Students learn 3D animation through Virtual Paper Napkin initiative By Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 30 September 2005 2134 hrs SINGAPORE : Singapore's talent pool for 3D animation has just grown younger. Secondary school students have had the opportunity to get such skills through a programme called Virtual Paper Napkin. The partnership between Temasek Polytechnic and IM Innovations may well lead to the production of a future animated blockbuster right here in Singapore. 3D animation is usually offered to second or third year polytechnic students at Temasek Polytechnic, but lower secondary students like Law Wei Yen and Shahrul Nurhafiedz show that it is never too young to learn. They started a programme on 3D graphics and animation as part of their Co-Curricular Activities last April, and after just 30 hours, they have become quite proficient. Said Wei Yen, a student at Admiralty Secondary School, "It's so interesting I wish I could do more. Recently I did a sword so I want to make more and maybe make a movie out of it." Shahrul, also of Admiralty Secondary, said, "With this knowledge (I hope) I can join a production and create wonderful effects like a starship." Admiralty Secondary is one of three secondary school which have taken up this programme, with ACS (I) and Canberra Secondary School being the other two. Temasek Polytechnic, which offers the programme through its 3D Media Studio, says that with Singapore's push towards becoming a digital media hub, the programme will help support the industry. Said Dr Tan Hock Soon, of the Temasek Engineering School at Temasek Polytechnic, "With the push towards the digital media hub, students are exposed to these kinds of media at a young age, they will grow up with it because these kinds of software need experience. "Working on this kind of programme needs some sort of creativity, some sort of thinking, going through practise, hard work. So through this process, when they are starting this young and they grow up with the technology, we feel this will help us towards this kind of push to produce more content." The software used, called "Cinema 4D" and "BodyPaint 3D", are the leading programmes used by animators worldwide. And the 3D Media Studio now has a leg up as it has been appointed the exclusive Authorised Training Centre for the software in the region. Said Vincent Ong, managing director of IM Innovations, "One of the next things we are going to do is to reach out to the industries, not just in Singapore but also in the region, so together we want to be seen as the lighthouse for 3D technologies and applications." He added, "If you look at where 3D is being used, innovative companies around the world for example BMW uses virtual reality. They save a lot of money, they save a lot of time to design their products, costs are saved. What's going to happen is that if we were to build our capabilities and to be recognised, be branded to be the place and the hub where international companies which have such a need will go towards, then we are going to attract those companies, their type of project into Singapore." The software used by these students is the same one used in the production of animated movies such as the "Polar Express" and "Spiderman". The next animated Hollywood blockbuster might well be done by these budding animators. - CNA /ct URL: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/171135/1/.html