Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/565118
13 2 0 1 5 E D U C AT I O N & R E C R U I T M E N T S P E C I A L because we are trying to stay current with new industry trends, but also because we want our students to learn how to set one up from scratch." The 5-minute short is best described as slapstick-like, with much more exaggerated animation than the school has ever done, says Adams. As a result, it required more out of the rigs and textures. "There is a really great character rig on the mountain climber. If you watch the film frame by frame, when he first uses the jackhammer, you will see the rig stretch two to three times in size, and at the same time, it bends into a half circle," he says. "We haven't ever had a rig that could do that without breaking." Reaching the Peak "It was a great learning experience. I had to get the tech- nical computer science students to work hand in hand with the artistic animation students," says Hoyos of his role. With a crew of more than 50 students working on the mov- ie, it was not always easy to coordinate the work so that each person gained something from the experience. "Students realized that the more effort they put into the film, the more they would get out of it," says Hoyos. "Stu- dents who put their whole hearts into specific parts are now interning in the animation industry." Some, like Hoyos, gleaned plenty of experience from working on previous BYU student productions, including the award-winning shorts "Owned," "Estefan," and "Chasm." With internships at General Motors Advanced Design Studio and Disney Interactive (working on Star Wars Infinity 3.0 as an environmental artist) under his belt, Hoyos is now ready to conquer new territory at Blue Sky Studios as a lighter. Indeed, Hoyos, Hamzawi, and the rest of the team have amazing work for their portfolios, but Hoyos contends that the greatest thing about these student projects isn't the end result, but the process whereby each person discovers all the things not to do. "We also learn so much about one another. I know who I can rely on for future jobs in the animation industry," he says. ■