Unreal Engine Stuttgart Megameetup #4 on April 11 in Heilbronn!
The MegaMeetup is back! This time with a special edition. Together with the Programming School 42heilbronn and the AI Salon, this edition is about the intersection between artificial intelligence, digital art and interactive media, made with Unreal Engine. Because one thing is certain: real-time engines like Unreal will also become even more efficient creation tools in the future through interfaces or onboard functions with smart algorithms: Who knows, maybe ChatGPT will soon be able to develop blueprints?
The meeting takes place on April 11, 2023, at 18.00 CET on site at 42heilbronn (Weipertstraße 8-10, Heilbronn, easy to reach by bus / train or car). Besides keynote speeches and exhibits, the focus will again be on food, drinks and networking. A detailed agenda with speakers will be provided later.
“Cursed Children” successfully pitched at Cartoon Movie 2023!
Photo: Cartoon Movie 2023
At Cartoon Movie in Bordeaux, Matisse Gonzales Jordán (Director and Author) and Stefan Michel (Producer Studio Seufz) pitched the 2D animated feature film project “Cursed Children” (“Condenaditos“) – very successfully with a lot of applause in between! Congratulations!
The TechTalks Stuttgart event series presents technical topics from the fields of visual effects (VFX) and animation for scientists, creative professionals, students and the interested public. After the keynote speeches, people can spontaneously take to the microphone on their own behalf. The next event will take place on March 28, 2023, at 18:00 CET at Das Gutbrod, Friedrichstr. 11, 70174 Stuttgart. Admission is free!
Please register in advance at contact@amcrs.de. Please note: The event will be recorded, but is not hybrid.
Program Schedule:
„Winkelauflösung einer simulierten Lichtfeldanzeige. (Angular resolution of a simulated light field display.)“ | Sophie Kergaßner, Audiovisual Media (M. Eng.) at Stuttgart Media University
Sophie Kergaßner is currently working on her master’s thesis at Stuttgart Media University. In this context, she recently published a paper on “Bewertung der Winkelauflösung einer simulierten Lichtfeldanzeige im Hinblick auf Dreidimensionalität, Bewegungsparallaxe und Seherlebnis (Evaluating the angular resolution of a simulated light field display with regard to three-dimensionality, motion parallax and visual experience)“, which she will present to us.
„VFX Creature Rigging und Simulation. (VFX Creature Rigging and Simulation.)“ | Lukas Kapp, Freelance Creature TD // Student at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Lukas Kapp studies Technical Directing at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut. He presents his work on creature rigging and simulation for the Ghoul project (VES Award 2023 for “Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project”). As part of his research at Filmakademie, he is also working on the use of artificial intelligence for rigging tasks.
TechTalks Stuttgart is an initiative of the following institutions:
This event is for all people interested in film, TV and the science behind moving images. For the creatives, technical pioneers and students who are looking forward to a career in those fields.
How will films and TV shows be produced with new technologies in the future? What new skills will we need in the process? How will virtual worlds, visual effects and animations be created and which experience and knowledge is useful in production? International speakers from the film & tv industry will discuss these questions during the event on the topics of virtual production, high dynamic range and wide color gamut.
Pablo Garcia Soriano and Nick Shaw about the creation of the NBU-LUTs used for HDR-SDR simulcast In the FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022. Christina Caspers-Römer and Christian Kaestner from the “1899” Netflix Series will speak about their studio setup and the challenges of Virtual Production. Presenters from Pixomondo will give insights to their very own workflows for Virtual Production. International cinematographers like Philippe Ros (AFC, ITC), Dave Stump (ASC, ITC), Daniel Schua, and colorists as Julia Leber, Dirk Meier (CSI, BVK, ITC) and Steffen Paul (“1899”) will give insights to their experiences in LED-lighting, cinema productions or commercials.
Next Pre Fixe with Animation Lounge on March 13 with Michael Scholz (halbautomaten)
Theater Rampe
Together with the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (organizer of Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film) and the AMCRS, MFG organizes the Pre Fixe with Animation Lounge as a prelude to the monthly network meeting of the film industry (Jour Fixe), at which speakers from the animation film scene report on current projects using practical examples and provide insights into their work.
(c) Michael Scholz
On March 13, 2023 at 18:00 CET, Michael Scholz (Founder/ Creative Director of halbautomaten) will talk about „KINETARIUM – MULTIPLAYER-PLANETARIUM“
Kinetarium is a platform for interactive full-dome games that can be played by hundreds of players simultaneously. Each player can directly intervene in the dome projection with his/her smartphone. Playing the games is not only fun, but also offers the opportunity to experience scientific topics in a new way. The players can decide whether they want to play as a team, in competition, in alliances or in chaos. Each game plays out differently.
The event will take place at Theater Rampe, Filderstraße 47, 70180 Stuttgart, and is free of charge.
The Jour Fixe offers a unique opportunity for exchange and networking with the MFG Unit Film Funding team. All participants are cordially invited to join the subsequent Jour Fixe starting at 19:00 CET.
February 25, 2023
SAVE THE DATE, April 18, 2023: Panel Discussion “Medienproduktion der Zukunft”
Image: NEOSHIN – Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Media production is undergoing profound changes that make a move towards innovative and technologically savvy production structures inevitable.
With topics such as mixed reality studios, virtual production with digitally prepared film locations, artificial intelligence as well as expanded LED technology, new possibilities are being created for film and media productions – especially in the area of moving image media. All sectors benefit from this, such as cinema, documentary and animated film, journalistic formats and live reporting. But new opportunities are also opening up for the visual effects (VFX) industry and, not least, for advertising film, which the region must take advantage of if it is not to lose out nationally and internationally in the field of media production.
