Concept and creative process
‘Crystal Cube’ was a humorous show written by Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie and starring future big names such as Emma Thompson and Robbie Coltrane. The words ‘Crystal Cube’ play on the idea of looking through a 'crystal ball' but reflect the alternative angle of the show. The artwork was created by Professor John Vince on the Picasso system, which was very early computer animation software he developed at Middlesex Polytechnic (now University). The artwork consisted of black outlines drawn onto clear cels by a computerised arm holding a Rotring technical drawing pen. This artwork was then copied photographically, and clear on black Kodaliths were produced. The animation itself was merely one cycle of the cube revolving. The colours came from a series of panning coloured gels cut together in strips and placed under the clear on black Kodalith on the back-lit area of the rostrum camera. During the shoot the camera tracked out and then in again and combined with light scanning techniques to create the streaks. The logo also required to be in outline in order to be able to expose it to bright shafts without it blurring or becoming illegible. Thicker letters would not have worked well. The production team had not seen a frame of the title sequence before the actual studio day, but on delivering it to the gallery, it got a round of spontaneous applause. This was a very new technique hardly seen at all before.
Computer animation - John Vince.
Rostrum Cameraman - Alan Buchan.
Editor - David Farlie.
Music - Paddy Kingsland, BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
Designer/Director - Liz Friedman.
Winner of a Design & Art Direction Wood Pencil for Television Titles 1985.