New London — Pat Regan, a 22-year-old animator for the downtown video production company Astor Place, will be one of several filmmakers featured Friday at the Hygienic Art Show's annual Screening Room Film Festival.

Regan's 2-minute animation, titled "The Legends & Lore of Avolonia," will have its premiere during the festival, which takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Crocker House ballroom on State Street. The festival is sponsored by Regan's employer.

Regan said he did sketches for his animation using carbon pencils and then added other effects using watercolors. Curt Ramm, who does sound design for Astor Place and has toured in the past as a horn player for rock 'n' roll legend Bruce Springsteen, volunteered to add rhythmic and musical effects.

"Now it sounds better than it looks," Regan joked.

A 2012 graduate of St. Bernard in Montville and a New London resident since birth, Regan enjoys illustrating fantasy worlds but also has a penchant for landscapes and seascapes.

The Hartford Art School graduate interned at Astor Place, located in the Harris Building on State Street, during his senior year of college, then started working there full time last May. Regan focused on traditional illustration and art history during college, but quickly picked up digital skills in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and After Effects.

"He was a very talented illustrator with a unique style kind of on the dark side," said Ralph Belfiglio, creative director at Astor Place. "We hired him full time as soon as he graduated, and he now handles full jobs for some of our major clients."

Regan, who has said he could work at Astor Place forever, is enthusiastic about the future for his native city.

"I love New London," Regan said. "There's so much talent down here for a small city."

l.howard@theday.com