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Platform, a multidimensional animation festival, brings artists and animators together for film screenings and competitions at REDCAT this week (Oct. 26-28), while simultaneously showcasing installations and works for websites and mobile devices.
Founded in 2007 in Portland, Ore., the festival comes to Los Angeles for the first time, with 11 screening programs curated by CalArts students Jeanette Bonds (Film/Video BFA 11, MFA 13), Sean Buckelew (Film/Video MFA 14), Thalia Fry (Film/Video BFA 14), Jess Iglehart (Film/Video BFA 14) and Melody Yenn (Film/Video BFA 13).
Film highlights include shorts from the Annecy International Animation Festival, a celebration of 40 years of CalArts animation, and retrospectives on the works of surrealistic stop-motion pioneer Ladislas Starewitch (1882-1965) and artist PES, whose videos have accumulated millions of views on the Internet.
Featured programs and panels include:
- Streaming: A Conversation about animators on the Web with Jason Sondhi of Vimeo and Aaron Simpson of Mondo Media;
- A Cartoon Network screening of shows and interstitials that exemplify trends in TV and Internet animation with Pen Ward (Film/Video BFA 05), creator of Adventure Time, and JG Quintel (Film/Video BFA 05), creator of Regular Show;
- A preview screening of Walt Disney Studios’ upcoming short film Paperman, a blend of traditional and computer animation, with director John Kahrs, art director Jeff Turley and animation supervisor Patrick Osborne; and
- A Life After College panel with a number of CalArts graduates, who have developed careers in the animation business or as independent artists, with Alex Hirsch (Film/Video BFA 07), creator of Gravity Falls; Craig McCracken (Film/Video 92), creator of Powerpuff Girls and Wander Over Yonder; Michael Patterson (Film/Video MFA 84), experimental film artist, teacher and commercial filmmaker; Miwa Matreyek (Film/Video MFA 07), animator, designer and multimedia artist; and Kirsten Lepore (Film/Video MFA 12). It’s moderated by animation historian Jerry Beck.
During the festival, Japanese filmmaker and Manga artist (Akira) Katsuhiro Otomo will be presented a Platform Lifetime Achievement Award.
Platform Film Festival
Oct. 26: 7:30 and 10 pm
Oct. 27: 12, 2, 4:30, 7 and 9:30 pm
Oct. 28: 12, 2:30, 5 and 8 pm
Tickets: $5-$15