Animation as Therapy
Animation for Life
She calls them “animated narrative vignette simulations.” Professor Tettegah has enlisted the talents of a computer science professor at her college, and together they have created a computer animation program called “Clover.”
Clover transforms human histories into life, taking the troubled stories of children and other patients and turning them into animation vignettes. The software program uses computer animation to tell their stories, and in some sense, set them free. The computer animation also allows them to share their histories with other children and teachers.
For Healing, and for Luck
Clover’s creative feature is that it allows the user to create the scripts and storyboards for the vignette. There are four primary components of the animation program, lending meaning to its name. Good luck is also a fond implication of the animation software’s name.
A Unique Portal
Tettegah describes the animation used as a portal for its users to go through, beyond text and tell their stories in a unique way. She explains that with animation, more attention is given to dialogue, as animation is free from some of the distractions that film can bring.
Animation Courses
While you won’t find Clover in your animation course, there are plenty of animation courses on computer animation. Almost all animation students are now required to take courses in computer animation, and many of the world’s animation studios have turned to using computer animation exclusively.
The work of Professor Tettegah goes to show that a career in computer animation is more than just entertainment.
