As a part of the James River Film Festival, underground celebrity claymation master Bruce Bickford taught an afternoon workshop. The small group that consisted of VCU students and members of the public gathered in a classroom on the VCU campus to meet the master. Knowing nothing about clay animation and being interested in film, I felt like it was a great opportunity to learn a new skill from a master. Reading in the film festival guidebook that Bickford was a "nortorious recluse" I became a little nervous about the logistics of the workshop. I realized that my fears were legitimate upon arival. The increadably thin man seemed nervous and out-of-touch with reality a bit. He spoke a few words at the beginning but once he began work on the clay head he was animating into life, the room became silent for long stretches of time, making it very akward and boring. Participants were invited to grab some clay and make something to add into the animation, but the work area was small and animating without a goal in mind seemed a bit nonsensical to me. It was interesting to see him work, he is definitely a master at what he does, but a workshop isn't exactly a workshop without an organized way for everyone to be involved and a teacher that actually teaches.
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