Becka Barker - Emerging Artists Development
Becka Barker is an interdisciplinary artist and educator who has taught animation in a
wide variety of contexts including public schools and universities in Canada and Korea,
film festivals, and community-driven organizations. She is regular part-time faculty at
NSCAD teaching animation, film, and design.
Sobaz Benjamin - Outreach
Sobaz is a storyteller, and Founder/Executive Director of an arts-based, nonprofit in Halifax, called In My Own Voice (iMOVe) Arts Association. He is a documentary filmmaker, a community developer, advocate, mentor, program director, facilitator and public speaker. His films have screened across Canada and in festivals in New Zealand, Bermuda and New York. He has completed documentaries for the NFB and the CBC. Sobaz uses his experience as a filmmaker in his community-based work with marginalized youth, adults and community.
Shannon Brownlee - Panels & Q&As
Shannon Brownlee teaches in the Cinema and Media Studies program and the Gender and Women’s Studies program at Dalhousie University. Her research areas include animated film, with an emphasis on stop-motion animation. She is passionate about public outreach and social justice activism through film screenings and festival events.
Siloën Daley - Artistic Director
Siloën Daley is at home with a studio where something is always in the works. Her short expressionistic animated films have screened internationally. As founder and director of both Halifax's art house cinema, Carbon Arc, and The Animation Festival of Halifax, Siloën enjoys regularly watching films with the cultural community.
Dylan Edwards - Education & Career Development
Dylan Edwards has been working in the animation industry for many years at DHX, CBC, Halifax Film, Copernicus Studios and as a freelancer. Dylan has taught animation, storyboarding and drawing at the Centre for Art and Technology & daVinci College and has been an animation mentor for the Centre for Art Tapes. His independent animation work has been selected for festivals and television.
Rachel Franco - Programmer
Rachel is a Producer at Halifax's Jam Filled Entertainment, and has an Honours Degree in Dance. She worked as a motion capture artist and green screen performer for animated and hybrid projects. She developed a unique Movement for Animation workshop in 2012 and has taught it at 2D and 3D studios in Vancouver, Toronto, and Halifax.
Kenny Lewis - Technical Assistance
Kenny Lewis is the Chair of Carbon Arc’s Board of Directors. He has over 30 years experience as an audio visual technician supporting artists and arts organizations.
Jenna Marks - Shorts Programmer & Animation Circus Facilitator
Jenna Marks is a filmmaker residing in Nova Scotia, Canada whose work is greatly inspired by the world around her and from her own experiences. Her films are often visual poems inspired by a single moment in her life. Jenna’s films have played internationally and have gained awards at Germany’s, Internationale Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart and Canada’s own Atlantic Film Festival.
Fallen Matthews - Programmer
Fallen Matthews is an interdisciplinary doctorate candidate whose main subject of interest is Cinema and Media studies at Dalhousie University. During the mid-90s, Animania fostered her love for Canadian animation. Her specialties are psychoanalytic film theory, artificial intelligence, brutalism, literature, and mythology.
Illustration by Mary Syloria
Gökçe On - Design, Marketing & Programming Associate
Gökçe is originally from İzmir, Türkiye. In 2019, they moved to Kjipuktuk to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Dalhousie University. Attaining her BA with a double major in Cinema & Media Studies and Psychology, they are now a second-year Master of Journalism candidate at the University of King’s College.
Growing up Gökçe was involved with various art forms, expanding from photography to theatre. They still practice in multiple mediums including film, as well as doing critique, curating and facilitating work.
Gökçe’s practices are centred around the intertwining complexities of human identity, behaviour and expression. Recently described as someone in love with love, it’s no surprise Gökçe loves all things art. On any given day they can be found watching the sunset, short films, or telling stories in excruciating detail.
Nicole Oldreive - Volunteer Coordinator
Nicole is a Production Coordinator at IoM Media, where she assists with the day to day operations and project management of animated series. As a coordinator Nicole has had the opportunity to work on several locally produced childrens and preschool series.
Phillip Stamp - Industry Liáson
Phillip Stamp, Island of Misfits Vice President, has a career encompassing more than two decades in film and TV production. His diverse background includes writing, directing both live action and animation, executive producing, producing, managing studios and overseeing multiple productions.