On April 26 we had our annual party, the Animation Media Lounge, at “Die Note”, on the occasion of the event trio FMX, ITFS and APDs 2023, and musically accompanied by the Caligari Band.
Thank you all for coming – we hope you had as much of a blast as we did!
April 28, 2023
Jan Pinkava is the new Head of Animationsinstitut
Source: Press Release Animationsinstitut, April 26, 2023
At FMX 2023 in Stuttgart, the Animationsinstitut of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg introduced its new head: Jan Pinkava. The British-Czech-American animator, director, screenwriter, and Oscar® winner will take over as head of the institute in June 2023, succeeding Prof. Andreas Hykade.
Pinkava: “I am beyond honored to have been appointed Head of the Animationsinstitut. The school has an extraordinary reputation, dedicated staff, brilliant teachers, outstanding graduates, and highly talented students. What could be more worthwhile than to build on this legacy?”
Arne Braun, State Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts Baden-Wuerttemberg, elaborates: “With Jan Pinkava, a superb industry expert joins the Animationsinstitut. His film RATATOUILLE, which he created in collaboration with Brad Bird, is one for the hall of fame of animated film. I am sure that he will foster the Animationsinstitut’s reputation as regional pioneer for innovation, as well as international educational institution. Jan Pinkava is keen to contribute his international experience to a new and young environment and thus, will shape the future of the institute.”
Jan Pinkava has worked in the animation industry for thirty years and won numerous awards with his films. During his time at the animation studio Pixar, he won an Oscar® for his short film GERI’S GAME in 1998. As creator and co-director, Pinkava was also instrumental in RATATOUILLE‘s Oscar® win for the best animated feature film in 2008. In addition, Pinkava was involved in the creation of the innovative format Google Spotlight Stories as co-founder and creative director. There, he developed new forms of interactive storytelling.
For Prof. Thomas Schadt (Managing Director Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg), Pinkava’s versatility is particularly remarkable: “His unique career as an artist perfectly complements his many years of experience in leading industry positions. Jan Pinkava will not only be able to guide the students, but inspire them as well.”
“The Person Is More Important than the Project.”
Since fall 2022, Prof. Andreas Hykade has been working as Head of Animation Directing at the Animationsinstitut. Before dedicating his focus to this position, Prof. Hykade headed the Animationsinstitut for eight years and contributed greatly to the institute’s reputation and success. “The person is more important than the project”—Andreas Hykade made sure to emphasize this principle throughout his tenure. The Animationsinstitut is built on the cooperation of students, lecturers, and employees, he said.
Jan Pinkava wants to remain faithful to this philosophy: “I like people much more than machines. Our job is to give our students the tools to create great art with real values.”
The AMCRS HEROES @ ITFS, FMX and APDs on Friday, April 28, 2023!
Find out where our HEROES can be found or are involved especially at ITFS on Friday, April 28! Many of the FMX presentations can be viewed online via VOD (starting) today (more info here and tickets here). At APDs today, there are mainly non-public one-on-one meetings which set the course for future projects.
15:30 CET FMX Turm Aalen (online) Technical Directing, Setextension and VFX Graduation Project Speakers are TD students in their second year of project studies at Animationsinstitut. Fynn Frederick Aurich: Creature Rigging & Simulation, Autorigger, Research: USD Rigging and Character Pipeline, Paul Golter: Pipeline for final year project, Research: Asset Transformation Framework https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/27134
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
14:00-15:30 CET APDs L-Bank Rotunde (available as VoD to all APD accredited participants) APDs Conference Part 1, Case Study 1 From Film School to Industry with “Ich kenne ein Tier / I know an animal” – A Launchpad for Young Animators Prof. Andreas Hykade, Head of Animation Directing, Animationsinstitut/Filmakademie https://www.animationproductiondays.de/programme/conference-2023/
14:30 CET FMX Bertha-Benz-Saal & Video on Demand (from April 28) Evolving Research & Technology for a Minimized Footprint Prof. Jan Adamczyk, Hochschule der Medien, Professor Susanne Marschall, Professor, University of Tuebingen, Volker Helzle, Head of Research and Development, Animationsinstitut https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26120
14:30 CET FMX Raum Heilbronn, The Autodesk Suite & VIDEO ON DEMAND (from April 28) No turning back because I deleted the folders – the early adopter USD journey at RISE Kolja Hübschmann, Oliver Markowski, (RISE I Visual Effects Studios) https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26871
15:00 CET ITFS Gloria 2 Tricks for Kids 1 Trudes Tier – Glückshof (Klaus Morschheuser, Studio Soi), Katze (Julia Ocker, Studio Filmbilder) https://www.itfs.de/events/tricks-for-kids-1/
16:15 CET FMX Raum Reutlingen & VIDEO ON DEMAND (from April 28) Accenture Song Recruiting Presentation Michael Bergmann, Recruiting Senior Specialist, Gus Martinez, Compositing and VFX Supervisor, Carina Thomiczny, 3D Senior Realtime Artist, Accenture Song Content Germany GmbH https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26249
17:30 CET ITFS Open Air Best of Animation 1 – Homemade Highlights 1 Films by Tine Kluth, Julia Ocker, Andreas Hykade, Marc Schleiss, Gottfried Mentor, Volker Engel, Johannes Weiland et al., Hochschule der Medien, Studio Filmbilder, Animationsinstitut Alumni, curated by Förderverein ITFS e.V. https://www.itfs.de/en/events/best-of-animation-1-homemade-highlights-1/
17:00 CET FMX König-Karl-Halle & VIDEO ON DEMAND (from April 28) Creating Visual Effects for STRANGER THINGS, Season 4 Overall VFX Supervisor and Emmy Award winner Jabbar Raisani, Additional VFX Supervisor Marion Spates, Jan Burda, VFX Supervisor, Accenture Song Content Germany GmbH https://fmx.de/en/program-2023/detail/event/26072
17:00 CET FMX Turm Aalen & Video on Demand (from April 28) 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/27094
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
April 15, 2023
Save the Date – Animation Media Lounge, April 26, 2023
In the last week of April, it’s that time again – Stuttgart will become a worldwide hotspot for the animation and VFX industry thanks to the event trio FMX – Film & Media Exchange (April 25-27, April 28 online), Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (April 25-30) and Animation Production Days (April 26-28). Three pretty good reasons for us to throw a party – and not just any party, but the “MASSIVE MEGALOMANIAC ROCKSTARLICIOUS MONSTER PARTY” aka Animation Media Lounge 2023! And the best part – you’re all invited!
When: April 26, 2023, starting at 21:00 CET Where: Die Note, Berliner Platz 1, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
befores & afters Podcast – a Preview of FMX 2023 with Mario Müller
In the befores & afters podcast, FMX Program Manager Mario Müller chats with visual effects and animation journalist Ian Failes and gives insights into the program of this year’s FMX – Film & Media Exchange (April 25-27 in Stuttgart, April 28 online). Listen in!
April 3, 2023
AMCRS is FMX 2023 GOLD PARTNER!
We are happy and proud to be a GOLD PARTNER of FMX 2023! From April 25 to 27, 2023, FMX – Film & Media Exchange will present their top-class program on site at the Haus der Wirtschaft in Stuttgart. On April 28, FMX will go virtual with an exclusive online program, and the videos will be available on demand until the end of May.
But there’s more to come! We’ll keep you up to date about more topics and events the AMCRS – and our HEROES – will be part of at FMX (as well as ITFS and APDs). We look forward to seeing you all there!