 1960s UK series (not to be confused with the 1950s US series) produced by a former Anderson colleague.
* ''{{Series/Endeavour}}'': Features an Episode set in a Supermarionation Studio.

[[folder:Web Media]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ActionLeagueNow'' had "Chuckimation", referring to how the action figures would be thrown around constantly (and receiving a ton of AmusingInjuries).

The word "Supermarionation" is a portmanteau of "marionette" and "animation", with the amplifying prefix "super", and has [[TheProblemWithPenIsland nothing to do with]] ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', which it predates by several decades.

[[caption-width-right:350:Kim Jong-il is here, strings attatched.]]

Supermarionation is a technique developed in the 1960s where marionette heads had Solenoid motors that moved the lower lip to give the impression of speaking. The technique was first used in the 1960s British series ''Four Feather Falls'', produced by Gerry Anderson. A western with fantasy elements, FFF was soon followed by the sci-fi action series ''Series/{{Supercar}}'', which was syndicated around the world. Anderson wasn't the only producer who utilized articulated marionettes, but his Supermarionation shows were the most popular, including ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' and ''Series/CaptainScarletAndTheMysterons''. As the technique simply cannot portray walking convincingly, most of the action is futuristic-vehicles-oriented to compensate. In fact, Anderson's company proved so skilled in model shots of vehicles that it could easily create spectacular scenes in a day that other companies tried for weeks to create before delegating to these experts.

Although it's an understandable mistake, it's [[TheProblemWithPenIsland not]] [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant the]] prequel to ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''.

!!Gerry Anderson also created these non-Supermarionation TV shows:
[[index]]
* ''Series/{{UFO}}''
* ''Series/{{The Protectors}}''
* ''Series/Space1999''
* ''Series/{{Terrahawks}}'' (filmed in "Supermacromation", a.k.a. hand puppets similar to Creator/JimHenson's puppets)
* ''Series/{{Space Police}}'' (hybrid, also featuring Supermacromation, never got a full series)
* ''WesternAnimation/DickSpannerPI'' (stop-motion; created by Terry Adlam, produced by Anderson and Christopher Burr)
* ''Series/{{Space Precinct}}'' (hybrid, also featuring Supermacromation)
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Lavender Castle}}'' (hybrid, also featuring CGI)
* ''Anime/{{Firestorm}}'' (hybrid, also featuring CGI)

* ''WesternAnimation/ThomasTheTankEngine'', before the switch to CGI, used simplistic yet highly-advanced electric model trains that could let off steam and move their eyes. It helped that the series was overseen by ''Thunderbirds'' veteran David Mitton.

Though it's an understandable mistake, it's [[TheProblemWithPenIsland not]] [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant the]] prequel to ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''. It isn't [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQO2VtV1PNg this]] either.

* ''Series/{{Four Feather Falls}}''

* ''Series/{{Stingray 1964}}''

* ''Series/{{Joe 90}}''
* ''Series/{{The Secret Service}}'' (hybrid, also featuring live-action)
* ''Series/{{The Investigator}}'' (hybrid, also featuring live-action, never got a full series)

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/TeamAmericaWorldPolice https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/team_america.jpg]]]]

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[[AC:Filmed in '''VIDECOLOR'''...]]

[[AC:and '''''[++SUPERMARIONATION++]''''']]

* Music/DireStraits' video for "Calling Elvis", which is a {{Homage}} to ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}''.
* ''Interster'': a UsefulNotes/{{South Africa}}n imitation of the series Gerry Anderson made when they could not air ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' in their country due to the international community [[PersonaNonGrata boycotting it]] for stubbornly refusing to abandon [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra apartheid]].
* Also from South Africa, children's show ''Series/DieLieweHeksie'', dealing with the adventures of a CuteWitch in an idyllic fairyland, was filmed with marionettes. Many of the camera and animation tricks and production techniques are instantly recognisable as being copied from Supermarionation productions.

* ''Interster'': a South-African imitation of the series of Gerry Anderson made when they could not air ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' in their country.

* ''Series/[[Torchy the Battery Boy]]''

[[quoteright:345:[[Series/{{Thunderbirds}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Supermarionation_932.jpg]]]]

* ''WebVideo/Nebula75'': Made by Century 21 Films, during the COVID-19 Lockdown of the U K, using items from past productions, such as the ''Endeavour'' Episode mentioned above.

* ''WebVideo/Nebula75'': Made by Century 21 Films, during the COVID-19 Lockdown of the U K, using items used from past productions, such as the ''Endeavour'' Episode mentioned above.

* ''[[Series/Endeavour]]'': Features an Episode set in a Supermarionation Studio.

* ''Series/Endeavour'': Features an Episode set in a Supermarionation Studio.

* ''WebVideo/Nebula75'': Made by Century 21 Films, during the COVID-19 Lockdown of the U K, using items used from past productions, such as ''Endeavor''.

* ''WesternAnimation/DickSpannerPI'' (created by Terry Adlam, produced by Anderson and Christopher Burr)

* ''WesternAnimation/DickSpannerPI''