Backdrop fallback

Blinkity Blank

Share

Blinkity Blank

1955

0h 5m

6.4(53 votes)

Animation

Music

Overview

A playful exercise in intermittent animation and spasmodic imagery. Playing with the laws relating to persistence of vision and after-image on the retina of the eye, McLaren engraves pictures on blank film creating vivid, percussive effects.

Where to Watch

Links & Resources

Website IMDbView

Social & External

Production Companies

ONF | NFB

The people behind it

Cast & crew

Creative team

Directed by: Norman McLaren
Written by: Norman McLaren
Produced by: Norman McLaren

Similar Movies

Bonifacio in Summertime

Bonifacio in Summertime

Love has packed up and left the castle. The queen has snuck back to her Kingdom of Skedaddle. But one person’s loss is a scoundrel’s gain: Bonifacio, a teller of tall tales, sees in the forlorn queen the perfect target for his hackneyed charms. As summer approaches, he changes himself into a sweet talker and sings her praises. Things would have worked out perfectly if only Princess Molly hadn’t arrived on the scene. While visiting her mother, she quickly discovers the hoax: the queen thinks she’s found a new husband in Bonifacio. But the swindling storyteller is really only interested in the kingdom’s legends.

A Circle Thief

A subway rider diligently attempts to thwart the circle thief who is taking all of the useful round objects

Грибок-теремок

Грибок-теремок

A mushroom offers the animals of the forest, an ant, a butterfly and a mouse shelter from the storm. A little rabbit, who wants to hide from the fox, also finds a place with him. The mushroom grows, stretches and stretches as it sees the good will of the other animals to help the hare.

Der Hammer

A musical about a woman getting work done on her house.

Red Light Train

Red Light Train

Young stewardess works in a luxury, long – distance train. Its destination is Paris. Travellers are mostly couples on their way to the capital of love. Stewardess becomes the unintentional witness of their quiet intimacy and intensive tenderness. Overwhelmed by her own loneliness and her burning need of love and being loved, she becomes to watch the lovers closely, in the more and more obsessive way.

Study No. 8

Study No. 8

An experimental short from Oskar Fischinger

Cracks

Cracks

The one and a half minute short tells the story of a young girl making friends with imaginary crack creatures, formed by cracks in her bedroom wall, before encountering the unnerving "Crack Master".

Call of Cuteness

Call of Cuteness

While we watch the ‘cat fail’ of the day in cheerful safety, all that remains invisible in this neoliberal nightmare catches up with us. The cat’s body is consumed, exploited and controlled. The fear of pain is greater than the will for freedom. Objects are fetishized and subjects are made into things – quantifiable and ready for use. They are the natural commodity for a luxury they are not even aware of. We are here, because you were there – and waste is disposed of in the sea. In the end, the bodies reveal the causes and effects of power, lust and hate.

Contract

Contract

Bearded contract employee goes on a "giant bouquet of flowers" planet and prefers friendship with the robot because all inhabitants are creepy psychos.

Cedric

Cedric

Death as a global service provider? Unthinkable! So far Death has thought that too. But then his nephew Cedric had the crazy idea of founding the company AFTER LIFE while his uncle was away. This company takes over the craft of death with the latest technology and markets it worldwide.

Complex

Complex

You are locked in an empty room with a camera. The room is dark. It is raining hard outside. You are a subject of Complex, a scientific experiment, whose purpose is to test the limits of the human mind. The objective is simple: stay alive.

6EQUJ5

6EQUJ5

An abstract short film about an alien invasion.

Gloomy Boy

Mom and dad fighting in the house and kids living so frighten, How the kids react inside these kind of situation by showing their strange behaviour. Stop violence and save childhood.

Beacon

A man is left alone on a barren ice planet after a terrifying accident. Little does he know he's far from alone.

Odd Is an Egg

Odd Is an Egg

Odd is terrified of his head, until one day he falls in love with Gunn who is both fearless and happy in life. Odd's life is turned upside down and he is freed from his worries in the most unexpected way.

The Neverending Wall

The Neverending Wall

A plea against the building of walls that divide and restrict freedoms through the animation of 102 graffiti by artists from around the world painted on the largest section of the Berlin Wall.

Visit Prague

An early short film by the Czech animator Pavel Koutsky.

Dead Horses

Dead Horses

In an isolated and unknown place during a war, a child is forced to flee. Along the way, he sees horse corpses everywhere. Only dead horses. Why? Why have the horses decided to kill themselves?

Deal

The Sisyphus-like story by two co-authors is set in the present. The hero’s boulder is his everyday duties and the need to earn money and look after the family. The dynamic story imitates for instance the rapid pans and tilts of a camera by blurring the picture, the final intensity of changes implicates the stereotypical working routine. Animation on translucent layers alternates with total drawing.

Homunculus

A short film by the Czech animator Vaclav Mergl.

Recommended Movies

Fast Film

Fast Film

Bits of found film and different types of animation illustrate a classic chase scene scenario: A woman is abducted and a man comes to her rescue, but during their escape they find themselves in the enemy's secret headquarters.

