Orange County

Animation Project

Movie

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Events

Ojai Film Festival
November 4-7, 2010
To enter, click here .

ZOOM Student Film Festival 2010 NOTE: Although the deadline for the ZOOM Film Festival has passed for 2010, this might be one students are interested in following for entry in 2011.

Anime Expo
Los Angeles Convention Center
July 1 – July 4, 2010

SIGGRAPH 2010
Los Angeles Convention Center
July 25-29, 2010

Comic-Con at the San Diego Convention Center – annual event

Newport Beach Film Festival: April 22 – April 29, 2010
905 Newport Center Dr.
Newport Beach CA 92660
(949) 253-2880
Annual event includes Student Film Festival

Newport Beach Film Festival – 2008 OC Animation Showcase

Check out the student films showcased at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

2010 Los Angeles Festival
June 17 – 27, 2010
Westwood Village
(866) 345-6337

Will Eisner Week - www.willeisner.com

Student Competitions

ACME Challenge Competitions – ongoing

The ACME Network sponsors ongoing competitions for participating students. Volunteer professional mentors judge each of the competitions. Click below to see the OCAP results for 2010 with judge’s comments. Congratulations to all students who participated! And thank you to all teachers for effectively inspiring your students’ creativity.

COMPETITION #1 – Mr. Bean-Boing & The Slide
COMPETITION #2 – Brick Drop Challenge
COMPETITION #3 – Mr. Bean & The Jet Pack
COMPETITION #4 – The Leaf Drop
COMPETITION #5 – Mr. Bean Jumps a Mud Puddle
COMPETITION #6 – Mr. Bean & The Gumball Machine
COMPETITION #7 – Winter Short Film Contest
COMPETITION #8 – Mr. Bean & The Magic Hat
COMPETITION #9 – Final Film Competition Beginning Animators
COMPETITION #9 – Final Film Competition Advanced Animators

CSU Media Arts Festival - www.mediaartsfestival.org

Newport Beach Film Festival:
http://newportbeachfilmfest.com

2010 Orange County Visual Arts Fair
88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, California 92626
Phone: (714) 708-1624
Email: visualarts@ocfair.com
Website: www.ocfair.com/competitions
Enter online at: http://www.ocfair.com/competitions/Visual_Arts.aspx

Future Filmmakers Showcase (LA Film Festival) - www.lafilmfest.com

Quark Design Competition - www.quarkvsindesign.com

Harvard-Westlake Film Festival: www.hw.com/filmfestival

Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival : Annual festival includes student film competition

ACM - SIGGRAPH - Student Competitions available.
education.siggraph.org

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: Student Competition
www.oscars.org/saa

California Student Media Festival: http://www.mediafestival.org/

Tower of Youth Annual Teen Digital Reel Showcase & Awards: http://www.towerofyouth.org/

List of Student Film Festivals from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_film_festivals

ORANGE COUNTY ANIMATION PROJECT students have entered many competitions and have won many awards. Here are a few:

2008 Animation Celebration at the Orange County Fair
2008 Media Arts Competition – Trabuco Hills High School Winner, Eric Kwon’s entry “Pickles”
ACME Challenge Competitions

COMPETITION 1 – MR. BEAN-BOING & THE SLIDE

COMPETITION JUDGE – MARK BUTLER
Mark Butler is an independent animator and technical director with a wide range of 3D animation, motion capture and VFX compositing experience. Currently, he works for Creative Kingdom Los Angeles, where he is helping to create a new sci-fi MMORPG, called “Planet Cyrene”, to be released in 2011. Mark has worked in games and broadcast animation for over twelve years, after getting his start as a designer and illustrator for TSR’s Dungeon and Dragons. Mark was a part of the Emmy-winning interactive team for NBC’s Heroes, and he also took home the Promax Gold for his work on Disney’s Jetix. He has worked on numerous projects for Warner Bros. and DC Comics, including Smallville Legend’s Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter.

FIRST PLACE WINNER
KELLY MITCHELL
Capistrano Valley High School
Judge’s Comments: Bob the Cat ROCKS! Love this one! Fun character, great composition, anticipation, excitement… and the flaming burnout can only happen in cartoons… way to go! I could already hear the music and sound effects. I look forward to seeing more of Bob, and more of your work, Kelly! Keep it up!

BEST IN CLASS
COLE WATERHOUSE – Dwyer Middle School
LUKE ARNOLD – Dwyer Middle School
CHRISTIAN SERVIN – Sowers Middle School
ALANT OLIVIA – Sonora High School
NOTE: Students choose the Best In Class winners

COMPETITION #2 – BRICK DROP CHALLENGE

FIRST PLACE WINNER
ANDREW PORRAS
Sonora High School
Judge’s Comments: I dig this one… the explosion at the top is enough to explain why the brick falls… and then it bursts into flame… only in cartoons! On the timing, your bomb and fire feel good, and the brick falls starts well, but could use more acceleration towards the end, and perhaps a bit of bounce. Well done.

SECOND PLACE WINNER
CHRISTIAN SERVIN
Sowers Middle School
Judge’s Comments: I like this… the character reads well, and he seems to move with effort when lifting the brick. The brick’s fall and crash feels pretty good, but the teetering at the top needs some attention to timing. The character’s depart is awkward, though, as his legs don’t move, after his arms have shown animation in the lift. Perhaps a better solution would be to have him simply duck? A quick duck can read as fear or clumsiness, too!

THIRD PLACE WINNER
TAYLOR LARSON
Sonora High School
Judge’s Comments: I really like this one… the string is especially well done, and conveys a sense of weight and tension. The brick, however, doesn’t get a chance to fall very far, and so, I have a hard time believing the damage at the end. Have it drop a long way and you’ll nail it. Also regarding the damage… the animation is on track, but perhaps it should happen in the lower left corner instead, as that is the impact point?

BEST IN CLASS
SARAH ERNST – Dwyer Middle School
Judge’s Comments: I like the brick truck flip-flop idea… and getting hit by one of the fall-off bricks is great. Maybe look at your timing, and set it up better… a longer look at the stickman’s terror and maybe a quick duck out of the way would help build the tension.

LUKE ARNOLD – Dwyer Middle School
Judge’s Comments: The ball hitting the wall and making the brick drop is a solid concept… but the ball should come in from screen left, and perhaps bop around like pong. This is an opportunity to apply squash and stretch, as well... Perhaps a few more vertical pillars, to give the ball something more to bounce off of?

PEDRO GUTIERREZ – Los Amigos High School
Judge’s Comments: Nice! The brick is like a character… I found myself wondering how did he get up there? The fall and crash at the end were well done, and felt like there was gravity. However, the rocking back and forth at the beginning could be better timed… also, look for opportunities to introduce motivation, like why he has to jump to his doom!

ANDIE DRAPER – Sowers Middle School
Judge’s Comments: Nice! The brick is like a character… I found myself wondering how did he get up there? The fall and crash at the end were well done, and felt like there was gravity. However, the rocking back and forth at the beginning could be better timed… also, look for opportunities to introduce motivation, like why he has to jump to his doom!

