Traveling Fellowship

I want to tell stories, share experiences, and bring people closer together through animation. When I was younger, and still some times today, I couldn’t tell a decent story to save my life. I would get tongue-tied and leave important details out. I could see the images in my mind, but couldn’t explain well what they were or how to tell what they were doing. It wasn’t until I came to Memphis College of Art that I learned to tell a story visually, through animation. With the Travel Fellowship Program I want to experience new places that will inspire me to share more stories and to further my education in animation.

I would like to visit the United Kingdom.  During my stay I will be keeping a sketchbook and a camera. I plan to gather information and document the landscapes, cities, and people to help inspire old and new stories to show with my knowledge of animation. During my stay abroad, I have narrowed down three animation studios to tour that would help educate me on how animation studios are run. The first studio on my list is Aardman Animation in Bristol. This Aardman began in 1972 and since then has had seven Oscar nominations and has won four. Aardman are known for their reputation in model animation and are the creators of Wallace and Gromet shorts. Axis Animation is an animation studio in Glasgow and founded in 2000. Axis creates animations for some of the worlds leading names in commercials, games, and film. Axis is one of the UK’s fastest growing animation studios and has recently been awarded Imagina Grand Jury Prize and a Best Animation BAFTA. The third animation studio is 12Foot6. This studio works primarily with 2d, stop-motion animation, and mixed media. 12Foot6 mostly works in broadcasting, other commercials, and ads.

This time in the United Kingdom would be a great experience and help me grow as an animator. I would spend about a month to gather and document information; then once a week tour one of the animation studios I have mentioned. As of now I do not have a number of the amount that this would cost.