Hi Stranger

Hi Stranger

I made this film especially for you. I needed to check in with you. I needed to tell you how I feel.

Sing: Thriller

Sing: Thriller

Buster Moon dreams up a star-studded spectacle set to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" in this animated short featuring characters from the hit "Sing" films.

Mike's New Car

Mike's New Car

Mike discovers that being the top-ranking laugh collector at Monsters, Inc. has its benefits – in particular, earning enough money to buy a six-wheel-drive car that's loaded with gadgets. That new-car smell doesn't last long enough, however, as Sulley jump-starts an ill-fated road test that teaches Mike the true meaning of buyer's remorse.

Once Upon a Studio

Once Upon a Studio

Created for Disney's 100th anniversary, the short features Mickey Mouse corralling a gallery of legendary Disney characters for a group photo.

Hawaiian Vacation

Hawaiian Vacation

The toys throw Ken and Barbie a Hawaiian vacation in Bonnie's room.

Sturgill Simpson Presents Sound & Fury

Sturgill Simpson Presents Sound & Fury

In this anime visual album, a mysterious driver heads deep into a postapocalyptic hellscape toward a ferocious showdown with two monstrous opponents.

Minions & More 2

Minions & More 2

This collection of 11 short films produced by Illumination includes: From the "Despicable Me" franchise: Mower Minions (2016); Yellow Is the New Black (2018); Competition (2015); Cro Minion (2015); Binky Nelson Unpacified (2015); Panic in the Mailroom (2013). From the "Secret Life of Pets" franchise: Super Gidget (2019). From the "Sing" franchise: Eddie's Life Coach (2017); Gunter Babysits (2017). From the "Lorax" franchise: Serenade (2012); Wagon Ho! (2012).

The House

The House

Across different eras, a poor family, an anxious developer and a fed-up landlady become tied to the same mysterious house in this animated dark comedy.

Cars Toon Mater's Tall Tales

Cars Toon Mater's Tall Tales

Mater the tow truck travels from country to country as he retells his infamous but unbelievable stories.

Minions & More Volume 1

Minions & More Volume 1

This collection of 10 short films produced by Illumination includes: From the "Despicable Me" franchise: Puppy (2013); Minion Scouts (2019); Training Wheels (2013); The Secret Life of Kyle (2017); Santa's Little Helpers (2019). From the "Grinch" franchise: The Dog Days of Winter (2019). From the "Secret Life of Pets" franchise: Norman Television (2016); Weenie (2016). From the "Sing" franchise: Love at First Sight (2017). From the "Lorax" franchise: Forces of Nature (2012).

Day & Night

Day & Night

When Day, a sunny fellow, encounters Night, a stranger of distinctly darker moods, sparks fly! Day and Night are frightened and suspicious of each other at first, and quickly get off on the wrong foot. But as they discover each other's unique qualities--and come to realize that each of them offers a different window onto the same world-the friendship helps both to gain a new perspective.

Melody Time

Melody Time

In the grand tradition of Disney's great musical classics, Melody Time features seven timeless stories, each enhanced with high-spirited music and unforgettable characters. You'll be sure to tap your toes and clap your hands in this witty feast for the eyes and ears.

For the Birds

For the Birds

One by one, a flock of small birds perches on a telephone wire. Sitting close together has problems enough, and then comes along a large dopey bird that tries to join them. The birds of a feather can't help but make fun of him - and their clique mentality proves embarrassing in the end.

How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming

How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming

It's been ten years since the dragons moved to the Hidden World, and even though Toothless doesn't live in New Berk anymore, Hiccup continues the holiday traditions he once shared with his best friend. But the Vikings of New Berk were beginning to forget about their friendship with dragons. Hiccup, Astrid, and Gobber know just what to do to keep the dragons in the villagers' hearts. And across the sea, the dragons have a plan of their own...

Arctic Dogs

Arctic Dogs

Animals band together to save the day when the evil Otto Von Walrus hatches a sinister scheme to accelerate global warming and melt the Arctic Circle.

The Maker

The Maker

A strange creature races against time to make the most important and beautiful creation of his life.

The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie

The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie

A collection of Warner Brothers short cartoon features, "starring" the likes of Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and Wile E. Coyote. These animations are interspersed by Bugs Bunny reminiscing on past events and providing links between the individual animations which are otherwise unconnected. This 1979 feature-length compilation includes several of his best cartoons. Among the 11 shorts shown in their entirety are the classics "Robin Hood Daffy," "What's Opera, Doc?," "Bully for Bugs," and "Duck Amuck". The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Movie provides a showcase not only for Jones's razor-sharp timing, but for the work of his exceptional crew, which included designer Maurice Noble, writer Mike Maltese, composers Carl Stalling and Milt Franklyn, and voice actor Mel Blanc.

Thriller Night

Thriller Night

A Shrek parody of Michael Jackson's Thriller song and music video, with Donkey singing.

The Simpsons in Plusaversary

The Simpsons in Plusaversary

The Simpsons host a Disney+ Day party and everyone is on the list… except Homer. With friends from across the service and music fit for a Disney Princess, Plusaversary is Springfield's event of the year.