Duck & Red Octopus: A Short Funny Stop Action & Animated Film Festival is coming to town!
According to the official website: "On Sept. 22 and 23, the city of Cortland, long celebrated for apples, barbed wire and the guy who invented the gyroscope, will gain new renown when it hosts the “Duck and Red Octopus Short Funny Stop Action and Animated Film Festival.” Finalists from around the world will compete for awards, including Best Stop Action Short and Best Animated Short. There will be workshops, guest speakers, film premieres, director Q&As and more, including a stand-up comedy concert by Bobcat Goldthwait."
Excited?! Us too! Below, we'll break down the festival schedule so you know where and where to find the laughs.
WHEN: September 22 & 23
WHERE: Ake Gallery at 165 Main Street, Cortland NY
ADMISSION: Festival admission: $5 Bobcat Goldthwait concert: $20
FRIDAY NIGHT
ART RECEPTION & COCKTAIL PARTY 5-9PM
Duck and Red Octopus Fest opens with an art reception for CatDog creator Peter Hannan. Enjoy sips and nibbles while you tour his wonderfully weird works. This CNY native artist's meet and greet promises to be an uproarously good time. Currently, he works as a writer, producer, creator, author/illustrator, and artist. Don't miss your chance to own an original, hysterical work by Peter Hannan.
BOBCAT COMEDY CONCERT 7-9PM
CNY local, Bobcat, is slaying audiences with a killer intimate performance at Ake Gallery at 7pm! Don't miss this incredible opportunity to get up close and personal with Syracuse native Robert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait; actor, comedian, director and screenwriter known for his frenetic stand-up comedy act. Bobcat came to prominence with his stand-up specials; An Evening with Bobcat Goldthwait—Share the Warmth and Bob Goldthwait—Is He Like That All the Time? Let's not forget his hysterical acting roles, including Zed in the Police Academy Franchise, Shakes The Clown and Eliot Loudermilk in Scrooged. The show is $20 per person. Limited tickets are available here.
SATURDAY
FINALIST FILM SCREENING NOON-3PM
Over 2000 entries were submitted for the Duck & Red Octopus Short Funny Stop Action & Animated Film Festival. Stop action and animated films poured in from all over the world, making distilling the section down to 42 finalists a tough job for all the judges. This year's judges include such famous comedic minds as Tom Kenny, actor/comedian and voice of SpongeBob SquarePants. And of course, Peter Hannan, creator of the Nickelodeon series CatDog and “Bobcat” Goldthwait will join in. Jonathan Katz, an actor and comedian best known for his starring role in the animated sitcom Dr. Katz and Gene Grillo, a writer best known for the animated series Teen Titans Go!, Back At The Barnyard, Kung Fu Panda: Legends Of Awesomeness, Scoob, Jimmy Neutron, and Johnny Bravo will be joining the panel. Other judges include Ron Lynch, stand-up comedian, writer and actor most famous for Corporate, Comedy Bang! Bang! and Portlandia as well as Martin Olson, an Emmy-nominated comedy writer, television producer, author and composer best known for Rocko’s Modern Life and Phineas and Ferb. Jonathan Katz, an actor and comedian best known for his starring role in the animated sitcom Dr. Katz will be joined by Michelle LoGerfo and Chris Xaver. Homer native, and founder of Fantasma House, Peter J. Hartsock rounds out the judge's panel.
OPEN Q. & A. 3-4PM
Enquiring minds want to know, and here is your chance to discover just what goes into creating comedic gold. This Q&A panel will be filled with animation industry creators, including some of the aforementioned judges who can shed insight behind the scenes.
AWARDS CEREMONY 4-5PM
It's the moment we've all been waiting for: the Duck & Red Octopus Short Funny Stop Action & Animated Film Festival Animation Award Ceremony!
Jury prizes in the following categories:
Best Stop Action Short
Best Animated Short
Funniest Stop Action Short
Funniest Animated Short
Best Under 1 Minute Animated Short
Best Under 1 Minute Stop Action Short
Best Short From Central New York
Best Youth Short From Central New York
Festival Audience Favorite Stop Action
Festival Audience Favorite Animated
The Totally Unfair Insider and Nepotism Award
All finalists who attend the festival will receive The Coveted Pat On The Back Award.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT Duck and Red Octopus – Short Funny Stop-Action and Animated Film Festival
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