FILMOGRAFO 2001 / 14 years of animation (from the book)

Training course :
"THE ANIMATION STAND & THE ROSTRUM CAMERA",
Porto, 1992/93.

In November 1992 FILMOGRAFO decided to organize a rostrum camera training course, to face specific needs and prepare the film "THE OUTLAW". Abi Feijo called upon my skills and my interest for training.

I first wrote a book : "THE ANIMATION STAND" or "The rostrum camera and the animation stand for the benefit of the operators ", which was intended to be not only a manual for the training course, but also a reference work.

I hold that training from November 10th to 20th 1992 and from February 22nd to March 26th 1993.
I presented a global view on the production in animation and on team work. I talked about the essential rules of studio organization and of working-out of animated films.

I described the theoretical aspects of the animation language, from the basic rules, essential to the global knowledge, to the details, that do the beauty or the effectiveness of a movement and I gave certain tricks that were strongly useful in my works as operator and director.

I initiated the operators, as the animators, to the capacities and to the constraints of the animation stand. I sensitized them to the requirements of the trade of animation.
I incited the trainees to develop their observation ability and, in professional, to carry a look more criticizes on the films.

Anyone was able to define its capacities while increasing its knowledge and showed itself more responsible face to the animated film and direction. The work, the quality, the communication and the mood contributed to the success of training and project.
The operators received a very wide theoretical course and did many exercises, with the scenes of the film "THE OUTLAW". The opening scene of the film is also the first one shot during the training.

For my party, I am very glad the way that training took place. It was a big pleasure to share my work and my knowledge with all the team. I had also the luck to learn myself a lot.
And I found in this collaboration with FILMOGRAFO and in the life to Porto, a lot of heats and of friendship.

Years later, become an animation teacher this is not without a certain feeling of "saudade" that I look back to my first experience of the formation and to trainees become my friends. This is not without a certain pride than I hope to have contributed even in a minor way, to the successes that meet their films today.

Martin Koscielniak March 2001