UCLA - Acting for Puppets and Animated Characters
DetailsCharacter creation, voice work, and storytelling with puppets is the central focus of this workshop. Headed up by legendary puppeteer, designer, and builder Gregory Williams, it is a comprehensive workshop introducing participants to the important place puppetry has held in storytelling through the centuries. Students will receive hands-on experiences in manipulating many types of puppets such as hand puppets, rod puppets, shadow puppets, string puppets (marionette) and costume puppets - referred to as walkabouts. Participants will learn the use of gravity, balance and tension in puppet animation, as well as how two puppeteers manipulate one puppet. The only workshop of its kind in the country this workshop which addresses character creation gives participants the opportunity to take his or her own character creation from conception to performance.Storytelling in plot, character, and structure is the foundation of this workshop. Imagination and computer efficiency is a prerequisite. This workshop will be limited to 20 participants.
* Additional InformationStudents check-in between 1pm and 2:30pm on the first day of camp. Flights should arrive into Los Angeles International (LAX) on the first day of camp (Saturday) between 10am and 12pm. Flights should depart from Los Angeles International (LAX) on last day of camp (Thursday) after 7pm OR on the day after camp ends (Friday) between 9am and 12pm. If departing Friday, there will be an additional $100 fee for the overnight stay. Airport transportation is available to and from Los Angeles International (LAX) for $30 each way. College Credit InformationClick here for 2008 UCLA College Credit Information
Information PacketsInformation Packets for students registered for summer 2008 are available for download NOW! Those who requested their packet by standard mail should be receiving them in the next few days. If you are interested in signing up for a program or need more information please click here.
Program DirectorsGreg Williams, Program Director A leading artist in puppet animation Greg worked on a series of educational films including one with ground breaking educational producer Sy Wexler. He combined puppetry with computer animation first with an Amiga and then with Macintosh and programmed the character for the hit toy Furby for Tiger Electronics. As consultants for Mattel Toys, Greg and Steve developed new techniques for toy animation and product lines including the boys' toy Wheeled Warriors. Greg created and voiced the puppet character Keys, for the award winning children's video Magic Musical Express written by the UCLA Arts Camp/Workshop faculty Steve Kaminski and directed by its faculty member Myrl Schreibman. Recent projects include creating puppets (walkabouts and others) for shows on the Princess Cruise Line. Location Information
UCLA is one of America's most prestigious universities, and their theater department is rated number one in North America. Bordered on the north by protected wilderness and on the south by Westwood Village, UCLA has long been known as an entertainment magnet for the entire Los Angeles area. Selected for their artistic and professional achievements, UCLA 's exceptional faculty from the School of Theater, Film and Television lead these inspiring workshops.
The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT) is the only university in the country where the study of theater, film, television and digital media is integrated within a single professional school. The Department of Film, Television and Digital Media offers a wide range of courses for undergraduates in the study of three areas of moving images: Critical Studies, including the history, theory and aesthetics of both film and television; Production/Directing, including film, television (studio and field), digital, experimental and animation; and the film and television disciplines, including writing, producing, cinematography, sound recording and editing. At the graduate level, there are five areas of concentration: Critical Studies, which offers film and television history and theory; aesthetics and popular culture, films from diverse genres and extensive national cinemas; Production/Directing, which trains students in all aspects of directing narrative fiction, documentaries and/or experimental film, emphasizing the aesthetic components; Screenwriting, in which the elements of character, dialogue, story and tone are explored; Animation, in which students are trained to create an individual style and voice; and the Producers Program, in which students learn the business and art of making films and television programs. At UCLA's Department of Theater, we believe that great theater programs must prepare and train students for careers in all contemporary and emerging entertainment forms -- including live theater, film, television, video, themed entertainment, interactive gaming, and more. Our students live in a world that is interactive, collaborative, and fueled by their passion for our art form -- one that encompasses the many forms of professional practice as well as the theoretical exploration of current and emerging entertainment forms. Igniting our students' talent and passion to achieve success is our goal. That is why students work with a distinguished faculty composed of professional and creative artists who have excelled in their fields. UCLA Theater has some of the most distinguished faculty and visiting artists in the world, among them Mel Shapiro, Annette Bening, Anthony Hopkins, Larry Moss, Neil Jampolis, Deborah Scott and Jerry Katzman. With this professional training, students are following in the footsteps of such illustrious alumni as Francis Ford Coppola, Tim Robbins, James Dean, Carol Burnett, Susan Egan, Jack Black, Ben Stiller and many others. TFT's extraordinary undergraduate and graduate students are drawn from an admissions pool of the finest students from around the world, and enjoy participation in small classes with faculty members who themselves are accomplished artists and industry leaders. We invite you to explore our US Performing Arts Camps web site further where you can register online for any of the ucla summer programs offered to high school students. Students attending a UCLA Arts Camp, in association with US Performing Arts, have the option of enrolling for college credit. Please ask our staff for more details. Click HERE for UCLA Campus Map. 
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