A group of artists, including
University and Oregon State University students, are combining their creative talents for a unique film-making project. Using
up-to-date technology on the OSU campus, project team members are inventing a 3-D computer-animated film in the spirit of “Shrek” and “Finding Nemo.”
The project grew out of the
imagination of OSU new media communications instructor Todd Kesterson. As a young, aspiring
animator, Kesterson contacted
animation artist Ron Dias, whose
resume includes artistic animation work on such Disney films as “Sleeping Beauty” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.” After
sending Dias work samples yearly, Kesterson enlisted Dias’ help on his newest film, “The Story Pouch.” Now, more than 35 people, including watercolor artists, dance
choreographers, actors and computer specialists are bringing to life Kesterson’s idea of a fantasy
animation about a soul-searching gentleman. Kesterson, the project’s director, said the story will appeal to children but will also touch
on deeper topics, which adults
will appreciate.
“It’s about a man who is in
a slump,” art director Dias said. “He’s a writer, and nothing he does seems to be working for him.
Suddenly he has a vision and
then he understands where he needs to go and how to make
it better.”
Work on “The Story Pouch”
began in June, although Kesterson has been developing the idea for several years. Currently, workers are in the heavy stages of designing artistic elements, such as characters and music, and in the beginning stages of turning the conceptual art into a film.
OSU’s modern animation
technology allows participants to use the same techniques as the
creators of big-budget animation films have used. Kesterson cites “motion capture” as one of the coolest methods, in which actors, wearing small reflective balls on their bodies, act out the film’s scenes and cause the on-screen characters to move identically.
Kesterson said he thinks of the endeavor as a true community
project, with participants from the Eugene and Corvallis areas of
varying ages. Even children are
contributing — Kesterson recently visited Corvallis’ Linus Pauling
Middle School and led a class in a mask-making assignment.
He plans to incorporate the students’ mask designs in the film. He describes the rapport between University and OSU students as very cooperative. University student participants include eight multimedia
design students and two University graduates.
“We have resources from two
different campuses coming
together,” Kesterson said. “There’s no diversion between University of Oregon and Oregon State students.”
Dias, who works on “The Story Pouch” from his home in California but has made a few Oregon visits during production, said the project allows him to work directly with
aspiring artists, unlike his experiences working on big-budget films.
“In the last seven or eight years I haven’t worked with an artist, I’ve only worked with marketing
people,” Dias said. “It’s so nice to be working with a group of fresh, young artists.”
Multimedia design and art
student Jonathon Banks, who is a co-production assistant for “The Story Pouch,” said the project is sort of like an internship because it
provides real-world animation
experience for those hoping to break into the field.
“There’s no class you can
take that can teach you what everyone has learned on this project,” Banks said. “We’re using all top-of-the-line, state of the art technology that is being used in Hollywood. That gives everyone an edge
that they can’t get in a classroom.
In most classes we use older
technology.”
Kesterson said he is aiming for
a finish date of spring 2005, when the filmmakers will most likely show the film in Corvallis and Eugene. They plan to submit “The Story Pouch” and a documentary on its making, to film festivals. Additionally, the film’s creators plan to make an interactive DVD featuring the film and additional content.

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