The Animator’s Friend

From oatmeal to the occult, the London's give equal attention to their pastimes.  They even begrudgingly give equal attention to their dislikes as well which include Long Island and the discomfort of growing up.  These are featured predominently in their most recent film 1981, where the mullets are long, the metal is heavy, and 14-year-old Douglas gets a birthday surprise that will change his life forever.   Andy and Carolyn are writers, directors, animators and co-founders of London Squared Productions. Since 1999, they’ve been creating films, music videos and animated content.      Get 10% off your submission to the Hudson Valley Film Festival with TAFnHVFFrCOOL   Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $5 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Host your podcast on Podbean, one month free trial! https://www.podbean.com/theanimatorsfriend Do businessy things on Podbean, one month free trial! https://www.podbean.com/pro/theanimatorsfriend Advertise on Podbean! https://sponsorship.podbean.com/theanimatorsfriend   Links to points of discussion: Sundance Film Festival NBC Page Program Animation Speak/Easy - NYC Lisa LaBracio's website Anna Samo Bergmann's website   The Animator's Playlist on Apple Music and Spotify Library180 - NYC East Village Shoe Repair - BK Cinanima - Portugal The Animator's Animations The Animator's Favorites The Metropolitan Museum of Art - NYC Fantagraphics Woodstock Film Festival - NYS Sonoma International Film Festival - CA Stuttgart International Festival of Animation Film - Germany Joy + Noelle's website The Animator's Friend on Instagram The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks: my mom and dad All opinions belong to the guests and do not represent any other individual or entity We are not doctors or mental health professionals, so consult a doctor before enacting on any of our opinions

Last night, I transcended my human form and turned into a rd carpet correspondent for the Museum of Moving Image's Marvels of Media Festival! We spoke with festival participants and organizers Dani Bowman, Jackson Tucker-Meyer, Josh Sapan, Susanna Hunt, Steven Fraser, Steph Prizhitomsky, Bob Clark, Miranda Lee, and Maxwell Scheller. The festival runs all weekend long, see details here: https://movingimage.org/series/marvels-of-media-festival-2026/ Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $5 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Host your podcast on Podbean, one month free trial! https://www.podbean.com/theanimatorsfriend Do businessy things on Podbean, one month free trial! https://www.podbean.com/pro/theanimatorsfriend Advertise on Podbean! https://sponsorship.podbean.com/theanimatorsfriend The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. https://linktr.ee/theanimatorsfriend Credits: Recorded and produced by India Lombardi-Bello & Arnesh Kundu Edited by India Lombardi-Bello Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks: Renata Luczak, Justin Solar, and Arnesh All opinions belong to the guests and do not represent any other individual or entity

I know I said we were on a break, but I just couldn't wait to share this bonus episode on Festival Strategy! Festival programmer Warren Etheredge shares how to get the most out of your film's festival run including insights into timeline, assessment, contact, assets, and budget. This episode will be here for you whenever you have a film ready to take out on the road! Listen, take notes, and get 75% off your submission to the Walla Walla Movie Crush this year with the code indiaisawesome! Submission deadline through to May 15th. As for your regularly scheduled TAF programming, expect to hear from me by mid-April B) Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $5 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Host your podcast on Podbean, one month free trial! https://www.podbean.com/theanimatorsfriend Do businessy things on Podbean, one month free trial! https://www.podbean.com/pro/theanimatorsfriend Advertise on Podbean! https://sponsorship.podbean.com/theanimatorsfriend   Links to points of discussion: Warren Etheredge's website The University of Washington - WA Cornish College of the Arts - WA The Red Badge Project Walla Walla Movie Crush - WA Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) - WA Bumbershoot Arts & Music Festival - WA The 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World, MovieMaker Magazine Sundance Film Festival - UT SXSW - TX Indy Shorts Film Festival - IN Summer Shorts Film Fest - NY Le Court International Short Film Festival Clermont-Ferrand - France Annecy Festival - France Ottawa International Animation Festival - Canada Animafest Zagreb - Croatia Kristie Kish's website Michael Dondero's website "How to Network without Networking" by Warren Etheredge Tennis, Oranges trailer Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) - CA The Animator's Friend on Instagram   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks: Warren Etheredge and my mom and dad All opinions belong to the guests and do not represent any other individual or entity

Continue your friend-of-the-pod/avatar/oink-oink drinking game with the final portion of my chat with filmmakers Santi MacLean and Joe Zuppulla!  Don't sleep on Doomscrolling and the whole Fun pet namez series! A young man talks himself through a panic attack. In Doomscrolling, Santi MacLean layers multimedia documents and data moshes on top of a vulnerable outcry. With bulging eyes and spaghetti-like green hair, the young man speaks in the form of a 3D-animated figure. In a high pitch voice, the character extrapolates on recent feelings of self-hatred and general aimlessness, due to financial pressures and up-keeping physical and intellectual standards while encountering romantic hook-ups. Micro-aggressions stretch the narrator’s mental bandwidth into oblivion and his cryptic self-recorded videos, along with other digital images, disintegrate into the next. While the outside world and its tactile elements offer moments of calmness, only so much can heal until the state of reality hits yet again. MacLean’s film moves quickly but packs a final punch, capturing the overwhelming influx of textures and feelings siphoned into a young person’s feed, and mind, today. Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $5 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Host your podcast on Podbean, one month free trial! https://www.podbean.com/theanimatorsfriend Do businessy things on Podbean, one month free trial! https://www.podbean.com/pro/theanimatorsfriend Advertise on Podbean! https://sponsorship.podbean.com/theanimatorsfriend   Links to points of discussion: The Animator's Animations Santi MacLean's website Santi's Instagram Joe Zappulla's Instagram Fun pet namez on Instagram NoBudge Purhcase College - NY SUNY Oneonta - NY The Animator's Playlist on Apple Music and Spotify The Rizzler on Instagram The Animator's Favorites Brooklyn Public Library The Sweatbox Louvre Museum - France Julian Glander on TAF Art Sqool by Julian Glander Silvia's Kitchen on Instagram L&B Spumoni Gardens - NYC The Animator's Friend on Instagram   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks: Talia Frank-Stemple, Ash Suh, and my mom and dad All opinions belong to the guests and do not represent any other individual or entity

