When we were given the script for a segment of the WW1 Uncut episode ‘A Soldier’s Kit’ that compared the food rations of the German and British soldiers during the war, we knew immediately that the best way to put the ideas across on screen would be to use real food.
Of course, animating real food carries with it certain problems. Mostly that it tends to change appearance over time, especially under hot studio lights. And also that it gets kinda pongy.
So we set about finding ways to tell the story that we wanted to tell, while working around the natural restrictions of the medium.
We decided on an approach that divided our screen in to two sides, essentially a German and a British side of the table. To make the food portions as understandable as possible to our young(ish) audience, we then used modern foods and food related items to act out the narrated information in a fun and light hearted way that somehow involved vomitting corned beef.
And here’s the entire film for your viewing pleasure:
View our complete “Behind WW1 Uncut” articles:
- Behind WW1 Uncut #1 – Trenches: Blackboard
- Behind WW1 Uncut #2 – Trenches: Board of War
- Behind WW1 Uncut #3 – Soldier’s Food: Ration-ality
- Behind WW1 Uncut #4 – Soldier’s Kit: Quelle Dromage!
- Behind WW1 Uncut #5 – Barbed Wire: Cowboys
- Behind WW1 Uncut #6 – Barbed Wire: Cottage Industry
- Behind WW1 Uncut #7 – Barbed Wire: Wiring Parties
