Skins Workshops
What are the Skins Workshops?
Bringing Aboriginal Storytelling to Experimental Digital Media
The Skins Workshops teach Indigenous youth how to adapt stories from their community into experimental digital media, such as video games.
One of our goals is to encourage our youth to envision themselves in the future while drawing from their heritage. We believe this helps to promote and preserve our stories, languages and cultures while also exposing our youth to the digital tools of today and tomorrow.
Covering video games, machinima and 3D printing, our workshops are designed by an Indigenous-led team to empower Indigenous youth by showing them that they can be producers, not just consumers, of these exciting media.
Since 2006, AbTeC has been sharing our unique curriculum, expertise and experience with Indigenous youth on reserves and in urban centres. Currently, we are working with our partners in the Initiative for Indigenous Futures (IIF) to make our workshops more accessible by training new trainers in order to develop a community of knowledgeable members and mentors. Our curricula are free to use. If you would like support in delivering them to your community, please read through these pages and then contact us.
7th Gen workshops
| Workshop Name | Duration | Specs/Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| 7th Gen Character Design (Analog) | 1-2 session(s) of up to 2 hours each | Software None Materials Sketchbook Pencils/Colored Pencils Black lining pens (felt tip) |
| 7th Gen Character Design+ (Procreate) | 2-4 sessions of 2 hours each | Software: Procreate Materials: iPad with compatible Apple Pencil Sketchbook Pencils/Colored Pencils Black lining pens (felt tip) |
| 7th Gen Character Design++ (Blender) | 4-7 session(s) of 2 hours each | Software: Blender Adobe Photoshop (or Photopea) See tech requirements Other Materials: Sketchbook Pencils/Colored Pencils Black lining pens (felt tip) Extra: 3D Printed Figurines via Shapeways |
| 7th Gen Tech Design (Blender) | 3-5 session(s) of 2 hours each | Software: Blender Adobe Photoshop (or Photopea) See tech requirements Other Materials: Sketchbook Pencils/Colored Pencils Black lining pens (felt tip) |
Video Game workshops
| Workshop Name | Duration | Specs/Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Imagining Indigenous Worlds with Bitsy | 1-4 session(s) of up to 2 hours each | Software: Bitsy Tech Requirements: Laptop with Wifi Connection Materials: Pencils |
| Interactive Storytelling with Twine | 2-4 session(s) of 2 hours each | Software: Twine Tech Requirements: Laptop with Wi-Fi connection Materials: Pencils |
| Imagining Indigenous Worlds with Unity | 4-10 session(s) of 2-3 hours each | Software: Unity See tech requirements Other Materials: Sketchbook Pencils/Colored Pencils |
| Indigenous Video Game Production | To be Discussed with Organizers – minimum two weeks, up to four weeks. | Software: Unity Blender Plastic Gluon Slack Google Drive Adobe Photoshop Adobe After Effects Adobe Audition See tech requirements Other Materials: Sketchbook Pencils/Colored Pencils Black lining pens (felt tip) Board Games |
Machinima workshops
| Workshop Name | Duration | Specs/Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Second Life | 1-2 session(s) of 2 hours each | Software: Second Life See tech requirements |
| Introduction to Machinima | 2-4 sessions of 2-3 hours each | Software: Second Life OBS Premiere Pro See tech requirements |
| Machinima Production | 5-10 sessions of 2-3 hours each | Software: Second Life OBS Premiere Pro See tech requirements |
Abundant Intelligences (AI)
| Workshop Name | Duration | Specs/Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to AI | 1 session of 2 hours | Software: None |
| Introduction to AI + Using AI Tools Ethically | 1 session of 2-3 hours | Software: Midjourney (for Instructors) ChatGPT |
Generously Supported by the Hewitt Foundation, Warner Bros. Discovery Fund, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
