Ringling College Motion Design Students Collaborate With SRQ

The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) partnered with the Motion Design Department at Ringling College of Art and Design to create an animated video to assist travelers at the TSA checkpoint. The Motion Design Department features a fall semester senior thesis course specifically designed to replicate the challenges and deadlines of a professional studio and the airport was among the potential client projects. SRQ was pleased to collaborate on the project.

The TSA Travel Tips animation highlights various best practices during the screening process with a clear, yet humorous creative flair.  It was designed to be viewed, on the video wall, by travelers while in line at the security checkpoint. The video was produced by two Motion Design seniors, Doug Alberts and Kyle Snider. The audio was created by the department’s own sound designer, Kelly Warner, who works alongside students to develop soundtracks for their creative projects.  The result is a two-minute animation that is both informative and entertaining. The students used 3D computer animation software to create the stylized characters and environments. Their goal was to make a video that could be easily understood visually and appeal to the wide range of international travelers. The style of the animation is reminiscent of stop motion puppet animation. 

“SRQ was excited for the opportunity to collaborate with Ringling College of Art and Design on this project. It was a unique opportunity to team with local talent which resulted in a quality production that the airport is proud to display. We hope to continue this partnership with future projects,” said Rick Piccolo, President, CEO.

“Working with SRQ was a dream client to have,” confirmed Kyle Snider. They had ambition, an open mind, and really wanted us as designers and animators to have a voice. That’s really the ideal client to have! Our favorite part was field trips after class to SRQ, where we ventured beyond security lines and got to meet with the fantastic people that work at SRQ. Knowing the space where the video would live helped us understand our audience’s expectations.”

About the overall project, Doug Alberts said, “Kyle and I had a great time directing, designing, and animating the piece together. Above all, we got to work with real clients all through our thesis class which isn’t something a lot of students get to do. The coolest part is it will be a memory when we visit Sarasota and fly through SRQ. Huge thanks to Ed Cheetham (Head of Ringling’s Motion Design Department), our friends at SRQ, and our classmates for critique to make our animation the best it could be.”