Amaze Animation Workshop

Last month I attended and supported learning disabled students in an animation workshop based around the Brighton Dome. My job was to help present the workshops and introduce new students to the different activities we had available, we had a microphone for voice acting. Two Rostrum camera stands for stop motion cut out animation and a table of instruments and tools for foley sound. This was in two workshops.

Before we did it I attended two planning sessions with David Parker of who I had worked with in Oska Bright. We discussed a powerpoint presentation to visually represent our introduction to the workshop and we had written scripts to work off of mixed with a bit of improvisation. In terms of what I was supporting the students with, I was switching back and forth between the different activities, keeping an eye on each to see that they understood and were having a good time. I felt particularly helpful when it came to introdrucing the DragonFrame Animation Software in which I had experience with beforehand.

In terms of what they were meant to produce, we were animating each scene around different periods of time the brighton dome was used. First as a stable for horses, then a hospital for Indians in the first world war to the more present day in which it is used for concerts. The connecting animation to show the passage of time would be a clock with its hands spinning forward. This would be keyed on a green screen, overlaying animations of the different sections spinning around in a vortex.

The voice acting would be used in paper cut out animation of Prince George whose hat, mouth and eyes would move comically.

I was paid £30 each workshop and earned £60 overall.