We may be in Month 2 of 2026, but Santi MacLean, Joe Zappulla, and I are still feeling the new year's energy in TAF's first ever two-part episode!  Relive the feelings of optimism that January 2nd gifted as your resolutions start to lose meaning, like the thumbs-up react on that text message you sent. A young man talks himself through a panic attack. In Doomscrolling, Santi MacLean layers multimedia documents and data moshes on top of a vulnerable outcry. With bulging eyes and spaghetti-like green hair, the young man speaks in the form of a 3D-animated figure. In a high pitch voice, the character extrapolates on recent feelings of self-hatred and general aimlessness, due to financial pressures and up-keeping physical and intellectual standards while encountering romantic hook-ups. Micro-aggressions stretch the narrator’s mental bandwidth into oblivion and his cryptic self-recorded videos, along with other digital images, disintegrate into the next. While the outside world and its tactile elements offer moments of calmness, only so much can heal until the state of reality hits yet again. MacLean’s film moves quickly but packs a final punch, capturing the overwhelming influx of textures and feelings siphoned into a young person’s feed, and mind, today. Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $5 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Host your podcast on Podbean, one month free trial! https://www.podbean.com/theanimatorsfriend Do businessy things on Podbean, one month free trial! https://www.podbean.com/pro/theanimatorsfriend Advertise on Podbean! https://sponsorship.podbean.com/theanimatorsfriend   Links to points of discussion: The Animator's Animations Santi MacLean's website Santi's Instagram Joe Zappulla's Instagram Fun pet namez on Instagram  NoBudge The Animator's Friend on Instagram Julian Glander on TAF The Animator's Playlist Bakeri - BK The Animator's Favorites Brooklyn Public Library   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks: Talia Frank-Stemple, Michael Dondero, Kristie Kish, Malt Adult, my mom and dad. All opinions belong to the guests and do not represent any other individual or entity.

Me and the homies have been geeking over the animated feature Boys Go to Jupiter for months and months so it was a thrill to get to talk with Julian Glander about it, but mostly we tried to drum up some animation-world drama. A teenager in suburban Florida desperately hustles to make $5,000 in this dreamy and surreal animated coming-of-age story. Stream Boys Go to Jupiter on Amazon Prime! Watch our chat on YouTube or Spotify! Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $5 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Host your podcast on Podbean, one month free trial! https://www.podbean.com/theanimatorsfriend Do businessy things on Podbean, one month free trial! https://www.podbean.com/pro/theanimatorsfriend Advertise on Podbean! https://sponsorship.podbean.com/theanimatorsfriend   Links to points of discussion: Julian Glander's website Julian Glander's Instagram The Animator's Animations The Animator's Playlist Pigeon Bagels - PA The Animator's Favorites Buddhist Gumby tshirt from JustinsShirtStore on Etsy TAF At Ottawa International Animation Festival! Tubulus Plasticus by YOON Five Points Bakery - PA The Animator's Friend on Instagram   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks: Kaila Hier; my mom and dad; Kristie Kish; Michael Dondero All opinions belong to the guests and do not represent any other individual or entity.

Episode 22 is a lucky one with director Natalia Poteryakhin, sharing anecdotes of endurance, logging off, and blind faith, all bolstering her animation career. Further blessing this episode is the appearance of non-human guest Zoe Lombardi-Bello. Watch on video on Youtube or Spotify! Sunny Side Down is a sci-fi parody series where existential dread is served hot with a side of 90’s nostalgia.  Just beyond the event horizon of a supermassive black hole floats a tiny diner, frozen in time. Every super short episode drops in on whichever weird alien just got pulled into the black hole’s grasp, cutting between their arrival and off-the-wall conversations with the diner’s cryptic cook, Yabba, about what actually lies beyond.  There is no way back. You either stay at the diner forever, or risk passing through the hole.  Think Spaceballs-level absurdity meets Cheers-style diner regulars, filtered through a radical 90’s sci-fi lens. Expect visual gags, fast setups, and parody riffs on classics like Men in Black, Terminator 2, The Matrix, Starship Troopers, and Contact. This is not hard sci-fi. Physics is optional. Absurdity is mandatory.  At the center of it all is Nat, a human waitress and accidental astrophysics prodigy stranded at the diner after a light travel experiment went wrong. She is stubborn, brilliant, snarky, and desperate enough to believe she can build a machine strong enough to escape a black hole. While serving coffee and dodging alien drama, she secretly hoards space junk to engineer her way home to Earth.  Running the diner is Yabba, an ancient, chainsmoking, four-armed mentor who has kept this place running for millennia. She is tired. She wants to retire. But her only option is the black hole itself, and she will not go unless someone is ready to take over the diner.  Sunny Side Down is not a kids show. Things do not have neat morals. Good behavior is not rewarded. It leans into existential dread, the horror of living in the shadow of a black hole, and the strange comfort of routine in a place you cannot leave. It is purgatory with pancakes. Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $5 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Links to points of discussion: Sunny Side Down Natalia's website Natalia's Instagram The Animator's Animations MAKE Originals on YouTube Nice Moves - MN Creator on YouTube Tess Martin on TAF The Animator's Playlist Anne Beal on TAF Hellavision The Animator's Favorites Emory Allen's website Anatola Howard's website Nicole Otaola on TAF The Animator's Friend on Instagram   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Booking assistance from Chris Hollis & Amy Steman Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks: my mom and dad; Kristie Kish; Michael Dondero; Barnaby Catterall All opinions belong to the guests and do not represent any other individual or entity.

