In Britain in the year 1940, a new animation unit was established by Hungarian artist John Halas, who collaborated with his wife, Joy Batchelor. During the war years, Halas and Batchelor embarked upon the field of specialized technical instruction and propaganda, their style of design however simplified for the remit of speed of turnover, was in marked contrast to the styles of artwork that were traditionally associated with the cartoon film.
Halas and Batchelor brought that certain something panache to such seemingly pedestrian subjects as cultivation of allotments in wartime and the virtues of the art of recycling waste. The climax of 1943's Dustbin Parade was choreographed ballet style with a score from fellow Hungarian Matyas Seiber, who would go on to become one of the most distinguished composers for animated film.
The home office sponsored Halas and Batchelor to produce Water for Fire-Fighting (1948). The twin techniques of graphic and model animation were used to give these films optimal clarity. Britain's post-war socialist government then commissioned the series of films about a character named Charley. These cartoons aimed to explain key points in the government's reformist legislation, such as the new-Education Act, in terms of Charley's initial opposition and ultimate conversion to the policies of its day. As a relief from five years of making propaganda films, Halas and Batchelor joined forces with the artist and director Peter Foldes and then turned out a symbolist film that charmingly conveyed the freedom of the spirit, Magic Canvas (1951) for which Seiber composed one of his most enchanting scores.