Intro to Strata-stencil Animation [In-Person Only]

Sat. & Sun. Jan. 20 & 21, 2024
11.00am – 5.00pm PT

This workshop is offered on a pay-what-you-can basis, with a sliding scale from $50 to $250. However, we do offer a sliding scale, pay-what-you-can model for those who need that option.
Scholarships are available; contact netsanet@nwfilmforum.org to inquire.

Duration: 5h
Instructor: Nik Harper

About:

Are you a filmmaker who wants to use animation in your videos? Do you feel like, “I can’t use animation because I’m not an animator”? You don’t need an art degree or years of experience to bring those animated dreams to life! Join us for this two-day Strata-stencil workshop and learn an exciting animation technique while creating our brand new Northwest Film Forum logo bumper!

Strata-stencil is an analog method of animation that uses layered paper stencil cutouts and a custom shooting rig to achieve a unique design in which multiple frames are visible. In this 2-session workshop, we’ll walk through design, ideation & workflow before diving into creating our stencils and finishing off with shooting our new frames and debuting our new animation! This workshop will cover techniques that can be helpful for filmmakers to keep in mind during any project, not just the ones that are designed to include animation. All materials will be provided.

Class Outline

Day 1:

Intro and Pre-Production
a. Introductions
b. Utilizing animation to improve your next project
c. Stratastencil 101
d. Pre-production
d. Commence cutting out stencils

 Day 2:

Frame Cutting, Shooting, and Post Production
a. Complete cutting out stencils
b. Shoot our stencil frames
c. Using digital editing software to compile our work
d. Debut our new Logo bumper!
Click for Accessibility Info

Ticketing, concessions, cinemas, restrooms, and our public edit lab are located on Northwest Film Forum’s ground floor, which is wheelchair accessible. (This particular workshop takes place in the Workshop Room on NWFF’s second floor, so it will NOT be wheelchair accessible.) All doors in Northwest Film Forum are non-motorized, and may require staff assistance to open. Our upstairs workshop room is not wheelchair accessible.

We have a limited number of assistive listening devices available for programs hosted in our larger theater, Cinema 1. These devices are maintained by the Technical Director, and can be requested at the ticketing and concessions counter. Also available at the front desk is a Sensory Kit you can borrow, which includes a Communication Card, noise-reducing headphones, and fidget toys.

The Forum does NOT have assistive devices for the visually impaired, and is not (yet) a scent-free venue. Our commitment to increasing access for our audiences is ongoing, and we welcome all public input on the subject!

If you have additional specific questions about accessibility at our venue, please contact our Patron Services Manager at cris@nwfilmforum.org. Our phone number (206-329-2629) is voicemail-only, but we check it often.

Made possible due to a grant from Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, in partnership with Sensory Access, our Sensory Access document presents a visual and descriptive walk-through of the NWFF space. View it in advance of attending an in-person event at bit.ly/nwffsocialnarrativepdf, in order to prepare yourself for the experience.

⚠️ COVID-19 Policies ⚠️

NWFF patrons will be required to wear masks that cover both nose and mouth while in the building. Disposable masks are available at the door for those who need them. We are not currently checking vaccination cards. Recent variants of COVID-19 readily infect and spread between individuals regardless of vaccination status.

Read more about NWFF’s policies regarding cleaning, masks, and capacity limitations here.

About Nik:

About Nik:

Pronouns: he/him

Nik Harper, one half of the director duo LAMAR+NIK, has been making music videos and commercials for over a decade. With a focus on practical, in-camera effects, the duo found aniche that gave them the privilege of working with some of the world’s biggest brands, agencies, and record labels. Their work as been featured in festivals such as SXSW, the UKMVAs, LA Film Festival and many more, resulting in a couple of awards. The duo has directed commercial content for Adidas, MTV, Durex, KFC, and Hellmann’s among others. Working with ad agencies and record labels such as Ogilvy & Mather, Analog Folk, Virgin Records, Island Records and Columbia Records has been an honor.


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Northwest Film Forum
1515 12th Ave,

Seattle, WA 98122

206 329 2629


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