SCAD AnimationFest is back again for its three-day festival in Atlanta, on September 25-27th—hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).
It is time for a demon takedown! SCAD AnimationFest is back again for its three-day festival in Atlanta, on September 25-27th—hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). This year, the university is honouring the co-creators of Disney’s award-winning, global hit series Phineas and Ferb, Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, and directors of the Netflix global phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters, Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans. The festival will also be featuring premieres—such as The Mighty Nein preview screening—and premium panels presented by industry guests from Netflix, Disney, Crunchyroll, Warner Bros. Animation, and SCAD’s very own students.
“SCAD AnimationFest returns to SCADshow with a delicious mix of childhood nostalgia and the new sensations lighting up today’s feeds,” said SCAD president and founder Paula Wallace. “This year, SCAD salutes the legends behind Phineas and Ferb, awards the wildly popular KPop Demon Hunters, and welcomes everyone’s favorite Tiny Chef (IYKYK!)—alongside premieres and panels with partners from Amazon MGM Studios/Prime Video, Warner Bros. Animation, and Netflix. Here in Atlanta’s animation corridor, SCAD students rub shoulders with the creatives they admire and the employers who hire. SCAD AnimationFest: big screens, bigger career breakthroughs!”
One of the best parts of the festival is when SCAD’s students get to screen their films alongside great animation films and TV shows. This year’s selections to SCAD AnimationFest’s SCAD Student Spotlight films include Inkwashed and Blood and Bamboo. Inkwashed is described as a 3D animated film pondering the question of what life would be like inside a drawing, envisioning the mischief these drawings might get into. Blood and Bamboo follows a mother who teaches her daughter an ancient fighting style disguised as dance—only for its true purpose to be revealed when Spanish soldiers raid their village.
SCADAnimationFest kicks off on Thursday with an insightful panel discussion, including esteemed Disney veterans who have worked at Disney Television Animation and Disney Jr. Then, attendees can “step inside the stump” with Ozlem Akturk, co-creator and director of photography of The Tiny Chef Show. In this exclusive behind-the-scenes talk about the wildly popular stop-motion series, Akturk will share how she carved out her place in the world of stop-motion, blending meticulous craftsmanship with creative resilience and life beyond the studio. This is a must-see presentation for students looking to get into stop-motion work.
As the sun begins to set, SCADFILM will present this year’s SCAD AnimationFest Legends in Animation Award to Povenmire and Marsh for their impressive creative contributions to the animation and entertainment industries. This special event features a screening of a fan-favorite episode and a live conversation with Povenmire and Marsh as they reflect on the show’s legacy, their creative process on crafting 104 days’ worth of summer vacation content, and their enduring impact on the world of animation.
Thursday night ends with an exclusive look at The Mighty Nein premiere season. Following the screening, stick around for an in-depth conversation with the series’ showrunner Tasha Huo, art director Joseph Martinez, and lead character designer Jess Lackey, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the storytelling, worldbuilding, and creative process that brought the characters of The Mighty Nein to life. If you loved The Legend of Vox Machina like so many Critical Role fans, you do not want to miss this SCAD AnimationFest 2025 panel.
Friday and Saturday are also packed with a lot of entertaining screenings and panels, from Warner Bros. Animation’s Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires to Netflix’s global phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters. On closing night, SCAD will transform into a K-pop concert as the film will be screened on SCADshow’s main stage. Stay tuned as director Chris Appelhans will receive the SCAD AnimationFest Impact Award on behalf of himself and fellow director Maggie Kang, and share insights on the film during a post-screening Q&A.
“We are at a pivotal point in the industry and, more than ever, our students will benefit from the real-world insight from successful creatives,” said director and producer of SCADFILM, Molie Brock. “This year’s programming reflects the many professional paths our SCAD students can travel and the diverse opportunities to tell their stories.” SCAD AnimationFest is always looking for new opportunities to give its students the best experience and avenues for launching their future careers by connecting them with pivotal industry leaders.
For SCAD AnimationFest passes, current schedule, and more information, visit the official website.
This sounds like an exciting lineup for SCAD AnimationFest 2025! The inclusion of K-Pop demon hunters and guests from Phineas and Ferb adds a fun twist to the event. Looking forward to seeing all the creativity on display!
Absolutely, the K-Pop demon hunters add a unique twist to the festival! It’s interesting how blending different genres can create fresh narratives in animation. I’m looking forward to seeing how they incorporate music and cultural elements into their storytelling!
You’re right, the K-Pop demon hunters definitely bring a fresh element to the event! It’s fascinating to see how different cultural influences can enhance storytelling in animation, making it more relatable and engaging for diverse audiences.
Absolutely! The blend of K-Pop and animation definitely creates a unique vibe. Plus, having guests from “Phineas and Ferb” adds a nostalgic touch that should appeal to a wide audience. It’s exciting to see such diverse influences at the festival!
Absolutely! The blend of K-Pop and animation definitely creates a unique vibe. Plus, having guests from shows like Phineas and Ferb adds a nostalgic touch that appeals to a wide audience. It’s exciting to see how these different genres can come together to inspire new creative ideas!
It’s exciting to see such a diverse lineup! The combination of K-Pop and animation really does bring a fresh energy to the festival. I’m particularly looking forward to how the Phineas and Ferb guests will add their own humor and creativity to the mix!