The “Online Animation Library” at the Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart
With the new city library and the International Festival of Animated Film, the city of Stuttgart boasts two outstanding organizations in the educational and cultural industries, whose impact can be felt beyond the region of Stuttgart. The “Online Animation Library” offers visitors to the “Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz” the chance to view several thousand animated films. Supported by the MFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemburg, the worldwide unique collaboration between the Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart and the International Festival of Animated Film Stuttgart promises to make the Festival of Animated Film's archive accessible to the citizens of Stuttgart, to national and international experts, and to animation enthusiasts alike.
Animated films are considered to be one of the most innovative forms of cultural expression of our time, combining image, sound, and language in a specific manner. Positioned where film, literature and art intersect, animated films go beyond their definition as the gesamtkunstwerk of the twentieth century. Through their interplay with computer games, they also offer new forms of participation that will sustainably influence our experience and understanding of media.
Since the foundation of the International Festival of Animated Film Stuttgart in 1982, a comprehensive archive has come into being. More than 10,000 animated films have been formatted on film, as videos, DVDs and in the meantime, as data files too. The “Online Animation Library” aims to gradually digitalize existing films and to make these available on a server. Each year approximately 1,500 animated films are accrued from submissions to the Animated Film Festival. The extensive process of digitalization is being realized with European partner organizations such as the renowned Tampere Short Film Festival. The EUfunded online submission platform “Reelport” acts in collaboration as the project's database platform. “Reelport” not only caters for film markets such as Cannes, but also serves as an online video database on an international level. Several viewing platforms at the “Stadtbibliothek am Mailanderplatz” allow easy access to a selection of digitalized animated films via a film database. In contrast to online platforms like YouTube, a qualitative review of animated films takes place, as all films have already been screened during the pre-selection process of the film festival.
Besides the chance to digitally view animated films, which can be used by film rights buyers from television broadcasters and international distributors, a comprehensive library collection of books, catalogues, and other publications on animated film is being put together. During the Animated Film Festival, which takes place in May each year, the “Videomarkt” will be on at the library. Outside the festival period, events and workshops based on the theme of animated film will be on offer at the Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart.
This project has been made possible via the cooperative efforts of the Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart, the MfG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg and the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH.
