Workshop storyboarding at anima 2007

Closely linked to the Anima Festival 2007, held last February in Brussels, festival organiser Folioscope invited David Encinas for a workshop storyboarding. Encinas started his career at Disney Feature Animation, worked two years as assistant animator at Ghibli Studios in Japan and continued his professional life in France, where he contributed to films like Azur et Asmar as a storyboarder and assistant director. Today, he studies mandarin in China and still works for French companies as a freelance animator and storyboarder. Twelve participants had the opportunity to join the workshop. Six of these young potentials received an invitation and financial support from the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (V.A.F.): Alexander Baert, Robert Versteegen, Alexis De Graeve, Kris Genijn, Wannes Aelvoet and Dageraad Huysmans. The workshop explored the differences between anime from Japan and American style animation, explains Alexis De Graeve: 'It became clear to us that it was useful to look at animation from a different perspective. With David's experience in traditional American animation on one hand and Japanese anime on the other, he was able to give us a clear view on the differences in storyboarding.' One of the assignments was to create a storyboard about 'My everyday life'. 'It was a very valuable experience', says Robert Versteegen. 'The assignment made me realise I persistently try to make my way around certain pitfalls in my storyboarding and it gave me an insight into how it differs from the Japanese approach.'