2015 Black Maria Film Festival Program

his ill health, he took the time to write to a young boy he was
introduced to, who had dreams of becoming an animator one
day. I share an excerpt of his letter with you here, as a tribute
to my great friend who always made time for others and deserved
the best things life has to offer. He is sorely missed.
I am very impressed with your knowledge of animation and
the work of Tim Burton. As you know, animation is a very
specialized industry, so for anyone of any age to demonstrate
this much interest and knowledge of animation is impressive,
and the fact that you are 11 years old makes it that much
more impressive.
If you’ve ever stayed to watch the credits of an animated film,
you know that the animation process is a hugely collaborative
venture. There are many different positions in a typical
animation crew, like sculptor, model maker, armature maker
(the armature is the “skeleton” of a puppet), and animator
(this crew member actually moves the puppet one frame at a
time to give the illusion of smooth motion.) Other members
of the crew build the puppets but don’t actually move them.
People who want to become animators may go in many different
directions. They can definitely study traditional art
like drawing and painting, plus they might develop sculpting
skills. Many art schools will have all the courses needed
for someone who wants to be an animator. However, some
schools are more specialized than others and when you become
a junior in high school it is worth checking out.
Incidentally, I just saw that Tim Burton’s artwork has come
to The Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA). I realize
that it may be a long drive for you but it sounds like it would
be a very good educational experience, and maybe you can
get your parents to bring you up to NYC to see it.
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