We thank all participants and attendees for the great afternoon and the many wonderful conversations!
Photo: Louis NauchePhoto: Louis NauchePhoto: MFGPhoto: MFGPhoto: MFG
June 7, 2024
TechTalks on June 18, 2024!
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 June 18, 2024, at 18:00 CET at Das Gutbrod, Friedrichstr. 10, 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:
„Chancen und Herausforderungen von Analogfilm im LED-Volume“(Opportunities and challenges of analog film in the LED volume)
Samuel Ramm, Sebastian Burk and Luis Zappe studied Audiovisual Media at the Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart. The project “What you can’t see” was created as part of their bachelor’s theses, which dealt with innovations in LED virtual production. Its premise was to prove that shooting on analogue film material in an LED volume is possible, despite widespread skepticism, and to uncover the associated effects on the workflow in the LED volume as well as colors and moiré, In addition, an AI model for background separation was developed to simplify post-production. Together with Hyperbowl, Studio L’Equipe, Arri Rental Munich, Oh, Boy! Films and Silbersalz, they carried out a series of tests and tested theoretical findings onset for practical suitability.
„3D Gaussian Splatting für LED Wall Production?“
Luca Malz dealt with the topic of 3D reconstruction of photos in his bachelor’s thesis. The innovative “3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS)” approach is based on machine learning and opens up promising prospects in the media industry thanks to its photorealistic 3D reconstructions. In “3D Gaussian Splatting for Virtual Production”, Luca Malz compares the results of photogrammetric scans and 3DGS and refers to the integration into an LED wall virtual production workflow.
„Lens Flare Capture“
Vincent Maurer studies Technical Directing at Animationsinstitut and presents his scientific research project on the subject of lens flares. How does a flare actually occur in the lens and how can it be realistically reconstructed? Using motion control, image processing and machine learning, Vincent is trying to find new ways to generate realistic lens flares.
On Sunday evening, April 28, 2024, the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film 2024 came to an end with the festive awards gala. Among the winners are also animated film projects by graduates and alumni of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut!
Yi Luo, Photo: ITFS, Reiner Pfisterer
Dodo (directed by Yi Luo)
In the International Competition, the Lotte Reiniger Promotion Award for Animated Film (award for the best graduation film with a cash prize of 10,000 Euro, sponsored by MFG Film Funding Baden-Württemberg) goes to
Jury Statement: We saw a film that deals with the trauma of losing a father in a crucial stage child’s development. Executed in a very impressive art style that meticulously draws the viewer into the essence of the story.
Bianca Scali, Photo: ITFS, Reiner Pfisterer
it’s just a whole (directed by Bianca Scali)
The Award for the best student film with a cash prize of 2,500 Euro, sponsored by LFK Landesanstalt für Kommunikation Baden-Württemberg and MFG Film Funding Baden-Württemberg goes to:
Jury Statement: We would like to give the award to the film “It‘s just a whole“ for the brilliant way in which the artists lead us into a dramatic experience in which one negotiates one’s existence facing a sometimes cold reality, loneliness and the primal fear of disappearance. For the film’s unique animation style in which graphics, sounds and textures are used in a way that immediately convey emotions that are transposed into physical reactions.
At the Grand Prix (State of Baden-Württemberg and the City of Stuttgart Grand Award for Animated Film with a cash prize of 10,000 Euro), director and Animationsinstitut alumna Sofiia Melnyk was honored with a Special Mention for Mariupol. A Hundred Nights (Ukraine 2023).
The Bear, Mucks! Games, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
The interactive bedtime story THE BEAR – A STORY FROM THE WORLD OF GRA has won the German Computer Game Award (DCP) in the category “Best Graphic Design”. THE BEAR is the debut work of Clara Deitmar, Julius Dorsel and Luzie Kehle – all former students of the Animationsinstitut at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. The team accepted the award yesterday evening in Munich.
THE BEAR is an interactive experience for tablets. Two friends, the bear and the little one, embark on a journey through a dreamy universe where they collect stars and experience stories together. THE BEAR is about rediscovering the intimate and emotional state just before falling asleep.
Winning the DCP feels like a dream for the team: “It was absolutely amazing to be part of the DCP this year! The nominations alone meant so much to us – winning is just phenomenal. We couldn’t have wished for a better start for our newly founded studio.”
The German Computer Game Award is the most important prize for games in Germany and is endowed with around 800,000€. It is awarded by the Federal Government, represented by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, together with game – Association of the German Games Industry and the Digital Games Culture Foundation.
