Learning from the best frame by frame
The end result will be a red carpet premiere screening, but for now it’s all sand and sharks, bears and fish, and colourful cut outs.
Welcome to Surf Coast Secondary College’s Artists in School program, where critically acclaimed and award-winning claymation pioneer Glen Hunwick is overseeing a term-long project, mentoring more than 50 of the school’s year seven, eight and nine students twice a week for 90 minutes.
Claymation is a form of stop-motion animation whereby a story is formed by individually capturing each frame, with the finished product a combination of these frames played continuously in sequence accompanied by sounds and effects.
Welcome to Surf Coast Secondary College’s Artists in School program, where critically acclaimed and award-winning claymation pioneer Glen Hunwick is overseeing a term-long project, mentoring more than 50 of the school’s year seven, eight and nine students twice a week for 90 minutes.
Claymation is a form of stop-motion animation whereby a story is formed by individually capturing each frame, with the finished product a combination of these frames played continuously in sequence accompanied by sounds and effects.
Renowned artist Glen Hunwick offers some advice to year nine students Briana Holman and Bridget McNamara as part of the Artists in School program.
Glen was the creative genius behind those undeniably catchy (and successful) animated Cadbury ads – think “wouldn't it be nice if the world was Cadbury…” – and another one of his projects, a short-film called Mutt, was selected for the 2008 Academy Award pre-selection screenings in-between winning numerous awards in Australia and internationally.
Benefits of the Artists in School program
Year nine student Emily Voss works on her film, which is about music bringing people together.
Upon completion of the Artists in Schools program 15 short-films will have been made, but looking at the bigger picture it is hoped that the program will help instil a culture of filmmaking and storytelling and establish a more engaging means of communication.
Another enduring aspect of the project will be that the final versions of all films will be shared with SCSC’s sister-school in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Often called upon to impart his knowledge on budding artists, Glen was passionate from the outset about being involved from start to finish in a teaching project, rather than giving a lecture in an oversized university auditorium which has often been the case in the past.
“It’s great to see the students build upon their stories and it’s been really interesting to see how empowering it is for them,” he said.
“This form of art is quite simple and inexpensive, but underlying the whole story has to be a strong narrative and I think without that challenge, it wouldn’t hold the students as much.”
And being held they are, with the films broaching a range of contemporary social issues, as well as a faux shark attack. Spoiler alert: it has a happy ending!
Year nine student Emma Vescio, who along with classmates Caitlan Hannah and Ruby Ray is producing a tale about a friendly shark called Fred, summarised the general consensus of all participating students.
“I’ve never done anything like this before and it’s all been really fun, creative and exciting,” she said.
Art teacher Susan Barlow-Clifton, who was the driving force behind SCSC launching the program, is thrilled with the feedback received already.
“Glen is a highly sought after artist and we are all very lucky to have him involved in the program – the legacy of which will be with us forever,” she said.
“The skills learned specifically through the Artists in School program will be continued in future years as students progress though our newly established media program in year 10 and VCE.”
The Artists in School program is an initiative of Arts Victoria.
To find out more about Surf Coast Secondary College or to make an appointment for a school tour call (03) 5261 6633 or email surf.coast.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au
Another enduring aspect of the project will be that the final versions of all films will be shared with SCSC’s sister-school in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Often called upon to impart his knowledge on budding artists, Glen was passionate from the outset about being involved from start to finish in a teaching project, rather than giving a lecture in an oversized university auditorium which has often been the case in the past.
“It’s great to see the students build upon their stories and it’s been really interesting to see how empowering it is for them,” he said.
“This form of art is quite simple and inexpensive, but underlying the whole story has to be a strong narrative and I think without that challenge, it wouldn’t hold the students as much.”
And being held they are, with the films broaching a range of contemporary social issues, as well as a faux shark attack. Spoiler alert: it has a happy ending!
Year nine student Emma Vescio, who along with classmates Caitlan Hannah and Ruby Ray is producing a tale about a friendly shark called Fred, summarised the general consensus of all participating students.
“I’ve never done anything like this before and it’s all been really fun, creative and exciting,” she said.
Art teacher Susan Barlow-Clifton, who was the driving force behind SCSC launching the program, is thrilled with the feedback received already.
“Glen is a highly sought after artist and we are all very lucky to have him involved in the program – the legacy of which will be with us forever,” she said.
“The skills learned specifically through the Artists in School program will be continued in future years as students progress though our newly established media program in year 10 and VCE.”
The Artists in School program is an initiative of Arts Victoria.
To find out more about Surf Coast Secondary College or to make an appointment for a school tour call (03) 5261 6633 or email surf.coast.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au
A scene from Fred, a short-film by Ruby Ray, Emma Vescio and Caitlan Hannah.
