Last week, the winners of the VES Awards 2025 were announced! The Visual Effects Society’s prestigious annual celebration recognizes outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation worldwide and the VFX supervisors, VFX producers and hands-on artists who bring this work to life.
Among the winners are also AMCRS members. The award in the category OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN AN EPISODE went to “The Penguin; After Hours“. The winning team includes, among others, Karen Cheng from PIXOMONDO as well as Jonas Stuckenbrock from Accenture Song VFX, who is also a graduate of the Merz Akademie. We congratulate them and are thrilled for all the winners!
Filmschau Baden-Württemberg (December 4 to 8, 2024)
The Filmschau Baden-Württemberg, the state film festival in Stuttgart, takes place annually over five days at the beginning of December in Stuttgart’s Innenstadtkinos – this year it celebrates its 30th anniversary from December 4 to 8. Around 120 films are presented by professionals from the industry and up-and-coming filmmakers from Baden-Württemberg’s film schools. Feature films, short films, animated films, documentaries and commercials will be shown, including many premieres.
It is organized by the Filmbüro Baden-Württemberg e.V.. In the competition for the Baden-Württembergischer Filmpreis, the best productions are awarded by five three-member expert juries in the categories Best Feature Film, Best Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Animated Film and Best Commercial Film. Prizes with a total value of up to 10,000 euros are awarded.
Members of the AMCRS are also strongly represented in the program, including numerous projects by alumni and students of Baden-Württemberg’s film and media academies and universities.
Animationsinstitut of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg: CERVUS ROSTRATUS (Director: Tobias Eckerlin), CONTRADICTION OF EMPTINESS (Director: Irina Rubina), DEAD END (Director: Fabienne Prieß, Levin Tamoj), DETLEV (Director: Ferdinand Ehrhardt), PEAR GARDEN (Director: Shadab Shayegan), KRONOS (Director: Lasse Falk, Haiyang Liu), IN A TIME WARP (Director: Anh Tú Nguyen), THE DEEP ABOVE – FIRST HUNT (Director: Niklas Wolff), KAULQUAPPE (Director: Julia Skala), MIND THE GAP (Director: Gwenola Heck), TURMSPRINGER (Director: Oscar Bittner) …
Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart: OUT THERE (Director: Ben Marquardt), AUSGELIEFERT (Director: Mauriz Thabo Röckle), FROGGING HELL (Director: Louis Reichardt), KINNHAKENHANK (Director: Sebastian Greim) (all HdM films)
Studio FILM BILDER: ANIMANIMUSICAL (Director: Julia Ocker), FRITZI UND SOPHIE – GRENZENLOSE FREUNDSCHAFT; EPISODE 4: BEINAHE VERHAFTET (Director: Ralf Kukula, Matthias Buhn, Thomas Meyer‐Hermann)
LAVAlabs (VFX): CRANKO (Director: Prof. Dr. Joachim A. Lang)
In the supporting program, the Schnupperkino awaits the youngest moviegoers with a short film reel featuring ANIMANIMALS, MEIN TIER AUF DER SCHMUSEDECKE and TOM UND DAS ERDBEERMARMELADEBROT MIT HONIG (all Studio FILM BILDER).
The new category “Best Visual Effects (VFX)” focuses on the area of the film industry in the southwest, which has achieved a leading position creatively and economically in Germany and throughout Europe. The nominees: CRANKO – Rolf Muetze (VFX Supervisor), Juri Stanossek (Associate VFX Supervisor) and Alexandra Stautmeister (VFX Producer) (LAVAlabs), AVATAR – THE LAST AIRBENDER – Emanuel Fuchs (VFX Supervisor), Gus Martinez (VFX supervisor) and Amelie Dillig (VFX producer) (Accenture Song VFX), BLUE BEETLE – RISE FX, GHOSTED – RISE FX
Our Creators @ FMX and ITFS on Tuesday, April 23, 2024!
Let’s get started with STUTTGART ANIMATED WEEK2024, during which animation, VFX and games fans and professionals from all over the world will come together in Stuttgart to experience and exchange the latest trends, most impressive projects and most exciting stories: FMX – Film & Media Exchange (April 23-26, 2024), the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (April 23-28, 2024) and the Animation Production Days (April 23-25, 2024) will take place! We could hardly wait!
