Saturday, June 7, 2025
James Bridges Theater, Melnitz Hall, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
Student Hosts: Waverly Wang & Gina Whitney
Step into a world of imagination at the Animation Extravaganza!
This vibrant annual celebration brings together graduate and undergraduate animation students for a one-of-a-kind showcase of their completed films, Saturday, June 7th.
It’s a night where hard work meets creative brilliance—an opportunity for the students to share their hilarious, heartfelt, and awe-inspiring stories on the big screen. From mesmerizing 3D and hand-drawn works to inventive stop-motion and interactive pieces, these students have pushed the boundaries of the medium in every direction.
Join us as we honor the incredible talent emerging from the UCLA Animation Program at the School of Theater, Film & Television. Plus, don’t miss the presentation of the Crystal Anvil Award, given each year by the students to a trailblazing figure whose work has made a lasting impact on the field of animation.
Program 1 |Down the Rabbit Hole | 6:00pm
An eclectic mix of non-MFA films completed in the Animation Program course 181C and the stop-motion class
Program 2 | Through the Looking Glass | 7:00pm
Crystal Anvil Award Honoree, Student Awards and films from the individual voices of the MFA Animation Program: stop motion, 2D and 3D CG animation
Come for the films—stay for the magic!
Crystal Anvil Award Honoree: Russ Edmonds
Russ Edmonds is a professional animator turned professional storyteller. He is presently working as a story artist but is well recognized for his work as a supervising character animator on many of the Disney classic films. His career spans over three decades and has touched over 25 feature films including Oliver and Company, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tarzan, Atlantis, Winnie the Pooh, The Princess and the Frog, Wonder Park, and The Garfield Movie. He has also owned and operated his own animation studio, Edmonds Studios, where he directed commercials and collaborated with other studios on various smaller projects. He has instructed animation at some of the leading film schools, such as CalArts and UCLA, passing on his knowledge and the knowledge from Disney’s Nine Old Men.
Russ is focusing his energy on pre-production. He has recently worked on storyboarding, character design, visual development, and story development for numerous studios, including Warner Bros. Animation, Paramount Animation, Alcon Entertainment, Kool Produktions, Nickelodeon, and Skydance Animation.
He graduated from California Institute of the Arts with a BA in Fine Arts for Character Animation and from Penn State University with an Associate’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
You can find Russ on any of these platforms:
PATREON https://www.patreon.com/RussEdmondsAnimation
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/@RussEdmondsAnimation
INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/russ.edmonds