Whether it is 3D animation for the whole family (MOONBOUND, TAFITI), high-quality VFX (THE MUCKLAS… AND HOW THEY CAME TO PETTERSON AND FINDUS), cartoonish 2D animation (FRIEDEFELD) or innovative animation techniques for sophisticated arthouse films (TEHRAN TABOO, LITTLE GERMANS) – ever since its foundation in 2014, Red Parrot Studios has established itself as one of the most creative animation studios in Germany.
We wish you and your loved ones a fantastic and restful holiday season and a happy, healthy, and successful 2025! Thank you all for your collaboration, your trust in us, and all the wonderful moments we shared together this year. We are already looking forward to the coming year with you!
A thousand thanks to our CREATORS from RECOM FILM for hosting our AMCRS Christmas party! What a wonderful evening!
Photo: RECOM FILM
Photo: RECOM FILMPhoto: AMCRS
November 18, 2024
Calls for Entries ITFS – German Animation Screenplay Award and Animated Games Award Germany
The 32nd Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) will take place from May 6 to 11, 2025. It focuses on artistic animated films and the promotion of young talent. In addition to the short and feature film competitions (submission deadlines: short film competitions – November 15, 2024; feature film competition – January 15, 2024), additional categories are now open for submissions: the German Animation Screenplay Award, the Animated Games Award Germany, and the Work in Progress section.
The German Animation Screenplay Award recognises outstanding screenplays for feature-length animated films. The goal of the competition is to honor the central role of professional screenwriters in the creation of outstanding films and to encourage the development of exceptional stories for animated films.
The Award for the Best Screenplay for a Feature-Length Animated Film comes with €2,500, sponsored by the Animation Media Creators Region Stuttgart (AMCRS).
The Award for the Screenplay with the Greatest International Market Potential is endowed with €2,500, sponsored by our CREATORS from SOLA MEDIA.
For the best screenplay award submissions are possible in German and English, for the market potential award submissions are only possible in English. Submission Deadline: February 1, 2025 | Regulations | Submit here
Winner German Animation Screenplay Award for a Feature-Length Animated Film at ITFS 2024: Das Neinhorn, Photo: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart, Reiner Pfisterer
Winner Animated Games Award Germany at ITFS 2024: Closer the Distance, Photo: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart, Reiner Pfisterer
The Animated Games Award Germany is endowed with €5,000 and is sponsored by MFG Baden-Württemberg. It targets developers of high-quality video games who have their primary or secondary residence in Germany.
Eligible for submission are completed games for commercially available platforms that were released after January 1, 2024. The top five games will be nominated for the GameZone and showcased to the public during the event. Submission Deadline: February 1, 2025 | Regulations | Submit here
The Work in Progress section provides a platform for animation projects in the concept, development, or production stages. Producers and directors have the opportunity to present their current projects in film, TV, web, games, and immersive media to an international professional audience.
Each presentation lasts approximately 20 minutes and includes initial visual insights, trailers, and a follow-up Q&A session. The audience gains exclusive behind-the-scenes access and can connect directly with the creative teams behind the projects. Submission Deadline: February 15, 2025 | Submit here
November 15, 2024
Now online – TechTalks Presentations from October 22!
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. At the recent TechTalks on October 22, 2024, the Research & Development department of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut presented two of their current projects: EMIL-XR and MAX-R in Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Albrecht Ade Studio.
You can now watch the two presentations of that evening online!
EMIL-XR: Volker Helzle and Andreas Dahn introduced the European Media & Immersion Lab, featuring the R&D’s Lighthouse project FATE OF THE MINOTAUR – an immersive VR-journey designed for up to four players. EMIL – European Media and Immersion Lab (emil-xr.eu)
MAX-R Project: Simon Spielmann and Jonas Trottnow shared advancements in the Mixed Augmented and Extended Reality Media Pipeline (MAX-R), including AI-assisted tools that push high-quality XR content creation to new levels. MAX-R (UPF)
Photos: FABW
At the hands-on demos, the attendees could test the latest versions of the R&D’s Digital Locations and AnimHost. They also had a chance to step into virtual reality for an unforgettable encounter – coming face-to-face with the Minotaur.
Heiko Burkardsmaier receives the Baden-Württemberg Honorary Film Award 2024
Press Release Filmbüro Baden-Württemberg, October 30, 2024
Heiko Burkardsmaier, VFX Executive Producer and Head of Business/Legal Affairs at Accenture Song VFX in Stuttgart, receives this year’s Baden-Württemberg Honorary Film Award (Baden-Württembergischer Ehrenfilmpreis). Based in the capital of Baden-Württemberg, Heiko Burkardsmaier has uniquely shaped the VFX industry in Stuttgart, both economically and artistically, playing a pivotal role in establishing the region as a European leader in this field. Together with his teams, Heiko Burkardsmaier creates sensational visual effects for Hollywood blockbusters, earning international film awards for their precise and creative work “Made in Stuttgart,” including an Oscar, several Emmys, and numerous Emmy nominations.
