What inspired you to learn animation?
Balqis Al-Ateeqi:
It makes me happy! It's fun and it's entertaining and imaginative and creative. I've always loved art in general, but all the drawing and painting I ever did felt static and isolated. Animation on the other hand is an art form that is meant to be shared and enjoyed with others. Besides, what other art form incorporates speech, drawings, puppets, images, color, music, story, song and plot combined?! I guess you can say what inspired me to learn animation is the genuine appreciation and love for it that I've always had. It has always moved and entertained me and I guess I want to move and entertain people while satisfying my creative urges as well :)
Animation Mentor:
Is there an animation industry in Kuwait? What kind of animation are you exposed to in Kuwait, if any?
Balqis Al-Ateeqi:
At first I would have said "there is absolutely no animation industry in Kuwait", but come to think of it, I might be able to say there is a very, very tiny budding one. What I mean is that there is a local media company that has produced a Kuwaiti parody of, wait for it: South Park! It's quite hilarious because for example the character that is Kenny, instead of being bundled up in a hoodie, is bundled up in a red and white "chmaaq" (the traditional Arab head-dress), and Cartman, instead of wearing a snow-cap, dons a white "gahfiya" :D Also just yesterday I read that there is to be a new, locally produced cartoon series aired this Ramadan. This is beyond exciting for me and you can bet I will be tracking them down and knocking on their doors very soon! I feel so lucky that all these opportunities like Animation Mentor and new studios are opening at just the right time I needed them!
As for the animation we are exposed to in Kuwait, at the moment what with satellite television and the internet I'd say we're exposed to almost everything everyone else is!
But that wasn't always the case. Just one generation ago (my parents), there was only one national TV channel that showed cartoons for one hour during the day which was religiously followed by the youth of the time. All they had at first were old Pop-Eye and Mickey Mouse cartoons and, amusingly, just as the brand name Kleenex became the collective term used to mean "tissues", the name "Pop-Eye" (or "Bubb-Bye" as it is pronounced here!) and "Mickey Mouse" became the overarching terms used to denote "Cartoons"! For example it's very common for a grandmother or parent nowadays to scold their Pokemon-watching kids for watching too much "Bubb-Bye"! :D
Next on the scene were great Japanese sagas like Grendizer which had something of a cult following from what I hear! As for myself I remember watching a lot of Tom & Jerry cartoons on TV but also now there was also access to VHS tapes of some very obscure cartoons whose origins are completely unknown to me that were about rural ninjas who had limitless appetites for Chinese food, or a girl who would transform herself into anything she could bite and return to her normal form when she sneezed!
And finally the dusty old local cinemas that used to exclusively show Bollywood movies and Old westerns, starting catching up with animation and every summer there would be the much awaited annual Disney movie that we would all flock to!
Aaahhh the good old days! Hehe!
Animation Mentor:
Has being an international student had any impact on your learning experience at Animation Mentor?
Balqis Al-Ateeqi:
As an international student I've never felt more welcomed anywhere! The school staff is extremely friendly and fast to help with anything I've ever needed. Also, Animation Mentor has been very considerate in organizing the Q&A sessions of international students at times compatible with their time zones as much as possible.
Animation Mentor:
What would be your ultimate dream job?
Balqis Al-Ateeqi:
To be the Osamu Tezuka / Walt Disney / Hayao Miyazaki and, oh what-the-heck, Queen of the Middle East! :D
Hehehe well you did say "ultimate dream" job!! No but seriously, I'm fascinated with and would love to eventually work in almost any capacity in the animation creation pipeline- story development, character design, story-boarding, writing, directing, creating, producing, and of course animating whether it be for feature or for games* and definitely for TV. Oh I have a very soft spot for 'Saturday Morning cartoons'! I'd love to do the kind of work that Matt Groening or Genndy Tartakovsky do, or on the kind of cartoons they create! And- ssshhhhh! Don't tell anyone but in fact I think that’s where my heart truly lies at the moment: towards more stylized and "limited animation" rather than the currently elite 3D animation of most feature films.
*Growing up as the only girl among 4 brothers you can't help but be a bit of a "gamer chick"!
Animation Mentor:
How has your experience at Animation Mentor been so far?
Balqis Al-Ateeqi:
Challenging, fulfilling, inspiring, educational, exciting, and most importantly: fun ;D
Animation Mentor:
What's one of the most important and/or interesting lessons you've learned while at Animation Mentor?
Balqis Al-Ateeqi:
Well, I haven't yet completed Class 2 but by far one of the most important lessons I've learned at Animation Mentor (and am still learning!) is that to be a great animator it takes more than enthusiasm! Having a passion and love for the art is not enough!