Conducted my interview with Arco creators Ugo Bienvenu and Félix de Givry ~on twos~ to learn about their penchant for sandwiches as well as gain more insight into the driving forces of their beautiful film. Experience the podcast with video for a change! I prefer you watch on YouTube B) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHBrnoduxTs A magical and beautifully animated journey through time, Arco is a dazzling adventure about a 10-year-old boy from a peaceful, distant future who accidentally travels back to the year 2075 and discovers a world in peril. As Arco develops a charming and touching friendship with young girl named Iris, they band together and along with her trusted robot caretaker Mikki, set out on a quest to get Arco home, while the two children may also be the only ones who can save our planet. A wondrous odyssey filled with hope and optimism for our future, Arco is an enchanting fable from breakout filmmaker Ugo Bienvenu, produced by Remembers’ Bienvenu and Felix de Givry, and mountainA’s Natalie Portman and Sophie Mas. Oscar voting opens today, so if you are a member of the Academy, I hope you will consider Arco as you cast your ballot. Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $5 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Links to points of discussion: Arco Ugo Bienvenu on Instagram Félix de Givry on IMDB "Voyage Cromatique" at Metrograph - NYC The Animator's Animations TAF at Annecy 2025 Remembers Studio Barnaby Catterall's website The Animator's Favorites CalArts The Animator's Playlist The Animator's Friend on Instagram   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Booking assistance from Cori Futrovsky and Kaila Hier Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks: my mom and dad; Nikolas Fortune Hagen; Michael Dondero; Ash Suh All opinions expressed by host and guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of anyone else or any entity

The Animator's Friend podcast has been turning into The Animator's Italian-American Friend for some time now, and 3D artist/designer Andres Salazar has made matters worse by getting your host's spaghetti in a knot with some hot takes on Italian cuisine. Andres is a Colombian-American designer and 3D artist based in Astoria, New York. His work explores the magic in the mundane, blending photorealistic 3D creations with surrealist visuals to spotlight the beauty of quotidian spaces. He is drawn to procedural software like Houdini and inspired by 20th-century design movements. He lives at the junction of visual effects and design. Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $5 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Links to points of discussion: Andres Salazar's website Andres Salazar's Instagram Josh Pilch's RHCP parody song Josh Pilch on TAF DCOY Studios Camp Snap website Michael Dondero on TAF The Animator's Playlist The Animator's Favorites Beacon's Closet Crossroads Trading Massawa - NYC Spicy Village - NYC TikTok of guys trying out new cuisines in NYC Chris Rutledge's website Ehsan Parizi on Instagram Joseph Toreki's website XK Studio Future Deluxe Studio Papel de Punto Jasper Lin on TAF Wenyi Zhang's website The Animator's Animations Ars Electronica - Austria Brand New School Jimena Martinez's website The Animator's Friend on Instagram   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Josh Pilch (the song is parody and should be enjoyed as such) and Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks: Andres & Jimena for hosting me; my mom & dad; Darren Santa Maria; Malt Adult

I enjoyed chatting with fellow Beatles freak Tess Martin about our other shared fixation: The Netherlands. What business does their coffee have being so good? How easy is it to be a working artist there? Is the countryside really like those old Dutch paintings? Find out within. Tess Martin is a film and visual artist based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. She brings her perspective as someone who was raised between cultures to exploring themes of belonging, identity and connection. Her short films, videos and installations address our vulnerability: in relation to nature, the onslaught of time and the precariousness of memory. Tess has both a classical fine art and an animation background and these come together in her work: she pushes the conceptual potential of hand-made animation and the narrative potential of site-specific pieces.  How Now, House? investigates our yearning to leave traces behind through the prism of one house in Rotterdam. Using archives, personal memories and the philosophy of time, the film questions whether a space can ever really belong to one person, or time period, at all. How Now, House? will be screened at the upcoming London Short Film Festival, Jan 23-Feb 1, 2026. Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $5 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Links to points of discussion: Tess Martin's website Tess Martin's Instagram The Holidays at Metrograph The Animator's Friend on Instagram Camp Snap website Animator's Picnic - NYC How Now, House? 1976: Search for Life The Animator's Animations Science New Wave Festival - NYC Alice Saey's website Nienke Deutz's website Kaboom Animation Festival The Animator's Playlist Revolution in the Head by Ian MacDonald The Animator's Favorites Leon & Cocina's website Anifilm - Czech Republic Animafest Zagreb - Croatia Annecy International Animation Festival - France Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam - Netherlands International Film Fest Rotterdam - Netherlands Turku Animated Film Festival - Finland Animateka - Slovenia Kristie Kish's website Brooklyn Public Library St. Joost School of Art & Design - Netherlands Dok Leipzig - Germany London Short Film Festival - UK   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Booking assistance from Beth Quittman Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon I thanked an overwhelming amount of people in the recording, so here I'll just thank these linkable entities: Mother's Milk, Commodore II, and Malt Adult.

I learned all about Danielle Goldwert's numorous hobbies and have a feeling I barely scratched the surface! Stop-motion animation is just one of her many interests, which she executes perfectly in her film waterlogged. Hear about how Danielle's creative interests and doctorate research converge. In waterlogged, a climate scholar confronts the haunting reality of his research as surreal environmental catastrophes unfold around him, blurring the line between his personal despair and the global human experience. The story explores the psychological toll of inaction, asking whether hope can be found amid the rising tides of collective negligence. Danielle is a Ph.D. student in social psychology at NYU, and a member of the Center for Conflict and Cooperation at NYU and the Climate Cognition Lab at Stanford. Her research program integrates social psychological theory with large-scale behavioral science methods to identify, test, and translate effective strategies for motivating collective action on climate change. She addresses a core challenge in social psychology: how to change beliefs and behaviors in politically polarized, emotionally charged, and globally diverse contexts. In her work as an artist, she primarily use portraiture to explore the human condition and my own experiences, while also extending her artistic pursuits into filmmaking. Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $5 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Links to points of discussion: Danielle Goldwert's website waterlogged's website dgoldwert on Instagram Hudson Valley Film Fest's website Hudson Valley Film Fest on Instagram Hudson Valley Film Fest on FilmFreeway TAF at the Hudson Valley Film Fest TAF Interview with Kristie Kish The Animator's Friend on Instagram The Animator's Playlist Creative Spaces/Contested Spaces: Reinterpreting Italian-American Public Art in New York City Akaine Kramarik The Animator's Favorites RiverRun International Film Festival Tribeca Film Festival TIFF Indie Shorts Awards The People's Union Economic Blackouts The Animator's Animations   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Microphones provided by SVA MFA Computer arts Special thanks to Darren Santa Maria; my mom and dad; Michael Dondero; Kristie Kish; Nayon Cho; Hudson Valley Film Fest