COMPETITION #3 – MR. BEAN AND THE JET PACK

COMPETITION JUDGE – LAINEY SOUTHARD
I was born and raised in Sonora, California, at the foot of the Sierra Nevada’s. I’ve played soccer since I was five and learned how to ski when I was three. Both of my parents are teachers; my dad at the local high school, and my mom at the community college. Because of this, I wasn’t allowed to watch TV that wasn’t educational or play video games too often, which is ironic considering the field in which I am now working! I’ve always loved to draw and for a very long time, I wanted to be an animator. In high school, I discovered passions for music and science as well. Therefore, it took almost two full years of junior college; of really exploring what it would take to be an artist, a musician, or a chemist, for me to realize that art was the only thing that I could see myself doing my whole life. So, a semester before graduating from Columbia College, I chose my career. I looked at a lot of schools in California, and discovered that I didn’t need to go to an Academy to get a good art education. San Jose State’s art program is incredible for a state school and much more affordable. I spent four years at SJSU before graduating, and only for two of those years did I really know what avenue I wanted to pursue. I found out very quickly that animating wasn’t for me. I was really interested in being a concept artist, but was surrounded by artists who were much better at drawing than I am. I’m not bad, but they were really good. Then, I discovered 3D modeling and was hooked! You know you’ve found your field when you want to do it just for fun, without feeling obligated. Unfortunately, SJSU didn’t have a specific degree for 3D modeling, so I had to take the Illustration path and substitute 3D classes for drawing classes. In March of 2009, I landed a contract position as a Marketing Artist at EA. That May, I graduated with my BFA in Illustration. I worked at EA until mid-September and when things were slow there, I would go looking for work on other projects to stay busy. I was really fortunate to meet some extremely fantastic people who allowed me to create some models for the latest Sims game. These types of opportunities don’t just come to you, you have to go and find them. Luckily, the experience that I gained at EA helped me land my current job as a Prop Modeler at Sanzaru Games. There’s nothing like the feeling of having your first real industry job, working and collaborating with some of the best artists in the industry, creating assets that will be seen by tons of people, and knowing that every day you are getting better at what you do.

SECOND PLACE WINNER
THOMAS PAK
Sonora High School
Judge’s Comments: Well, all of the other comments are accurate, this is a great test! You have very clean animation, your story is clear and easy to follow, and your character design is interesting. The only thing that your test needs right now is more varied timing. You need some more breathing room in between camera angles. Give the viewer a chance to process what they just saw before you move on to another camera angle. Things like adding some more frames to add some hang time in the air just before he plummets to the ground will add a lot more interest and believability to your test. Look for other places where you can either speed up or slow down the action. Great Work!

BEST IN CLASS
ANDREW PORRAS – Sonora High School
Judge’s Comments: You’ve gotten some great comments about this animation so far! I agree, the part where he hits the wall is really funny and a great little bit of animation that adds a lot to your story. It kept it from being just another crazy jetpack animation. I too found it distracting that he changes size quite a bit. If you are aware of this, make sure to not it in your question/intentions area so that we know that you know. I think that the main thing you need to work on is your overall timing. The overall flow of it should be slow as he’s approaching the pack, fast as he’s flying out of control, slow as he’s sliding up the wall, and fast as he plummets to the ground and dies. Making this change will make a huge difference to your animation. I would also like to see you animation closer up. Don’t be afraid of having your drawings up close and personal. ☺ I also think that mr bean really needs arms for this test. It is okay that the background is simple and light because it allows us to focus on the animation more. Keep up the great work! And keep the ideas flowing!

TALON BAKER – Capistrano Valley High School
Judges Comments: Hi there! This is a pretty funny animation. I like that you experimented with zooms and different camera angles to tell your story. You are very ambitious and I admire you for that, but I think that maybe you should have stuck with a more bean-like character for this test. I know that it is a boring character design, a bean, but it is intentional so that you can focus more on the principles of animation and not have to worry too much about fingers and toes. I wasn’t really clear on what was going on in your close-up shot of the hands. I thought that he was washing his hands and then all of a sudden he had a jet pack. I assume that you were showing him getting the jet pack ready. I also think that part of what is making it hard to read is that it is fuzzy. I think that this had to do with the resolution of the camera that you are using to take the pictures of each frame. I like that you are incorporating squash and stretch and the way that you are playing with the timing. I really like the way you have him taking off of the ground and kind of flailing in the air. I also like the end because it is kind of a throw back to the early WB style of animation. Keep up the hard work!

THOMAS PANACCIONE – Fountain Valley High School
Judge’s Comments: Hi there! This looks like it is a pretty good test. It is a little hard to tell because, as you mentioned, the quality of the shooting is less than desirable, but also because it is tiny. Make sure that you really fill the frame with your animation so that we can see all of the hard work that you’ve put into it. It looks like you have some really nice squash and stretch and some good expressions. I’m not sure what he is doing when he is next to the pack, before he puts it on. I really appreciate that you have animated this by hand. It really allows you to explore all aspects of animation and learn much quicker than trying to animate entirely in a computer. I would love to see this test closer up and at better quality, otherwise I really can’t comment too much. I think that it is worth revisiting and trying to get it into your portfolio. Keep it up!

MATTHEW NGUYEN – Dwyer Middle School
Judge’s Comments: Hi Matthew. This is a good start to this challenge. I like that you came up with a different story idea than just having mr. bean explode! Your animation is clear and I understood your story without having to read your “intentions”. The main thing I think you need to help take this test to the next level is simply more animation. Right now, you really just have the character moving through the story, kind of floating and gliding without much actual animation of movement of the character. This is totally okay if you are trying to figure out overall pacing of the animation and figuring out the flow. It is a great way to get good texture in your timing, but now you need to animate the squash and stretch of the character as he jumps and takes off, some movement of the limbs especially when walking and try to establish a more realistic flight pattern. Also, it looks like you have a rogue frame in the beginning of your test when mr bean flashes onto the screen on the right. Keep up the hard work and take all of the things you learned from this test into your next animations. Also, try animating by hand, you might find that you learn faster and get it better that way.

LUKE ARNOLD – Dwyer Middle School
Judge’s Comments: Hey there. This is a good start. I like that the potato turns into rench fries, but I find it a little strange that the exploding rocket causes him to turn into rench fries. Maybe there could be a chain link fence and as the rocket bursts out of control it flies him through the chain link fence, turning him into fries. That way its easier to understand on such a quick test. Or...he could explode into mashed potatoes, though that might be tougher to visually communicate. Finally, try to use a little more of the frame. He can even fly off screen right, then you cut to the fence and he flies in from screen left and go through the fence. This is a clever idea so keep working at it. Good work!

CHRISTIAN SERVIN – Dwyer Middle School
Judge’s Comments: Hi there! This is a great idea and a great start with a unique idea. I think that you might have too many ideas for such a brief test, however. Overall, I think that it is pretty smooth, but you need more animation. The flames on the ship don’t animate, neither does the explosion. I also think that you need to work on the walk cycle as he approaches the ship. It is a little jerky. You ask about squash and stretch, but I am having a hard time finding any in your test. You should have some squash when he puts a foot down while walking, and a stretch when he is at the apex of his walk. Also, we should see a lot of squash and stretch at the end when he hits the ground, pops back up, and then crashes down again. I like how you have him bring down his visor on his helmet. It adds a nice little bit of attitude and confidence to your character. Overall, it’s a great start and I am interested to see what you come up with next. You clearly have some cool original ideas. Keep it up!

