By Sheldon Spackman

RDC summer camps explore animation, game design and filmmaking

Jul 15, 2018 | 1:21 PM

Dozens of young film students, video game designers and animation creators from across the province have just wrapped up a week-long summer camp at RDC to further enhance their skill sets.

The annual Teen Film, Game Design and Animation overnight camps ran from July 8 – 14 and also gave students a chance to share their projects with family, friends and the public on Saturday.

RDC officials say the Teen Film Camp allowed students to work side-by-side with some of Alberta’s finest actors, filmmakers, programmers and instructors while transforming a narrative into film. All while learning the basics of producing, directing, shooting, writing, acting and editing their own short films based on super hero themes.

Film camp instructor Jeff Woodward hopes the student’s love of movies is intensified after taking part in the camp.

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“I hope they see the gap between where they are and where the Christopher Nolans or Quentin Tarantinos of the world is not as big as they might have thought it was when they arrived,” say” Woodward. “The thing I love about this camp is how many of these kids that go through the camp, go on to go to RDC or other film institutions and are populating the cast and crews of films and T.V. shows that are produced in Alberta.”

RDC’s Game Design workshop encouraged students to plan and create their own video games while working with a group of programmers and artists to effectively learn writing and designing techniques using the Unity toolset.

Included in the hands-on practical workshop is story and character development, production, strategy, level designs, scripting, animation, interfaces, mobile gaming and more.

Game Design workshop instructor Alex Makepeace says the nice thing about the camp is because they cover all aspects of game design, anyone with a creative stake in video games can have their specific interest covered in the camp.

“Every year we have a couple of girls sign up, it would be nice if there were more,” jokes Makepeace. “I really enjoy the mentorship aspect. I’m a professional game developer so I think it’s important that I’m here showing them they have a space in video games and they are encouraged to keep going, even if there are two girls in a class of 18.”

Meanwhile, Animation camp students were able to tell their stories using Maya, the industry standard for high-end 3D computer animation, effects and modelling.

Through motion and rendering exercises, participants completed a collection of distinct animations that included sound.

Instructor Eddie Jaworenko says he aims to mold the students into creative-minded story tellers.

“Even though it’s highly technical, because it’s a 3D animation camp and it’s just a brutally technical medium, my goal is that these kids leave with some understanding of not just how to use the program but also know how to tell stories,” he explains. “Hopefully they have something in their head that allows them to just think in their free time when they want to make something that is more interesting, if they come to RDC to take the animation program after they’re done high school, then they’d have a place to start.”

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