(ANS - Naples) - The Salesians of the Doganella community in Rione Amicizia in Naples work with children and adolescents at risk. For the Bicentenary of Don Bosco the educational community decided, along with the pupils of the third class, to make a short animated film, titled "STOP (E) MOTION".

Young people who are living in situations of deprivation and marginalization, and who are unwilling or unable to be part of a normal school programme, are welcomed every day at the Salesian centre.  

Various educational programmes have been designed specially for them. One of these is "Project VALDOCCO": a full time school and oratory. It tries to help the young people develop in body and mind with an integrated approach. There is time for teaching and also for extra-curricular activities, as well as an opportunity to reflect on what they have learned. Teachers and other staff regularly interchange roles, working in harmony and collaboration.

As part of this project, between October and December, the pupils of third class, accompanied by the staff of the Unit for Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Learning made a cartoon film for the Bicentenary of Don Bosco. This was achieved through the integration of different disciplines and after a patient and complex work of composition with the Stop Motion technique using over 800 pages of drawings and sketches.

Initially, to understand the techniques required, the group studied video production on the Internet. They then made a storyboard that would take account of the information received in various forms. Next it was time to do the drawings and related photographs (more than 1000 at first, reduced to 808 in the final version). Finally, the film was edited, putting the photos in sequence and adding titles and background music.

The work helped the young participants to develop their imagination and creativity, enhance their communicative skills, acquire a method of planning and operation in order to produce and re-elaborate the visual messages.

The activity was a success for many reasons. It gave the young people experience of a new way of learning that motivated them and involved them directly, as authors and actors.  It was truly interdisciplinary involving, as it did, the basics of cinematography, art of storytelling, drawing techniques, music, craftsmanship, skills, language, logic and spatial design. It encouraged collaboration between students, and therefore also interpersonal relationships. It helped the young people to internalize the goals of the project, including getting to know the story of Don Bosco.

The cartoon can be seen on sdb.org.

Published 09/01/2014