The world of a BYU animation student might be tediously painstaking, but it definitely has its payoffs. Considered by many to be one of the best programs in the nation, the BYU Center for Animation will be showcasing clips from two of its most highly lauded short films, Kites and Pajama Gladiator. Both films took more than a year to produce but won student Academy Awards and student Emmy awards since their completion. Because of their amazing talent, many students were recruited midway through by production powerhouses such as Pixar and Digital Domain.
Kites was directed by Jed Henry and tells the story of a Chinese boy who encounters a mystical power allowing him to fly kites with his dead grandfather one last time while coming to terms with grief and death. On a more jovial side, Pajama Gladiator, directed by Glenn Harmon, is about a little boy who must battle aliens after they abduct him in the night. Professor Kelli Loosli will present these and other clips at the event.
BYU Animation Showcase @ Orem Public Library, 58 N. State St., Orem, 801-229- 7050, Thursday, Nov. 19, 7 p.m.