Savanimation, Short Films, & the Love For Community

Local events are the gems that give a city its character. They create opportunities to discover local talent, support small businesses, and connect with people who share the same interests. Supporting these events means investing in the creativity and identity of the community itself.

As Savannah continues to grow and embrace more art, one might wonder how Savannah is embracing animation specifically. Look no further than SavAnimation, a screening that gets the community together to celebrate local animators and animation lovers.

One of the main reasons SavAnimation was created was because there was nothing like it yet. Events such as Neighborhood Drink & Draw and SPICE had grown within Savannah’s community and expanded over time. However, it was clear that there was nothing local – something outside of SCAD – that embraced animation. The idea started from the heads at Pizzeria Press, a riso print shop here in Savannah. As the idea was shared among friends, it snowballed and eventually became Cam Shepler’s project.

“It sort of fell into my lap,” Cam explains. “But this was something my friends wanted to do for years.”

The inspiration started with a similar screening in Scotland: Clanimation, a community for all types of creatives within the Scottish animation industry. The event serves as an important way for artists to connect with their community – to share and enjoy each other’s creations and celebrate animation as a whole. Here in Savannah, SavAnimation is trying to achieve the same thing. The turnout for the first screening was outstanding, achieving almost max capacity for the venue and showing support for a multitude of animatics and short films. The anticipation for the second screening has only grown with time. While reception has been grand, exponential growth is one thing the team is also uncertain about.

“There’s a big goal to keep costs down – we’re really hesitant to charge anyone or make a profit.”

One of SavAnimation’s main goals is to keep costs manageable while allowing the screening to grow naturally. Although it is still relatively new, its growth is already clear: the second screening added an extra hour of runtime and will occur when most animation students return to SCAD. But growth inevitably comes with challenges. As the community expands, larger venues and more carefully curated run-times may become necessary to accommodate a growing audience without compromising the experience. Exclusivity is one of the main things the team wants to avoid, especially at this time.

The team behind SavAnimation anticipates that its audience will continue to grow, but recognizes that there is also value in remaining small and intentional. Keeping the screening at a sustainable scale helps prevent cost bloat while preserving the community-driven atmosphere that makes it special. Rather than pursuing growth for its own sake, SavAnimation has the opportunity to build gradually, maintaining its identity as a local gem.

Lately, there has been a growing celebration of independent animation, fueled largely by the internet and championed by small studios and individual creators. With the threat of AI and a highly volatile job market, animation is in an unpredictable spot, despite the clear passion behind it. For a myriad of reasons, more and more artists are exploring the world of independent animation and finding success. The enthusiasm surrounding green-lit pilots and original ideas is an exciting development for animators, giving emerging creators more opportunities to share their work and find an audience. However, alongside these larger successes, it is just as important to celebrate a more personal side of the medium. At its heart, SavAnimation is about doing exactly that.

“We’re doing it for the love of animation,” Cam adds. “If the only goal is to make money, we’ll end up where we are now.”

And that’s the main takeaway from meeting with SavAnimation – that it’s important to create for ourselves. Create with nothing holding you back, and whatever you make, you can share and celebrate as a community.

It’s clear that SavAnimation wants to embrace the creative community not just at SCAD, but throughout Savannah as a whole. Savannah thrives when its local talent is given a space to be seen and supported, and the best way to build upon that is to join in on the celebration.

Follow along by following SavAnimation on Instagram @savanimation.mov! Submissions and nominations are currently open through September 17th to animators of all backgrounds working in any form of animation. On September 19th, selected films will be showcased at Front Porch from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. The event will be completely free, offering the community a chance to come together and watch cartoons with the neighborhood.