Encouraging a passion for animation in children and young adults is something that is close to our hearts here at Industrial Brothers.
Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to share this passion with some budding talent with a visit to Northview Heights Secondary School in North York.
Northview is dedicated to fostering equity, inclusion, and embracing technology to enhance students’ learning experiences. The school provides a well-rounded and innovative education for all students with resources and opportunities alike. The incorporation of industry-leading animation software engages students and provides them with valuable skills for the future. Students can explore their creativity, develop visual storytelling skills and gain proficiency in a digital medium that is widely used in various industries. Animation also promotes critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork as students collaborate on projects and bring their ideas to life!
Martyn Simpson, head of the CyberARTS and Creative Centre SHSM programs at Northview, recognizes the growing interest in animation-focused courses among the students. His enthusiasm for connecting with an animation studio for guest speakers helped provide invaluable insights and real-world perspectives to the students. Industrial Brothers was up for the task of enriching this already robust animation program. Adrienne Cimera (Head of People and Culture) and Jessica Pong (Studio Coordinator) set out to make this happen with a visit to the school.
Matt Fernandes, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Industrial Brothers, shared his inspirational story with the students of Northview. Seeking to motivate this young group with real-life perspective, he shared valuable insights in a storytelling style. Alan Gregg, Head of Content at Industrial Brothers, assisted in explaining the process of producing an original show, starting from the development of an idea through to the finished product on TV. Celebrating success is easy, but to be resilient in the face of rejection, is a skill that is difficult to acquire. Alan advised to always be prepared to take critique in stride.
If you’re not good at this one thing, find a buddy that is, and partner up with them. Say you’re not super organized but you have a great idea; find a friend who keeps things organized really well, and get them on board to produce your show… I’m not the best animator or tech guy, I don’t know business and that kind of thing, but I connected with people who did know how to do those things well and we worked together.
– Matt Fernandes
The afternoon was finished off with 7 groups of students pitching their original show ideas to the IB crew. Each group presented a complete pitch with a detailed back-story, multiple character designs, reference imagery and sometimes backgrounds or scenes that would make up their show’s unique world – we were quite impressed with the level of creativity and work that went into them! Matt and Alan provided some feedback for them to improve on their concept or pitch, and commented on what was working well.
A huge thank you to Northview for having us!
We had so much fun, and hope to see you again some time.
A big shoutout in particular to #MartynSimpson – educators like him are very special. The ones who are thoughtful, creative, and always looking for new ways to learn are what make school fun. We wish he was a teacher when we went to school!