Fox Lane’s Animation Film Festival Celebrates Student-Artists’ Hard Work

Grateful. Impressed. Proud. Inspired. These are just a few of the words Fox Lane High School animation students used to describe how they felt after watching their work and the work of their classmates during the fourth annual Fox Lane Animation Film Festival.

At the start of the event, art teacher Amy Salerno recognized seniors Gaetano Sirchia and Yannel Alomoto before Gaetano, who is president of the Animation Club, said a few words. The audience was then treated to a screening of reels from students in animation classes, members of the Animation Club and alums of the program.

Afterward, Dan Bartlett, the dean of the School of Animation and Motion at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), announced the winners of a scholarship to attend the school’s pre-college summer program. Rising sophomores to rising seniors were eligible for a chance to spend a week experiencing what is means to be a SCAD student.

“Animation is hard, and you have some amazing animators and storytellers here at Fox Lane,” Bartlett said. “I started looking through all the reels that Ms. Salerno shared with me, and my immediate thought was: this isn’t going to work. I can’t choose. So, instead of giving away one scholarship, we’re giving away three.”

The winners were freshmen Audrey Davis, Riley Zicholtz and Steven Valencia.

“We are so honored,” Salerno said. “This is going to change lives.”

To cap off the experience, students participated in a question-and-answer session during which they were asked about their processes as well as about AI in animation—a topic they felt very strongly about.

“If you expect a prompt to make animation, it’s going to look like off-brand Pixar,” Luca said.

“Animation is from the heart. It’s not from ones and zeros,” Audrey said.

“AI will not help you. There are no loopholes. Stay away from it,” said alum Nate Fishkin.

At the end of the event, it was clear the group was close as they gave one another big hugs and said goodbye to seniors.

“I love the community that you guys have found for yourselves,” Salerno said.

If you missed the event, you can see students' work here.