COMPETITION #4 - THE LEAF DROP

COMPETITION JUDGE – TIM HOLLEYMAN
I had an interest in art from an early age that led me to study computer animation at the NCCA in Bournemouth before switching to traditional animation at the Arts Institute in the same town. I graduated with a degree in animation and originally used the ACME site in its beta stages. I worked at EA in the UK on titles such as Black and Harry Potter and now paint and teach at the Lavender Hill Studios in South London. Outside of work, I paint and continue to study drawing, in particular, life drawing and portraits.

FIRST PLACE WINNER
CHRISTOPHER CAO
La Quinta High School
Judge’s Comments: This is a really good bit of work. I disagree with the comments below that it is too slow. The movement is very natural – although look to add some variation to the timing to make it better. Your efforts to use 3d space have paid off and you have created a solid piece of work. Well done.

THIRD PLACE WINNER
MEGAN ADAMS
Western High School
Judge’s Comments: This looks really good. I love the way the leaf passes behind the tree. Overall the movement is good, although sometimes a little slow. The way the leaf lands is great and the ripples effective, although it could have been planned a little better as the way the leaf stays in the space above the puddle feels a little unnatural. Overall though, it’s a really good piece.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
SCOTT CHAO
Western High School
This entry was set up as a View Only so unfortunately the judge was not able to comment on the piece.

BEST IN CLASS
AARON KITAMURA – Capistrano Valley High School
Judge’s Comments: This is really interesting and has a lot of character. However the leaf isn’t quite falling correctly yet. It seems to fly down like a paper aeroplane. I think it would be good if you could put some slow in/ fast out arcs in there. Imagine the wind and air the leaf is passing through and how that might affect its path. We want to be able to feel that the leaf is falling.

MATTHEW NGUYEN – Dwyer Middle School
Judge’s Comments: This is a good start. I think it would really help if the leaf was a little smaller to i could have further to fall. I think the first arch can be larger with the size of the arcs getting smaller, but the movement faster as the leaf gets near to the ground. As already mentioned in the comments below, it would help to ease in to the top of the arc, with the leaf reaching its fastest point between the two. This can be done by adding more drawings at the top of the arc and having less and spacing them further apart during the lowest point. I don’t think you need to draw the wind itself, we should feel it in your animation. Overall a good start.

MICHAEL MANCE – Dwyer Middle School
Judge’s Comments: This is looking good, you have nice clear movement and the timing is beginning to work. At the moment the leaf falls from the tree a bit too quickly. Anticipation is really important in animation as it helps prepare the audience for what is about to happen. I think you need to imagine how the breeze might catch this leaf and tug at it a little before a larger gust blows it loose. I think you could also work a little more on the timing to add a little variation. Overall itis a great start.

FELIPE AVILA – Los Amigos High School
Judge’s Comments: Overall this is looking good. The arcs the leaf makes are nice and clear, they are a little uniform and breaking them up a little in terms of size and timing would help. The marks drawn after the leaf are unnecessary and distract from your nice animation. I think the anticipation you have at the start is good.

COMPETITION #5 – MR. BEAN JUMPS OVER A MUD PUDDLE

COMPETITION JUDGE – RANDY NELSON
Randy Nelson has a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from the University of Santa Clara. As a teenager, a passion for animation led him to computer programming. He has taught software development for the last 35 years.

Randy was one of the founders of the juggling group, the Flying Karamazov Brothers, and worked in live theater, film and television for more than a decade. His credits include co-writer, co-director and co-star of three Broadway shows, performances at the White House and for the President at the Kennedy Center, a role in the feature film 'Jewel of the Nile,' and the opportunity to represent the United States at two Olympic Arts Festivals.

Randy worked as a computer animator and producer for Pizza Time Theater, led developer training for NeXT Computer, created the developer program for the Apple and IBM multimedia joint venture Kaleida Labs, published the entry-level training book on Java at Sun, and was a senior instructional designer for Apple Computer.

Randy, as Dean of Pixar University, used his art, film, theater, animation, software, training and juggling experience to provide training and education for all of Pixar Animation Studio’s employees.

Today, Randy writes, consults and looks for splendid problems to help solve.

FIRST PLACE WINNER
TALON BAKER
Capistrano Valley High School
Judge’s Comments: Great to see this again. I appreciate the motivation you’ve given the character, chasing the butterfly makes us instantly understand his reason for jumping the puddle. The use of the character's increasing scale to convey his approach towards us is courageous and you handled it well. Nice staging, bringing the character towards us, just as we become more and more interested in his choices, we get more of his actions to give us the detail we want. The fluid quality of your character drawing is wonderful, and giving us emotions in the body is exactly right. Facial animation, if added at all, is something professionals add last. I really like your line quality, confident and slightly abstract. Each of the actions -- preparing to jump, wetting his hands, jumping and loosing his balance, surfacing, sitting in the puddle, and finally watching the butterfly have a very satisfying and believable sense. Each bit of acting is handled with good timing and each surprises us, you still have something to say, you still have another treat in store for us. Your storytelling in this piece is excellent. I identify with the character and feel for him, I see myself in the position, so you successfully developed empathy in the audience for your character I would like a moment more of hold before he looses his balance, just slow down the action a tiny bit; make us think he might make it. Thank you.

HONORABLE MENTION
CHRIS LEVA
Sowers Middle School
Judge’s Comments: I enjoyed this, it has some unexpected action. I like the titles, bold and clear. I liked the word play in pud muddle. Your acting is good enough to not require you to use the explanation point to show his emotions. See if you can just work with the character's body and facial expressions to get your point across. The work will be stronger. The easing of the jump could use work: Bean should accelerate more as he nears the puddle, it seems a little slow. The giant pull back and zoom out is very effective. I was really wondering what was going to happen next. Having Bean launch into the clouds was a great turn of events. His expression as he left the planet was clear and understandable. I laughed. The cuts from in close to the wide shot and back to in close for his preparation are well timed, and give us just enough information. While I enjoyed the ending, Bean lost in the stars, you might want to resolve this with us really knowing what happened, whether it is landing in a puddle on the moon or causing a rainstorm that causes new puddles by hitting the clouds, we’d like to end on the character. Nice work. Keep going.

BEST IN CLASS
JESSICA CANALES – Western High School
Judge’s Comments: I like the rhythm of the piece. It starts slowly and has a nice acceleration at the end. We enjoy the surprise when Whispers pushes Kurokage into the puddle. There is a little hitch in the walk cycle: it works for me, it gives the character a bounce. Was it intentional? The style of animation, with illustrations of emotion like the heart, questions marks and the dots for thinking may be limiting as you go forward and want to express more complex emotions. Your acting is already pretty good, so challenge yourself to find ways to express your character's emotions purely in their actions.

