A 19th Century form of popular story-telling, a traditional Crankie is a long, illustrated scroll (also called a “moving panorama” or a “moving backdrop”) that is wound onto two spools, and loaded into a box which has a viewing screen. The scroll is then hand-cranked while the story depicted upon it is presented.

The pictorial presentation is usually accompanied by singing and a simple instrumental accompaniment. How elaborate such aural accompaniments may become is entirely up to the presenter. The viewing screen can be as large or as small as the artist/maker of the Crankie box wishes. The scroll is either back or front lit.

Visually, the scroll itself is illustrated with whatever the artist decides will best convey the intended story. Free hand original art work (in any style), silhouettes, and/or photographs are often used in a scroll’s illustration.

Shadow puppetry [operated by additional pairs of hands] as well as other forms of puppetry, can add another layer of visual experience.