Earlier than ever before, FMX 2019 – Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Immersive Media (30 April to 3 May 2019) can announce the first of its trailers and initial programme highlights. Jan Pinkava, Creative Director of Google Spotlight Stories, will deliver a keynote in line with this year’s FMX theme of Bridging the Gap about his work at the intersection of art and technology, while international talent consultant Shelley Page will curate a new track called N.E.W.S., which will discuss the workflows of animation professionals from different continents.
Jan Pinkava – Bridging the Gap between Art and Technology
How can artistic expression be combined with technological innovation? Bridging the gap between technology and art can be a challenge, especially when working with new formats and new technologies. Jan Pinkava, Creative Director of Google Spotlight Stories, will share his views on this highly relevant topic in
a keynote at FMX 2019.
Jan Pinkava has worked at the intersection of art and technology throughout his career. He holds a PhD in Theoretical Robotics and won an Oscar for the Pixar short film Geri’s Game. At Pixar, he also worked on The Big Crawl, Toy Story 2 and Monsters Inc. He co-directed and created the Oscar-winning Rataouille. He is currently exploring new forms of immersive and interactive storytelling for mobile and VR at Google Spotlight Stories.
N.E.W.S. – Bridging the Gap between Continents
The creation of animated films has recently expanded from traditional production centres in Hollywood and Europe to the whole world. The N.E.W.S. track at FMX 2019 will focus on new projects currently in development in locations from Asia to Europe, from South America to Russia. Shelley Page, animation filmmaker and international talent consultant, is curating this new series of talks, highlighting the opportunities for start-ups and established studios to build bridges between animation professionals from all continents to combine their collective expertise in new ways and bring their animated stories to a global audience.
FMX 2019 Trailer #1 – Wonderful World
For the first time in 2019, FMX will release four completely different trailers. Each of the areas mentioned in the FMX subtitle – Animation, Effects, Games and Immersive Media – will be represented with its own trailer, unique in technique, style and story. The first, Wonderful World, represents the Effects category. It
was created by students of the Animation Institute of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (Director: Arne Hain | Animation/VFX Production: Josephine Roß | Technical Director: Denise Hoffmann) and tells the story of a bear fighting for its life. But what is the beginning of the story and what is the end? What is real and what is virtual? Can the gap between an idyllic world and a dystopian future be bridged? Watch the trailer
Animation Production Days 2019 – Deadline for submissions: 21 February 2019
German and international producers can now submit projects for the 13th Animation Production Days (APDs), for which co-production and financing partners are being sought. The Animation Production Days are the most important business platform for animation projects in Germany and will take place from 1 to 3 May 2019 in Stuttgart as part of the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film 2019 and FMX. Animation projects from the fields of film, TV series, mobile content, games, cross-media and transmedia can be submitted until 21 February 2019. Hybrid formats, a mixture of animated and live-action film, can also take part. A total of 45 projects will be selected for participation in the APDs 2019. Further information on the APDs
First partners in the FMX Forum
The first confirmations for the FMX Forum have arrived. This is where the FMX audience can find out about the latest technological trends and products as well as job and study opportunities. CGWire, Golaem, InstaLOD and Xsens have booked a stand at the FMX Marketplace. With the National Film and Television School (NFTS), the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences and the SAE Institute, the School Campus also has its first confirmed participants. The first workshops have been booked by Pixar’s Renderman and Xsens. For the Recruiting Hub, Boulder Media, RISE FX, Dassault Systems 3D Excite and Framestore have announced their participation.
The FMX 2019 ticket shop will open on 10 January 2019 on the website www.fmx.de.
