Animation Planet Film Festival
Animation Planet is a regionally organized film festival featuring short animation films and educational workshops provided by Northern New England creators. With the mission to establish an accessible platform for animators, Animation Planet provides a free of charge application process and a public venue for local animators to screen their works. The festival’s aim is also educational. Before the screening, the festival will host educational demos, lectures, and hands-on workshops.
Founded in 2023 by Shawn Brewer and Josie Colt, the festival grew out of a need for a space in which animation and video artists could connect with other artists within regional proximity. The inaugural festival premiered at Congress Square Park in September of 2023.
Collaborator: Josie Colt
Artist bio:
Shawn Brewer is co-founder of Animation Planet. He currently is a creative at Docksquare Studio. His personal work uses screenprinting, risograph, and stop motion animation to explore fantastical narrative worlds. Shawn worked as a DSP at Creative Trails working with adults with developmental disabilities to operate one of Portland's first outsider art gallery, called The Art Department. He was also founder of Fast Food Prints and Outbound Press, a live screenprinting outfit traveling to outdoor and public events throughout the Northeast. Shawn was the featured artist in 2018 during New Balance's Craftmanship Tour where he traveled to 9 states bringing his live screenprinting art with him.
Cover image: Shawn Brewer, Animation Planet Film Festival Promotional Poster (background), digital, 2023