Students will have the opportunity to animate from various cartoon scenes, contributing to a larger animated story. They will choose from several pre-selected scenes and decide how to bring them to life using clay, Legos, and/or Stickbots. To inspire them, we'll show examples of a scene we've already animated.
The workshop will begin with students reading and analyzing a scene. Together, they'll identify the dramatic beats—key moments in the film that drive the story forward by revealing important new information. Understanding these beats is crucial for recognizing how a film's narrative unfolds and how effective storytelling works. Once the dramatic beats are identified, students will reinterpret the meaning of each line to fit their own perspective as the directors of a stop motion sequence. They'll receive printouts of a scene from a popular film (adapted from a book) and work together to identify and explain the beats. Each group will then recreate the scene using stop motion animation with clay, focusing on visually marking the beats as they occur.
Stop motion animation, which involves creating the illusion of movement through sequential images, encourages abstract thinking and teamwork. A visiting artist will guide the class through the process, explaining key terms and providing reference materials. The teacher will support the students as they work in groups, offering assistance when needed. This hands-on experience will not only teach technical skills but also deepen their understanding of storytelling and film.
