Presentations & Workshops

MON, 03.05., 3 PM

Registration

“The Last Whale Singer” is an animated feature film project by Telescope Animation Studios that tells the epic story of a teenage humpback whale who must face his fears and summon a mystical song to save the oceans from destruction by a monstrous creature. The film is due to release in 2024. In the webinar Reza Memari (Director and Writer) and Maite Woköck (Producer) the CEOs of Telescope Animation Studios will share their insights and findings on the development and financing of this ambitious project, which in addition to the feature film also includes a TV series and a game. With Telescope Animation Studios they are committed to diversity and inclusivity in their projects, as well as in the workforce, green production workflows, humane working
conditions and integrated remote work capabilities and will show which strategies they use to implement these principles in the development and production process of their project.

Access is free of charge.

Hosted by: ITFS, APDs, Kids Kino Industry, Der besondere Kinderfilm

ONLINE FREE
WED, 05.05., 2 PM

ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: HOW LOCKDOWN MEASURES ACCELERATE CHANGES AND CHANCES FOR WOMEN IN ANIMATION

The pandemic has been a catalyst for digitalisation in Germany. In our panel discussion, we talk about what has changed in the animation industry in the last year, especially from a women’s perspective, and what advantages the new technological developments bring. Is it easier now to work internationally or is the regional workforce becoming more important after all? And what opportunities does remote work offer also for diversity in teams?
The podium will be conducted in English.

The panel will take place on Zoom and access is free of charge.

Moderation: Annegret Richter

Podium guests:
Tiffany Feeney (recruiter/ founder of Talent Outpost)
Eliza Płocieniak-Alvarez (animation filmmaker Blaue Pampelmuse)
Maite Woköck (producer Telescope Animation)
Dorothee Mersmann (director, producer, JEP Animation)

Hosted by: AG Animationsfilm

SAT, 08.05., 1 PM

How did the animation and VFX industry fare in the crisis year of 2020?

The year 2020 will go down in history as the year of the coronavirus – and has also left its mark on the animation and VFX industry. Therefore, we would like to talk with various professionals from the Stuttgart
region about how they have fared so far. How has the crisis affected the VFX and animation industry – which is actually independent of filming with many people? What difficulties have the companies involved had to deal with? Have new opportunities opened up? And what are the prospects for the industry during and after the pandemic?

The talk will be streamed live free of charge.

Speaker: Regina Welker (Woodblock), Dominique Schuchmann (THE M.A.R.K.13 – GROUP), Maximilian Schmierer (b.ReX)
MODERATION: Andreas Vogel (DJ, Kulturvermittler cultural mediator, Filmfan film fan)

Hosted by: Film Commission Region Stuttgart

May 7, 10:00 am

The New Innovation Lab of SWR

SWR X Lab is the new innovation lab of Südwestrundfunk and develops digital and innovative formats, products and services together with editorial teams. SWR wants to reach new users in the digital world, which is helped by the user-centred methods applied in the X Lab.

Current projects such as a “Tatort” gaming app are presented at ITFS along with the digital Festival experience. The digital Festival experience in particular can be used as an example of how we approach our challenges.

With a mixture of Design Thinking and Design Sprint, we have been able to understand the needs of our potential users and develop a solution that helps them to get that Festival feeling at home.

A Q&A session will also take place.

May 7, 3:00 pm

Since its inception in 1982, the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film has always strived to showcase the diversity of genres that ‘make up’ animation, both in terms of form and technique. In doing so, the festival has succeeded in discovering works and talents and making contemporary animation filmmaking accessible to the widest possible audience – young and old – by means of a challenging and eclectic selection.

To affirm our support for the ITFS, we are particularly pleased to present two film programmes by female directors who have left their mark on the history of French animation. You can find the programmes on ONLINE+.

We also have the pleasure of welcoming some of these filmmakers on ONLINE PRO as part of the Zoom talk ‘Voices of French Animation at the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film’ on Friday, May 7at 3pm and we warmly invite you to take part in the exchange with the artists.

I wish the 28th edition of the ITFS every success and hope that experts and connoisseurs from all over the world will gather here around a cause that together we must defend more than ever: the short film format in all its diversity and richness.