10:00-18:00 FMX, Foyer Bertha Benz Immersive XR Demos Track “EU XR” curated by Volker Helzle, Animationsinstitut / FABW EMIL: FABW – Fate of the Minotaur: Alexander Kreische, Andreas Dahn, Eduard Schäfer, Justus Blönnigen, Leszek Plichta, Lisa Forelli, Simon Spielmann, Volker Helzle, Yvonne Krühler Pixelcloud – Climate Change VR: Christoph Rasulis, Elija Schneider, Jonas Kirchner MAX-R: FABW – VPET (Digital Locations) & AnimHost: Alexandru Tufis-Schwartz, Francesco Andreussi, Jonas Trottnow, Simon Haag, Simon Spielmann, Volker Helzle https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2024/detail/event/29798
14:30 FMX Meidinger-Saal Immersive Artwork: Pushing the boundaries of location based entertainment Track “Games & Beyond” curated by Anna Brinkschulte, Animationsinstitut / FABW https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2024/detail/event/28782
15:45 FMX Meidinger-Saal, VOD Creating The Blackwall VFX for Cyberpunk 2077 : Phantom Liberty Track “Games & Beyond” curated by Anna Brinkschulte, Animationsinstitut / FABW https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2024/detail/event/28881
16:00-19:30 ITFS Königsbau-Passagen GameZone „The Bear – A Story from the WORLD OF GRA“ (by ITFS/FMX/APD Trailer Team) Animationsinstitut Alumni (Mucks! Games) https://www.itfs.de/en/events/gamezone/
17:00 FMX Meidinger-Saal, VOD THE BEAR – Making Meaningful Mobile Games and Designing for Calmness Animationsinstitut Alumni Clara Deitmar, Julius Dorsel (Mucks! Games, FMX/ITFS/APD 2024 trailer team) Track “Games & Beyond” curated by Anna Brinkschulte, Animationsinstitut / FABW https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2024/detail/event/28880
Among the nominees are also AMCRSHEROES! In the “Best Visual Effects” category, Apollonia Hartmann and Jan Burda from Accenture Song #VFX as well as Juri Stanossek (LAVAlabs) and their teams can hope for the coveted LOLA for their work on the MFG-funded film “Girl You Know It’s True”. The film, which deals with the rise and sudden fall of pop duo Milli Vanilli in the 1980s, is also nominated in the categories “Best Production Design”, “Best Costume Design” and “Best Make-up Design”.
Also nominated in the “Best Visual Effects” category are Animationsinstitut alumni Kariem Saleh and Adrian Meyer for their work on “Die Theorie von allem” (The Universal Theory). The film is also on the list of nominees for “Best Feature Film” and “Best Director”.
The LOLA winners will be announced on May 3, 2024. We are keeping our fingers crossed for all nominees!
The Digitalgipfel Wirtschaft 4.0 BW (Digital Summit Economy 4.0 BW) 2023 presents valuable impulses around the topic of digitization and the latest future technologies under the motto NEW PATTERNS TO GO DIGITAL. Beginners and professionals in digitization, traditional industries and high-tech startups, multipliers, science and companies are all welcome.
It will take place on Thursday, June 22, 2023 from 9:00-18:00 CET at Porsche Arena, Mercedesstraße 69, 70372 Stuttgart. Admission is free, but registration is requested via https://digitalgipfelbw-2023-anmeldung.de/en.html.
The program includes presentations by top-class speakers on several stages, topic-specific workshop sessions with experts, and numerous networking opportunities.
