Tuesday, Mar 3, 2015
Rider students and professors will come together to discuss animation in film March 4-5
by Sarah Brown '15
Did you grow up with Disney? Or maybe you were more partial to Pixar? It is once again time for Rider’s Film Symposium and this year’s topic is animation. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Thursday, March 5, 8:20 a.m. to 10 p.m. in 115 Sweigart Auditorium.
The symposium includes film screenings and presentations from professors and students as they discuss their favorite animated films. There will be discussions on topics such as the Disney Renaissance, Japanese anime, music in animation, and how animation techniques and style have changed over the years.
This year's film symposium was organized by Dr. Cindy Lucia, director of film and media studies, with help from Dr. Thomas Simonet, acting director of FMS this semester.
“Animation is unlimited in the creativity it can do,” Simonet says. “Students were very much in favor of this focus. Some of their favorite films are animated. The symposium is meant to get students thinking along the lines of criticism and history of animation.”
Two student papers will analyze Frozen but the symposium won’t just be covering popular films like those from Disney and Pixar. There will be presentations focusing on the music of classic cartoons, TV animation, and experimental films. Dr. Chrystina Dolnyniuk of the Department of Psychology will present “Three A’s: Autism, Animation, & Affinity."
Danielle Riseley '12 will be speaking about animation techniques and her experience in the field as a graduate student in animation at Savannah College of Art and Design.
The event also features outside guests, such as Dr. Krin Gabbard from SUNY Stony Brook, who will be presenting on classic animation and music.
Students who have completed projects over the last 12 months will be receiving awards for the best student paper or screenplay. The symposium also features an interactive workshop on Thursday morning at 8:20 when two short live-action films in progress will be shown by student filmmakers, who will want feedback as they finish their films — a great opportunity for participants to become part of the creative process.