TRURO – Creating animation attracted dozens of students from all over the province to the Nova Scotia Community College campus in Truro yesterday.
The students were invited to get hands-on experience while touring the school’s different media arts programs.
“They were able to choose a day-long workshop, which gives them a chance for some in-depth experience where they can actually create a product that they can take home with them,” said Karen Gillespie, the academic chair schools of applied arts and new media.
The event attracted 86 students from across the province. They chose between several different areas of animation including digital animation, experimental animation and classical animation. The students also participated in workshops exploring game design software, 3D modeling and motion capture, as well as visual effects.
“We’re also introducing some of the students to I.T., our information technology programs, and it’s the first time we’ve offered that as part of New Media Day,” said Gillespie.
Gillespie said a group of about 20 students signed up to explore the program. The students were able to use their tools and explore how to build and navigate computer systems as well as learning about web development, including programing and producing webpages.
Instructor Robert Gibson said the event is a great way to showcase different career options that some of the students may not have considered.
“I’ve heard before from students that have come in that they feel like they (are) the only person in that school with that interest,” he said. “When they come here they realize there are a lot of people who are like them and interested in the same things they are.”
Gibson said they’ve had several students who participated in media day return as students in the campus’ program.
Student Kelsey Barns signed up for the classical animation workshop.
“It’s really fun,” she said. “If I was better at drawing, it would probably be more fun. But it is interesting to see how it comes to life. I hope I learn how to draw something better than a stick figure.”
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