Between moments of being outsmarted by a mosquito, hear Simeon Kondev expose the metal-head within. Simeon is a Bulgarian-American animator whose latest cartoon Society Animals deserves your follow on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $5 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Links to points of discussion: The Animator's Friend on Instagram University of Kentucky The Animator's Playlist Emily Curran at Buzzfeed Kate Costello's website Emily Zullo's website The Animator's Favorites NPR Morning Edition Ichthus Music Festival - KY Brent Sievers on The Animator's Friend Gooeyduck on YouTube skincrawlies on YouTube Fruit Suit Critters on YouTube The Animator's Animations   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Microphones provided by SVA MFA Computer arts Special thanks to Darren Santa Maria; my mom and dad; Miyu Distribution

Preempting their Student Academy Award win for their student film The Shyness of Trees, listen to Loick Du Plessis D'Argentre, Simin He, and me giggle over unexpected animation crushes, rats, and French cliches. In the film, Hélène, 40 years old, comes to visit her aging mother in the french countryside. But her mother isn't being her usual self. She seems to have formed a strange bond with the plants, insects, and the old oak tree at the end of her garden... Get your hands on a Camp Snap Camera for $10 off by using my link! https://www.campsnapphoto.com/INDIALOMBARDIBELLO Links to points of discussion: The Animator's Friend on Instagram The Shyness of Trees on Youtube The Animator's Animations Loick Du Plessis D'Argentre's website Loick Du Plessis D'Argentre's Instagram Simin He on Instagram Gobelins The Animator's Playlist Routard Guide Sables - NYC The Animator's Favorites   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator based in New York City. In this series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation.   Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Booking assistance from Luce Grosjean at Miyu Distribution Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Microphones provided by SVA MFA Computer arts Special thanks to my mom and dad; Darren Santa Maria; Sarah Shmidt; Luce Grosjean & Emma Berebbi at Miyu; Lena Greene; Michael Dondero; Kristie Kish

You can find Amanda, me, and her dog Bacca under the pergola, discussing our shared provenance which includes italianess, shyness, and punkness.  Her film Confetti is available online for the first time through Director's Notes and her and fellow animator James Thacher have just started their own studio called Magician with a screening coming up at Ridgewood Community Cinema on 11/2/25 at 7pm.  Amanda Bonaiuto is an animation director, artist, and assistant professor of Illustration at Parsons School of Design. Her films have screened at film festivals and institutions globally, including Slamdance Film Festival, Annecy International Animation Festival, Ottawa International Animation Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival, among others. Her work has been recognized by press outlets such as It’s Nice That, The New Yorker, Vimeo, and NPR. She holds an MFA in Experimental Animation from the California Institute of the Arts, and a BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She offers workshops, mentorship, and animation publications through a collaborative project called Magician Studio. Amanda uses animation to experiment with choreographic movement, relational ruptures, and the ever present tension between bodies and space. Her work examines experiences of turmoil in mundane spaces; the bedroom, the funeral home, the emotional dance created through chains of physical association. She is fascinated by the porousness of lived experience. Her films consider how our environments exert influence as we reciprocally construct our own world. She hosts Animator Picnics in NYC several times a year (one forthcoming in October). Reach out if you’d like to be added to the email list: [email protected]   Links to points of discussion: Amanda Bonaiuto's Instagram The Animator's Animations Cooking classes at Eataly The Animator's Playlist The Animator's Friend on Instagram Art Shack Bedstuy "Material Worlds: Amanda Bonaiuto" by Case Jernigan with Evergreen Haneen Koraz on Instagram The Animator's Favorites Hedge by Amanda Bonaiuto Anibar Fest Anca Kaboom Animation Festival GLAS Animation Festival   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator based in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation.   Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Microphones provided by SVA MFA Computer arts Special thanks to my mom and dad; Darren Santa Maria; Jose Vargas; Malt Adult; Lisa LaBracio; Andy London; Anna Samo; Kristie Kish.

