This week, four people from all around North and South America will be able to claim their little piece of S.F. animation history. These students represent the first graduating Masters of Fine Arts in computer animation at The Art Institute of California - San Francisco. The CableCartoon toured their Market Street lab to view their works in progress and find out what brouught them to the Bay Area. Their personal stories, like their animated films, are varied and specific. They are all dedicated, passionate, and committed to animation as a means of self-expression, and as you might expect from post-graduates, a little more serious and thoughtful about their work.

Cristiano Seixas (top) left a successful career in graphic design and illustration to come to S.F. from Brazil. His comic take on the apocalypse Is That All There Is? plays like Waiting for Godot with cockroaches. Cristiano takes his education seriously: "There is more work in animation than ever, but we must be well trained to get the best, most creative assignments."

Jacqueline Adelmeyer comes to animation from an early interest in children’s book illustration in her native Wisconsin. Her short Midnight Snack evokes classic Hollywood funny animal gag cartoons but with atmospheric lighting and staging. "I love illustration,"  she says, "but animation is where I can make a career."

It’s clear that this is more than just a technical primer on how to use the latest software. The aesthetic rigor built into the program is impressive, with a good mix of traditional art training, critical thinking and story development along with tech talk. And it’s reflected in the films, which are visually, conceptually, and even philosophically compelling to varying degrees.

Todd Fleury left his graphic design job in Michigan to pursue brighter prospects in hard surface modeling—in sunny California. Todd is "…really interested in environments" and his short Intoxicated Inhibitions follows a pair of lonely barflies through their mating dance in a dark tavern.

Instructor Valerie Mih, (a 12-year animation veteran, with credits at Pixar, PBS and various independent efforts) had this to say about the class: "I’ve enjoyed seeing the students grow at an exponential rate over the course of the program.  Some of them are now doing work that they wouldn’t have dreamed of last year.  They have shown incredible commitment and artistry in their efforts!"

"I just love to animate!" says Maine emigre Aron Shay. Her film Peck Support takes a familiar conceit (dealing with computer problems over the phone) and gives it an unexpected twist—and lots of opportunities for funny character work.

You can see their films and other student work from the Art Institute in a variety of genres, including 2D animation, 3D animation, motion graphics, stop motion animation and mixed media on Friday, May 30, at 7pm at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco.

The CableCartoon puts the spotlight on students and independent animators all around Northern California; if you’ve got an upcoming event be sure to let us know so we can schedule a stop and post the information well in advance!