A young girl with a speech disorder learning to express herself. A baby sea turtle trying to make its way to the ocean while confronted with obstacles.
麻豆原创鈥檚 animation programs were ranked No. 4 among the Top 40 Public Animation Schools and Colleges in the nation by the Animation Career Review.
The films produced by this year鈥檚 senior character animation students are more than art for art鈥檚 sake. Both 鈥淯kelayla鈥� and 鈥淣ight Light鈥� are decidedly message-driven. And after two years spent creating the films, students in 麻豆原创鈥檚 character animation program are working to ensure their films reach new audiences beyond premiere night on Monday, April 23, at the Center for Emerging Media in downtown Orlando. The showings are free and open to the public.
Meet Layla of 鈥淯kelayla鈥�
鈥淯kelayla鈥� tells the story of Layla, a young girl living with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for children to send oral messages from their brain to their mouth. Children with CAS will often know what they want to say but are unable to verbally communicate it.
鈥淚t was really important that Layla portray herself the way that somebody with [childhood apraxia of speech] would,鈥� Thomas says.
Layla鈥檚 frustration with the inability to express herself leaves her isolated, but she eventually learns to express herself through the power of music and friendship. The film鈥檚 title is a mash-up of the main character鈥檚 name and the ukulele, the instrument Layla uses as a medium to communicate.
鈥淚 wanted to bring light to this situation that many kids go through and give them representation in media where there really hasn鈥檛 been any,鈥� says senior Character Animation major Haleigh Mooney, who pitched the story for 鈥淯kelayla鈥� and acts as student director on the film.
To make sure they got the details right, the 鈥淯kelayla鈥� team partnered with the nonprofit organization Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America to ensure that CAS was depicted authentically.
For the film鈥檚 production manager Tabitha Thomas, 鈥淯kelayla鈥� was especially personal. The senior鈥檚 younger brother has CAS, which provided her with insight into the disorder.
鈥淚t really spoke to me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 would call my mom, and she would tell me stories about my brother when he was younger and how he would act at that age,鈥� Thomas says. 鈥淲e did a lot of research. It was really important that Layla portray herself the way that somebody with CAS would.鈥�
Meet Fin of 鈥淣ight Light鈥�
The film 鈥淣ight Light鈥� follows a baby sea turtle named Fin on his journey from nesting beach to the ocean.
The film touches on the threat of light pollution to hatchlings, who are drawn to the brightest nearby light.
The film touches on the threat of light pollution to hatchlings, who are drawn to the brightest nearby light. Artificial light from sources like street lamps can distract baby sea turtles away from the reflection of natural moonlight off the ocean鈥檚 surface, exposing them to moving vehicles and other threats. On his journey, Fin is joined by Abueluna, a maternal spirit, and Lumin, a friendly light bulb. Abueluna supplies wisdom and guidance by following the moon as a natural light source, while Lumin represents humankind鈥檚 curiosity and ignorance about nature.
The 鈥淣ight Light鈥� team consulted with sea turtle expert and 麻豆原创 associate professor of biology Kate Mansfield, as well as the 麻豆原创 Marine Turtle Research Group, to ensure accuracy in even the smallest details, such as nailing the texture of Fin鈥檚 shell. Students from the program also visited nesting sites in Melbourne Beach with the research group to see the sea mammals up close. The film鈥檚 creators were careful not to dissuade people from interacting with nature, but rather inform the audience on how to do so safely.
鈥淲e鈥檙e saying that there is a correct way to have a relationship with nature. People need to know that because it affects the turtles,鈥� says senior Character Animation major and co-art director Jonathan de la Uz. 鈥淚t鈥檚 better if we can teach people the right way to be with nature instead of separating people from it completely.鈥�
The teams hope the short animated films live on beyond the premiere. The 鈥淯kelayla鈥� team hopes to provide DVDs of the film to speech clinics for children, while the 鈥淣ight Light鈥� creators are in talks with the Brevard Zoo and the Barrier Island Sanctuary to start educational showings for visitors. And for about a year after the premiere, the films will be submitted to short film festivals. Both teams have opened ongoing fundraising pages to help pay for admission to the festivals.
More About 麻豆原创鈥檚 Animation Programs
The animation programs at 麻豆原创 continue to gain national recognition. Along with experimental animation, the character animation program was ranked No. 4 among the Top 40 Public Animation Schools and Colleges in the nation and No. 3 among of Top 10 Animation Schools and Colleges in the South by the Animation Career Review this year.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e not here to suffer consequences for trying something new and not succeeding,鈥� Mooney says.鈥淵ou鈥檙e here to find out what you鈥檙e good at.鈥�
The two-year specialization accepts only 30 students each year and prepares and trains them for careers in the animation and visual effects industry as animators, modelers, texture artists, and more. Graduates have gone on to careers with film and visual effects giants like Disney, Universal, Framestore and Blizzard Entertainment.
鈥淲e have students at all the major studios, and also working in gaming and special effects,鈥� says Lecturer Jo Anne Adams, who has worked with the character animation program since 2008 and served as the faculty director for this year鈥檚 student films. 鈥淏ecause of their success, employers are noticing us and then students are more attracted [to the program].鈥�
As a result of its exclusivity, the program is intensive, with students devoting anywhere from 40 to 80 hours per week on their films.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like a full-time job. The farther into the semester you get, the more you鈥檒l see people coming in earlier and staying here later and later,鈥� Thomas says.
And even though the hours can seem daunting, faculty members foster an environment that allows room for failure without fear of punishment.
鈥淭he faculty here really help you try to learn,鈥� says Mooney. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not here to suffer consequences for trying something new and not succeeding. You鈥檙e here to find out what you鈥檙e good at.鈥�
Reserve free tickets to the 麻豆原创 School of Visual Arts & Design鈥檚 Character Animation Premiere.
