| Question: |
What do you hope to do after finishing school using your film and IT
subjects? |
| Answer: |
In film, either editing or compositing, and in photography, newspaper
editing. |
| Question: |
Behind the scenes rather than upfront with a camera? |
| Answer: |
Yeah – editing. |
| Question: |
With your PCYC Prize Winning Video, what subject did you pick, and why? |
| Answer: |
I picked Peer Pressure rather than Racism. |
| Question: |
Why Peer Pressure? |
| Answer: |
I was thinking up ideas for both and I already had my idea for Peer Pressure
and drugs – Racism was a harder subject. |
| Question: |
The actual making of it, how long did it take? |
| Answer: |
Two weeks of two hours a day – seven days a week. |
| Question: |
You edited on a PC. What program did you use? |
| Answer: |
After Effects and Premier Pro. |
| Question: |
At your school, is there any outlet for animation as a subject? |
| Answer: |
No, just general filming stuff – but now in Grade 7, students are
doing claymation and that’s good. |
| Question: |
Have you tried computer animation? |
| Answer: |
3D? Tried it once but the program expired because it cost $5000. |
| Question: |
Tell me, did you ever find when making it you wondered when you would
get to the end of it? |
| Answer: |
I’m usually pretty motivated when I get started. I probably can’t
stop till I finish it. |
| Question: |
Do you start with a script? |
| Answer: |
No. I start with a whole idea in my head. It’s there from start
to finish. |
| Question: |
Do you know of any other people doing this (animation), or do you do
it entirely on your own? |
| Answer: |
One of my friends likes to do LEGO stop motion as well. There is a whole
community of people who make movies out of LEGO at
www.bricksinmotion.com. |
| Question: |
What other awards have you gained? |
| Answer: |
I did the River Festival Liquid Lens Competition and that was LEGO stop
motion. |
| Question: |
How long was the video? |
| Answer: |
Three minutes. |
| Question: |
Did it win? |
| Answer: |
Well, this year there was no category for my age group. I was put in
against professional people from universities - but I won an encouragement
award. |
| Question: |
How did you use the prize money from the PCYC Competition? |
| Answer: |
I am saving up for a replacement DSLR Camera that will give me clearer
photos for stop motion and better manual control. |
Who knows in a few years time, we may see young James Whiffin’s name
in the credits of a Hollywood Blockbuster. As I recollect, Nick Park of Aardman
fame started animation on the kitchen table and the rest as we know is history!
I interviewed
James at his Bay Side suburb home and gained a brief insight into what motivates
animators in this young age group.