JAKE SUGDEN – Dwyer Middle School
Judge’s Comments: I like your character design. The figure eight shape and bow tie give a good sense of who this unique Bean is. Be consistent throughout the story: the rain initially comes from screen right, and yet the later the rainstorm, the water falling down the hill and the puddle come from screen left. Keep the character’s size consistent between his reaction to the water nearing him and his jump. I miss seeing Bean’s eyes in the critical part of the story when he jumps. Try to find ways to expressing feelings with action: Bean’s observation that it is a great day would be better without text -- instead try using his posture, gestures and expression to give the audience a chance to figure Bean’s feelings out from what he does. It increases our interest in the story. Keep going!

LUKE ARNOLD - Dwyer Middle School
Judge’s Comments: Nice and unexpected. We’d like to see Bean think before he decides to jump the puddle. You can show him considering why he wants to go shopping for new Bean wear, or his concern about the puddle, but give us some emotion as he makes the decision. The hand from the puddle grabs him so quickly, it is hard to see the action. You might want to slow the timing down so we can see Bean in the air before he is plucked out by the giant hand. Adding facial expressions to Bean isn’t critical, you can act with his body, but they might help convey the action and emotion better. Also, removing text in your scene -- like the sign above the puddle -- when it isn't absolutely needed, will help keep our emotional focus on the acting. Words turn on the part of our brain that likes words, which makes it harder for the part of our brain that prefers pictures. Keep going!

THOMAS PAK - Sonora High School
Judge’s Comments: I appreciate your strong storytelling. The timing of the many events before the jump needs to be slowed down, so we can see and savor the choices and opportunities the characters have. The boy seeing the girl, the boy falling for the girl, the boy seeing the puddle, and deciding to jump all go by very quickly. You handle each of these events well, but we would like a little more time to really enjoy and separate each of them. A lot happens; make sure we’re keeping up. The partial character drawings, showing only the upper body, only head and shoulders, the partial environment in wide shot of the puddle, are a little challenging for me. I think you would have a hard time translating that style into a more finished animation that included color and more environments. However, it is consistent and I understand the style. I also like the way you handle the words that echo the jump, and realize that is also apart of this style of animation. However, I find the words somewhat distracting. The emotions in the fall and the unexpected kiss are very clear. You are very courageous in your presentation. Slow down a little and let us see the details that you are providing us. Keep going!

BRANDEN BUTLER – Sonora High School
Judge’s Comments: This has a nice feel, like a recurring story with familiar characters. It would be improved by breaking down the action into smaller sequences. The first thing we see is Tommy and Kip, and we get a good sense of their relationship. Then we don’t know why Kip runs away, what he sees or smells or wants that makes him run. We see Tommy is worried. Then Kip is landing in the puddle and we don’t know how he feels, was it what he wanted to do? Then I want to know how he gets out, because we see the safely and happily together in the ‘The End’ title card. The animation is bright and colorful, and you have interesting characters that are easy to identify with, but we want to see more of the why, and get more action to follow and understand. I’d like to see you concentrate on animating keep’s movement and not just make him a blur. It’s great you are working in hand drawn. Keep going!

COMPETITION #6 – Mr. Bean & The Gumball Machine

COMPETITION JUDGE – MICHAEL HOROWITZ
Michael is a character artist and designer with extensive 2D and 3D experience. He has worked for Walt Disney Publishing, Walt Disney Classics, WD Asia Pacific in Hong Kong, as well as Walt Disney Consumer Products in Burbank. He has also done storyboard development with XLT Animation in Hollywood, Ca. and worked as an animation assistant for Disney, Marvel, and Hanna-Barbera among others. In his spare time he teaches figure drawing at Art Center’s Saturday High.

SECOND PLACE WINNER
JOSEPH GENIN
Mission Viejo High School
Judge’s Comments: I very much like your film. It is very dynamic and is very strong graphically. I do think that the cut where he flies in the air and lands on the ground might disrupt the fluid action that you established. He still needs that fast momentum and a great squash pose in the landing. Very nice and very original. Congratulations! I like this film for being very bold visually and having very good action. The artist has taken some risks by using strong perspective in his layouts and exaggeration in his character drawing. The film is very unique in its approach to the story and execution.

BEST IN CLASS
MADI HODGES – El Dorado High School
Judge’s Comments: I really like your animation and I really want to see the rest of your story! Even if you move on to another assignment, I would just suggest doing thumbnail drawings to completely explore a story idea so it has an obvious conclusion - sometimes called a payoff. I now want to see how he catches the gumball. Very nice start!

AARON KITAMURA – Capistrano Valley High School
Judge’s Comments: Hi Aaron. You have a very nice start and very fun story. I would suggest you move your action with the characters more toward the center of the screen for clarity in the reading the action. This is also true when the gumball machine raises your character out of view. Then you have somewhat of an abrupt edit. I am not sure if everything is a dream or the gumball machine followed the bean home. Try to clarify your story and then take on one little piece of animation to do some fun acting within the situations you have created.

Reason Selected by Class: The class got a kick out of Aaron’s project. Mr. Bean’s bouncy, merry entry contrasts well with the nightmare to follow. The animation is pretty fluid and there is effective variety to the timing. The snappy cut signaling the end of the dream sequence works well. The tension builds from the having the gumball machine not work, to having it eat Mr. Bean, to having the nightmare become real at the end. Aaron’s fairly complex idea is delivered in a fresh and direct manner.

COMPETITION #7 – Winter Short Film Contest

COMPETITION JUDGE – JOSIE TRINIDAD
I went to UCLA, earned degrees in English Literature and Fine Art. Then went to CalArts and got a BFA in Character Animation. After graduating, I did some illustration work for Klasky Csupo Commercials for a year or so. But then in 2004, I started at Disney as a Story Trainee. I worked on the Goofy short, "How to Hook Up Your Home Theater" and "The Ballad of Nessie" short. Ron and John gave me my first big break, and I was fortunate enough to work on "The Princess and the Frog." Currently, I'm working on Rapunzel.

SECOND PLACE WINNER
TALON BAKER
Capistrano Valley High School
Judge’s Comments: This film is really simple in it's story, but really well executed overall! There is some wonderful animation and acting in this piece and I really enjoyed it. I especially appreciate that you really focused on telling the story of your main character, the scarecrow, and I really felt he came to life as a real tangible character with emotions. That is no easy feat and it's what all great character animation aspires to do. In terms of your animation, there's some really fantastic acting going on, ranging from the more broadly comedic to the subtle. There's also a great sense of weight and timing-really well executed walk cycles and even simpler actions like him struggling to pull his arms off the sticks. Most importantly, none of your animation is gratuitous; it's all done so that we as an audience can see and feel the world from the scarecrow's POV. Because of this, I felt emotionally connected and invested in him. At the end I was happy to see him be free from the stick and off pursuing the girl. Your staging is really superb. It's simple and clear but also very sophisticated. And your cutting (from shot to shot) is excellent. In terms of art direction and style, I feel like you have a very poetic line quality and you kept everything simple and clear-all in support of telling your scarecrow's story.

