“Goober Madness,” an animated short from Columbia College Chicago’s Advanced Production Studio, is earning international recognition with festival selections, nominations, and awards.

The animated short “Goober Madness,” created by students in Columbia College Chicago’s Advanced Production Studio (APS) course, is making a splash on the international festival circuit. The film has already been selected for the Short Shorts Film Festival, Pulse of Animation Festival, and the Barcelona Indie Filmmakers Festival (BARCIFF); nominated for Best Animation and Best Score at the Feel the Reel International Film Festival; and honored with awards including the Award of Merit for Animation at the Best Shorts Competition and Best 2D Animation at the New York Short Animation Festival, where it was also a Student Animation Finalist.  

A Story Sparked by Friendship and Pizza 

Director Taylor Boledovich ’24, who earned her BA in Computer Animation with a minor in Fine Arts, describes the film as “two childhood friends, Mags and Cres, accidentally drink Goob Juice, thrusting them into a psychedelic whirlwind of pizza, pixels, and madness.” The inspiration came directly from her own life. “Mags and Cres are inspired by me and my best friend Fenris, who's basically a brother to me. The Pizza Fart and Jobo came from my time working at Pizza Hut — the original design was an exact replica of the Lisle Pizza Hut where I worked.” 

The team leaned into an eclectic mix of animation styles to bring the chaos to life. “We always knew we wanted to incorporate different animation styles through the psychedelic trip — that was the whole point when I was coming up with the concept,” Boledovich says. Pixel art inspired by “Castlevania,” anime flourishes drawn from “Sailor Moon” and “Demon Slayer,” and a surreal cut-out sequence all contributed to the film’s unpredictable visual energy. 

Collaboration at Scale 

“Goober Madness” was produced as part of APS, Columbia’s capstone-style animation course that mirrors professional studio pipelines from concept development to final delivery. Boledovich directed a large student team across pre-production, storyboarding, animation, compositing, and post. “Probably my biggest struggle as director was knowing when to relent on an idea and when to push for one,” she recalls. “At the beginning of the first semester, Professor Hopkins told us we’d have to leave our egos at the door. That was no joke.” 

The collaborative process was as memorable as the finished film. “Honestly, what I remember most was the late-night Discord calls working on shots and running ideas by each other,” Boledovich says. “We were tired and a bit delirious, but listening to music together was exactly what we needed to push forward. I'll never forget being (on Dischord) at 1 a.m., doing Jobo's silly voice and laughing our butts off.” 

Looking Ahead 

For Boledovich, the project was more than just a class assignment — it was a launchpad. “Being able to work with such a talented, devoted team of artists was the best and most fruitful experience I’ve had as an artist so far,” she says. “I learned how to balance my vision with my teammates’ voices and make something bigger than any one of us could have done alone.” 

The “Goober Madness”team includes more than 20 Columbia students who contributed in roles spanning storyboards, character design, background painting, voice acting, sound design, animation, and compositing. Their work not only earned international recognition but also gave them professional-level experience that will carry forward into their careers. 

The film’s festival circuit continues through April 2026, with more screenings and award opportunities still to come. 

Watch the full film | Hot takes edit 

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