If you need a bar recommendation, enjoy Lena's encyclopedic knowledge of cool karaoke bars, including the ones that exist only in her mind. Throats Karaoke Bar is the setting of her latest short film Tuna Tartare, which challenges you to be yourself but hotter. Set in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, Tuna Tartare is a trashy, karaoke musical about an expired can of tuna fish and her BFF Susan (a fake Louis Vuitton purse) as they struggle to pursue their artistic dreams in a world that has long since dismissed them. Upcoming screenings include Tuna's NYC premiere at The Downtown Festival on 10/11 at 2:30pm and at the Woodstock Film Festival's Saturday Evening Cartoons block on 10/18 at 4:30pm. Lena Greene is a director, animator, illustrator, storyboard artist and character designer based in NYC. Her work is campy, playful, and absurdist, and her characters are often striving to “make it” in a world that has long since overlooked them. She has directed widely screened animations for Lauren Greenfield, Lana Del Rey, Celeste, Gohar World, Comedy Central’s Saturday Morning(ish) Cartoons, and Blumhouse’s Crypt TV. Lena was a storyboard artist on seasons 1 and 2 of Adult Swim & HBO’s Teenage Euthanasia, season 2 of PBS & Augenblick Studio’s City Island, and a character designer on season 3 of Adult Swim & HBO's Smiling Friends. She has made animations for clients such as Vice, Droga5, Edelman, Gucci, Knoll, Tory Burch and collaborated on four large-scale 3D zoetropes with Camille Henrot. Lena was an adjunct animation professor at Queens College, and is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design where she received a BFA in film, animation and video. Lena hosts a recurring karaoke talent show on Montez Press Radio, which has been highlighted in Document Journal, The New York Times, Frieze, Dazed, Cultured Mag, and the LA Review of Books. Links to points of discussion: Lena Greene's website Lena Greene's Instagram The Downtown Festival - NYC HollyShorts Film Festival - LA Ficus Interfaith on Instagram Earth on Instagram - LA Plank Skate Mag Montez Press Radio Insa - NYC Woodstock Film Festival Miyu Distribution Animest - Romania The Animator's Playlist Planet Rose - NYC Montero's - NYC Winnie's - NYC Singer's - NYC Gogopa - NYC Mary's Crisis Cafe - NYC Asia Roma - NYC The Animator's Favorites The Animator's Friend on Instagram Christopher Rutledge Andrew Onorato on Instagram Lucas Ansell's website The Animator's Animations   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator based in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation.   Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Booking assistance from Luce Grosjean at Miyu Distribution Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Microphones provided by SVA MFA Computer arts Special thanks to my mom and dad; Cynthia Chu; Michael Dondero, Kristie Kish; Darren Santa Maria; Malt Adult and Sarah Schmidt; Montez Press Radio.

The Animator's Friend is live-to-tape at the The Animator's Picnic!  As part of the 2025 Ottawa International Animation Festival (aka my favorite festival)!  After meeting her for the first time at the last OIAF, I asked my fellow media pass girlie Sarah Schmidt of Malt Adult to join me to talk to the good people at The Animator's Picnic!  In true TAF-fashion, we talked a little shit, swooned over our favorite festival picks, and absolutely refused to talk about AI.   Links to points of discussion: Ottawa International Animation Festival Sarah Schmidt's website Sarah Schmidt's Instagram Malt Adult's website Malt Adult's Instagram Adult Swim Smalls DePaul University - Chicago Malt Adult #33 - 11/16/25 Camp Snap Camera Rea Christie's LinkTree RIT MFA Film and Animation The Animator's Favorites Bathroom Girls by Rea Christie The Animator's Animations Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) - Ohio Sublo and Tangy Mustard The Animator's Playlist Aaron Long's LinkTree Jesse Patiences/MallBat's LinkTree 24 memes per second Surviving Animation podcast SVA MFA Visual Narrative - NYC SVA MFA Computer Arts - NYC Emmett Goodman's website Pilar Newton-Katz on Instagram Pilar Newton-Katz's webiste Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel - Ottawa The Animator's Friend on Instagram Sam Gurry's website Lids.com TAF with Signe Baumane and Debra Solomon TAF with Nayon Cho Jumbo's Clown Room - LA Smear Frame Podcast James Thatcher Annapurna Kumar Shapeshifters Cinema - Oakland Animation Brut LA FilmForum Victoria Vincent aka vewn Spencer Moreland's website Barnaby Catterall on TAF Cynthia Chu on TAF Tabitha Fischer on Instagram JHS Pedals Beyond the Bastards podcast Animation Show n Tell on Instagram Hellavision Silverlake Shorts [email protected]   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation.   Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Co-host Sarah Schmidt Travel support provided by Ottawa International Animation Festival and SVA Digital Marketing Intern: Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Ian Ballentine, Chris Robinson...  

In anticipation of the Made in New York: Best of NYC Indie Animation showcase and panel at Metrograph this Saturday (9/13/25, 5pm), I had the opportunity to speak with Signe Baumane and Debra Solomon about the screening, making it in NYC, and 417 Hz YouTube videos. Just as New York has long been the capital of America’s artistically ambitious “Second Cinema,” a scrappy foil to the Los Angelino industry of streamlined entertainment, it is also home to a counter-tradition of independent animation that has nothing to do with what happens out there in Burbank at the House of the Mouse. Two abundantly talented stalwarts of the NYC animation scene, Bill Plympton and Signe Baumane, have teamed to assemble a program of some of the finest (and most outrageous) work to emerge from artists living and working in the Big Apple, and will be coming to Metrograph to introduce a one-of-a-kind evening of stubbornly individualistic toons, with a number of the participating filmmakers also present. Not the sort of stuff you’re likely to catch on Saturday morning, kids! “What makes NYC indie animators so special? Sense of timing. As we scurry from place to place trying to avoid gawking tourists, hungry rats and drag racing vehicles we internalize the sense of adventure and fast pacing, and we bring it to our work. This program showcases just a sliver of the best NYC indie animation: some of the films are Oscar winners, others are made by animation newcomers, but they all share the sense of wonder, adventure and perfect NYC timing to make you laugh, cry and be entertained.” —Signe Baumane Post-screening panel discussion with Chris Wedge, Bill Plympton, Chris Conforti, Lisa LaBracio, Anna Samo, Patrick Smith, Peter Ahern, Alex Budovsky, Candy Kugel, Marilyn Kraemer, Signe Baumane, Debra Solomon, and Morgan Miller on Saturday, September 13th.   Links to points of discussion: Made in New York: Best of NYC Animation showcase and panel on Saturday, September 13th at 5pm Metrograph Signe Baumane's website Karmic Knot Debra Solomon's website Debra Solomon's Facebook Lisa LaBracio on The Animator's Friend Andy London's website Arthur Metcalf's website The Animator's Favorites Kristian Sensini's website Angelika Film Center The Animator's Friend on Instagram The Animator's Animations   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator based in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation.   Credits: Recorded, produced, and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Booking assistance from Kaila Hier Digital marketing assistance from Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Microphones provided by SVA MFA Computer arts Special thanks to Kaila, Michael Dondero, Kristie Kish, Darren Santa Maria, and my mom and dad.

