Archive notice: This article was originally published on July 10, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
“An award for the future such as the animago AWARD belongs at a media location such as Babelsberg,” explains animago Project Manager Matthias J. Lange of the decision. Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg agrees and is supporting the animago AWARD and the two-day animago CONFERENCE training event with a substantial sum.
Films such as “Ratatouille,” virtual worlds such as “Second Life,” video games such as “World of Warcraft,” and almost every commercial would be impossible without animation. Lange, who is both animago Project Manager and Editor-in-Chief of the specialist magazine DIGITAL PRODUCTION, says the animation and post-production industry represents the fastest-growing areas of the multimedia world.
Post-production is now just as important as production within the film industry. “Digital content creation is also playing an increasingly important role in web and mobile applications and in games. Whereas artists were once merely technological pioneers, their expertise has long since made them an economic factor as well,” Lange continues.
Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg’s location funding also recognises the growing importance of this still-young industry. Medienboard Managing Director Petra Müller says: “Berlin-Brandenburg is a content location. We are delighted that the animago AWARD is bringing Europe’s most important digital-content-creation competition to the capital region. Creative professionals from the neighbouring fields of film, games, Web 2.0, visual effects, design, and technology are already here - now expertise can be pooled and synergies exploited.” The local scene has also been integrated conceptually through specialist retailer Lichtblick 4d. The organisers of the highly successful Meet & Greet festival launched in Berlin will participate intensively in planning the two-day animago CONFERENCE programme.
More than 10,000 entries, ranging from animation for film, television, and commercials to short films, industrial productions, and ambitious home productions, have competed internationally across the 13 animago AWARDs to date. There are already well over 350 registrations from more than 30 countries for 2009. To enable as many artists as possible to participate, the submission deadline for the animago AWARD 2009 has been extended to 31 July. Participation is open and free of charge.
“The animago artists are creative professionals working at the highest technical and artistic level and deserve recognition. The animago AWARD and animago CONFERENCE will provide them with this recognition - including among those who are not yet very familiar with the genre,” Matthias J. Lange continues. The best of the best are selected not only by a jury but, in some of the eleven categories, also by readers of several media partners, including FotoCommunity.de, Hobnox, and MacNews. The awards ceremony will take place during the animago gala on the evening of the conference’s first day.
The animago CONFERENCE, meanwhile, offers an attractive programme featuring more than 20 national and international speakers. There will also be workshops and masterclasses in which professionals demonstrate the use of new software. A presentation of modern motion-capture methods from Germany is planned. Motion capture is a technique that enables human movements to be recorded and converted into a computer-readable format. The movements can then be analysed and transferred to computer-generated 3D models.
The organisers place particular emphasis on supporting emerging talent. For the first time this year, they have therefore attached prize money of €3,000 to the “Best Young Production” category. “Young talent needs to attract attention. In future, animago intends to achieve this more than ever because the talent will be presented not only to the community but also to a broader audience and potential employers - if they are good enough,” emphasises Project Manager Lange.
The eleven animago AWARD 2009 categories are:
Best Advertising Production
Best Mobile Production
Best Interactive Production
Best Game Design
Best Short Film
Best Film Production
Best Visualisation
Best Virtual Photograph (Still)
Best Young Production
Best Post-Production
Jury Special Award
