Animation artist Gregory Zaal (20) from Linden has been involved in the creation of many top-flight advertisements on TV.
His interest in this craft started when he was at Hyde Park High School. “I have always been interested in computers and Photoshop,” he said. “When I was in school I did a bit of stock motion animation where you build something out of clay, photograph it and then reposition it. Later on you have 200 photos,” explained Zaal.
He also further “messed around and figured out” how animation worked through a computer programme called Blender which is a 3D computer graphics software programme.
Zaal nowadays works as a freelancer at Bugbox Animation in Fourways which specialises in 2D and 3D animation.
“I started a one-year-internship at Bugbox straight after I matriculated, and by the time the year was finished, I got appointed as a freelancer. I am a lighting and shading artist.”
He was the first person to do an internship at the company. The art of animation is very concentrated with many role players. “Most of us specialise in one aspect of creating an animation. Someone would pitch an idea to a client and a budget would be given. When we have got the green light, someone needs to model the character, and someone then needs to animate the character.”
It usually took five to six weeks to complete a 30-second long product, maybe even longer, Zaal said.
“We are currently working on a series of short films called the Adventures of Toby. We started two years ago and we are now halfway more or less. Animation has changed so much over the years. They have made it more realistic.”
