Heather Johnson
MPCC
The Calibraska Arts Initiative will return to Mid-Plains Community College in July as part of its 2024 Summer Tour.
Calibraska uses the arts to build community, culture and inclusive educational exchanges between Nebraskans and primarily California/Los Angeles-based industry professionals.
The instructors for the workshops have years of experience working for studios across the animation spectrum including: Laika, JibJab, Hallmark, ShadowMachine, Netflix and Disney.
All classes will be in the McDonald-Belton Building at the college’s south campus in North Platte. This year’s lineup consists of:
Animation Playground – The class is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon July 8-12 and is open to children ages 7-12. They will learn about animation history, principles and concepts then create their own animations. Activities will incorporate drawing, stop motion, optical toys, paper and clay among other items. The fee is $85.
Animation Afternoon – This creative class is open to ages 13 and older. It will be from 1-4 p.m. July 8-12. Instruction will begin with a review of concepts and methods of animation. Students will then explore a variety of techniques in an open studio format including stop motion, optical toys, digital 2D, hand-drawn animation and project development. The fee is $100.
Storyboarding and Visual Storytelling for TV and Film will start at 9 a.m. and continue until noon, July 8-12. It is open to ages 13 and older. Led by professional storyboard artist Benjamin Carow, the class is designed to introduce storyboarding to new learners. Students will learn about composition, staging and character acting, as well as the art of breaking down scripts and how to put it all together to make a storyboard. Everything will be done with the same tools and methods storyboard artists use to visualize stories in the industry. The cost is $100.
Visual Storytelling and Drawing – Carow will also teach this class, which is open to ages 7-12, from 1-2:30 p.m. July 8-12. Students will play games and participate in a variety of hands-on activities to learn about drawing techniques, composition strategies, storytelling approaches and more. Each day will consist of short presentations and demos followed by interactive exercises. The cost is $85.
Music Video Camp will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 15-19. Open to ages 13-18, this camp will offer a unique opportunity for students to learn how to make music videos using techniques from live action and animation. The focus will be on the basics of animation and video production and the various ways to bring image and sound together. The price is $300.
Scholarships are available for the camps. Those interested in receiving more information about a class, or in registering, can visit calibraska.org.