Motion Media VJ projections fill the screen for the "Dream Machines" installation in Event Space 4C with experimental animation by David Howard (ANIM) on the far left (Photo by Jeff Roffman Photography, LLC)

Seventeen SCAD Atlanta students from seven majors enrolled in Animation, Motion Media, Sculpture, and Visual Effects classes created a joint installation show entitled “Dream Machines” at the end of Winter quarter 2012. Inspired by the work of pioneering experimental video artist, Brion Gyson, students created VJ segments, technological gizmos, and fine arts-oriented projections to convert Event Space 4C into an immersive light show environment, attended by over 200 guests. Expanding on Professor Sandro Imperato’s existing course, Alternative Methods in Motion Media Design (MOME 760), Professors Steve Jarvis, Clarke Stallworth, and Becky Wible Searles coordinated their respective courses — Technology in Sculpture (SCPT 315), Digital Fine Art (VSFX 321), and Experimental Animation (ANIM 426/764) — with Imperato to jointly develop and promote the show. All four professors are on board to collaborate on a second annual show for Winter 2013.

Left Above: David Howard (ANIM) helps Maria DelCastillo (MOME) set up her experimental animation installation before the show. Right Above: Rose M Barron (PHOT) coaches her actors before her Motion Media installation performance piece. (Photos by Jimmy Searles)

A "Dream Machines" guest views magic lantern-type device, "Permutation", by Cat Callero (SCPT) (Photo by Jeff Roffman Photography, LLC)

Jonathan Bayens (VSFX), Kyle Bolton (ITGM), Bo Cai (ANIM), and Hank Silman (ITGM) worked together in Digital Fine Art (VSFX 321) to create the video game, "Dreamscape and Ascendancy to Heaven" (Photo by Jeff Roffman Photography, LLC)

Left Above: Dan Wegendt (MOME) VJs in his over-sized self portrait cartoon head. Right Above: John-Michael Kirkconnell (ANIM) demonstrates his hand-cranked experimental animation gizmo. (Left photo by JImmy Searles; Right photo by Jeff Roffman Photography, LLC)

Animation Aesthetics (ANIM 705) students contributed sketchbook pages which Professor Becky Wible Searles printed on acetate and fabricated into the "Animator's Dream" (Photo by Becky Wible Searles)

Above Left: MOME VJ show in progress. (Photo by Jimmy Searles)

Above Right: Meredith Lear’s (PNTG) “Smart Quilt” featuring arduino interactive sensors. (Photo by Becky Wible Searles)

Whether the characters are made out of clay, foam rubber, cut-out paper, or mixed-media, students in Professor Becky Wible Searles’ stop motion classes work in partners and teams to make their puppets come to life. Shooting collaboratively mirrors industry practice while helping students learn faster by helping each other. After creating several short projects from research and design to model fabrication to final animation, students gain greater appreciation for the production challenges in current feature films such as the recently released Sony / Aardman clay animation, “Pirates!”, and upcoming mixed-media stop motion films, “ParaNorman” produced by Laika and Tim Burton’s “Frankenweenie.”

Jennifer Avillar (PNTG) secures her puppet to the stage from underneath while Maureen Monaghan (ANIM) and Colin Wheeler (ANIM) position their puppets for the shot

Jenna Zona (ANIM) assists Stephanie Miranda (ANIM), smoothing out clay for a shot of Stephanie's character eating a shoe

Stephanie Miranda (ANIM) adjusts her clay character as Jenna Zona (ANIM) checks the latest shot captured in Stop Motion Pro