Carn-Evil International Animation Day 2021 @ ICAT, Chennai

This year’s celebration of International Animation Day by the Animation Department of ICAT Design and Media College took place under the theme “Carn-Evil”, showcasing a haunted carnival within the walls of the college.

October 28th dawned a damp and rainy day, but the entrance tent stood steadfast, welcoming all visitors to CARNEVIL. On entering the hallway into the main building, a hooded figure stood menacingly showing the way into a darkened corridor with torn clothes strung across the ceiling, as though one were passing through a broken down backstage wardrobe filled with costumes of long-gone circus performers.

We emerged into an open area with bodies hanging overhead and the sudden sounds of a cage rattling and a fiery beast’s heavy breathing right beside us as we were confronted with an undead lion throwing itself against a cage. Ahead, yet another hooded figure stood with a tray full of cotton candy and popcorn, with a large octopus emerging from the wall behind him, the words CARNEVIL strung over his head, beckoning us to the show ahead.

Students milled around the beautiful dressing table setup, taking multiple pictures against a backdrop of skeletons tied up next to a large spider suspended from a life-sized web, as music hummed in the background. The darkened hallway opened up into the brightly-lit Seminar Hall, where the main prized events took place alongside carnival characters captured as 2D art and trapped behind bars.

Upstairs, we climb past a miniature Ferris wheel to the 1st floor classroom with carnival games arranged in stalls in a curved carousel formation, lit by fairy lights and gentle merry-go-round music setting the mood. This is where the main crowd gathered - everyone loved games and there were long lines waiting to try their hand at tossing rings or plastic balls in an attempt to win small prizes of chocolates along with a healthy dose of self-satisfaction.

The day concluded with a prize-giving ceremony where all those who won at events were given awards by alumni of the department, after which the department patted themselves on the back with a large cake-cutting ceremony, congratulating themselves on overcoming obstacles and conducting a good enjoyable day for all those who visited.