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October 1, 1999
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Volume 7, Number 3 |
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GENERAL |
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DAVS helps the ‘Elfkins’
In the realm of an aspiring Saskatoon-based TV cartoon series called Elfkins, a magic crystal links the world of people and the little Elfkins’ world of Paradelf. In campus lab technician Tracy Goldade’s real world of trying to get her Elfkins cartoon series off the ground, her magic link to success may well turn out to be the University’s Division of Audio Visual Services. DAVS has played a key role in helping Goldade produce an all-important two-minute promotional Elfkins segment that she will use to pitch for backers to fund a full 23-minute pilot Elfkins program. During a recent tour of the DAVS studios in the lower level of the Education Bldg., Richard Buckley describes how the AV unit contributed to Goldade’s dream of launching a cartoon series. Buckley, campus-based manager for the Saskatchewan Communications Network’s broadcast operations, is also DAVS’s animation and effects team leader – and he served as technical director for the Division’s recent work on Elfkins. Buckley said he first heard of Elfkins two years ago, and just one year ago he heard that animation production company Studio Saskatoon was getting involved in developing material for Elfkins. Always looking for creative ways to make use of DAVS’s state-of-the-art facilities, Buckley joined the Elfkins project – and this past spring and summer his unit did thousands of hours of work on it. Studio Saskatoon artist Steve Rabatich drew the characters and most backgrounds. Then, Buckley says, DAVS pitched in by doing some backgrounds and "pencil tests", coloring all 2,900 frames, compositing the work, and editing the 35-scene, two minute Elfkins promo onto videotape. "Seven DAVS people were involved over 10 weeks," Buckley says, adding it was well into July when they finally had their third version of the two-minute promo done. Goldade will use the polished promo to seek funding for a 23-minute pilot show. Buckley says DAVS’s involvement in the promo was "lots of work, but very enjoyable", and they would like to put their high-tech animation equipment to further use in the future. "We’ve put a bid in to do work on the pilot and series as well," he said. "It’s a great opportunity, and helps us support what we’re doing" – boosting the animations skills DAVS can use for instructional materials for use at U of S. He said DAVS’s work on a pilot show could net about $70,000.
For further information, visit the web site or contact communications@usask.ca
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Next issue of On Campus News: Friday, October 15
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