By Pamela Park
Madeleine Chaffin was a first year student in the animation program at Azusa Pacific University in Southern California when the COVID-19 pandemic turned her world upside down. As APU’s classrooms and technology labs closed their doors, the university sent its students home, and learning moved to online lectures and Canvas-based assignments. Madeleine and her classmates struggled with how to finish their animation projects, when the gear to complete these assignments was out of reach. “When Covid-19 broke out earlier this year, my classmates and I were scared, but not from the thought of catching the virus itself; we were more worried about whether or not we could finish our final animation class assignment — our freshmen short films!”
Before the pandemic, Madeline and her classmates had been working in the school’s animation lab on Wacom Cintiq Pro 24s. Madeleine’s project entailed making a one minute film over the course of a semester, which included pitching ideas, making concept art, producing a storyboard, then an animatic, then finally creating a final film.
“When APU had to send all of its students home, I was not sure I could finish my animated film without all the hardware and software I would be leaving at the college labs. Our program director, Tony Bancroft had some experience with Wacom’s newest display, the Wacom One, and talked to the school about acquiring some for us students to take home.”
Helping students succeed is APU’s mission
Not wanting the students’ semester to be ruined, APU ordered an overnight shipment of 12 new Wacom Ones in order to loan them to all its animation students just two days before they left campus. Madeleine received one of these Wacom Ones, which allowed her to finish her final project from home.
“The Wacom One was was clearly the biggest factor that helped me make up lost time through the schedule changes. The size was perfect for my workspace, and the ability to draw directly on the screen really accelerated my work process. The Wacom One was incredibly easy to set up and connect to my system as well, and didn’t cause any issues that would have taken valuable time away from my tight schedule. The Wacom One was the essential tool I needed to create the working environment required to get the job done. I had never worked as efficiently as I have with the Wacom One, and I am incredibly grateful for Wacom’s generous and timely contribution of efficient equipment to help me and my classmates, and assist in the completion of my film.
About Madeleine Chaffin
Madeleine Chaffin is a sophomore majoring in animation at Azusa Pacific University. She has been pursuing animation for a number of years, and her notable achievements include graduating from California State Summer School for the Arts for animation in 2018, being recognized as a California Art Scholar, and winning the City of Riverside Public Utilities art contest in both 2018 and 2019.
Follow Madeleine on Instagram
About Azusa Pacific University’s animation program
Learn to Bring Stories to Life with an Animation Degree
Animation is one of the most popular and effective mediums for telling stories in film, television, and multimedia in our world today. Azusa Pacific University’s Bachelor of Arts in Animation and Visual Effects will prepare you to make a difference in a creative and growing industry. Learn to bring characters, creatures, and objects to life in stories you create in this animation degree program with classes covering animation’s many facets, and cultivate your narrative techniques with a comprehensive cinematic arts curriculum. Learn in a small classroom environment under caring faculty-mentors who work in animation and entertainment, and take advantage of strategic internships in the industry.
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