classes

MULTIMEDIA ELECTIVES & AFTER SCHOOL
Available during the day to come to your school for grades 3 and up. I will work with your school Director of After School Coordinator to customize a class according to the age range, schedule, and equipment available. Classes can be in Photoshop, computer animation, stop-motion animation (cut-out or clay), or movie making/video editing, and can be geared towards speific themes or topics to coordinate with the school's curriculum with a fully prepared lesson plan.

After completing Second-Level Animation and Digital Fimmaking, students can sign up for Independent Study Projects. À la Carte lessons also available in basic Dreamweaver Web-Design (ages 9+), and Drawing in the Museums (All ages!)

Portfolio Consultations and help in applying to art colleges also available to teens.

Special Workshops also available in Creative Writing and beginner French through movie-making.

Terms and Conditions

All classes are 2 hour sessions, running for 10 weeks unless noted or arranged otherwise. These are private lessons which take place in your home in Manhattan or Northwest Brooklyn (Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Brooklyn Heights, Prospect Heights, Prospect Park, and Park Slope.) If your neighborhood is not listed, or if you do not have a space available, contact us for special arrangements which may include extra costs for travel. Start dates are flexible and lesson sessions can be arranged around pre-scheduled events. After the 10 lesson schedule is set, up to one free make-up session is allowed, provided that the lesson is cancelled at least 12 hours in advance. Course fees are non-refundable, but can be transferable in case of unforseen circumstances.

As an independent contractor, Heather Sinclair claims no liability for personal injury or loss or damage of personal property during the sessions. Please notify Heather if your child has any special needs or allergies.

A MAC laptop is available to use during the sessions if needed.
You will need a digital camera and tripod for stop-motion animation. (can be provided)
A scanner is recommended for Digital Collage.

Schools: A projector and computers are needed for computer animation lessons and art supplies, digital cameras and tripods would be needed for stop-motion animation. I can provide 5 digital still cameras, 4 tripods, and can pre-order art supplies as needed.

Rates

Payment is due upon enrollment. We only accept checks, money orders, and cash at this time. Payment should be made out to Heather Sinclair.

Animation, Digital Video, and Computer Classes: $1300 for 10 weeks of 2 hour sessions if paid in full. Work can be delivered as a DVD or digital file.

Special Workshops, À la Carte, and and Independent Projects: one person will work with 1 to 3 kids for $75/hr. Each additional child up to 5 children is an additional $20/hr. per child. One-hour sessions are considered A la Carte.
Two instructors will work with groups from 6 up to 12 kids, at a rate of $150/hr. Contact us for rates if your group is larger than 12.

School Electives: For schools only: one person will work with a class of up to 12 students for $95-$120/hr. depending on class size and equipment needed. Contact us for rates if your class is larger than 12. Students will receive one DVD each at the end of the class.

Drawing in the Museum and Portfolio Consultation are $75/hr. plus external fees (museum entrance, travel, etc.) This can be one-on-one or with a friend.

Rates for Parties depends on children’s age, number of children, if parents help out or participate, time frame, scope of theme and supplies. Please visit www.kids-make-movies.com for more info on movie-making parties.

PARTIES!

Craftygirl’s first love is, of course, crafts, and she really loves getting her hands dirty! We are available to come to your party to decorate and lead theme-based arts projects and games. Themes in the past have included: Spies, Sleep-over, Japanese tea garden, Brazilian carnival, French Impressionism, Native American crafts, Frida Khalo, William Kentridge, Kara Walker, Outer Space, Pirates, Around the World, Mask-making, and Fashion Show.

We also specialize in movie parties where kids create their very own stop-motion or live-action film (DVDs mailed afterwards.) We can also work with your child to create theme-based invitations and decorations for the event! Rates vary depending on age, number of children, scope of theme, and time frame.

SPECIAL WORKSHOPS
Wow! Imagine your next kid’s talent show presentation or their science presentation in moving images! Craftsygirl is available for all kinds of school and independent projects. This works well for individual kids or small groups. Contact us for a free project consultation.

Independent Oral History Workshop
Let your child create a short film that you and your family will treasure for years! I willhelp them to record the stories of their relatives and then create an animation to accompany it. Kids can use video, animate still family photos, create their own puppets, or create an abstract interpretation. Time frame depends on project scope, but would take at least 3 (2-hour) sessions.

Photoshop & 2D Computer Animation (ages 9+)
Kids combine drawings and photographs in Photoshop to create a series of images that tell a story (either their own or one that’s well-known.) They learn visual story-telling as well as all of the Photoshop basics such as layers, filters, image adjustment and transformation, color and pattern fills, cutting out objects, and the pencil, paintbrush, eraser, selection, text, and rubber stamp tools. Images are then assembled in iMovie or Final Cut Pro. Alternatively the student can build animations using simple shapes directly in the 2D Animation software Frames.

Digital Filmmaking II (ages 8+)
-Prerequisite: Intro to Digital Filmmaking or equivalent experience-
Whether your child wants to create a narrative story, film and edit a performance, or create an abstract “moving painting,” they can do so with digital video. They will create a storyboard (as needed), capture, edit, add sound, and export their very own short movie to DVD. We are currently using Final Cut Pro and After Effects for Level II classes.* Scheduled group workshops will be held next summer at kids make movies. See: www.kids-make-movies.com

Intro to Digital Filmmaking (ages 8+)
We cover narrative script writing, storyboard creation, basic shooting and lighting, capturing video or importing stills, editing and transitions, and adding sound. They will then burn very own short movie to DVD! We are currently using iMovie for Intro classes.* Scheduled group workshops will be held next summer at kids make movies. See: www.kids-make-movies.com

3D Animation II (ages 9+)
-Prerequisite: Intro to 3D or equivalent experience-
Kids concentrate on one story from concept to finish using one or two 3D characters. They create a storyboard, characters with “skeletons”, a background or scene, and a short animation with sound, which they then burn to DVD. We also cover some post-production techniques, as needed, such as color and luma keys, layering video, masking, and sound manipulation. We are currently using Eovia Carrara Pro on a MAC for 3D animation, and Final Cut Pro or iMovie on the MAC for post-production.*

Stop-Motion Marathon (ages 7-12)
Kids concentrate on one story from concept to finish: They create a storyboard and script or soundtrack, create characters and backdrops, and shoot their animation. We edit, add the sound, and then burn to DVD their very own animation! (Choose between cut-out or 3D object animation. Older kids can also learn computer editing techniques.)

Intro to 3D Computer Animation (ages 9+)
Kids learn the basics in modelling, keyframing, and rendering with three simple projects: a bouncing ball, an underwater scene, and a walk-cycle of a simple character, or dive right in & create a character for the learn-as-you-go approach. We are currently using Carrara on a MAC.

2012 CLASSES
Please Note: All lesson series are customizable to the child's interests and abilities. Class descriptions are for a general overview of what can be learned, suggested age groups, and different methods of approaching animation & movie making.

Intro to Animation (ages 7-12)
Kids discover how animation works by completing small projects such as a zoetrope and flipbook, and then they move on to create their very own stop-motion animation, from storyboard, to character creation and movement, to the finished product--their very own movie on DVD!