by Emily Hogg
Students going into competitive industries have to set themselves apart to make it ahead in the game to get a job.
Tim Hinton, an animation major from Maderna, Calif., is directing and producing his own film that consists of live action and animation.
Hinton said he got his story idea from a deleted scene from “Avatar.” The film, titled “ Bedtime Story,” features a young boy with an active imagination playing make believe in his bedroom. He gets in trouble by his sister for not being asleep, but she then joins in with his imagination.
“I created this story where we should be inspiring creativity and the imagination of children,” Hinton said.
Hinton said the main reason he is making this film is to become more marketable to employers and to get an edge over the competition.
“There are thousands of schools and thousands upon thousands of students that do what we do every day,” Hinton said. “There are so many candidates that we are kind of a dime a dozen, but it doesn’t mean they are all good.”
R. Brent Adams, director for the Center for Animation, said one popular animation studio had more than 10,000 applicants for 92 internship positions, and another popular studio had 7,000 applicants for four internship positions. BYU students got offered positions to both studios.
“The biggest reason why we are different is because so much of our work is invested in this collaborate experience, where students learn how to get along with other people and learn interdisciplinary skills,” Adams said. “Everyone has to learn their different part they play in this, and that each part is just as important and that they probably never get the final say in anything they do. Everything is a big group agreement.”
Paul Ovuoba, an animations major from La Crescenta, Calif., said he thinks what sets the BYU animation program apart from most other schools is collaboration.
“So many other private art schools are really into the individual approach to art, which is fine,” Ovuoba said. “But I feel like the greatest growth in the industry occurs when you have to work in a group environment where you have to learn how to butt heads and collaborate.”
Hinton said the biggest thing the program has to offer is the faculty.
“Because we have faculty from the industry working here they still have ties to the industry and so they bring the industry to us,” Hinton said.
Hinton said the program at BYU definitely gives BYU students an edge over the competition.
“It’s not an open program, we can’t just pay $60,000 and be accepted,” Hinton said. “There are only 25 people accepted to the program every year and so you have to be talented before you get in.”
Hinton said his experience making this film has been positive overall and he would definitely do it again.
“I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” Hinton said.