Nayon and I met on a grueling hike in the French alps after a revelrous week at Annecy International Animation Festival, bonding us in a unique way.  I can say for myself, she saw my most bratty, unvarnished self within only hours of meeting, which I can't say for most people! Hear us reminisce. Nayon Cho is an animation director and artist born in Seoul, based in New York. She uses a technique which combines drawings, photographs, cel and computer animation. Experimenting with timing and abstraction in 2D narratives, her works explore themes of gender dynamics and social conditioning. Upon graduating from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Film/Animation/Video, her short films and commissioned works have screened internationally in film festivals, like Ottawa International Animation Film Festival, Pictoplasma, Kaboom Animation Festival, and more. Recently her commissioned piece, “Peekaboo,” made for Hulu IDs won a Webby Award for Craft-Best Use of Animation. She is seeking to collaborate on story-driven projects, she is available for work directing, animating & consulting opportunities.   Links to points of discussion: Nayon's website Hulu IDs Peekaboo Stigma Skincrawlies on YouTube The Animator's Animations Hudson Valley Film Fest Hudson Valley Film Fest on Instagram Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) The Animator's Playlist David De La Fuente's website The Animator's Friend on Instagram   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded, produced, edited by India Lombardi-Bello Digital marketing assistance by Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design and branding by Sawyer Rippon Microphones provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Special thanks to Simon Wilches Castro for introducing me and Nayon; Hsiang Chin Moe; Michael Dondero; Malt Adult; and Mom and Dad.

We're at the drive-in this week for the Hudson Valley Film Festival's 10th Anniversary!  There's no doubt how much this fest loves animation, and they invited me and my friend Kristie Kish to interview selected animators including Ryan Castrillo, Michael McGoldrick, John Quinn, Zac Max, and friends of the pod Arnesh Kundu, Michael Dondero, and Shengnan Dong.  We were also honored to be part of Laura Faith's Filmmakers Journey discussion. The Hudson Valley Film Festival is a grassroots arts fest run by local creatives, featuring a curated and diverse selection of independent, short films screened at the Warwick Drive-In Movie Theater, located only 55 miles from NYC. The festival is in its 10th year and aims to showcase and celebrate independent filmmakers and their films. The festival supports and celebrates indie filmmaking, culture, community, and the local arts scene within the Hudson Valley…and beyond. To my animator friends: do not miss the chance to submit your work for year 11!  The festival lived up to it's promise of taking us into the beyond with their celestial selections, cosmic connections, and a suspiciously well-timed supernova on opening night!     Links to points of discussion: Hudson Valley Film Festival Hudson Valley Film Festival on Instagram Warwick Drive-In Kristie Kish's website Kristie Kish's Instagram Ryan Castrillo on Instagram The Animator's Animations The Animator's Playlist The Animator's Favorites Michael McGoldrick on Instagram Michael McGoldrick on Twitter Babe Alert on NewGrounds C204 Animation Beach Rat Productions on Instagram Beach Rat Productions Shop John Quinn's website John Quinn's Instagram John Quinn's YouTube The Storm trailer Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation, & Technology (PFCAT) Kristie Kish on The Animator's Friend Boys Go to Jupiter trailer Ottawa International Animation Festival Leland Powley on Instagram Zac Max's website Zac Max's Instagram The Callicoon Theater Michael Dondero & Shengnan Dong on The Animator's Friend Nostril's website Michael Dondero's website Michael Dondero's Instagram Shengnan Dong's website Shengnan Dong's Instagram Arnesh Kundu's website Arnesh Kundu's Instagram The Mahoning Drive-In The Animator's Friend on Instagram     The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation.     Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Co-host Kristie Kish Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Travel support provided by the Hudson Valley Film Festival Digital marketing assistance by Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Arnesh Kundu, Hannah Maxwell, Kristie Kish, Laura Faith, Jess Reisch, Ty Opeña, Darren Santa Maria, Jose Vargas, and Malt Adult.

Tala really knows what it means to live life creatively! She blurs the boundaries between her art practice and personal life to lead an existence that feels like a work of art in and of itself. You can experience this rapturous reality by attending one of her many retreats, workshops, and community events! Join her orbit: @talaschlossberg. Tala Rae Schlossberg is an American experimental artist known for her distinct animated style, original voice and inventive storytelling. Her animation practice merges rhythm, wordplay, and systems of logic to construct entirely new ways of seeing. Schlossberg’s distinctive visual language—at once ironic, pastoral, and incisively original—reimagines the relationship between image, meaning, and motion. Links to points of discussion: Tala's Instagram Tala's website Tala's Substack The Animator's Friend on Instagram The Animator's Animations The Animator's Playlist Peephole Cinema on Instagram Hudson Valley Film Fest Hudson Valley Film Fest on Instagram Kristie Kish on The Animator's Friend TAF at Animafest Zagreb TAF at Annecy International Animation Festival School in Sweden I mentioned: Sorangens folkhogskola   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for personal, lighthearted, and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Digital marketing assistance by Arnesh Kundu Music by Cloutmeyer Design and branding by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Bergen Hoff for introducing me to Tala; Kristie Kish; Michael Dondero; Jose Vargas; Malt Adult; and my mom and dad Lisa Lombardi-Bello and Mick Bello

Cynthia and I are passionate about being able to communicate with cockroaches one day, but for now, we'll have to settle on talking to eachother. Listen to us in our middle-of-the-night post-lasagna daze, spiraling over roller-coasters, ghosts, and crystals. Cynthia Chu is a 2D illustrator and cel animator originally from NYC. Her style goes between painterly and moody to silly and simple. Past Clients include Nickelodeon, SONY, Girl Rising, STARZ, MTV, and Court TV.  She is available for freelance Color Design, BG Paint, and 2D Cel Animation. Links to points of discussion: Cynthia's Instagram Cynthia's illustration portfolio TAF at Annecy with Barnaby Catterall Josh Pilch on The Animator's Friend The Animator's Friend on Instagram The Animator's Favorites Annecy International Animation Festival Ottawa International Animation Festival Anne Beal on The Animator's Friend The Animator's Animations The Animator's Playlist   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation.   Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Music by Cloutmeyer Design and branding by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Barnaby Catterall, Lisa Lombardi-Bello and Mick Bello, and AJ Lawrence

