This past March I held an Animation/Story work shop for the Haida Gwaii Film Festival in Haida Gwaii, formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands which is located not far from Ketchikan, Alaska. The workshop revolved around this dynamic environment of the Pacific Northwest with towering rock formations, dramatic coastlines with huge Cedars and the art and culture of the Haida Nation through their carvings of totems and canoes.
We focused on one particular geological attraction, Pillar Rock which is located up on the north end of the island.
Animation can embrace the dynamic changes of climate and weather conditions of this particular region is known for. We worked with color pencils and each participant contributed their own unique interpretation of Pillar Rock.
From Animation we discussed story and focused on the folktales and the cultural origins of myths and fables. Using Pillar Rock as a starting point, participants were asked to create a folktale that helps explain the origin of how the tree grew on top of these massive rocks.
The rest of the participants work can be seen on this link…
https://vimeo.com/album/3885780
The rest of the trip was filled with great opportunities to sketch and see significant cultural and geographical locations.
I wanted to thank Dafne Romero, Festival Director of the Haida Gwaii Film Festival and Karl Coffee for hosting and guiding me all around the island he is a wonderful ambassador to this amazing region. I have plenty material for new animations.
Donar Films 