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Science Animates Campers

By KEITH MORELLI

kmorelli@tampatrib.com

Published: January 1, 2009

TAMPA - Mary Shelley would be proud. At the Museum of Science & Industry, young creators are breathing life into inanimate objects.

Unlike a Dr. Frankenstein, their grand experiments don't involve digging up body parts (that's another exhibit) or drawing lightning from atop the towering IMAX Dome Theatre. Rather, they are combining two seemingly incongruous ingredients: modeling clay and computers.

This week's exercise for five bright and enthusiastic winter science campers is to create on-screen motion in clay.
Using computer science and their own creativity in sculpting backdrops and characters, the campers have come up with a variety of on-screen Pokemon life forms ambling around a crude world.

"We are trying to teach the kids to be creative, rather than to be passive users," said MOSI's education director, Anthony Pelaez, who molded his own figures while explaining how to film the clay models one frame at a time to show movement.

"We really try to enrich the lives of these kids through science and technology," he said.

Earlier this week, the campers made a volcano of papier-mâche and a LEGO stadium in which their models will move. Included were tiny balls of clay stuck on LEGO bleachers; they are the spectators.

Wednesday morning, the youngsters gathered around a computer screen as Pelaez focused a joystick-like camera on a ball of clay and took a still photo after moving the clay a fraction of an inch. He snapped a half-dozen frames, which equaled one second.

He played it back, and the ball moved from one side of the screen to the other, then moved forward while flattening out and then growing legs and walking away.

The door opened and in came a late camper, Jennifer Tirschfield, 6. Dressed all in pink, she shyly walked up to the computer table.

"Finally, a girl," said 8-year-old Joseph Kim. "I bet she likes cartoons."

The enthralled campers, ages 5 to 9, giggled while eagerly surrounding a table that held boxes of Rose Art modeling clay. They made their favorite Pokemon figures, kneading and rolling the clay to make it pliable. They know clay.

When all was done, they were to produce, direct and film a 10-second animated movie. Each will get a copy to take home and sometime soon, Pelaez said, the film may be posted online.

MOSI, located on Fowler Avenue across from the University of South Florida, offers camps throughout the year. Next up, after the holidays, is another unusual endeavor, instructor Janet White said.

"We will be using solar powered-cookers," she announced to the class, "to make s'mores."