WINNIPEG -- Despite a pandemic-disrupted academic year, a group of animation students at Sisler High School managed to create three animated short films, and now the students are ready to present their work to the world!
“Having that experience with my group, who have become my friends now, it’s amazing,” Dairyl Mabunga, a Sisler student part of The Orange Tree project, a collaboration between the Sisler CREATE program and Nickelodeon Studios, told CTV News.
“I can’t wait for everyone to see the film,” she said.
The Orange Tree Project, in its first year, is made up of high school and post-high school students with the Sisler CREATE program working with animation mentors from Nickelodeon Studios to create original animated short films.
The students were organized into three separate teams (Monarch Martians, Yam Jam Animation, Eclipse) that functioned almost like small-scale animation studios.
Each group was paired with one or more mentors from Nickelodeon who helped the students craft their films from concept to finished product.
“Having my two mentors with me, I learned a lot technically and also a lot about myself as well,” said Jemimah Suba, the Eclipse team leader.
Learning the importance of scheduling breaks for herself and her team is an example, said Suba, among the many lessons learned from her mentors who, she adds, were incredibly responsive and helpful.
“The relationship that developed between the mentors and the students was just absolutely remarkable,” said Jamie Leduc, department head for Sisler CREATE who helped launch the Orange Tree Project along with Carson Smith, Director Of Community Outreach at Nickelodeon.
Engaging regularly with industry mentors helped keep the students on track, said Leduc, despite the many changes to the learning environment caused by COVID-19.
“The engagement level was through the roof,” said Leduc.
“I honestly believe the work that was done this year surpasses anything that was done at Sisler in any years prior to this year in the CREATE area.”
Keeping a group of people focused on the task, while not being able to meet in person, was no easy feat, said Yam Jam Animation team leader Gab Reyes.
“I was used to working alone before,” said Reyes. “It was definitely a new experience.”
But, said Reyes, the collaborative nature of working on a team and getting input from Nickelodeon mentors helped create a superior finished film.
“Hearing suggestions, critiques from different mentors and my team… it was definitely something crucial that we needed,” said Reyes.
Beyond Nickelodeon Studios, other animation industry groups joined in as mentors or led classes as the academic year went on, like Rise Up Animation, a group that helps promote diversity in the animation industry.
“There is not, or has not historically been, a lot of diversity in animation” in a North American context said Rise Up Animation co-founder Monica Lago-Kaytis.
Rise Up Animation is co-hosting an Orange Tree Project student showcase on Thursday, screening the three student-made films to audiences and industry professionals across North America.
“We really want to give the students at Sisler that have worked so hard during the pandemic a platform to showcase their amazing work,” said Lago-Kaytis.
One of the teams of students, the Monarch Martians led by Lya Langit, is already helping to promote cultures not often seen in animated media.
Most of the group’s members have a Filipino background, so they decided to adapt a creature from Filipino mythology, the “Nuno sa punso,” roughly translated as the “old man of the mound,” into their short film.
“We had never really seen ourselves in media before,” said Langit, “We wanted to highlight that, at least this time, so that it can be a start.”
Throughout the year, Langit said she learned a lot of valuable lessons on the ins and outs of the animation industry, from pitching concepts to writing and production.
Trent Correy, a member of Rise Up Animation and a former student of Leduc’s who now works at Disney, says the skills students learned throughout The Orange Tree Project will prepare them for professional life in the animation industry or any adjacent field.
And, while Correy is excited to help present the student’s work, he says they’ve already accomplished a major feat.
“They’ve already won in so many ways because they finished a short film, something most artists don’t get to do in their whole career,” he said.
Many of the post-high students taking part in this year’s Orange Tree Project will be continuing their journey into animation at the Vancouver Film School, tuition and equipment paid for, thanks to a donation from the Schroeder Foundation.
The showcase takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom.
Behind the Sisler CREATE-Nickelodeon's Orange Tree Project 2021 from Mr. Jamie Leduc on Vimeo.
Sisler CREATE students were mentored directly by animation professionals from Nickelodeon, including Mark Galez, Kyle Marshall, Jessica Borutski and Cat Bondoc. Nickelodeon’s mentors met with students online each month to view progress and offer feedback from story development to completion. The Orange Tree Project is a collaboration between Sisler High School’s CREATE post-high initiative and Nickelodeon Community Efforts (NiCE), with the goal of giving students access to mentorship opportunities and experience working in a studio environment.
