Room 325 in the Fine Arts building is home not only to aspiring animators and filmmakers, but also to the SF State Animation Society, a student club that holds events and fundraisers for the campus
animation department.

The society, made up primarily of cinema majors, also appeals to design and art students and is open to anyone with an interest in animation. They meet twice a month on Tuesdays around 12:30 p.m. in the animation lab to discuss the planning of events usually associated with fundraising in support of the department’s big animation final that will be held May 19 at the Coppola Theater.

“Basically everyone who is in the room at the time gets involved in the Animation Society’s meetings,” said Michelle Jacquemat, 21, a cinema major. “The seniors are in charge, but they are always preparing others to take over after they graduate.”

The club holds screenings, has T-shirt design contests, and does other fundraising and advertising throughout the semester to raise money for the animation finals event.

According to Martha Gorzycki, animation professor and department coordinator, this event is so important that studio representatives from the animated film industry usually attend. She said companies like FX animation, Lucas Productions, Pixar, and Leapfrog productions are all invited. Successful SF State alumni also come to the event.

In fall 2003 their efforts were paramount in helping to secure an endowment for the establishment of a department scholarship. The $500 scholarship has been awarded two years in a row to cinema majors who show promise in the area of animation. The society hopes to double the amount to $1,000.

Eric Kramp, 22, a cinema major graduating in May, is the treasurer of the Animation Society. He encourages people to attend free screenings of animated movies the club is sponsoring this semester.

“SF State won’t let us charge admission, but we’re going to sell raffle tickets at the shows and students can win cool prizes like DVDs of different animated films,” Kramp said.

Gorzycki, who is the Animation Society’s adviser, is proud of the fundraising work that members of the group have done over the years. She hopes more people will take an interest in the club and its activities because, she said, animation is something that touches everyone on a daily basis.

“Animation is cross-disciplinary program that works well with several majors and introduces valuable technical skills to students – one way to learn more is to check out the Animation Society and what they do.”

Refer to the animation society's Web site at http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~animator for more information.