We’d like to take a moment to express our deep and genuine appreciation – not only on the occasion of the incredible time we had at FMX – Film & Media Exchange, Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film and Animation Production Days (APDs), with so many wonderful encounters. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, to all our amazing HEROES who have always supported us and made sure that we could grow like this.

Our Cluster Manager Stefanie Larson couldn’t be happier with the diverse group of VFX, animation, games & interactive studios, universities & academies, and events who make up our network. We’ve been fortunate to connect with so many experts in the fields of film, art, creativity, business, technology, research & development, and all things multi- and intermedial. You’re all truly amazing, and we’re so glad to have you with us!

The popular and multiple award-winning animation series ANIMANIMALS was created by Julia Ocker, produced by our HEROES from Studio FILM BILDER, in co-production with SWR and KiKA, and funded by MFG Baden-Württemberg. Until November 30, 2022, one episode can be seen every evening at 18:10 CET on KiKA, afterwards you can find it in the media library.

In each of the 26 new episodes, a different animal faces an absurd adventure that can only happen to them: A piglet, who is cleaning so hard that the whole house is getting a mess. A ladybird, who has a ladybird neighbor, who has too much in common with him. A rhino, who is preparing for a romantic date, but his horn is in the way. A dormouse, who oversleeps his own birthday. And while finding the solution, each animal learns a little lesson about life.

The distributor Meta Media provides information on the international distribution:

Season 2 of the multi award-winning series has already been presold to DR Denmark, NRK Norway, TVO Canada, LTV Latvia and Benshi France. Season 1 has recently been relicensed by Netflix DACH, Disney Japan, Benshi France, SVT Sweden and PTS Taiwan. New sales of Season 1 include Mediacorp Singapore, DR Denmark, LTV Latvia and Daekyo Korea.

Julia Ocker, creator of Animanimals, says: “For me, each production of an Animanimals season is like a typical Animanimals story: Like a typical Animanimal, I stumble and make mistakes. And like an Animanimal, I hope these mistakes are helpful and lead me to a happy ending: That all of you will enjoy the new episodes!“

Thomas Meyer-Hermann, producer of Animanimals, says: “For the films of season 1, there were audience awards at festivals in Athens, Amsterdam, Mexico City, Barcelona, Baden, Singapore, Brussels, New York City, Paris, Lisbon and many more. Season 2 will speak to the whole world again, as it is built on the same strong base: Julia Ocker’s unique style, bright conception of life and generous sense of humor.”

Stefan Pfäffle (KiKA) and Benjamin Manns (SWR) say: “From the very beginning when KiKA and SWR came on board for season 1 we strongly felt that this series had the chance of becoming something extraordinary and something extraordinarily funny, looking at some minor challenges of life from a different angle. In the end it turned out that the series became exactly this. So, we are more than happy to be partner again on season 2 and can’t wait to present the new episodes to our audience.“

Sara Cooper, Founder of Meta Media Entertainment, says “The combination of Julia’s incredible creativity and heartfelt passion for this series combined with Thomas and his team’s production flair continues to result in outstanding work which I’m delighted to be bringing to an ever-growing number of worldwide fans.”

Source: Studio FILM BILDER, Meta Media Entertainment

Animanimals at KiKA: https://www.kika.de/animanimals/buendelgruppe2564.html 

at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/animanimanimals

The next edition of the Unreal Engine Stuttgart Megameetup will take place on November 11, 18:00 CET in the neo.Studio in Ludwigsburg, a fully Unreal-capable virtual production studio with five tracked live cameras. There will be deep insights into the studio technology and the integration of Unreal in the field of live video production, and, as always, delicious food and drinks – and currently (still secret) guest lectures. If you would also like to present your project (whether game, corporate or other media genres) at the Open Stage, please contact them in advance.

Location: neo.Studio, Oscar-Walcker-Straße 15, Ludwigsburg.

