start
In the 2001 year Nova's Art department sprouted a new branch when committees and students supported Nova graduate and CalArts alumni Stefan Gruber in his efforts to lead beginning & advanced level animation workshops. In its first year, budding animators worked on 100-1000 page long visions in a variety of themes~ alien planet splendor, peapod vacuuming modems, strawberries and bunnies, healing earths & staring contests all were quickened into life on the big screen.

the visions
Most students worked in flipbook format & shot the work one page at a time using a Sony Hi8 camera wired to an iBook named Kirby which used software called Motion-Shot to stack frames into neat QuickTime files. Some other techniques explored included: Clay, Pixelation, Paprika, Punched paper, Cut-out photography, and Flash animation. Classes consisted of lectures and demonstrations of techniques, exposure to rare short animated works, a 3 week section on the ever popular Anime, and most of all-- the making of animated films of the students' own ideas. Work on these films evolved from hours of meditative generative labor and stressful obstacle strewn production periods. Panic-stricken procrastination and necessary daydreaming also had their roles in the finishing of films.

finish
100 or so hours were spent, and many an Italian table was set between Stefan and Joel Day at Third Coil, where the 22 finished student films were fitted with sound and carefully assembled into a 1/2 hr program. "Persistent Visions" screened along with Stefan's college films on Capitol Hill's Little Theatre on Monday, June 10th. We packed the house with 3 screenings and happily didn't have to turn anyone away. Audience members were seen leaving the show with expressions as if they'd come off a roller coaster ride. Thanks to everyone who contributed and/or attended.

resolution
Copies of the film came back from American Productions dub-house, and are provided free one each-- to every animation student. Additional copies are available and can be purchased for $8 from the Nova office. (Limited copies are available.)

current info
Animation Induction:
Those new to animation will find the innerworkings of a new medium demystified. This is a workshop that revolves around collaborative projects, lectures, and viewings of rare short films. It also makes available the resources to start up independent student films. It is intended for people who've had little or no experience with animation. Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-4:00. Bring a pen you like.

Advanced Animation:
(PreReq: Animation Induction) This is an inspiring environment set up for the experienced animation artist to generate the work needed to complete an independent vision. Extra focus is spent on getting comfortable with Nova's equipment, and shooting tests. First semester is taken up with searching for ideas, talking about animation, deciding upon the right techniques to use, and generating the actual content. Second semester is spent finishing frames, editing, adding sound, and putting on a show. All completed works are screened at an end of year showcase at the Little Theatre on Capitol Hill. This workshop meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00-2:30. Bring your thoughts and ideas.

coming soon
Flash Pastures:
There seems to be a lot of student interest in a Macromedia Flash class. Flash is a specialized tool for web-based content that also turns out to be one of the all time greatest digital animation programs. Plans are in the works to have a 2nd semester class focused completely on Flash.

animation showcase

	If you are experiencing problems, make sure you have the latest version of QuickTime installed.