What:Standortdialog „Medienproduktion der Zukunft“ (the panel discussion will be held in German) When: Tuesday April 18, April 2023 / 10:00-17:00 CET Where: Garage 229 / Haußmannstr. 229 / 70188 Stuttgart About: Focus on film and media production Technical Infrastructure / Shortage of skilled workers / Strengthening the production landscape and film and media funding / Technical research and development An event by: Film Commission Region Stuttgart / WRS Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation
The Center for Media Competence and the Chair of Audiovisual Media, Film and Television at the Institute of Media Studies at the University of Tübingen have been commissioned by the WRS Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation to produce acurrent qualitative study on the media production of the future in the moving image sector, which provides recommendations for action for the Stuttgart Region as a business location.
VES AWARD for Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg Production!
Press Release Animationsinstitut, Ludwigsburg, February 16, 2023
THE GHOUL PROJECT from A CALLING. FROM THE DESERT. TO THE SEA. Animationsinstitut, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
The production A CALLING. FROM THE DESERT. TO THE SEA by the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg wins the VES Award 2023 in the category “Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project“. Students of the Animationsinstitut created the visual effects (VFX) of the short film. Mario Bertsch (VFX Supervisor), Max Pollmann (VFX Producer), Lukas Löffler (Compositing Lead), and Till Sander-Titgemeyer (Creature Lead) accepted the award last night in Los Angeles on behalf of the entire team.
A CALLING. FROM THE DESERT. TO THE SEA tells the story of the sisters Ahlam and Yasmin, who defy the set boundaries and customs of their father. In order to reach a mystical sea, however, they first must face an enemy from within.
The visual effects team, which also includes Pascal Schober (Technical Director), Lukas Kapp (Rigging TD) and Lennard Fricke (VFX Producer), created the monster “The Ghoul” for the film. It took over two years to design the computer-animated creature, for which the team drew inspiration from the anatomy of humans, ostriches, caimans and dinosaurs. In addition, the students simulated the monster’s hair, spit and muscles.
The VFX team particularly praises the spirit within the project team: “Not only did we achieve our goal of seamlessly integrating a photorealistic creature into the film, but we are also incredibly happy to have worked with so many talented VFX artists. Of course, this holds true for the fantastic main production team around director Murad Abu Eisheh and producer Malin Krüger as well.”
Murad Abu Eisheh (Writer and Director), winner of the Student Academy Award in Gold, adds: “In this film, I wanted to create a mix of reality and fantasy that usually only exists in a child’s imagination. In doing so, I wanted to deal with my own experiences growing up in a society that tries to control your choices and free will from a young age.“
The excitement at the Filmakademie in Ludwigsburg is obviously enormous. Professor Juri Stanossek, senior lecturer for Visual Effects at the Animationsinstitut, emphasizes: “The VES Award is highly deserved. Congratulations to a great team that stands out for its excellent synergy, diligence, and talent.“
The VES Awards are considered the most important award in the VFX sector after the Oscars.
With the triumph of A CALLING. FROM THE DESERT. TO THE SEA, a total of ten productions with the direct involvement of the Animationsinstitut have now won a VES Award. The Animationsinstitut and the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg congratulate the entire team on this great success.
Description of the project: MAX-R aims to define, develop, validate and demonstrate a complete pipeline of tools for making, processing and delivering maximum-quality XR content. The pipeline will be based on open APIs, open file and data transfer formats which enable the development, and support the integration, of new tools. We will build on research and advances in VP technologies to develop real-time processes and tools that deliver better quality, greater efficiency, ease of use and interoperability between proprietary and open-source software. The new tools and processes will deliver enhanced interactivity, and novel content based on XR media data. A real-time pipeline based on open standards, creating pathways to further innovation, will launch a new era in the production of XR media.
The interdisciplinary Consortium of eleven partners (lead by Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona) from five countries covers the chain from technology development and product innovation to creative experiment and demonstration, and from XR media creation to delivery to the final consumer. It is built around Europe’s leading media technology developers, together with creative organisations operating in AR/VR/MR, Virtual Production, interactive games, new media, TV, video and news, multimedia and immersive performance.
Applications are open to teams of two who are either animation students from international film and art schools or freelance animators and animation producers, and also not older than 30 years. Within 48 hours, up to six teams will develop a short animated film (30 seconds to a maximum of 2 minutes) around the ITFS mascot Trixi during the festival. The competition will take place online between Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 12 noon and Friday, April 28, 2023 at 12 noon.
A jury selected by the festival management will choose the winning film. The winning team will be appointed to the ITFS 2024 48h Jam jury and will receive an invitation to next year’s festival.
As part of the event series “HFM x Arthaus“, the Haus für Film und Medien e.V. will show the anime “Metropolis (Robotic Angel)” by Rintaro on February 8 at 20:00 CET. Rintaro’s anime “Metropolis” is based on a 1949 manga by Japanese artist Osamu Tezuka.
Prior to the screening, the curator and producer of the exhibition Anime Architecture, Stefan Riekeles, will give an introductory talk on Anime Architecture: Imagined Worlds and Endless Megacities (also published by Thames & Hudson in 2020). Afterwards, there will be the opportunity for a discussion. Moderated by Ulrich Wegenast.
Location: Atelier am Bollwerk, Hohe Str. 26, 70176 Stuttgart, Germany
In cooperation with the Arthaus Filmtheater Stuttgart, the HFM presents the film series HFM x Arthaus, taking place every second Wednesday of the month until summer 2023.