For Jan Pinkava, Director of the Animationsinstitut, the triumph at the DCP is a strong signal for Ludwigsburg as a games location: “To put it simply: The Filmakademie is in Ludwigsburg, and Ludwigsburg is a growing centre for the creative arts. Our Interactive Media teaching is about content – what the artwork does and what it means – with a special emphasis on storytelling. That is why our talented students produce meaningful work, like THE BEAR. At the Animationsinstitut we are proud of our extraordinary students and their contribution to the region.“
While still studying Interactive Media, Deitmar, Dorsel and Kehle founded the studio Mucks! Games, under whose name they recently published THE BEAR. The game is available for iOS systems.
Find out more about WORLD OF GRA and THE BEAR here.
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!
Wanted: Trainee Communications (m/f/d) at Animationsinstitut!
The Animationsinstitut is part of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg and one of the world’s leading institutions for Animation, Visual Effects, Technical Directing, Animation/Effects Producing and Interactive Media. In their Research and Development Department, a highly skilled and motivated team of researchers, engineers and artists works on the next generation of tools, workflows and content for Film, Animation, VFX and XR-Immersive Media.
They are looking for a trainee (m/f/d) in the field of communication at the earliest possible date!
Are you fresh out of university and interested in content marketing for social media and moving images? Then join the team in the Communications department in the external presentation of Animationsinstitut and the acquisition of international talents.
Tasks:
Writing texts for press relations, social media and print products
Supporting the Animationsinstitut’s social media channels and developing new formats
Support in the regular updating of the website and content creation
Collaboration in the organization and implementation of events, such as the annual FMX, as well as support in representing Animationsinstitut at trade fairs and events
Support in the creation of print products and merchandise
After training, taking on your own projects and parts of the day-to-day business in collaboration with the team
The FMX will take place from April 23 to 26, 2024 on site at Haus der Wirtschaft. Numerous presentations will subsequently be available online on demand from April 27 to May 31. The ITFS will take place in Stuttgart from April 23 to 28, 2024 at various locations and on Stuttgart’s Schlossplatz. The co-production market Animation Production Days will be organized as a cooperation between FMX and ITFS from April 23 to 25, 2024.
From now on, FMX Conference, Day and Online Passes as well as ITFS Festival and Professional Passesare are available in their ticket shops. Worthwhile for visiting both events is a Combi Pass which is available in both the FMX and ITFS ticket shops (until March 15 at the Early Bird rate).
Cross innovation with the games and animation media industry:
The fields of games, animation and virtual reality are becoming increasingly important and offer great potential for companies from various sectors. The aim of “KMU-Transfer KREATIV” is to promote cross-industry collaboration with creative companies and to demonstrate the added value of cooperation and the use of new technologies.
Together with Ulrich Lang, the developer of niche fragrances from Backnang, the creative company acameo from Tübingen is implementing virtual distribution and presentation options by modeling virtual spaces and animating product-specific fragrances.
With Xbrick,wd3 GmbH has developed a universally applicable seating cube. Now, together with the creative agency halbautomaten Kommunikationsdesign GmbH – one of the AMCRS HEROES – an AR app is to be developed that will add an additional level to the playful and animated learning with Xbrick as a digital extension. Both companies are based in Stuttgart.
For the very first time, custom trailers for each event have been created – each with its own story, focus and theme – by the same authors, from the same narrative universe, illustrating the harmonious spirit of synergy between the three events of “Stuttgart’s Animated Week.” Dr. Jan Pinkava, Director of the Animationsinstitut, welcomes the choice of WORLD OF GRA and sees it as a significant win-win situation: “I am delighted that our talented alumni have created such a beautifully resonant and meaningful collection of graphics and trailers for this year’s FMX, ITFS, and APDs. This is the best of all worlds for the three events, for our graduates, for the Animationsinstitut, and for Stuttgart’s ‘Animated Week’. Congratulations.”
WORLD OF GRA is a universe of many different stories that share one overarching theme: growth. The beings of the WORLD OF GRA all have one big problem. They grow and grow and just won`t stop growing. Clara Deitmar, the creator of WORLD OF GRA, believes that this theme is a universal human experience – life means change, growth, moving on.
Mirroring the IP itself, all of them have grown personally and artistically throughout the creation process and their Interactive Media studies at the Animationsinstitut. The production of the visuals and trailers for FMX, ITFS and APD 2024 marks a special milestone, as the producer Julius Dorsel explains: “It’s a badge of honour to be selected to provide the trailers for all three events! A bit intimidating and just wonderful that so many people are going to see our characters on the big screens.”
Trailer FMX 2024
Trailer ITFS 2024
Trailer APD 2024
December 15, 2023
Techtalks Presentations online!
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.
You can now watch the presentations of the TechTalks Stuttgart, which took place on November 22, 2023 in the Albrecht-Ade-Studio of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, online!