Please register in advance at https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/unreal-engine-megameetup-stuttgart/events/288791146/

The event takes place in cooperation with Pulsmacher and our HEROES from b.ReX.

Last week, the first edition of our new networking format AMCRS REEL TALK took place – hosted by our awesome HEROES at jangled nerves, and accompanied by Studio Seufz, b.rex, recom FILM & kaleidoscube! A big thank you goes to everybody for the open and constructive feedback rounds and the wonderful exchange. We’re looking forward to the next REEL TALK edition in spring 2023!

On November 3, 2022 at 19 CET, the AMCRS REEL TALK will take place for the first time – hosted by our HEROES from jangled nerves, Hallstrasse 25, 70376 Stuttgart!

Take the opportunity to pitch your showreel to industry professionals, get valuable tips and interesting contacts on top. And tell your friends!

Please register via contact@amcrs.de.

With the theme /imagine, the eleventh edition of “Raumwelten – Platform for Scenography, Architecture and Media” will take place from November 16 to 18, 2022. The Raumwelten organizers from the Film und Medienfestival gGmbH are breaking new ground in 2022: The leading industry event for spatial communication in Germany will be held in the Raumwelten VR Hub, a digital multi-user experience accessible on mobiles, desktop and in virtual reality. Visitors and attendees can join from anywhere in the world – easily accessable and free of charge. By expanding the project in cyberspace, the event is to experience a significant internationalization, while also offering special opportunities for the regional public. The Raumwelten VR Hub will be enhanced by a pop-up exhibition at the Ludwigsburg Museum, allowing visitors to experience virtual reality on site. The new direction in 2022 will be supported by the new curator Allison Crank, an Award-winning American UX Designer and researcher, who is focusing Raumwelten this year on the theme of immersion and online social experiences that embrace the virtual medium.

Source: Press Release, Raumwelten, September 13, 2022

Complete Press Release

The next Stuttgart Animation Meetup will take place on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 from 19:30 CET in a relaxed atmosphere at Flora & Fauna (U-Bahn Mineralbäder)!

The Stammtisch is open to everyone – whether student, senior artist or newcomer.
Here everyone can talk shop, connect, chat and whoever wants can scribble funny cartoons and characters with the others.

Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/2plhBVQGx

Join the Stuttgart Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/329784908362059

There is also a newsletter with all the new dates (also for the Germany-wide Online Meetup), job postings and other news from the industry. You can subscribe here: http://eepurl.com/hkr1dv

Today, October 9, the world premiere of the animated feature film “My Fairy Troublemaker” (“Meine Chaosfee & Ich”, director: Caroline Origer) took place in Stuttgart’s Innenstadtkinos. The film opens in cinemas across Germany on October 13 – an absolute recommendation! Of course, Maite Woköck (on whose idea the film is based and producer) & Sebastian Runschke (producer) from SERU Animation as well as Stefanie Larson from AMCRS were present at the premiere. We wish every success!

Translation from the press release of the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbh, October 4, 2022

There is personnel news at the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (FMF), which organises the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) and Raumwelten Platform for Scenography, Architecture and Media, among others: Uwe Schmitz-Gielsdorf will take over as managing director with immediate effect for an interim period until May 31, 2023, as the supervisory board of Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH has now announced.

Dieter Krauß, current managing director of the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (FMF), will retire on October 31, 2022 after five successful years with the FMF, but will continue to be available in an advisory capacity for an interim period. Ulrich Wegenast, Artistic Director has already left FMF on September 15, 2022. A call for applications for the long-term management position will be issued in due course.

