Animation labs: grounds for bonding

By Jesse Cutrell

Animation students typically know everyone else who studies animation. This is most likely because of the limited space Animation has for classrooms, so we tend to see everyone from time to time in the same few rooms as always. Also, there's the fact that a lot of animation projects and assignments require the use of the labs for completion. So, even when we don't have a class, there's a good chance we can be found in the labs as usual.

Working late at night on homework with other students is a great way to meet people and make friends. So often, another student will ask what you're working on or maybe ask your opinion on what they're working on.

It's a melting pot of ideas and talents just communally existing together in a computer lab. After a while, you get comfortable with the people in the lab and you start to talk more than just about your work. Usually, someone puts a movie or video on the projector and you all work while watching a movie together. I remember one night this week, we watched Kung Fu Panda and then Kung Fu Panda 2 immediately afterwards. A few people had never seen those movies, so it was nice for them to finally get to. Earlier in the week, people put Lilo and Stitch on the monitor which was great because I had never seen it.

Honestly, some of my best CCAD memories have taken place in the animation labs late at night, working on stuff with other students. I've gotten to know a bunch of great artists through it. Even though some old friends of mine graduated, we still keep in touch regularly and I'd like to think it was because of the time we spent working in the labs together. Homework may be scary, but it's less scary when you have friends around helping you get though it.

Jesse Cutrell is a Junior Animation major at CCAD who enjoys making video games, playing other people's games, and sleeping in.