Animation festival comes to Webster, awards students

0
396

Kinematifest 2011, a two-day event at Webster University, highlighted the field of animation and interactive media.

Amanda Walker, the director of Kinematifest 2011, was excited about the two-day presentation. More than 50 people were in attendance at Kinematifest 2011.

Kinematifest 2011 started Friday, April 1 with a welcome barbecue. The rest of the day’s events included the movie “Howl’s Moving Castle” and ended with gaming hosted by the Video Game Club. This is the fourth year the event has been at Webster, and in previous years, it only had one speaker.

“It’s crazy going from one speaker to fourteen and I’m excited,” said Jacob Chaney, treasurer of Kinematifest.

Kinematifest 2011 events were spread throughout Webster’s campus from the Sunnen Lounge to rooms in Sverdrup and the Presentation Room in the University Center. Programs were handed out so attendees could choose which program piqued their interest.

The registration desk came with a free T-shirt and pen with a drawing to receive Toon Boom, a high quality animation software.

For Amanda Taylor, a freshman animation major, it was a requirement from the event planning class. She hand-made flower and crane origami to ask for donations for the Japanese Relief. People could also choose a comic book made by students at Webster for donating.

Saturday’s events had guest speakers, tutorials on how-to guide to using animation and digital media, and a reception that handed out awards to those who showcased their work.

Guest speakers included David Whatley of Critical Thought Games, Dave Derington of Warfactory, Inc. and Stefan Stratil of Association Internationale du Film d’Animation (ASIFA) Vienna.

Peter Coogan, adjunct professor, and two other professors hosted the “What Is Comic Theory?” presentation which discussed the under-the-surface reading of comics.

This presentation discussed the shades of characters, the background on a panel of a comic book and the repetition of colors.

Coogan thought these types of events bridge a gap between professionals and students.

“Kinematifest will build over the years,” Coogan said. “It has come to reach out only to scholars, but talking to each other brings people together.”


Share this post

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail
+ posts