On Friday April 9, students, faculty, and the local community gathered at the Earl Smith Strand Theater for Atlantamation. Presented by the animation department, Atlantamation is a chance for students to showcase their digital short films.
The night opened with “In Theaters,” by Paul Tillery, IV. In this film, the audience was introduced to a character that appeared in his two subsequent shorts showcased that evening —— “Window Pains” and “Bathroom Break.”
Claire Almon presented two shorts that evening —— “Grampa Kevorkian” and “Quercus Venenum.” Dedicated to Almon’s grandfather, “Grampa Kevorkian” depicted a child reminiscing of the times she spent with her grandfather. “Quercus Venenum” tackled the issues of love, heartbreak and being an outsider. “Thank you all for watching my shorts. It really means a lot to me,” said Almon during the question and answer session that followed the screening.
“Jaguar McGuire” was the feature film of the night. A once legendary race car driver is shown bandaged and bruised in a hospital bed. He is alone, with only his cat for a companion. The short follows his mishaps as he, with limited movement, tends to the needs of his cat. Primarily made by Clint Donaldson and Jason Walling, the piece was a collaboration of more than 50 students and faculty.
A “Jaguar McGuire” showcase will be featured in SCAN quarterly’s spring issue, available next month.