We are live-to-tape at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Festival!  Take a pew with me and my friend Barnaby Catterall (who I met at Annecy 8 years ago!) as we chat with Animation Talent Picnic attendees about how well they tan, what animal would play them in a Better Man type biopic of their life, and what they have or have not yet seen at the festival this year.   Links to points of discussion: Barnaby's website Barnaby's Instagram Annecy International Animation Festival Arco Layer Explorer podcast on Youtube The Animator's Animations Alberto Allegri Rodriguez's website Alberto Allegri Rogdriguez's Instagram Potlems on Short of the Week Mikkel Mainz on Instagram Sun Creature Studio Skjaldborn Studios Tales of Alethrion on Youtube ChaO Dragon Striker Hoj Kfir Ben-Dov's website Lee-Yam Naaman's website Lee-Yam Naaman's Instagram Mononoke The Movie The Animation Workshop Pedro Martins Twitch Hlin on Instagram Melissa Raymond Lund's website Royal College of Art Animation MA The Animator's Favorites The Animator's Friend on Instagram   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation.     Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Co-host Barnaby Catterall Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Travel support provided by Annecy International Animation Festival and SVA MFA Computer Arts Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Cynthia Chu; Brent Sievers; Ash Suh; Tracy Liu; my mom and dad Lisa Lombardi-Bello and Mick Bello; Barnaby's mom and dad; Darren Santa Maria.  

In the interest of making new friends while attending Animafest Zagreb this year, I hung out at the festival picnic to record some impromptu conversations. This feels especially meaningful since Animafest is where I got the idea for the podcast this time last year! I was graciously joined by Sawyer Rippon, designer of the TAF logo, to chat with some new buds about Animafest's programming, frogs, and the beauty of the animation community with guests.   Links to points of discussion: Sawyer's website Sawyer's Instagram Animafest Zagreb Bratislava Academy of Performing Arts Alina Koroleva's website Alina Koroleva's Instagram Estonian Academy of Arts Power Rangers Time Force on Tubi Yiyang Sun's website Yiyang Sun's Instagram @rs92221 on Instagram A Night at the Rest Area by Saki Muramoto trailer Ode to Perfume by Maxim Litvinov trailer Rise & Shine Animateka International Animation Festival Kaboom Animation Festival The Animator's Animations The Animator's Favorites The Animator's Friend on Instagram   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation.     Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Co-host Sawyer Rippon Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Travel support provided by Animafest Zagreb and SVA MFA Computer Arts Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Ash Suh for talking about recording at animation festivals with me; either Britt Raes or Tracy Liu for talking about recording specifically at the festival picnics with me; my mom and dad Lisa Lombardi-Bello and Mick Bello; Darren Santa Maria.  

Listen to my chat with my two favorite Annecy Achievers Michael Dondero and Shengnan Dong, whose film Nostril has been programmed into Annecy International Animation Festivals 2025's WTF Block!  If you are going to Annecy, book your ticket for one of the WTF blocks ASAP or rush day of!   Links to points of discussion: Nostril's website Michael Dondero's website Michael Dondero's Instagram Shengnan Dong's website Shengnan Dong's Instagram Annecy International Animation Festival The Animator's Animations The Animator's Favorites The Animator's Playlist Walla Walla Movie Crush Lost Signal Society (Michael's podcast) Woodstock Film Festival Blender The Animator's Friend on Instagram   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation.   Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to my mom and dad Lisa Lombardi-Bello and Mick Bello; Malt Adult and Sarah Schmidt; Darren Santa Maria

Two episodes in one month!? Don't get used to it!... yet. Brent Sievers was in NYC a few weeks ago to receive a Webby for his show The Land of Boggs, becoming the podcast's first Angelino; allaying any blind East Coast/West Coast allegiances with his holistic perspective on the bites, the vibes, and the views. Links to points of discussion: Land of Boggs on Instagram Brent's Instagram The Divide Caleb Wood's website The Animator's Favorites Los Tacos No. 1 Vidiots The Animator's Animations The Animator's Playlist The Animator's Friend on Instagram   The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Music by Cloutmeyer Design by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Lisa Lombardi-Bello, Mick Bello, and Darren Santa Maria

The Animator's Friend reaches Unc Status by having Jasper Lin on the show. In our chat, Jasper does everything in his power to get us both canceled by crowning me the Joe Rogan of Animation, starting animation beef with Oscar winners, and attempting to settle multiple disputes with me on mic.  Jasper is an animator, computer artist, and educator. His work ranges from narrative short films to experimental video and sound pieces, but his interdisciplinary background and DIY work ethic have led him to fill a wide variety of roles in production, design, and academia.  Jasper received an MFA in Computer Art from the School of Visual Arts in 2011 and is an Assistant Professor of Digital Art and Design at Queensborough Community College.  His most recent film The Misprint is now available to stream on Youtube. Links to points of discussion: Jasper's webiste The Misprint Aid distribution in Gaza via Stephanie H. Shih Trans Relocation Support Western Mass Immigration Bond Freedom Fund Jasper's Youtube Jasper's Instagram Nicole Otaola on The Animator's Friend Westside Tavern @there_i_ruined_it on Instagram WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko trailer IFC Center SVA Faculty United: SVA FAC - UAW Zohran for New York City Kurt Vonnegut quote on Humanism The Animator's Playlist The Animator's Friend on Instagram Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Music by Crankin' Cloutmeyer Evans Design and branding by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Lisa Lombardi-Bello and Mick Bello, Darren Santa Maria, Jack Meisterich, Andres Salazar, Jose Vargas, Michael Dondero, Adam Meyers, and Rebecca Huang

