Intended for 7-12 years old, this 2-hour workshop will showcase various low-tech animation techniques and show students fun and innovative ways to create animation without any special animation equipment. Students will be taught the principles of animation and animation drawing techniques through demonstrations and warm-up exercises. Students will then create animation using stop motion animation techniques such as pixilation and drawing with light. With the “lightning doodle” project, students work together to create an animation using only flashlights. Students will also be taught how to create appealing cartoon characters that they will be able to bring to life by creating their own flip book. This is an excellent way to foster creativity and collaboration and inspire students to continue creating animations without needing any special equipment.

Bio:

Jeff Chiba Stearns is an Emmy® nominated and multi-award-winning animation and documentary filmmaker, as well as an acclaimed author and illustrator. After graduating from the Emily Carr University of Art + Design with a degree in Film Animation, he founded Vancouver-based boutique animation studio and publishing company Meditating Bunny Studio Inc. in 2001. From directing animated commercials for companies like Sharpie and Post-it Note, to short and feature films, Jeff’s work has broadcast around the world, screened in hundreds of international film festivals.

As an educator, Jeff has a Bachelor of Education from UBC and was the senior classical animation instructor at the Centre for Arts and Technology in Kelowna. He now teaches at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design. He has spoken at hundreds of schools and universities across North America and around the world. He has also directed over 60 episodes of the hit pre-school animated series The Treebees which airs on the Knowledge Network and has amassed 50+ millions views on YouTube.