“Refresh”

Senior animation majors Sean Cruse of Melville, N.Y., Ben Kroll of Mount Lake Park, Md., and Matthew Weener of Hudsonville, Mich., took first place in the first-ever Water Day Film Festival for their stop-motion short “Refresh.” The festival was hosted by Water.org, a nonprofit organization that strives to provide access to safe water and sanitation in communities in Africa, South Asia and Central America.

“Refresh” deals with the disparity between people who are privileged and those who live without. Without delving into politics in any way, the film simply asks audiences to take a hard look at how people use limited resources and if there is any way to help those with less.

“I came up with the idea after feeling a need in my heart to help those without clean water,” Cruse said. “Water is essential for life, and I believe in Jesus’ teachings to help those in need.”

“Refresh” was shown in multiple film festivals last year including the Toronto International Student Animation Festival, the Stop Motion Magazine Film Festival in Los Angeles, Calif., the Philadelphia Film & Animation Festival, the Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita, Kan., and the Columbus International Film & Video Festival in Columbus, Ohio.

“Making festival pieces was one of the goals we set for ourselves when building the digital media arts program,” said Steve Leeper, associate professor of digital media arts.

“The Minstrel and the Duck,”

The festival is presented with the Garden State Film Festival & Algonquin Arts Theater to provide educational enhancement, an outlet for creativity, and enrichment through the presentation of films that are the very finest in entertainment by children and for children. The festival screens independent films from around the globe and presents them annually at Algonquin Arts Theatre as a as well as hands on workshops, educational programming and a place where kids can present original work and enjoy the best of  what the medium of film has to offer.

Through its beautiful animation it tells the story of a baby who came to live in the jungle, and all the animals present him with extravagant gifts in his honor.

The tiger’s modest gift, a gourd that rattles, turns out to be the best gift of all. In the past, the film was also recognized when it was chosen to appear in the 27th annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival.

“What Remains” a senior film project by 2011 graduates, won a silver award at 2012 Fort Wayne American Advertising Federation’s Addy Awards on Feb. 19. It was the only student animation to do so in the entire ceremony. HU hopes to become a college member AAF by fall 2012.

“What Remains” tells the story of a lone survivor on Earth scavenging the ruins of his civilization, desperate to find other survivors.

As you might recall, “What Remains” was recognized in 2011 when it was chosen for screening at the 28th annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival.

The film was created by Andrew Martin, a 2011 animation and computer science graduate from Eaton, Ohio; Chad Bierdeman, a 2011 animation graduate from Albion, N.Y.; Pete Molinero, a 2011 animation graduate from Potsdam, N.Y.; Joel Bullis, a 2011 animation graduate from Bel Air, Md.; Drew Vosburg, a 2011 animation graduate from Anderson, Ind.; and Jesse Nelson, a 2011 animation graduate from Gladstone, Mo.

When Elliot’s best friend moves away, and retired carpenter Arthur Trebish moves in, can the elderly man draw Elliot out of himself and back into life before he’s too far gone to resurface?

Credits:

Director: Daniel Evans
Screenwriter: Katie Eder
Producers: Alyson Eddy & Joel Cooper
Starring: Larry Wiley, William Boreland, Gloria Minnich, Chris Dowden & Robert Boreland

© 2011 Forester Films & EMI Publishing
All Rights Reserved

A visual rap about the human condition is spun through a backdrop of urban life shown throughout both Fort Wayne, Indiana and Philadelphia, Pensilvania.

Credits:

Director: Anthony Frederick
Written and Performed: Alec Rosario
Assistant Camera: Keifer Lucchi
Assistant Sound: Matt Craig
Grip: Jordan Bishop

© 2009 Forester Films & EMI Publishing
All Rights Reserved

A traveler seeks out humanity in a land of rubble and smoke by moving about in his airship and staying one step ahead of the creature in the sky.

Awards:

• Silver Award
  2012 Fort Wayne American Advertising Federation’s Addy Awards
• Official Selection
  2012 Chicago International Children’s Film Festival

Credits:

Director of Photography: Jesse Nelson
Lead Animator: Drew Vosburg
Modeling: Pete Molinero
Animator & Screenwriter: Joel Bullis
Producer: Andrew Martin
Art Director: D. Chandler Bierdeman

© 2009 Forester Films
All Rights Reserved

Right now, almost 1 billion people lack access to safe, clean drinking water. “Refresh” urges us to do something about it.

Awards:

• First Place
  2012 Water Day Film Festival
• Official Selection
  2011 Philadelphia Film & Animation Festival
• Official Selection
  2011 Toronto International Student Film Festival
• Official Selection
  2011 Columbus International Film & Video Festival
• Official Selection
  2011 Tallgrass Film Festival (Wichita, KS, USA)
• Official Selection
  2011 Stop Motion Magazine Film Festival (Los Angeles, CA, USA)

Credits:

Film by: Sean Cruse, Ben Kroll, Matthew Weener

© 2009 Forester Films
All Rights Reserved

Considered some of the best computer modeling to ever come out of Huntington University’s Digital Media Arts department, “Zenith” showcases a detailed human figure of the highest quality.

Credits:

Director & Modeler: Curtis Wood

© 2009 Forester Films & EMI Publishing
All Rights Reserved

When baby Man appears in the jungle, the animals hold a celebration in his honor. Will Little Tiger’s humble gift be great enough for the infant?

Awards:

• Best Animated Film
  2012 Sundial Film Festival
• Official Selection
  Chicago International Children’s Film Festival

Credits:

A Film by: Josh Addessi
Screenwriter: Jimi Bonogofsky
Music: Cameron King

© 2009 Forester Films
All Rights Reserved