Queen Charlotte students learn cameraless animation

 Grade seven student Natasha Beaton receives instruction from filmmaker JoDee Samuelson Monday at Queen Charlotte Intermediate. (Bo Ford photo)

By Bo Ford

Grade seven students at Queen Charlotte Intermediate in Charlottetown were guests of a presentation about cameraless animation yesterday.

The activity, which was presented by filmmakers JoDee Samuelson and Dave Ward, is part of lead-up activities for the Island Media Arts Festival that takes place May 8-13.

The students of Deborah Christie’s grade seven science class learned how the cameraless animation is produced and shown to viewers.

Cameraless animation is identical to shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy on television.

It all started over 100 years ago when plastic was first invented said Samuelson, the film is actually black but when lights hits the film it produces a chemical reaction and the picture appears.

Most people think computers make animation but Samuelson said it isn’t completely true.

“You still have to draw. The computer can make movement possible, but a person still has to draw the objects by hand.”

Samuelson talked about how much work goes into producing an animation film, she said 24 images would only be one second worth of film and 100 feet would be just two minutes of film

The students were first treat to a few short films, one of which was made by Samuelson herself. The film targeted the history of Charlottetown and how the city has changed over the years.

After seeing the film students in the class were asked to make there own animation Ward will collaborate together, the students will then add a soundtrack to the film and create there own cameraless animation.

It will be shown Thursday with comparisons to other classes that the duo will be working with at the school over the next three days.

 R.J. LeClair a grade seven student at Queen Charlottetown Intermediate takes tips from filmmaker JoDee Samuelson. (Bo Ford photo)

 R.J. LeClair works on his own animation as part of his grade seven class learning about cameraless filmmaking at Queen Charlottetown Intermediate on Monday. (Bo Ford photo)