Whether you like regular old "cartoons" or those fancy full length features like Toy Story or Shrek, the science and the art known as animation is one of the most fascinating areas of development in media.
And now, a form of it is being taught in Belize.
NICH in collaboration with Youth for the Future and Make-Belize Films wrapped up a two day workshop named: ANIMAGIC: Intro to the art of stop-motion animation.
Our intern Robin Schaffer stopped in to get a closer look at animation using clay figurines. Here's what she found out.
40 Belizeans from the ages of 12 to 58 with an interest in drawing and visual arts participated in an animation workshop. It taught them the art of stop- motion animation which uses clay figurines and a digital camera to tell a story. But it was not only a technical workshop; it also had a creative aspect as participants were encouraged to imbue their characters and creations with life and character.
Matthiew Klinck was the facilitator, and he told us how he brought the magic of animation to the participants:
Matthiew Klinck, Founder of Make-Belize Films
"Today we are learning how to bring little plasticine characters to life with stop motion animation. Basically it's all about building a world with this beautiful backdrop - very colorful world that you invent and then creating these little plasticine characters and then taking picture after picture with them moving slightly so that when you put it into the computer and you play it back it looks like they are alive."
"This is part of a bigger picture. I have an idea of developing a whole film production community in Belize with young Belizeans telling their stories with their languages and empowering them with the skills and the equipment to do that."
Robin Schaffer
"What's that feeling like to see it on the screen?"
Matthiew Klinck, Founder of Make-Belize Films
"That's creation right, when you have an idea in your head. When you can see something and you can actually bring it into the physical world. You can actually materialized it and immortalized it on film; there is no better feeling than that and so absolutely the goal of a workshop like this is to start giving people the skills that they need to make these visions come to life."
And these visions did come to life in settings that ranged from outer space scenes to the familiar waters of the Caribbean sea. The participants worked in pairs, and together they created interesting and creative short films, learning valuable skills that some say they will utilize even after the workshop has ended.
Robin Schaffer
"What's your favorite part of the creation process?"
Aaron Lauriano
"Playing with the play dough, crayon, colors, painted and stuff, drawings, something interested to do."
Robin Schaffer
"How does it fell to see these little clay creatures coming to life?"
Aaron Lauriano
"Pretty cool, something different."
Robin Schaffer
"Have you learn a lot today?"
Troy Tingling
"Of course. Surprisingly its basic stuff that really I think was hard but really it just to know the basics and the creativity of it, it's kind of on a free style level and so that it what makes it exciting."
Robin Schaffer
"So you are enjoying yourself?"
Troy Tingling
"Of course, definitely, for real. This is the animation that we came up with for today. He had a major input because he created most of the characters. Then he went on his laptop and created the entire scenery. So it was like a blue-print for me to work from."
"So really it made it easy for us to put it out."
Robin Schaffer
"What was the inspiration for your character?"
Javier Molina
"My love of space."
Robin Schaffer
"What's you favorite part of this creation process?"
Javier Molina
"The editing and how the characters interact with each other and just come apart with just still pictures instead of making one big video."
Robin Schaffer
"So you think you will do more animation after this?"
Javier Molina
"Yes, I'll get a groove on it, my friends and I will start making them."
Although the workshop has ended, the animation will continue with an animation competition in June which will follow the theme: Maya Heartland 2012. It will be separated into two age groups and will accept all forms of animation.
Details on that will be released at a later date.
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