one of the directors' sources of inspiration was american animation from the 1930s and, in particular, from the fleischer studios, which sfar described as characterised by multi-ethnic production crews and for portraying dark aspects of society, in cartoons such as "betty boop" and "popeye". to generate more personality for the drawn characters in "the rabbi's cat", some of the scenes were staged in a parisian suburb loft in the summer of 2008, with props and the cast fully costumed. as the actors performed and invented their characters' personal motion habits, the design team observed closely and drew what they picked up.