My background coming into Animation Mentor was of a strong traditional art background that came naturally to me so I wasn't used to pushing myself or having to put in a lot of effort in terms of time and focus, so at first I underestimated the time it would take to complete even the most basic animation assignment, and was constantly asking fellow students approximately how long it took them to get the fantastic results I could see in their work, and I was always impressed with the hours they put into it!
I'm used to doing the things I do best and enjoy the most if not effortlessly then at least intuitively, but from the lectures offered by Animation Mentor, the encouragement of using video reference and the emphasis placed on planning an animation assignment before starting I've learned the importance of cultivating a strong analytical approach to the principles of animation as well as in the study of body mechanics.
So to sum up: I've learned that I need to develop my Focus and Discipline! And I think these are very valuable lessons for anyone who is interested in becoming a professional!
Animation Mentor:
What feature / tool of Animation Mentor do you like the most?
Balqis Al-Ateeqi:
The Forums and the Make-Up Q&A's because those are the places where students and mentors from all classes interact and can get to know one another. The Forums are where you can learn about fun student-run clubs like the FrameGrabbers Club, the Breakdowns Club, and the Story-Writing Club. They are also an amazingly excellent source of valuable information covering everything from the extremely technical, the helpful, the entertaining, to even the medical! I remember one very informative thread that helped a lot the first couple of weeks I enrolled at Animation Mentor that was about RSI/Carpal Tunnel Syndrome! And best of all the responses are fast, detailed, and a good place to make friends! And the Make-Up Q&A's are a good place to see and hear them too :D
Oh and how can I forget the Rigs!!!! They're the best of all!
Animation Mentor:
Who is your favorite animator?
Balqis Al-Ateeqi:
That's a very, very hard question to answer because I can't pretend that I have even a limited knowledge of the names in the animation industry, being so far removed from it up until enrolling in Animation Mentor… But a while back when I first read "The Illusion of Life" one animator in particular instantly held a special place in my heart: as a person my favorite animator would have to be, Fred Moore! I think the reason for that was that even though I strongly respected say, the technical genius of Milt Kahl, I felt a certain empathy (and sense of affinity) for Moore who would have bouts of creative energy and bouts of down time when he couldn't seem to produce anything and he hated having to make corrections (hehehe can I relate! I always want to get something right the first time!) but more importantly he had something that I value very much, even above perfection and that is Charm and Appeal! And to quote the Illusion of Life: "What came out sparkled and lived and appealed, and if you were an emotional type, that is the only way to go!"
Haha, I guess I'm the emotional type! :D
Animation Mentor:
What is your favorite animated/CG scene of all time?
Balqis Al-Ateeqi:
How much time ya got?
Well, seeing as this is now question 9 I'd say the answer to that question would be "not a whole lot"! So instead of a comprehensive list of my favorites (because who ever has just one favorite?!) I'll give you one from the top of my head:
A scene from Treasure Planet in which the cyborg pirate and Jim are on deck and it is the moment when you see the internal struggle on the rapscalliony old pirate as he battles with his basic instincts and gold-lust to make way for the rising affection he has for the boy Jim, and just the way you can see the pirate's thoughts- he just comes alive and the animation is invisible at that point and all you see is this very real character that finds a soft spot within himself and tries to, in a subtle way, uplift the spirits of the very boy who he had been trying to dupe but who he now tries to provide him with the father figure he lacks…
Of course story, plot timing, screen-writing, voice casting, character design and all that also play a role in how powerful a scene is but the animation played a powerful role too because the pirate is this very heavy, bulky, and unwieldy character with a limp and a peg-leg but the animator made him move with that weight with such grace and power that was a joy to watch as well and I’m sure took a lot of mastery to put across! I think thematically that kind of style of motion was appropriate because after all the cyborg was more than he seemed he wasn't just the cook he was a dangerous pirate and should therefore have a litheness of movement that was intelligently incorporated into his character by the animator.
To sum it up: The best animation is invisible. It becomes so convincing it transcends the medium and turns into a thinking, breathing character with a life of its own.
Animation Mentor:
Anything else you want to say to your fellow and prospective students of Animation Mentor?
Balqis Al-Ateeqi:
Fellow Students: I love ya! You're a source of boundless inspiration to me not just as animators but as human beings as well! You've given me so much support and help and I'm very, very grateful for it. You've enriched my experience of Animation Mentor a thousand-fold. You are the icing on the cake and the chocolate syrup combined! (But more nutritious) ;D
Prospective Students: WHY ARE YOU STILL JUST "PROSPECTIVES"?! You're missing the time of your life and the education of your dreams! The only regret you will have is NOT SIGNING UP SOONER! So I hope to see you included in my "fellow student" roster very soon :D