Ladislas Starevich (Russian period) Polish-Russian Ladislas Starevich (1882–1965), started his film career around 1909 in Kaunas filming live insects. He wanted to document rutting stag beetles, but the creatures wouldn't cooperate or would even die under the bright lamps needed for filming. He solved the problem by using wire for the limbs of dried beetles and then animating them in stop motion. The resulting short film, presumably 1 minute long, was probably titled by the Latin name for the species: Lucanus Cervus (Жук-олень, 1910, considered lost). thumb|Starewicz' The Beautiful Leukanida (1912) After moving to Moscow, Starevich continued animating dead insects, but now as characters in imaginative stories with much dramatic complexity. He garnered much attention and international acclaim with these short films, including the 10-minute The Beautiful Leukanida (Прекрасная Люканида, или Война усачей с рогачами) (March 1912), the two-minute Happy Scenes from Animal Life (Веселые сценки из жизни животных), the 12-minute The Cameraman's Revenge (Прекрасная Люканида, или Война усачей с рогачами, October 1912) and the 5-minute The Grasshopper and the Ant (Стрекоза и муравей, 1913). Reportedly many viewers were impressed with how much could be achieved with trained insects, or at least wondered what tricks could have been used, since few people were familiar with the secrets of stop motion animation. The Insects' Christmas (Рождество обитателей леса, 1913) featured other animated puppets, including Father Christmas and a frog. Starevich made several other stop motion films in the next two years, but mainly went on to direct live-action short and feature films before he fled from Russia in 1918.
ladislas starevich (russian period) polish-russian ladislas starevich (1882–1965) started his film career around 1909 in kaunas filming live insects he wanted to document rutting stag beetles but the creatures wouldn't cooperate or would even die under the bright lamps needed for filming he solved the problem by using wire for the limbs of dried beetles and then animating them in stop motion the resulting short film presumably 1 minute long was probably titled by the latin name for the species lucanus cervus (жук-олень 1910 considered lost) thumb|starewicz' the beautiful leukanida (1912) after moving to moscow starevich continued animating dead insects but now as characters in imaginative stories with much dramatic complexity he garnered much attention and international acclaim with these short films including the 10-minute the beautiful leukanida (прекрасная люканида или война усачей с рогачами) (march 1912) the two-minute happy scenes from animal life (веселые сценки из жизни животных) the 12-minute the cameraman's revenge (прекрасная люканида или война усачей с рогачами october 1912) and the 5-minute the grasshopper and the ant (стрекоза и муравей 1913) reportedly many viewers were impressed with how much could be achieved with trained insects or at least wondered what tricks could have been used since few people were familiar with the secrets of stop motion animation the insects' christmas (рождество обитателей леса 1913) featured other animated puppets including father christmas and a frog starevich made several other stop motion films in the next two years but mainly went on to direct live-action short and feature films before he fled from russia in 1918