With warm regards

Christine Gendre

Head of the Short Film Department

UniFrance

Sun., May 9, 1.30 pm

Stefanie Larson talks with three young animation artists what it feels like leaving the cocoon and facing how the real world might hit back.

Her guests are: Michael Bohnenstingl, Yi Luo and Matisse Gonzales

In cooperation with AMCRS. The Talk is in English Language.

WED, 05.05., NOON

ATELIER DE SÈVRES (PARIS, FRANKREICH)

Foundation Year in Animation
This foundation year enables students to develop their creativity and
visual acuity, approach and develop their technical skills in animation.
Bachelor in Animation Atelier de Sèvres offers a three-year advanced course aimed at students who wish to become writer-directors of animated and innovative audio-visual and cinematographic works. Teaching is centred on experimentation, creation, writing, history of art, live performance and cinema, drawing and new technologies (2D and 3D). It is based on classes, lectures, research, and creation workshops, writing workshops, technical workshops and individual or group audio-visual productions.

The course is taught by French and international professionals and
artists and is completed by personal guidance for the students. Technical learning is acquired through increased exercises, experimentations and productions, while giving prominence to individual creativity and innovation.

WED, 05.05., 4 PM

Established decades ago as a student initiative, the animation department
at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar has now become a permanent
fixture in Central Germany. Their numerous short film creations,
experimental and artistic works were primarily realised in the Media
Art and Design courses of the Media Events Professorship headed by
Wolfgang Kissel at the Faculty of Art and Design, as well as in the Visual
Communication course at the Cross-media Moving Image Professorship
headed by Jörn Hintzer and Jakob Hüfner. Every semester, the students
develop classic animated cartoon and stop-motion animations.
However, the spectrum of possibilities has expanded into digitality and,
in addition to works in three-dimensional space, productions in the
field of AR and VR, multi-channel and dome projections, transmedia
experiments and performative works are created.

Presented by: Franka Sachse

THU, 06.05., 11 AM

Founded in 1928 as the first art academy with complete academic
programmes in China, the China Academy of Art has the mission to
revitalise Chinese art. It is in active dialogue with the world and has
great influence on the development of modern and contemporary art
in China. The School of Film and Animation was founded in December
2014 and based on the original Department of Film and Animation
established in 2002.
Based on a solid fine arts tradition, the school focuses on establishing
a disciplinary system of film and media studies that features a unique
visual culture. Animations with a human touch and poetic short films
are the school’s research focus, but other subjects like interactive art,
sound art, photo art, film and media-theoretical studies are also
important components. The goal is to construct a leading Chinese
academic system of theater and film studies that reaches across the
disciplines of performing, directing, filming, documenting and fine arts.
Observing humanistic spirit and academic integrity as its principles as
well as the integration of art, culture and technology as its objective,
the school aspires to rejuvenate the traditional culture and innovate the
audiovisual media by cultivating all-round film and animation talents
who are equipped with an international perspective and excellent
leadership skills.
The School of Film and Animation consists of four major departments –
Department of Animation, Film and Television, Online Game Design and
Photography – and a number of research institutes, including Humanist
Animation, Poetic Short Film, Interactive Art, 3D Audiovisual Media,
Chinese-Language Youth Film and Chinese Documentary Production
Center.
Graduation works of the animation department from the past ten years
have been selected for this screening.

Presented by: Jiajia lI

THU, 06.05., NOON

THE COOPERATION
Idents are an ideal challenge for animation students. A precise task, a
manageable length, and a defined deadline provide clear conditions for
the students to give free rein to their fantasies. Cartoon Network
and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences – Art and Design have
cooperated for ten years now, and the participants are as enthusiastic
now as they were in the beginning. The newly created idents are the
main part of the programme, completed with BA and MA graduation
films .
LUCERNE UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES – ART AND
DESIGN
In a programme unique in Switzerland, the Bachelor of Arts in Film/
Animation offers an education in the theory and practice of all essential
areas of animation film. The students’ freedom in their choice of technology
and medium allows them to create their own visual language in
addition to learning the necessary professional, technical, and manual
skills of the trade.
Actually new established is the MA Animation as individual specialisation for students with focus on storytelling in animation.
There will be a Q&A after the presentation.