Heiko Burkardsmaier, Photo: Filmschau BW
The unendowed honorary film award will be presented at the 30. Filmschau Baden-Württemberg (December 4 to 8, 2024) during the award ceremony on Sunday, December 8, 2024, in the Dürnitz Kulturlounge at the Altes Schloss in Stuttgart. This award honors individuals who help shape the media and film landscape in Baden-Württemberg, provide lasting support through their work, and make a significant contribution to raising the region’s profile beyond state borders.
Under his leadership, outstanding visual effects have been created in Stuttgart for several award-winning feature films and TV projects. These include Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning 3D adventure Hugo, the Emmy-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, the Emmy-winning fantasy seriesShadow and Bone, and Netflix’s fantasy series Avatar: The Last Airbender. His teams have also created historical and fantastical settings and effects for films like 13 Minutes(German: Elser – er hätte die Welt verändert), Hindenburg, Independence Day: Resurgence, and Girl You Know It’s True.
The award winner, who is well-connected both regionally and internationally, serves as a lecturer at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, an advisor for the Audiovisual Media program at the Stuttgart Media University (HdM), a board member of the Animation Section of the German Producers Association (Produzentenallianz Deutschland), and a member of the Deutsche Filmakademie as well as the Animation Media Creators Region Stuttgart.
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 October 22, 2024, at 18:30 CET at Albrecht-Ade Studio (Animationsinstitut / Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg), Akademiehof 10, 71638 Ludwigsburg.
Admission is free! Please register in advance at contact@amcrs.de. Please note: The event will be recorded, but is not hybrid.
Program Schedule:
„EMIL“ | Research & Development, Animationsinstitut, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg The EU-funded project EMIL (European Media and Immersion Lab) aims to promote innovations and developments in cutting-edge XR technologies, as well as strengthen relationships between the creative industries and potential innovation partners across Europe. The staff of the Research & Development department at the Animationsinstitut will provide insights into the international network, the status of the diverse, funded projects after the first two years, and present their lighthouse project “FATE OF THE MINOTAUR”, a VR adventure for up to four players, which can be tested on-site afterward. EMIL – European Media and Immersion Lab (emil-xr.eu)
„MAX-R“ | Research & Development, Animationsinstitut, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg The MAX-R project (Mixed Augmented and Extended Reality Media Pipeline) is a 30-month HORIZON EUROPE initiative. Eleven project partners from across Europe are developing tools for the creation and processing of high-quality XR content, based on real-time workflows. The Animationsinstitut contributes to the project with innovations such as “DIGITAL LOCATIONS,” a demonstrator of virtual replicas of real filming locations for virtual productions, and “ANIMHOST,” an AI-driven system for real-time animations. In this presentation, the Research & Development team will provide insights into the technologies and key project outcomes. MAX-R (UPF)
Next AMCRS IP Presentation Forum on October 24, 2024! Register now!
You’ve got a great idea for an IP (intellectual property)? 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? That’s perfect!
The IP Presentation Forum will take place for the ninth time on October 24, 2024. 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!
Register until October 18, 2024 via: contact@amcrs.de (A timeslot will be assigned.)
Pre-Fixe with Animation Lounge: KI in der Animationsproduktion
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). Speakers from the animation film scene present practical examples of current projects and provide insights into their work.
On July 8, 18:00 CET, Maximilian Pfisterer, communication designer (FH) / co-owner of our CREATORS from Frischvergiftung will give a presentation on the topic of “KI in der Animationsproduktion” (“AI in animation production”).
Maximilian Pfisterer
Frischvergiftung from Stuttgart is already successfully using imaging AI in its workflows. In projection mappings to completely transform existing buildings, to create visuals for music festivals or in collaboration with Andreas Hykade to generate morphings between given artworks. On July 8, the studio will provide some insights and give some keywords to get started yourself.
Maximilian Pfisterer radicalized himself as a VJ with his friend and partner Willy Löbl in the Stuttgart club scene and shortly afterwards switched from print to film. That was a while ago and Frischvergiftung has since become a flourishing animation studio.
The Jour Fixe offers a unique opportunity for exchange and networking with colleagues from the MFG Film Funding Unit. All participants are cordially invited to attend the subsequent Jour Fixe from 19:00 CET.
The event will take place at the Kulturzentrum Merlin, Augustenstraße 72, 70178 Stuttgart. Admission is free.
We thank all participants and attendees for the great afternoon and the many wonderful conversations!
Photo: Louis NauchePhoto: Louis NauchePhoto: MFGPhoto: MFGPhoto: MFG
May 30, 2024
Next AMCRS IP Presentation Forum on June 20, 2024! Register now!
You’ve got a great idea for an IP (intellectual property)? 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? That’s perfect!
The IP Presentation Forum will take place for the eight time on June 20, 2024. 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!
