The Deutsche Filmakademie (German Film Academy) announced the nominations for theDeutscher Filmpreis 2025(German Film Award 2025) a few days ago. Members of the AMCRS can also hope for a LOLA!
In the “Best Visual Effects” category, Max Riess, Sven Martin and Bernie Kimbacher and their team from PIXOMONDO have been nominated for “Woodwalkers” – Sven Martin is a graduate of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut. Additionally, LAVAlabs was involved in creating the VFX for the film, which has also been nominated as “Best Children’s Film.”
Also nominated in the category “Best Visual Effects” are teams from RISE. They can even celebrate nominations for two productions – Jan Stoltz, Franzisca Puppe, Sebastian Lauer and their team for their work on “Hagen – Im Tal der Nibelungen” as well as Robert Pinnow and his team for the effects in “Das Licht.” Jan Stoltz also studied at the Animationsinstitut.
On May 9, 2025, the Lola winners will be announced at the Theater am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for all the nominees!
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
The nominations for the Emmy Awards2024 have been announced!
The series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” was nominated in the category “Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Season Or A Movie”. Accenture Song VFX (with – among others – visual effects supervisor Emanuel Fuchs), Scanline VFX and PIXOMONDO were involved in the creation of the series. RISE also have every reason to celebrate: they contributed to the visual effects of the series “Fallout,” which has been nominated in the same category.
PIXOMONDO were also involved in the series “3 Body Problem” and “Winning Time”, both of which were nominated in several categories.
The 76th Emmys will be awarded on September 15, 2024 in Los Angeles. We are keeping our fingers crossed for all nominees!
The Stuttgart Animated Week 2024 came to an end on Sunday, April 28, 2024, with the grand awards gala at the ITFS. Note down the dates for next year in the calendar right away – the next ITFS will take place from May 6 to 11, 2025, and the FMX – Film & Media Exchange from May 6 to 9, 2025.
If you were unable to attend FMX this year or would like to watch individual FMX presentations again – most of the conference content will be available online via FMX On Demand until May 31, 2024. Watch out for the turquoise VoD flags in the FMX Program Schedule indicating which presentations are included in FMX On Demand. Tickets are available at the FMX Ticket Shop, the FMX On Demand Guide explains in detail how to get access.
FMX 2024, Panel “EU XR”, Photo: D. Brewing
FMX 2024, World of Gra, Photo: D. Brewing
FMX 2024, Improve Profitability in VFX and Animation, Photo: D. Brewing
FMX 2024, Being the Change through Mentorship, WIA, Photo: D. Brewing
April 25, 2024
Our Creators @ FMX and ITFS on Friday, April 26, 2024!
Our CREATORS can be found at numerous talks, presentations, screenings, meetings and events at FMX and ITFS on Friday, April 26 – day 4 of the STUTTGART ANIMATED WEEK2024. Find out where and when!
10:30-19:30 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-2/
11:15 FMX Turm Aalen Starting and succeeding as creative producers in animation and VFX production Animationsinstitut / FABW alumni, curated by: Christian Müller, Animationsinstitut / FABW https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2024/detail/event/28832
20:00 Contain’t, Container City Kunstverein Wagenhalle, Nordbahnhofstr. 1 NIGHT OF SHAME by Studio Seufz Studio Seufz, ITFS, Animationsinstitut, AMCRS https://www.nightofshame.com/
10:30-19:30 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-2/
12:30 FMX Bertha-Benz-Saal Panel Discussion: How to pull it off? Jan Pinkava, Andreas Hykade, Animationsinstitut / FABW (Andreas Hykade also curator of the Track “Raw and Relevant”) https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2024/detail/event/28894
19:00 ITFS Haus der Katholischen Kirche, Königstr. 7 AniX Awards (with German Animation Screenplay Award) AMCRS German Animation Screenplay Award sponsored by the AMCRS https://www.itfs.de/en/events/anix-awards/
April 23, 2024
Our CREATORS @ FMX and ITFS on Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Day 2 of the STUTTGART ANIMATED WEEK 2024! Find out where to find our CREATORS at FMX and ITFS on Wednesday, April 24!
10:30-19:30 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-2/
17:00 FMX Raum Reutlingen, Chaos Suite Bridging the Gap: Pre-viz and post into the LED stage production era David Gaspar Anastacio, Accenture Song, Oliver Markowski, RISE | Visual Effects Studios https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2024/detail/event/30131
19:00 FMX Plaza in front of Haus der Wirtschaft Get-Together
21:30 Die Note, Berliner Platz 1 Animation Lounge AMCRS
April 22, 2024
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
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