16:55 EXTENDED REALITY IN FILM, VFX UND ANIMATION – WIE WERDEN DIGITALISIERUNG UND TECHNOLOGISCHE INNOVATION DIE INHALTE VON MORGEN BEEINFLUSSEN? Prof. Volker Helzle, Head of R&D Animationsinstitut at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
14:00-16:00 Uhr Impulse mit Expertengespräch zu virtuellen Räumen für Begegnungskommunikation Christian Laurin (Head of Production), inverve studios, Gerald Bumann (CEO Strategy & Consulting), Stoll von Gáti, and Marc Schleiss (Creative Director / Head of media creation), jangled nerves The workshop is organized by MFG Baden-Württemberg with the Animation Media Cluster Region Stuttgart and supported by the Referat IKT und Kreativwirtschaft des Ministeriums für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Tourismus Baden-Württemberg. More info: https://kreativ.mfg.de/veranstaltungen/detailseite/1664-digitalgipfel-2023-wirtschaft-40-bw/
10:00 CET FMX König-Karl-Halle Realtime Worlds: Tips and Tricks for Creating Stunning Visuals in Camera and Post Nathan Larouche, VFX Supervisor, Mark Dauth, Compositor, Pixomondo https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26096
12:30 CET FMX Bertha-Benz-Saal & VIDEO ON DEMAND (from April 28) VFX Team Sustainability: Growing and Retaining Talent Marian Dobrunz, Head of HR, RISE | Visual Effects Studios, Jasmin Hasel, Vice President & Executive Producer European Operations, Scanline VFX https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26112
12:30 CET FMX Turm Aalen Challenging Productions for Web/TV/Cinema: TALES OF ZALE and HUI BUH 2 Peter Lames, Accenture Song / Associate VFX Supervisor, Animationsinstitut Alumnus, Roland Petrizza, Senior Digital Compositor at Accenture Song, Accenture Song Content Germany GmbH, Filmakademie Alumnus, Sveta Yuferova, Director, Animationsinstitut Alumna https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26132
13:05 CET FMX Raum Mannheim, The Houdini Suite Our Solaris experience so far at RISE Bernhard Esperester, Head of Lighting, Oliver Markowski, Head of 3D, Fuat Yüksel, Head of FX, RISE | Visual Effects Studios https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/27376
13:30 CET FMX School Campus Meet up with all Fresh Vision talents & European Animation Development Lab „Animation Sans Frontières“ (ASF). Animationsinstitut
14:30 CET FMX Bertha-Benz-Saal & VIDEO ON DEMAND (from April 28) Is the (current) VFX Business Model Sustainable? Panel hosted by Heiko Burkardsmaier (VFX Executive Producer, Accenture song VFX) https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26694
14:30 CET FMX Turm Aalen & Video on Demand (from April 28) From VR to animated installations: THE FAMILY PORTRAIT and TALES FROM SODA ISLAND Dan Franke, VR Artist & Co-Founder and Director of Studio Syro, Animationsinstitut Alumnus https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26133
15:45 CET FMX Raum Heilbronn, The Autodesk Suite & VIDEO ON DEMAND (from April 28) Bad Ghouls: A look at the award-winning workflow behind A Calling. From the Desert. To the Sea Animationsinstitut Students & Alumni: Lennard Fricke, VFX Producer, Lukas Kapp, Creature TD, Lukas Löffler, Lead Compositor, Mario Bertsch, VFX Supervisor, Till Sander-Titgemeyer, Character Artist https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/27310
18:15 CET FMX Meidinger-Saal & Video on Demand (from April 28) Fully Immersive Adaptations: Hölderlin’s Echo VR and ShakesVR Professor Susanne Marschall, University of Tübingen https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26055
19:00 CET FMX, FMX Square in front of Haus der Wirtschaft Thursday GET-TOGETHER sponsored by RISE | Visual Effects Studios
11:15 CET FMX Bertha-Benz-Saal & VIDEO ON DEMAND (from April 28) Green Shooting – The Ecological Standards as a Funding Requirement Marian Bendix Metzner, Project Manager Film Funding / Green Shooting, MFG Baden-Württemberg mbH https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/27299
14:30 CET FMX Meidinger-Saal & VIDEO ON DEMAND (from April 28) Kleo Matthias Backmann, Compositing Supervisor, Pascal Bußmann, VFX Supervisor, LAVAlabs https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26431