As a lawyer and business economist, Schmitz-Gielsdorf is very familiar with commercial tasks. His passion and industry expertise for art, culture and theatre underscores his choice as managing director. Most recently, he was head of administration at the Stiftung Kunstmuseum Stuttgart gGmbH (2019-2020), demonstrating his affinity and knowledge of the local but also international art and cultural landscape. As an authorised signatory of the Ludwigsburg Schlossfestspiele (2009-2013) as well as a long-standing member of the management and legal advisor of the RuhrTriennale Internationales Kunstfestival Nordrhein-Westfalen (2002-2009), he brings with him a great deal of experience in festival operations, which will be of great benefit to the 30th anniversary edition of the ITFS in 2023.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to help shape the next 30th Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film as its managing director and at the same time to promote the start of a strategic further development. In addition to the cooperation within the national and international cultural landscape and the associated tasks, I am particularly looking forward to working with the likeable team of the FMF,” says Schmitz-Gielsdorf.

To the complete press release (German) of Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH

The next Stuttgart Animation Meetup will take place on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 from 19:30 CET in a relaxed atmosphere at Flora & Fauna (U-Bahn Mineralbäder)!

The Stammtisch is open to everyone – whether student, senior artist or newcomer.
Here everyone can talk shop, connect, chat and whoever wants can scribble funny cartoons and characters with the others.

Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/29yv8pnMc
Join the Stuttgart Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/329784908362059

There is also a newsletter with all the new dates (also for the Germany-wide Online Meetup), job postings and other news from the industry. You can subscribe here: http://eepurl.com/hkr1dv

We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of filmmaker Gil Alkabetz.

“With his passing, the international animation world loses one of its most important filmmakers and a clever and warm-hearted colleague,” is how Andreas Hykade aptly put it in his obituary on behalf of the Animationsinstitut at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg and AG Animationsfilm.

Gil Alkabetz was already connected to Stuttgart in the nineties through the presentation of his film “Swamp” at the State Academy of Fine Arts and his collaboration with Studio Film Bilder, e.g. for the animations in the feature film “Run Lola Run” as well as the films “Yankale”, “Rubicon” and „Trim Time“. He was a valued friend, companion and colleague of the Stuttgart animation scene.

Our deepest sympathy goes to Gil Alkabetz’s family. Our thoughts are with them and we wish them strength for these difficult times.

Read the full obituary by Andreas Hykade here:

on the Animationsinstitut’s website https://animationsinstitut.de/de/index/zum-tod-von-gil-alkabetz

on the website of the AG Animation https://www.ag-animationsfilm.com/zum-tod-von-gil-alkabetz/

Obituary by ITFS and Uli Wegenast: https://www.itfs.de/news/nachruf-auf-animationskuenstler-gil-alkabetz/

You’ve got a great idea for an IP?

You are developing a new game or interactive format?

You are in the middle of preparing your new animated short film or animated series?

You are a resident of Baden-Württemberg?

The IP Presentation Forum will take place for the fifth time on October 20, 2022. Come by and take the opportunity to present your project to professionals from the industry and to exchange ideas and get advice for the next steps!

Download flyer (PDF)

Register until October 13, 2022! Registration via: contact@amcrs.de

Location: Hospitalhof Stuttgart
Büchsenstr. 33
70174 Stuttgart

Press Release Triggerfish, August 25, 2022

Andreas Peschke, the German ambassador to South Africa, has announced a new partnership between Triggerfish, the Cape Town International Animation Festival (CTIAF) and Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS), Film- and Media Exchange (FMX) and Animation Productions Days.

These leading German animation events – to be held from 25-30 April 2023  – usually attract up to 100,000 industry visitors to Stuttgart. Earlier this year Triggerfish spoke at FMX Stuttgart; to further promote German-South African exchange, a South African delegation of selected animators and creatives will be sponsored to attend next year’s Stuttgart festivals to gain international market exposure, experience and learn new skills. 

This was celebrated at a cocktail event at the German Ambassador’s Residence in Cape Town last night during the 10th Cape Town International Animation Festival, the largest dedicated African animation festival on the continent, now running as part of FAME Week Africa until 26 August 2022.