Sit poolside with me and Nicole Otaola as we discuss pauses, pivots, persistence, politics, and Jurassic Park.  Nicole is an artist and filmmaker currently based in Miami, FL.  She is a recent graduate of the BFA Animation Program at the School of Visual Arts.  She is an animation generalist, previously at Augenblick Studios - clients including PBS, Netflix, Irony Point, G-Fuel, Toei Animation, and Expensify.  More recently, she worked on City Island PBS Kids as a Production Coordinator.  In addition to animating, illustrating, storyboarding, and compositing, she also likes to make tunes. Links to points of discussion: Nicole's Instagram City Island Miami-Dade Public Library System Josh Pilch on the Animator's Friend The Animator's Favorites The Animator's Animations My Neighbor Totoro Fox Dub The Animator's Playlist The Animator's Friend on Instagram The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Music by Crankin' Cloutmeyer Evans Design and branding by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Sam Lee for introducing me to Nicole, Lisa Lombardi-Bello and Mick Bello, Ro and Scott Hornak, and Kylie Mitchell

I think the theme of my chat with Anne is BALANCE: the balance between creative desires; improvisation and planning; nature and opportunity; perfection and imperfection; Alice in Wonderland and Scar; the artist and the critic. The deep sea angler fish serves as a sublime enactment of this search for harmony. Anne Beal is an award-winning animation filmmaker and multimedia artist whose work merges experimental animation, painting, and sound. Informed by her musical training, she embraces the intuitive elements of cinematic language. Links to points of discussion: Anne's Patreon The Animator's Friend on Instagram The Animator's Playlist Oliver Burkeman's 70% Rule Girls Night Out by Joanna Quinn Rocks In My Pockets by Signe Baumane Consuming Spirits by Chris Sullivan The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Music by Crankin' Cloutmeyer Evans Interstitial music from guitarmaster on freesound.org Design and branding by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Vinay Nandargi, Lisa Labracio, Michael Dondero, Kristie Kish, Darren Santa Maria, Rebecca Huang, my mom and dad Lisa Lombardi-Bello and Mick Bello, Nikolas Fortune Hagen, and Ro and Scott Hornak

This month, I made a new friend! John Morena joined me to talk all the most taboo topics: religion, and the tristate pizza wars. Morena is a Bronx-born animator and art director, currently living in Brooklyn.  His films have been selected by such prestigious festivals Annecy, Ottawa, Hiroshima, Anima Mundi, Animafest Zagreb, and the International Children's Festival. He is currently working on an anthology piece Films for No One which you can keep stay up-to-date with on Instagram. Links to points of discussion: Di Fara Pizza Creepshow 2 Animation Speak/Easy Alphabet by David Lynch I'm Okay by Elizabeth Hobbs Martina Scarpelli Area 52 by John Morena 25 Ways to Quit Smoking by Bill Plympton Your Face by Bill Plympton Beauty in the Grime: An Interview with Independent Animator John Morena by ASIFA-East The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Music by Crankin' Cloutmeyer Evans Design and branding by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Lisa LaBracio for recommending John Morena, Jose Vargas, Michael Dondero, and Nikolas Fortune Hagen

This month, The Animator's Friend is joined by the self-proclaimed Animator's Friend's Friend Josh Pilch. Josh is an animator at Augenblick Studios and has worked on such projects as City Island and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. He has his own improv podcast Big Town Improv which can be found on all major podcast platforms. This lively conversation leaves listeners wondering... is Josh brat? Is Josh a bully? Was Josh really raised amish? You be the judge! Links to points of discussion: City Island (show) Bagel Villa (Brooklyn bakery) The Animator's Playlist Tigre (Manhattan bar) Bruce Blitz The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. In this new series, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation. Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Music by Crankin' Cloutmeyer Evans Design and branding by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Darren Santa Maria, Lisa LaBracio, my parents Lisa Lombardi-Bello and Mick Bello, and Josh for helping me move my couch.

The Animator's Friend is hosted by India Lombardi-Bello, an animation educator at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. In this new podcast, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation. In this episode, India sits down with director and educator Lisa LaBracio to discuss their shared Italian heritage, social norms, failure, chocolate, and Animation Speak/Easy.  Among other things! Links to points of discussion: Anne Beal John Morena Uncle Thomas: Accounting for the Days by Regina Pessoa Tragic story with a Happy ending by Regina Pessoa Feet of Song by Erica Russell Neighbors by Norm McLaren Song Exploder The Animator's Friend's playlist heh Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Music by Crankin' Cloutmeyer Evans Design and branding by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to Ethan Kaplan, Michael Dondero, Adam Meyers, Lisa Lombardi-Bello, and Mick Bello

Welcome to the inaugural episode of "The Animator's Friend," hosted by India Lombardi Bello, an animation educator at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. In this new podcast, India creates a platform where animators get to talk about themselves outside the context of their work. A questionnaire format, inspired by the 24 frames per second of animation, allows for lighthearted and unexpected conversation. In this episode, India sits down with Kristie Kish, an Emmy-nominated director, producer, animato, motion designer, and entrepreneur known for her work with Nat Geo Wild, Sci-Fi, and Nickelodeon. Join India and Kristie for a candid and entertaining discussion that goes beyond the technicalities of animation, offering a glimpse into the personalities and passions that drive this vibrant industry. Whether you're an aspiring animator or simply curious about the world of animation, this episode promises to inspire and engage. Links to points of discussion: Kristie's film The Lonely Island Mother's Milk Walla Walla Movie Crush Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology Animation Speak/Easy @24memespersecond Throat Notes Peter Millard Eric Big Mouth SVA MFA Computer Arts Credits: Recorded and edited by India Lombardi-Bello Produced in part with facilities provided by SVA MFA Computer Arts Music by Crankin' Cloutmeyer Evans Design and branding by Sawyer Rippon Special thanks to my parents, Mick Bello and Lisa Lombardi-Bello, Sam Gray, Darren Santa Maria, Bethia Feldman, Koner and Kaitlin Olcott, Lotte Marie Allen, Michael Dondero, Lila Milgrom, and Misha Savage