HUNTINGTON, Ind.— “The Minstrel and the Duck,” a four-minute, stop-motion
animation film created by Stephen Leeper, associate professor of
digital media arts at Huntington University, along with students in the animation production studio class was recently accepted into the 8th Annual Animation Block Party 2011 festival in Brooklyn, N.Y.
“This is the first New York block party festival that a film from Huntington has ever been accepted into,” Leeper said. “It’s nice to know audiences beyond HU also like the film.”
Animation Block Party is the largest animation film festival on the East Coast. It is dedicated to screening the world’s best professional, student and independent work of all genres.
From a selection pool of more than 650 applicants, “The Minstrel and the Duck” made the final cut to be one of 100 films featured during the festival. “The Minstrel and the Duck” tells the story of “a cheerful but hungry traveling Minstrel (who) attempts to befriend an unscrupulous duck ... at the expense of his dinner. It's only a matter of time before the minstrel’s patience is worn thin, and he decides to make a change to the menu,” according to the summary.
The project, directed by Leeper and HU alum Luke Nimtze (2009 animation) began back in 2007 when Leeper and nine other students came up with the concept and plot of the story. Over the past four years, 25 students enrolled in the animation production studio class have taken on various roles and tasks to see the project through to completion.
The festival will run July 29-31 at Rooftop Films and BAMcinématek in Brooklyn, N.Y. “The Minstrel and the Duck” will be featured during the 4:30-9:15 p.m. time slot on July 30.