14:30 CET FMX Raum Tübingen & VIDEO ON DEMAND (from April 28) EMIL – European Media and ImmersionLab Volker Helzle, Head of Research and Development, Dr. Alexander Kreische, Jonas Trottnow, Software Developer, Animationsinstitut, Filmakademie https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26727
14:30 CET FMX Turm Aalen & VIDEO ON DEMAND (from April 28) Little Heroes / LEVEL UP / Petrushka / Mine Diamonds – A minecraft parody / Grandpa tell me about the climate change Presented by Alexandra Joshi (International Network Animationsinstitut, Filmakademie) and Mark Szilagyi (International Office Filmakademie) https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26069
15:45 CET FMX Turm Aalen& VIDEO ON DEMAND (from April 28) Roots / Rooms Inside Out / Vessel /Take a deep breath / Peach – Royal Enfield / The Artist‘s Workshop Presented by Alexandra Joshi (International Network Animationsinstitut, Filmakademie ) and Mark Szilagyi (International Office Filmakademie) https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26070
17:00 CET FMX König-Karl-Halle & VIDEO ON DEMAND (from April 28) Making Of THE BEAUTY (Trailer FMX 2023) Pascal Schelbli, Director & CG Artist, Marc Angele, Animation & VFX Artist, Aleksandra Todorovic, Producer, Noel Winzen, Character Rigger, Animationsinstut Alumni https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26072
18:00 CET Mittelstraße 9/1, Stuttgart LAVAlabs BBQ
ITFS Open Air (Photo: Reiner Pfisterer)
January 12, 2023
“THE CREÄTIVE HOUSE” presents creative diversity and encourages networking
Image: MFG Baden-Württemberg
From January 12 to February 17, 2023, the Haus der Wirtschaft in Stuttgart (where FMX is also held every year) will become THE CREÄTIVE HOUSE – a hotspot for Baden-Württemberg’s cultural and creative industries. A total of 22 cultural and creative companies selected in a statewide competition will showcase their projects and works in an exhibition, accompanied by a diverse and free-of-charge supporting program.
Organized by the Ministry of Economics, Labor and Tourism and conducted in close cooperation with MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg, the pop-up project focuses on cross-industry networking and exchange. Within the framework of the project, cultural professionals and creative companies from Baden-Württemberg will meet actors from business, science and politics. Individual program contributions will include insights into the work of creative professionals and future-oriented corporate design, presentations of serious games and animation and film techniques, and presentations and discussions of current trends and topics in the field of artificial intelligence and the media.
The vernissage on January 12 will be followed by Best Practice Talks, Open Stages, Salons for AI and Animation, expert contributions and much more.Click here for the complete program.
And of course, the AMCRS and its HEROES can’t be missing! On January 26, the CREÄTIVE HOUSE is themed All about Animation.
15:00 CET: Dominique Schuchmann, The M.A.R.K. 13–Group: “Hitchhikers Guide to Animation, VFX, Motion Graphics and beyond“. Animation and VFX for beginners and experts – lecture and film examples.
15:30 CET: Martin Fischer and Nico Dörle, a.o.Overtoon Studios: “Einfach erklärt und wirksam platziert – 2D Animation als Chance in der Digitalisierung” – film examples
Animation Salon
17:30 CET: Welcome by Stefanie Larson (Director AMCRS) and State Secretary Dr. Patrick Rapp
17:35 CET: Lecture by Heiko Burkardsmaier, Head of VFX Accenture Song / Stuttgart: “Einfluss von visuellen Effekten (vfx) auf die industrielle Produktion von computergenerated content“.
17:45 CET: Lecture by Maximilian Schmierer, Managing Director ofb.Rex / Stuttgart, “fresenius medical care – XENIOS heart & lung app“.
18:00 CET: Lecture by Prof. Thomas Hundt, founder and managing director of jangled nerves / Stuttgart, “an icon electrified – Weltpremiere VW ID.Buzz“
19:30 CET: Based on selected artistic biographies, Prof. Andreas Hykade, head of the Animation Directing department at the Animationsinstitut of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, will show the connection between artistic development during studies and economic success in professional life. The approximately one-hour lecture will be illustrated by film examples. Afterwards there will be the opportunity for exchange. Registration is requested – Click here.