Well done! Keep up the great work because I think you have great potential in animation. There's also a lot of heart and sincerity to your work, along with a lot of good comedy and entertainment. Fantastic job! I look forward to seeing more work from you!

Extra Special Note from the Judge: I really admired this film and the decision was very difficult for me to make. You are a talented filmmaker and I do admire your work!

Reason Selected by Class: The other students in class kept flocking around Talon while he worked on this so I guess they liked it. I am impressed with how this student keeps pushing himself technically and creatively. This scene, with multiple characters and camera angles, also has perspective walk and run cycles, a spin, an airborne bird and hat, and a fade. And with all that, it's still a simple and touching story.

HONORABLE MENTION
BATIA PINSKER
Trabuco Hills High School
Judge’s Comments: Great job challenging yourself to do realistic character animation! I think you have a solid grip on the animation fundamentals, and I especially enjoyed the acting and the expressions of your characters. One noteworthy scene was the cat's pounce. You staged it well, showing the cat's point of view (POV) and then executed his actions wonderfully with the cat's nice shoulder movements as he anticipates the pounce on the little bird. I thought your animation of the bird was very strong and believable. Your designs are also very appealing. Finally your story is nice and simple. For the most part the staging is clear, though I might suggest showing a little more of the bird's point of view, perhaps adding a shot of the bird seeing the cat headed for the cliff. Then you can cut to the cat's POV going over the waterfall. You also might want to hold the wide shot of the cat pouncing on the bird but falling in the water a little longer so that the audience can register what is going on. It was a little unclear that the cat fell into a river. Perhaps if you added some splashing water effects as the cat falls in the river that would help. The ending was nice, simple, yet satisfying. I highly encourage you to keep working on your animation and storytelling skills, because this film shows such great potential future in animation. Really great job overall!

Reason Selected by Class: It was chosen because the class thought it had clear acting, staging and plot...

BEST IN CLASS
QUAN NGUYEN - Hare High School
Judge’s Comments: Unfortunately this film was blurry and difficult to see, but despite that I was still able to follow the story for the most part. Perhaps next time try shooting this film without the backlight and composite any background images digitally, so that the images are clearer. That said, the story about the bee taking nectar back to his hive but then gets caught by a spider is simple and clear. And your bee character is appealing and easy to identify with. There is a part when he returns home that's a bit unclear. I'm not sure what he is reacting to when he sees his hive, though his reaction is animated with great fun and energy. Also I'm not sure why a time passage occurs-- is the bee traveling? I pick the story back up when he gets caught by the spider, though there is too much time spent on the sleeping spider and not enough time spent with our main character getting caught in the web. Stay with bee for a little bit longer since he's your main character and the one the audience cares about the most then go to spider. I did really enjoy your entertaining bits with the bee collecting the nectar like an injection. It was very creative, entertaining, and a great use of animation. Keep on working on your drawing and animation!

Reason Selected by Class: We selected this entry because of Quan's abilities to create a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Quan has been working with this character (Happbee) for two years. Quan created this character for a very extensive story board during his first session in my Animation I class. He has excelled in many of his other animation challenges and stories since then. I suggested that he should try to create a completed animation of Happbee, because I wanted him to have the full experience of the process of character design, story board, and a final film. Quan has come a long way in his growth because of his persistence, dedication, and most of all his determination to complete his first film. Working through this process will only help Quan to become better at his next attempt. Just wait and see!

CHRISTIAN SERVIN – Sowers Middle School
Judge’s Comments: This short film was very funny and entertaining. You were very smart to use flat staging so that your ideas are clear and the comedy can shine through. And I like your simplified designs and limited animation because it all helps support the comedy of your film. I especially liked how cartoony and pushed the comedy was, and two highly entertaining scenes that stand out for me were they very beginning when the claw pulls the bears eye off and the last scene when your main character got upset, his face turned red and his head explodes. For the most part, the staging, acting and animation were clear but there were some areas that could be clarified even more. Your first establishing shot goes by too quick to register what is going on. Spend a little bit longer on your first frame to help orient the audience. Or stage everything from a ¾ view so that we can clearly see your main character and the skill crane. The other disorienting shot is when the guy reaches for his second dollar. Your designs are stylized, and I wasn't able to read the image as a hand reaching into a wallet for a dollar. You might consider adding a hand on your character, or stage the scene slightly different so that the action is clearer. But your film is so simple and funny that with a little bit of work to help clarify these areas, it will be really great! Good job and keep on animating and working on films!

Reason Selected by Class: "...he shows facial expression and he has the claw move to where he wants it to. I also like how he looks at what he wants. And shows the dollar bills and the wallet." "...it shows the correct motion, it has the element of surprise, and it's carefully timed." "He has a nice story line. The character shows facial expressions. Shows the dollars and how it is ripped. The machine moves around. He shows how he is looking at the bear." "...with his animation I could see the story without him explaining it to me." "...It is very funny...Very good details"

JACK BUSS - Sowers Middle School
Judge’s Comments: Funny little short. I like the song. I also really find your simplified design and animation very appealing. Your film starts off with a lot of promise. I especially enjoyed the polar bears' walk cycle. There's good timing and weight even with such a limited design. Well done! Unfortunately the rest of the film wasn't fully realized and there wasn't much of a story after the polar bears sat on the bench. In your song, you allude to a fight but then there are no images to support this. I really want to see how their conflict resolves, so I encourage you to keep going. You're off to a great start!

Reason Selected by Class: "The audio made the video all better. Also the walking seemed to have perfect gravity and it affected the character, not only the movement of the feet." "...I like how the polar bears are Bipolar. It's a pun. Other than that, the animation was fine; the audio is what really brought it to life."

COMPETITION #8 – MR. BEAN AND THE MAGIC HAT

COMPETITION JUDGE – SUE CAMPBELL
Sue Campbell brings 16 years of experience to our broadcast in both traditional and digital animation. She graduated from Sheridan College with her degree in animation and went on to work at studios such as ILM, Disney, Dreamworks, Rhythm & Hughes, and Digital Domain. Her film credits include The Star Wars 1 and 2, Jurrasic Park 2 & 3, Harry Potter 2, Men in Black, Hancock, Shark Tale, the Golden Compass, GI Joe, and Transformers 2 among others. In her spare time, she has also taught at Gnomen School of Arts, and the Art Academy of San Francisco.

FIRST PLACE WINNER HIGH SCHOOL
TALON BAKER
Capistrano Valley High School
Judge’s Comments: The story flows, the pacing works, having simple characters and wiggling lines also works. There is a lot of time put into the piece and it shows. The timing, posing and framing works, it is very funny, and movements that may be hard to read do read well…like when he bends at the waist towards camera. My only suggestion would be when there are “holds”, have more than 2 drawings to loosen up the wiggling. The story is great and the animation is great…such emotion in only a few drawn lines. All in all, very well done and I enjoy it very much!

Reason Selected by Class: Talon took a different approach to the scene by posing Mr. Bean as a magician. He thinks he’s in control, but has something else in store for him inside the hat. The class liked that the secondary character has a distinct personality and that Mr. Bean goes through a number of clear expression changes. Coming at the end of the semester, this was a tight deadline for Talon. He worked quickly in a looser style than before. Though still rough, this is a good foundation on which to build.

