Allentown Film Festival to Show Art + Media + Design Animated Short

East Stroudsburg University will be represented at the 2025 Allentown Film Festival with an animated short created by Art + Media + Design program students. “Figure Swizzles Stick” is scheduled to be shown at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 11, at the Civic Theatre of Allentown.

The short, created under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Art + Media + Design Damian Thorn-Hauswirth, originated as a classroom exercise in gesture drawing during Thorn-Hauswirth’s Fall 2024 Basic Drawing course.

Thorn-Hauswirth, a seasoned animator, instructed students to quickly sketch five distinct walking poses, each held for 20 seconds. These sketches were later photographed and sequenced to music, resulting in “Figure Swizzles Stick.”

The title combines “Stick Figure” with “Swizzles,” referencing both a computer graphics technique and mixed drinks. The project aimed to merge traditional drawing methods with digital animation, encouraging students to explore new creative approaches.

Students who contributed to the animation include Saja Abuolba, Victoria Angelino, Wilbur Benge, Ava Farish, Jackie Gladen, Carolyn Langer, Nora Ricker, Autumn Robbins, Kayla Sabree, Emily Snay and Jeremiah Wright.

Thorn-Hauswirth, who joined ESU in 2024 after more than a decade in the animation industry, previously worked on 3D visual effects for Walt Disney theme parks and motion graphics for the Phillips art auction house.

The Allentown Film Festival runs from April 10-13.

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