FUNNtastic Spring Camp animates future artists

SHARJAH: Young guests can enjoy fun activities at FUNN’s Spring camp, the Sharjah-based foundation dedicated to promoting media arts among children and young people in the UAE, that is currently under way at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs. At the heart of this creative endeavour is a 2D Animation workshop.

The 12-day workshop, taking place until 11 April, is inspiring attendees to think of animation movements in a two-dimensional artistic space. The FUNNtastic spring camp, targeting children and young adults aged 14 to 18 years, enables the youngsters to engage in a series of diverse workshops, on media arts and animation.

The workshop is geared towards creating a 2-minute long film, where students are branching out to smaller groups, who are ultimately focused on producing one final film.

These different clusters are concentrating on developing various elements right from the nascent stages, applying the principles of animation, overviewing the software, brainstorming story ideas, understanding the techniques of animation and post-production.

The first workshop features talks on the fundamentals of 2D animation, while a simultaneous second group is inducting students to the concepts of constructing animation.

A parallel workshop familiarises children with the basics of drawing and animating methods to teach character development. Students pre-visualise the motion picture in a different workshop by creating a visual layout of events. Running alongside is a workshop focused on enriching the emotional impact of the piece, by adding a well-informed colour palette.

The last two groups are sharpening their creative and technical skills, by bringing characters and stories to life, as a 2D digital animator. A session on post production using video editing software and laying sound tracks concludes this workshop.

These different stages, therefore, go from concept to finished animation, using industry-standard tools and the latest animator techniques in the business, engaging children in a series of diverse activities, polishing their qualities of observation, patience and teamwork in order to succeed.

Speaking on the sidelines of the initiative, Sheikha Jawaher Bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, Director of FUNN and Sharjah International Children and Youth Film Festival said, “Our purpose is not just to teach young filmmakers the methods of production alone but to help them through a fantastic platform like this, to challenge their imagination and nurture their interest in the media arts, so that one day they can adopt this as a vocation and possibly pursue it as a profession.

These initiatives are a reflection of our hope pinned on young people. We are optimistic that through our role we will contribute to lighting the way for tomorrow’s generation and leave a positive impact in the lives of children and youth for a better future, with cinema and the creative arts.”

FUNN further aims to nurture a future generation of creative artists in media and film. It is seen promoting new media works and films made by children and young filmmakers of the UAE at international film festivals and conferences worldwide.

Their larger goal is to foster talent through festivals, conferences and workshops, both locally and internationally and form a close-knit network of talented youth who can share experiences and expertise on a global scale. An earlier report said that FUNN had opened registrations for a photography trip to Kalba for aspiring photographers in the age group of 16-20 years old, which will be held from April 11–12.

In partnership with Grand Stores, Sharjah Tourism and Nikon, FUNN will be organising the two-day photo editing and photography trip, during which participants will be staying overnight at the newly-opened luxury property, Kingfisher Lodge.

The trip aims to support avid photographers and provide them with a platform to hone their creativity and passion for photography.  The main objective of the trip, which will include a number of practical sessions and workshops, is to make participants understand the nuances of photography and gradually improve their skills to enable them to pursue it as a profession.

Sheikha Jawaher Bint Abdullah Al Qasimi said, “As part of our commitment to developing Sharjah’s and the UAE’s creative industries by empowering the nation’s youth in media arts, FUNN is organising this specialised photography trip, which will offer participants numerous opportunities to express their creativity, engage with some of the UAE’s most authentic natural landscapes, understand the role of light in photography, and hone their professional shooting and photo editing skills.”