FIRST PLACE WINNER- MIDDLE SCHOOL
CHRISTIAN SERVIN
Sowers Middle School
Judge’s Comments: It’s a cute story and interesting character…it’s nice to not e constricted with arm and leg lengths. The character takes up such a small section of the frame, and his feet are tiny so they are hard to “read”. The feet are the real actors in this story, so I’d love to have you push the camera in and increase the size of the shoes… they are fun to watch! I’m not sure if the triangle is the smoke from the transformation; maybe make that a little more clear, but that is a small thing. It shows thinking outside the box and is inspirational!

Reason Selected by Class: The students loved the sense of humor used in a creative way. The surprise ending was funny. Emotions were expressed well at the beginning.

BEST IN CLASS
LUKE ARNOLD – Dwyer Middle School
Judge’s Comments: The simplicity of the shapes is nice. It is very fast; I would take everything and slow it down by half. At this speed I did have to watch it a couple of times to pick up what’s happening, but the story did come through. A small thing; when he comes in the door, he knocks something down...I’m not sure what it is. When he stops moving, you can give him time to emote, so we can relate to the character and get into the story. Just slowing down the scene will make it so clear and straightforward; then it is a cute and funny piece!

Reason Selected by Class: The students selected this film because they felt it was visually appealing and entertaining. They also felt the story was set up

KAI PRAGER – Dwyer Middle School
Judge’s Comments: The color choices are very cool, and I like the change of cloud cover…it works. Animation wise, I would like to see more.

Reason Selected by Class: Film was selected because the students felt it was entertaining.

COMPETITION #9 – FINAL FILM COMPETITION BEGINNING ANIMATORS

COMPETITION JUDGE – MICHAEL HOROWITZ
Michael is a character artist and designer with extensive 2D and 3D experience. He has worked for Walt Disney Publishing, Walt Disney Classics, WD Asia Pacific in Hong Kong, as well as Walt Disney Consumer Products in Burbank. He has also done storyboard development with XLT Animation in Hollywood, Ca. and worked as an animation assistant for Disney, Marvel , and Hanna- Barbera among others. In his spare time he teaches figure drawing at Art Center's Saturday High.

THIRD PLACE WINNER
KEVIN MUNOZ & BRYCE MCMILLAN
El Dorado High School
Judge's Comments: I really thought this was a lot of fun. It is great how you are spoofing monster movies and coming attractions. You really have done a nice job with some complicated special effects and combining all the different elements. Congratulations!

Reason Selected by Class: The student's intent was to create a green screen/stop motion animation movie trailer. We all liked this film because it was super creative and really, really funny!

BEST IN CLASS
PHILLIP WOGEE - Sonora High School
Judge's Comments: Hi...You have the start of a great idea and I like the way you move the camera and have built the room. Now is the time to go back in and take a look at your animation. Perhaps when the ball is thrown it should be faster and more forceful. Perhaps you could get a more dramatic angle when the character picks up the chair. See if you can play with the weight of the chair - is it heavy as he picks it up? And maybe add a close-up of the character as he sees that a chair is going to be thrown at him. Is he scared? Your set up is a really strong to play with some of these ideas. Nice job!

Reason Selected by Class: Phillip's work was voted best for several reasons. His characters were really sophisticated for a first animation in Maya, even though they were copies of the same model. Students thought the animation was funny because that's how wild things seem to get at the end of school. They thought the action was really good for a first animation.

SHIRLEY SANTOS - Sonora High School
Judge's Comments: You have a very nice start here. I like the background and the color styling. I would go back into your scene and try to work on a nice walk cycle as your character goes to the tree. Or maybe I would just concentrate on a close up of the apple falling from the tree and hitting your character on the head so you can do some acting. Maybe he gets a little dizzy after the apple hits him. A very fun idea!

Reason Selected by Class: We had another student who was chosen for second place, but somehow his work didn't get uploaded to ACME. Shirley's work came in third place. Everyone like the textures she used for her first Maya animation. The only criticism students had was that the playback speed was too fast.

TERESA GARCIA - Sonora High School
Judge's Comments: Hi...You have a really nice set up and beautiful colors, now you can tell a really fun story. I would suggest you go in a little closer with your camera and maybe you can have the characters play hide and seek within your great layout. You can play with the timing as the characters move around and change the perspective by placing your camera at different positions. Nice job!

Reason Selected by Class: Everyone fell in love with Teresa's first Maya animation. There were lots of "awww's" when we viewed it. It was such a short, simple story, but very well done. Everyone was really impressed with the modeling and animation. The timing was fantastic. We wouldn't change a thing!

ALBERTO ZAVALA - Sonora High School
Judge's Comments: Hi...A very nice set up and I like your background design. Since you have introduced a character in the film it would be great to have him react to the arrow coming at him but I do not know if he is rigged for that kind of acting. But you have created a beautiful background with cool colors and textures. Nice job! Reason Selected by Class: This was Alberto's first Maya animation. Everyone really liked the models and the characters. They were impressed with the environment and the camera work, until the very end of the animation. Everyone felt there should have been some kind of resolution (visually) with the arrow making contact with the monster.

STACEY ASIS - Sowers Middle School
Judge's Comments: Hi Stacey...You have a great story and fun characters. I would suggest that you give the animation a little more a squash and stretch and play with the timing of the jump. Get a really good squash at the bottom and a stretch drawing on the way up. And also get a really strong squash as he hits the ground. This will add a little more fun to the scene. It is a good job!

Reason Selected by Class: "...the animation had good design, was very fluent, had humor, and displayed many principles of animation such as squash and stretch." "...interesting and looked like it was worked on for a while." "... very realistic it has good motion with the sack. It also was very clear what was happening." "...had a clear concept and had good motion and it as fluid." "...had a lot of detail and was fluid. The story was good and clear." "the sack was realistic and the trampoline bounced when the sack landed on it." "...very creative and is a very good and clear animation." "...it had great squash and stretch, it was very smooth. Also, it had a funny little story and twist, there was fluent motion with the trampoline and the sacks. I like when the sack face plants right into the floor." "The squash and stretch was very impressive and it was more realistic then most sack pantomimes."

KAI PRAGER - Dwyer Middle School
Judge's Comments: Hi...You have a very nice visual look here. My comment would be to get a little more bounce out of your bean characters with squash and stretch drawings when they bounce around. This will show stronger action and you can explore different timing as it is applied to the movement of each character. A very nice start!

Reason Selected by Class: The class absolutely loved Kai's short film, "Mr. Bean and the Monster Under the Bed" and he received top votes. They felt his film had a compelling, entertaining storyline. They also felt it was well thought out and easy to understand. The plot contained a beginning, middle, climax, and a nice surprise ending with the inclusion of a scorecard. The film was clever and the key frames did an excellent job of communicating the storyline. They also felt Kai did a terrific job with exaggeration and the use of animation principles was employed well. They felt the story was clever and very enjoyable.

