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
• Estonian Academy of Arts
• 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 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.