FRI, 07.05., 2 PM

FOCUS ON FRENCH ANIMATION

La Poudrière offers courses in animated film directing to both students
and professionals who would like to specialize in film directing: from
scriptwriting to mixing, including directing actors, music, sound and
editing. The school’s teaching approach is based on the direct transmission
of know-how and skills by industry professionals.
The main course is a 2-year course on film-directing for students and
professionals. The programme mostly revolves around the completion
of projects and exercises. Film directing is taught through a variety of
film formats.
La Poudrière also offers short courses on scriptwriting and direction
aiming to establish a truly collaborative approach between writers,
illustrators and film directors. Supported by Europe Creative MEDIA,
the “Scriptwriting and concept development course“ offers a 3-month
module on TV series and TV specials run in partnership with The Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark.

Presented by: Annick Teninge

FRI, 07.05., 4 PM

We draw, paint, photograph, layout, print, model, animate, compose,
film, direct, act, stage, mix sound, compose music, brainstorm, research,
script, conceive, produce, reflect, present, and publish our creations.
In a new AV studio building we produce feature films and documentaries
with professional equipment. In the animation studios we create
animated films in 2D, 3D and stop motion, visual effects, and virtual
reality. We design and present interactive media installations and
performances in public spaces. We mix sounds and film music, write
screenplays, and develop current graphic and online design.
Designers are often lone warriors who we integrate into production
teams from the very beginning. In Offenburg we work closely together,
concentrate on our projects, and develop into versatile designer
personalities.

Presented by: Prof. Götz Gruner

SAT, 08.05., NOON

The Stuttgart Media University (HdM) is a state-run university of
applied sciences located in Stuttgart-Vaihingen. Computer animation,
film/VFX, sound production, interactive media, and games as well
as television and event media are the fields of study offered in the
Audiovisual Media degree programme.
Students graduate from Stuttgart Media University (HdM) as creative
media engineers with the title Bachelor/Master of Engineering. The
subjects of games and interactive visualisations – VR, AR, 360° – are
represented at HdM by the Institute for Games (IfG), which offers
training at both Bachelor’s and Master’s level.
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.

Presented by: Jan Adamczyk, Bernd Eberhard

MON, 05.05., 6 PM

ANIMATED RESTORATION

How do you reconstruct a film, when the footage is lost? To fill gaps
restorers often use academic methods such as explanatory text, still
photographs or storyboards. But these methods cannot recapture the
artistry and dynamism of a scene in full motion. Is there a better way?
Orson Welles’s film “The Magnificent Ambersons” is one of the holy
grails of lost cinema, but one that has defied efforts at reconstruction,
because it was so badly altered. Some 45 minutes of footage was deleted.
Several additional scenes were reshot, including the ending. Other
scenes were re-ordered. Most of the musical score was cut entirely.
The Ambersons Project uses animation to accurately recreate the lost
footage, and to restore the film to its original, 132-minute runtime. This
presentation will detail the complex history of Welles’ lost masterpiece,
and how animation combined with academic research allows a restoration that is both historically sound, and richly artistic.

Presented by: Brian Rose

THU, 06.05., 6 PM

The Aardman Academy is committed to nurturing talent by delivering
excellence in film and animation training and mentoring.
Its newest course “Aardman Academy, Industry Training: Stop Motion 1”
is a 12-week virtual course developed and taught by the award-winning
professionals at Aardman. It’s the first in the series of industry-led
courses from the studio; committed to building sustainable careers
within animation.
Join the head of the Aardman Academy, Mark Simon Hewis as he talks
through curriculum including virtual lessons and weekly one-on-one
mentor tutorials with an individually assigned Aardman professional
who will act as guidance, offering advice throughout.
The session will include a Q&A.