MATTHEW NUGYEN - Dwyer Middle School
Judge's Comments: Hi Matt...You did a nice job designing the room and setting up the action. I think you could use more exaggerated shapes as your characters move. Look at some of the Acme handouts on squash and stretch to give more life to your characters as they bounce around. The bouncing ball example would work great to get that jumping up and down action. A good start!

Reason Selected by Class: The class selected Matthew's film because it had a good story with a beginning, middle, and end. They were immediately pleased from the beginning, as Matthew did a nice job creating a visually appealing setting. He also grabbed our curiosity with his inclusion of "anticipation" with his creature secretly watching Mr. Bean through the vent as he went to bed. We just knew something was going to happen! We also felt the ending was amusing and had a payoff. We were thoroughly entertained!

SARAH ERNST - Dwyer Middle School
Judge's Comments: Hi...You have several good ideas here and I think to simplify your story I would concentrate on one your major action. I think it could be a great challenge to have your character walk or skip into the scene, react to the new hat and walk out proudly wearing it. Or maybe the hat doesn't fit and he cannot see as he walks away. Again, by simplifying your action you can concentrate on character acting and animation principles. A good start!

Reason Selected by Class: Our third film, "Mr. Bean and the Evil Hat" was another enjoyable film. The story was clear and understandable. The staging was good and the pictures were visually appealing. Sarah also did a nice job with scenery and camera angles. She included various camera shots such as close ups and mid-range angles. The twist in the story was also amusing in that Mr. Bean finds this magic hat, but discovers the hard way that it is really evil in the end. Sarah also included a payoff - but with an unhappy ending in which Mr. Bean is cut in half. All in all the class felt this was a terrific, short film which was very enjoyable.

SEAN REEVES - El Dorado High School
Judge's Comments: Hi Sean...I think you did a very good job at staging the action and creating the environment where the different characters interact. My one suggestion would be to give the story a little more consideration. I like the monsters but I do not know why the pirate is there - though I think that scene is done very well. I can see you had a lot of fun with this and I enjoyed watching your film. Again, just work out the story - is there a good guy here? Is there someone who can save the day? Nice job.

Reason Selected by Class: The student's intent was to create a stop motion animation using Legos. We all liked this film because the timing was smooth (difficult for stop motion) and the sound effects were awesome!

COMPETITION# 9 – FINAL FILM COMPETITION ADVANCED ANIMATORN

COMPETITION JUDGE: JODDY NICOLA
Joddy Nicola, Certificate of Fine Arts in Character Animation, California Institute of the Arts. Mr. Nicola is an animator, director, and writer. He is the owner of Hijinks Animation and has worked with Jim Keeshan Studio Animatics. His client list includes Disney and Warner Brothers.

FIRST PLACE WINNER
KELLY MITCHELL
Capistrano Valley High School
Judge's Comments: Ah some film. I think we have a winner. I loved it; great timing, staging and acting. Over all, just plain entertaining. Don't stop, keep it up.

Reason Selected by Class: We deemed Kelly's project the greatest success for being the most ambitious, accomplished, and entertaining of our class's efforts this year. Each time out, she pushes herself a little further and is starting to put together some remarkably sophisticated scenes. In Hunt 4 Zombies, she has interwoven many principles and cinematic concepts without it ever seeming burdensome. On the contrary, she confidently pulls us along at an escalating pace to the dramatic conclusion.

SECOND PLACE WINNER
ABANOB AWADALLA
Fountain Valley High School
Judge's Comments: Great film; I loved the story with good pacing and a surprise ending. The main character was cool and refreshing. Keep up the good work.

Reason Selected by Class: After more than two years in animation, I worked on smoothing out my movements, utilizing character close-up, and working with camera angles and focus. With the inclusion of the12 principles of animation, these stated techniques if put together with a good story they would make a good animation. This is my latest project in animation and I have strived and worked to make it a good animation. Hope you would enjoy it.

THIRD PLACE WINNER
TALON COUGHRAN
Western High School
Judge's Comments: Great film and cool Idea. I like it but it seemed too unfinished in some sense. You could have animated some cool transforming into a wolf animation. Keep up the good work.

Reason Selected by Class: Incredible! The music, amazing! The animation, superb! Overall, brilliant! An incredibly catchy song with incredibly awesome animation. Nicely done, Talon!

BEST IN CLASS

THOMAS PANACCIONE - Fountain Valley High School
Judge's Comments: Great idea; I loved the main character attitude and also the confrontation with the gumball machine is very cool. I felt that you needed to hold some shots a little bet longer, such as the titles and the beginning of most of the scenes. Also the scenes in general seem too fast to know what is going on. Over all keep up the good work.

Reason Selected by Class: This animation is pretty much the last one of its kind that I did for this class. There's the same recurring character, Mr. Angry Bean, a deceptively blank individual who is never without his Scottish cap. Then there's the shopkeeper, a man who minds his business with care and discriminates little in customers, even if they break the sliding glass doors when riding in on their magic winged bullicorn. And finally there is the Gumdropper 5000, a violent delinquent of a machine who fights anyone who dares to pry a gumball from its cold metal interior. In the end, there is no clear victor in the fight between Mr. Angry Bean and the Gumball machine; the outcome and lessons learned are left entirely up to the viewer's personal opinion. Though if you were to tie me down and beat it out of me, then yes, I suppose Mr. Bean won in the end.

TERRELL ROMERO - Esperanza High School
Judge's Comments: Nice use of camera for the flying but I felt that the film could have spent more time on the butterfly trying to get in the panting. Over all not bad; keep animating.

Reason Selected by Class: Student's intent - create a complete room model in Maya that depicts any easily recognized period of history before 1980. In addition, adding an animated butterfly using cameras to view room and furniture. The ending of the story is to have some type of incident with the butterfly (flying into picture on wall or to be captured).

SETH GIBBS - Esperanza High School
Judge's Comments: I feel that this film needs more time in the story boarding process. You can work out the story and the camera angles first, then animate. Keep at it, don't give up.

TAYLOR LARSON - Sonora High School
Judge's Comments: Good idea; it needs more time in between the actions to set up the main character. Hold the first and last drawing in every attitude and see what you get. Keep it up.

Reason Selected by Class: Taylor's animatic of Mr. Bean and the Magic Hat was voted #1 by a large margin. Even though the timing was off a bit (too fast), everyone thought it was a great animation! They especially like the evil little look he gave the camera at the end of the animation!

EMILY GONG - Sowers Middle School
Judge's Comments: Great film; I loved the message in it. I feel that you should put more in-betweens in your animation. Also you should hold the caption at the end longer so it reads better. Over all, not bad; keep animating.

