For Monterey High School senior Solomon Sloan, the creative juices started flowing for his animated short film “Wacky Thing Called Life” about three years ago.
“I always had this idea in mind of this cat and a frog, and they sort of have conflicting ideas. But they learn to come together in the end to bring about peace,” said Sloan during a recent interview.
He says that during his time at Monterey High, he’s had amazing opportunities to hone his craft with help and guidance from his digital arts teacher, Martha Tonkin.
“She encourages students to do what they love most and to just keep going,” said Sloan.
Sloan’s particular passion lies in film and animation. His film “Wacky Thing Called Life” has earned several awards and is now under consideration for the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) competition between all 19 chapters across the country.
For the San Francisco/Northern California Chapter, Sloan’s film received a NATAS Award of Excellence during the 2024–2025 submission period in the category of Craft Achievement (Animation/Graphics/Special Effects).
The 2025 National Student Production Awards will be held during a virtual ceremony on Friday, November 21.
Sloan is also sharing his craft with other students by holding Saturday Academy sessions for free. More of his work can be found on his YouTube Channel "Sloan Presents."