“We are looking forward to welcoming a delegation of animators from South Africa, in the year of ITFS’s 30th anniversary,” says Andrea Bauer, head of programme at ITFS. “The ITFS has a long relationship with the animation industry in South Africa. As early as 2010, the festival dedicated a country focus to South African artists and their works, and we have a long-standing collaboration with Triggerfish in particular. Furthermore, in 2022, The Animation School gave an online presentation and also showed a selection of films by their students. So we feel that this partnership and the delegation’s stay at ITFS will not only be beneficial to the animators from South Africa, but that the encounters and mutual exchanges will also be of benefit to our local and regional industry.”

Carina Lücke, director of the non-profit Triggerfish Foundation, adds, “As a German who has lived in South Africa for many years, it’s a personal highlight for me to deepen the connection between their animation communities, which have already collaborated successfully on the Oscar-nominated Revolting Rhymes adaptation, which was animated in both countries.” 

The German-South African exchange forms part of an ambitious three-year partnership between Triggerfish, The Walt Disney Company and Employment for Skills and Development in Africa (E4D), a technical assistance programme of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The project objective is to develop the South African animation sector’s value chain to provide a competent and diverse workforce: it is planned to expose 10,000 school leavers to the animation industry; empower 6,000 creatives with enhanced portfolios and market access; and create 200 more jobs.

Gavin Watson, the team leader of E4D, says they’ve identified animation as an industry sector that is attractive to young people and is growing fast. He adds that the opportunities for animators extend outside the traditional film industry, within fields like advertising, app and web design, architecture, engineering, gaming, industrial design, medicine, and the motor industry, not to mention growth sectors like augmented reality and virtual reality. 

ABOUT E4D

Employment and Skills for Development in Africa (E4D) is a regional programme implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). 

GIZ is a global service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work. With over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment, energy and the environment, and peace and security, GIZ works with its partners to develop effective solutions that offer people better prospects and sustainably improve their living conditions.  As a public-benefit federal enterprise, GIZ supports the German Government and many public and private sector clients in around 120 countries in achieving their objectives in international cooperation. 

E4D operates in six target countries in Africa, namely Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. E4D partners with companies and non-profit entities to secure decent jobs, improve the employment situation and build enterprise capacity. E4D together with its partners co-creates forward-thinking solutions integrating technological innovation driving socio-economic change for employment.

Great honour for the VFX scene of the Stuttgart region – on August 8, Dr. Frank Nopper, Lord Mayor of Stuttgart, visited Accenture Song (formerly Mackevision) and got to know the studio and their projects (currently Emmy-nominated for their work on “Lost in Space”, “Foundation” and “Stranger Things”). He was welcomed and accompanied by, among others,
Bernhard Grieb (City of Stuttgart Economic Development), Urs Franzen (Netflix), Heiko Burkhardsmaier & Juri Stanossek (Accenture Song), Carl Bergengruen and Robert Gehring (MFG Baden-Württemberg and our Stefanie Larson.

Next week, Gamescom 2022 will kick off in Cologne. As the world’s largest computer and video games trade fair, it will present and discuss the latest products and developments in the games market from August 24 to 28, 2022. Games companies and young developers from the southwest of Germany will also be there, presenting themselves to a broad audience at the Baden-Württemberg Booth initiated by MFG Baden-Württemberg for the ninth time. Our HEROES from Zeitland media & games from Ludwigsburg can also be visited there. The joint booth can be found from August 24 to 26 in the Business Area at B055-C060, Hall 4.1.

MFG also invites to the Gamescom 2022 Games Pitch BW. On August 26 at 10:00 CET, games publishers can get to know the diversity of the southwest German games scene at the Baden-Württemberg stand. In addition, on August 25 from 15:00 to 17:00 CET, there will be a Consultation Hour on the Games BW Funding Program, which supports developers of high-quality, culturally or educationally significant digital games and innovative, interactive media projects with game character during all phases of the development process.

Further information

Gamescom 2022