Reason Selected by Class: "creative and unique...cool because it was really clear and it also teaches a great lesson." "...many good special effects and had a good storyline. The characters were believable, and people can relate to the main character's problems. The timing is fluent and there are many clever uses of images." "It was a very good animation. It had a very good story. The movement and appearance of the characters was excellent." "...had a great moral to the story and stood out from all others." "...was vivid had good plot very understandable and her characters were good. Her animation was very easy to understand and had a great idea about life." "...a very good story message. She also had many different places in the animation that the people would travel to. It looked like it took much effort to make that animation." "It was realistic and had a good story to it. The movement and everything in it was believable." "...the animation clarity was phenomenal. I also thought that the message at the end was a great way to end the animation." "It took a lot of time and effort on this animation. I think it has a good lesson that people can understand and most likely relate too." "...the story had a very good point. The characters were very well detailed." "I loved the design of the characters and the use of the mirror to show him. The storyline had a good message and had a good moral." "...had tremendous detail and it told a story. It showed emotion of the character. The characters had great movement and they had great detail. The animation clarity was extremely good." "This was very descriptive and also taught a very good moral." "The creativity in the animation and having a life lesson in it was very appropriate." "it included real looking people instead of fantastic characters. It was very creative and had a moral behind it. It was very detailed and it had a great use of colors."

CHRISTIAN SERVIN - Sowers Middle School
Judge's Comments: Good idea; I feel that the animation is too stiff and needs more squash and stretch in it. Good over all; keep up the good work.

Reason Selected by Class: "...story was clear and the animation was great. It was nice and it flowed well." "I liked how the kid doesn't just get eaten he gets possessed, so it has a clever twist." "...was short and sweet and it was clear. His animation contained the "12 principals of animation" and it was entertaining" "I liked the way his animation ended as well as the way it didn't look like his characters were teleporting around the scene." "The movement of the eyes on the bean was really nice and I liked the storyline. The design of the monster was great." "...it was humorous. It makes the audience laugh and it has a good ending. Everything has fairly good detail and it tells a short story." "had a great story and was very enjoyable to watch. Also, he had great detail and a realistic walk cycle. His animation was very smooth and had great flow. My favorite part was when the Bean had the monster's face on his." "...was the funniest, had the best squash and stretch, and the best story. I believe that the story had the best twist and used the principles of animation the best." "...was creative with the monster possessing the Mr. Bean." "...very interesting and detailed. For example, when he was pulled under the bed, it was very smooth and had no fault. Also, when the boy is possessed, the monster face slowly fades in and it was a very surprising ending."

DANNY TRUONG - Sowers Middle School
Judge's Comments: Good idea but to stiff in the action. Try putting more in-betweens in your work, so you can get a better flow in the action. Also you don't need to repeat your self on the titles. Keep it up.

Reason Selected by Class: "...creative and unique. Danny's was also really funny." "...the animation has good design, and had humor in it." "It was very smooth and the plot made sense. The characters and the slide were very detailed." "...he put a lot of effort into his work. I really like his beginning of his animation he made the name of the animation go down a slide, witch look like it took much detail. He also made it fun to watch." "He showed emotion through the whole animation and it was understandable." "His animation had very good graphics and it was entertaining. He put a lot of detail I his bean and the introduction. This animation had most of the "12 principals of animation". His animation was also clearly conveyed by emotions and actions." "...It also looked like it was actually moving rather than teleporting around. It was also very well put together and I liked it a lot." "...his Mr. Bean was very well made. The animation and story was funny and made sense. The animation was also very realistic." "I really liked the opening scene with the letters going down the slide and the detail of the slide itself. I like the character design of the bean and the tree." "...It showed a lot of detail in the slide and Mr. Bean. I liked it since it also made sense and it was not playing too fast." "... very detailed and told a story with a beginning, middle, and end. His bean had clothes, eyes, and realistic arms and legs. His animation overall had great flow and was very smooth. My favorite part was when the character tried to move the tree that was blocking him, then the tree flung him off-screen." "Hilarious due to the fact the massive bean was thrown by the disappointed personified tree." "...with the frames being smoother then others." "...it is believable and was very detailed. Furthermore, it was smooth and was interesting. The opening was very creative and had a good flow. Also, it was very humorous when Mr. Bean was thrown into the sun."

TALON BAKER - Capistrano Valley High School
Judge's Comments: Good idea even though the animation on the main character needs work. I can tell what his attitude was and some of the scenes had images holding before the scenes started. Over all, not bad. Keep up the good work.

Reason Selected by Class: Micro Powers – ("Runner-Up")This "short" film is a nice showcase of Talon's originality, charming humor, and continuing quest for improvement. His ability to transform the commonplace into something quirky and fantastic is rare. His work feels fresh. All the little extras he throws in also make it fun to watch. While the film could stand some tightening and polishing, Talon keeps our attention throughout. It's clear that he is really beginning to find his voice.

JESSICA CANALES - Western High School
Judge's Comments: Good idea. I felt that your message is a good one but the animation was too stiff and needed more animation principles in it. Good story. Keep up the good work.

Reason Selected by Class: Jessica's sense of timing and flow are exceptional. Students agree that Jessica has demonstrated a strong grasp on the animation principles taught in class and is using them to create stellar animations.

SEAN KATSCHKE - Western High School
Teacher: Adrian Olmedo
Judge's Comments: Cool idea, but there really was not enough animation in it. If you put more animation in it, it would be a great piece.

Reason Selected by Class: Simple, yet diabolically hilarious! The sound adds a lot to the overall experience. Short and sweet! Good work, Sean!

FRANCES CALIWAG - Western High School
Judge's Comments: Nice idea but looks a little unfinished. I feel that this film needs more time in the story boarding process. You can work out the story and the camera angels first then animate. Also you need to develop the other characters design. Keep up the good work.

Reason Selected by Class: Awesome story, very well written, well storyboarded and well executed. Frances did a great job with character development and story structure! Nicely done, Frances!

SCOTT CHAO - Western High School
Judge's Comments: Good Idea. I felt the main character needed to show in the animation that he looks at the stack of papers and then he reaches to read them. Be careful of his eyes when he is looking over the wall. It would look better if you don't show that bottom part of the eye. Also when you show what he is reading, make the paper go into a close up and more close up to build tension. Keep up the good work.

Reason Selected by Class: Super smooth animation --- Scott has demonstrated a masterful grasp of the animation principles taught in class and continues to shine in everything he does. Great timing, great weight to the characters and exceptional flow. Incredibly well done, Scott!

CASSIE ARNEAL - El Dorado High School
Judge's Comments: Cool Idea, but I felt that the story reel had too many camera movements especially toward the end. Keep working on it and I can't wait to see it animated.

Reason Selected by Class: The story is about a lonely girl who finds a mirror in an old box. This mirror takes her to another world where she finally feels happy. Sadly, her dream turns into a nightmare and in the end she finds that she has gone completely mad. We all liked this film because we love the way Cassie can animate so smoothly; the character looks like it is moving realistically. We loved the story.

ERIC ALVAREZ, STEVEN CHIARAVALLOTTI & JESTYNE HAMMETT
El Dorado High School
Judge's Comments: Cool idea, I like the concept and the use of hand drawn animation for the mouth. The camera needs to be a lot steadier. Try using a tripod and then glue the legs down with a glue gun. This works on a surface that doesn't have carpeting. Good stuff, keep animating.

Reason Selected by Class: The student's intent was to create a short claymation film. We all liked this film because it had a funny story. The voice acting and cute little clay characters really made us laugh.