Take a hike -- for health
Posted 5/4/2010
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Cartoons are fun to sit and watch. But these cartoons have a mission. To get adults and kids up and moving.
"It takes such an incredible amount of time and sweat to get something like this to a professional level," said Jason Wiener, a teacher at the Art Institute of New England (NEiA), at the premiere of the two animated features which took place at BIDMC. "I am so proud of this work and of these students."
The mini-movies were created by six students at NEiA, with music by a student at the Berklee College of Music. It took the group more than three months and hundreds of hand drawings and computer renderings to develop the final products.
Click here to watch the 2D animation and here to watch the 3D project.
Both animations tell a complete story in just 15 seconds. The 2D project depicts two children walking through Boston Common. The statues of Ben Franklin and Paul Revere come alive and walk with them. Even the duckling statues join the procession.
"It was fun coming up with ideas and making those into images that kids would find fun, too," said Chris Marinaccio, one of the 2D animators. "I think kids will smile when they see it."
The 3D movie starts with three people walking to work together. A bus pulls up, then a cab, then they go by an elevator. Each time, a member of the group pulls another one away from the transportation temptation and instead the group happily continues walking.
"I had awesome teammates and we all enjoyed working together," says Matthew Bernier from the 3D animation squad. He said a big challenge was just figuring out how to make the characters take each step.
"I would be on the computer and get up to walk, just to get the timing down," Bernier explained. "Each of the three people had different body builds, so you'd have to perform it live and then go back and try to copy the movement."
The animations will be use on the web, as opens for educational walking videos produced by BIDMC and on television, as public service announcements to encourage people to get out and walk, said Rhonda Mann, BIDMC's Director of Marketing Communications.
"We all know that regular aerobic exercise such as walking is so important to our overall well-being, and specifically helping to keep our cardiovascular systems healthy," noted Dr. Loryn Feinberg of the CardioVascular Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess. "The videos are really motivating and I think that anyone who watches them will be encouraged to get out and walk!"
Members of the animation team from AI are (2D) Sarah Danahy, Chris Marinaccio and Eliseu Miranda and (3D) Brandon Applegate, Casey Shenery and Matthew Bernier. The music was composed by Jon Yellin at the Berklee College of Music.
For free walking materials, click here.
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