Presented by: Mark Simon Hewis

FRI, 07.05., 2 PM

OR ADDING MORE COLOURS TO OUR STORIES

BC Minorities for Film and TV is a non-profit based organization that
focuses on empowering minorities, by bridging the gap through
creating equal opportunities.
By ‘minorities’, BC Minorities for Film and TV mean all genders from all
visible minority groups, including racial, ethnic, people with disabilities,
and refugees etc. Unlike many organisations, their mission is not limited
to one specific identity or culture. They aim to uplift any minority,
from ethnic groups and racialised people to LGBTQ+ and people with
disabilities, from Indigenous Peoples to refugees and immigrants.

Presented by: Mostafa Keshvari

FRI, 07.05., 5 PM

In a time of superstition and magic, a young apprentice hunter, Robyn
Goodfellowe, journeys to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last
wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls,
Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious
tribe rumoured to have the ability to transform into wolves by night.
As they search for Mebh’s missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the “WolfWalkers” and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.
The session will include a Q&A.

Presented by: Tomm Moore & Ross Stewart (Co-directors of Academie Award nominated “WolfWalkers”)

SAT, 08.05., 6 PM

David Silverman will talk a little about “The Simpsons” and a lot more
about “Extinct“, the new film he directed over the course of 2018 to
2020. This new film was written by “Simpsons” writers Joel H. Cohen,
Rob Lazebnik, and John Frink, and co-directed by fellow “Simpsons”
colleague Raymond Persi. It concerns a hitherto unknown species
– Flummels. David Silverman hopes to present behind-the-scenes
production material and discuss the process of bringing this charming
film to the screen.

Presented by: David Silverman

SUN, 09.05., 11 AM

Mapping and Unlimited Landscape

The symposium Expanded Animation began in 2013 and offered a first
approach to the expanding field of computer animation. It has since become
an established part of the Ars Electronica Animation Festival and
the international competition Prix Ars Electronica Computer Animation.
Every year under an overarching theme, the symposium has researched
the field of technology, art, animation, and aesthetics, investigated the
collapsing boundaries in digital animation, and explored positions and
future trends. As with the first conferences on computer animation at
Ars Electronica in the 1980s, practice and theory are equally important.
The richly illustrated publication “Expanded Animation: Mapping an
Unlimited Landscape” features contributions from speakers and artists
from the past six years and presents an overview of the prize winners in prix category Computer Animation from 2011 to 2018.

Presented by: Jürgen Hagler

SUN, 09.05., 3 PM

Egypt’s animation industry is one of the oldest in the region, beginning
more than 85 years ago by the Frenkel brothers with the release of the
first animated movie featuring the famous character of “Mish Mish
Effendi”, and then the Moheeb brothers followed their lead. Today, the
animation industry in Egypt is witnessing a major bloom on the hands
of many studios such as Samaka, Octopus, Nady, Follk, Bare, Monkeys,
Hend & Lamiaa, Jump and more, and the plethora of talented individuals
and freelancers producing world-class art. The first Egyptian modern
animated feature film was also produced a couple of years ago, and
another feature film, “The Grand Night” is in development currently.
Another major force of change is the animatex animation film festival,
that had its first edition happen in November 2020, and which is
helping bring all the animation community together, students, studios,
freelancers, academics and the broad general audience and showcasing them both locally and internationally.
The session will include a Q&A.

Presented by: Youhana Nassif, founder and head of the Animation Festival animatex

SUN, 09.05., 4 PM

CREATING A QUALITY ANIMATED FILM VIA THE WORLD WIDE WEB

In presenting “The Making of ‘Mila’: Creating a Quality Animated Film
via the World Wide Web” director Cinzia Angelini will share how a
team of 350 artists from 35 countries created an emotionally charged
and thought-provoking film about the collateral damage of war to
children. Inspired by a World War II survivor, the director will discuss the challenges she had to overcome, and the tools and tricks she learned, on both the creative and production sides, in completing the film. The short film will also be screened for audiences. “Mila” is a volunteer-based, CG animated short film that is not your standard cartoon. Throughout Cinzia Angelini’s experience in creating “Mila”, she realized that the magic of animation not only touches people; it can also create unforgettable memories like no other medium can. This message that children
CAN handle difficult themes resonated with Cinesite Studios, and, after
joining the team last year, the studio was instrumental in bringing
“Mila” across the finish line.

Presented by: Cinzia Angelini