Concept and creative process
‘It’s A Square World’ was a zany comedy series devised and written by Michael Bentine (who also starred) and John Law, which ran from 1960-64. In 1962 it won the BAFTA Award for Light Entertainment and in 1963 the Press Prize at the Golden Rose of Montreux Festival.It used all kinds of wacky techniques in its comedy sketches, including cartoon animation in a cut-out style, later revived by Terry Gilliam in ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus’ to great effect.The title animation depicted a square world revolving in space, orbited at right angles by a satellite. The world was filmed as a model and animated stop-frame under a rostrum camera against a universe, created with back-lit pin-prick holes in a black background. The orbiting satellite was animated by double exposing back-lit artwork in-camera, as it was moved stop-frame on the rostrum. The model world was replaced by matching still artwork and via a camera move became part of the layout of the programme title, a series of letters on square tiles. The world was finally replaced by a live image of Michael Bentine, which then transitioned via a square wipe to the studio.