The animated shorts developed through the Orange Tree Project include:
‘Eclipse’ by Clementine Animations — Two witch sisters spend their days creating magic potions. The younger sister struggles with feeling overshadowed while the older sister, trying to help, ends up overstepping.
‘Ikaw Muna’ by Monarch Martians — A normal day of babysitting and basketball takes a turn for siblings Maya and Enrico after they accidentally destroy the home of a Nuno sa Punso. Inspired by Philipino folklore.
‘Grim Companion’ by Yam Jam Animation — An unexpected encounter with a new companion gives the Grim Reaper a new sense of purpose in the lonesome world he roams.
From Illinois News Today:
Winnipeg students introduce a movie made with the help of Nickelodeon
Despite the Winnipeg-Pandemic collapse grade, a group of Sisler High School animation students managed to make three animated short films.
Students are now ready to present their work to the world.
“It’s been a great experience with my group of friends now,” said Daiyl Mabunga, a Sisler student at The Orange Tree project, a collaboration between the Sisler CREATE program and Nickelodeon Studios.
“I can’t wait for everyone to watch the movie,” she said.
The Orange Tree Project consists of high school and high school students in the first year, and the Sisler CREATE program works with an animation mentor for Nickelodeon research to create an original animated short film.
The students were organized into three separate teams (Monarch Martian, Yam Jam Animation, Eclipse) and acted like a small animation studio.
Each group was paired with one or more Nickelodeon mentors who helped students make films from concept to finished product.
“I learned a lot both technically and about myself by being with the two mentors,” said Eclipse team leader Jemimah Suba.
Learning the importance of scheduling breaks for herself and her team is an example, and in the many lessons she added from her mentor, Suva is incredibly sensitive. It was useful.
Jamie Reduck, director of Sisler Create, who helped launch the Orange Tree project with Nickelodeon’s Carson Smith, said:
Despite many changes in the learning environment with COVID-19, regular involvement with industry mentors has helped get students on track, Leduc said.
“The engagement level was through the roof,” Leduc said.
“I honestly believe that the work done this year exceeds the work done in Sisler in the previous year in the CREATE area.”
Gab Reyes, team leader at Yam JAM Animation, said keeping a group of people focused on tasks wasn’t easy, though not in person.
“I used to get used to working alone,” Reyes said. “It was definitely a new experience.”
However, Reyes said the collaborative nature of working as a team and listening to Nickelodeon mentors helped create a great finished film.
“Hearing suggestions and criticisms from various mentors and my team … that was definitely the important thing we needed,” Reyes said.
In addition to Nickelodeon Studios, other animation industry groups joined as mentors or leading classes as the school year progressed, such as Rise Up Animation, a group that promotes diversity in the animation industry.
“There wasn’t a lot of diversity in animation, or historically it wasn’t,” said Monica Lago-Kaytis, co-founder of Rise Up Animation, in the North American context.
Rise Up Animation will co-sponsor the Orange Tree Project student showcase on Thursday, showing three student-produced films to audiences and industry professionals across North America.
“We want to provide Sisler students who worked hard during the pandemic with a platform to showcase their wonderful work,” said Lago-Kaytis.
Monarch Martians, led by one of the student teams, Lya Langit, has already helped promote a culture that is rarely seen in animated media.
Most of the members of the group have a Filipino background, so we decided to use the Filipino mythological creature “Old Man of the Mound” and the loosely translated “Nunosapunso” for the short film.
“We have never actually seen ourselves in the media before. At least this time we wanted to emphasize that, so that can be the starting point.”
Throughout the year, Langit said he learned many valuable lessons both inside and outside the animation industry, from pitching concepts to writing and production.
Trent Correy, a member of Rise Up Animation and a former student at Leduc’s currently working at Disney, says the skills learned through the Orange Tree project will prepare him for work in the animation industry and adjacent areas. ..
And while Collie is excited to help the students present their work, he says they have already achieved great feats.
“They have completed a short film and have already won in many ways, which is something most artists can’t do throughout their careers,” he said.
Many high school students participating in this year’s Orange Tree project will continue their journey to animation at Vancouver Film School, paying tuition and equipment, thanks to donations from the Schroeder Foundation.
Showcase will be held at 7:30 pm zoom..
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Originally published: June 25, 2021.
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