Claymation Animation Workshop

NICH through its Film and Media Arts Unit today concluded two workshops on claymation. Forty participants received training in this new technique from film expert, Matthiew Klinck. Suzette Zaiden of the Institute of Creative Arts says that the training is a springboard for a major film and media art competition, entitled ‘Animated’ that will be launched in upcoming weeks. The videos, which will be screened during the Film Festival, will also be referenced at a film symposium. Zaiden says that this new technique holds a lot of possibilities for young film enthusiasts.

Suzette Zaiden, Coordinator, Film & Media Arts, ICA/NICH

Suzette Zaiden

“It’s called intro to stop motion, claymation; it’s actually claymation or animation using clay objects. People call it play dough maybe or plasticine. We are very lucky to connect with Matthiew Klinck who is here in Belize and he offered to do these workshops. We had been thinking for a while about doing an animation competition. We been thinking about how many people have been doing graphic arts; there are Photoshop classes and we wanted to show them how to go a step further. This is something that you can perhaps earn a living or make a career of.”

Matthiew Klinck, Producer, Make-Belize Films

“So today the participants are learning how to create a world and build small clay characters inside that world and bring them to life. It’s what we call claymation. It’s something that I been doing for a very long time, since I was twelve. It’s a really good way to tell stories and express yourself creatively.  You can make anything happen with this technique, anything is possible. You can have any type of character, people, animals; you can create anything in your mind.”

Andrea Polanco

“Okay. So the things they are learning here they can apply it to real life; in terms of advertisements, films, movies?”

Matthiew Klinck

“Absolutely. There is a huge market for animation anywhere in the world. I started doing this when I was twelve years old and by the time I was sixteen or seventeen I was being commissioned by television stations in Canada to make little comedy, short animations like this. So this is a great way to tell stories and there is even a product that can be made from this art.”

Andrea Polanco

Matthiew Klinck

“So Matt, inorder to learn these techniques, is it a combination of creativity and technology that needs to be employed?”

Matthiew Klinck

“Absolutely. In order to do this, I am teaching way to do it in using basic equipment. All you need is a cell phone or a laptop computer, camera and some art supplies, a little bit of plasticine. You mix all these things together and you can create anything you want.”