50 Projects Selected For Animation Production Days 2019

With a total of 84, more animation projects than ever before have been submitted for the 13th edition of Animation Production Days (APD) in Stuttgart.

The jury selected 50 of these projects from 17 different countries to be presented at APD. On 2 and 3 May 2019 the producers of these projects will discuss coproduction and financing opportunities with potential partners in a series of pre-planned one-to-one meetings in Stuttgart's L-Bank.

APD is the most important business platform for animation projects in Germany and takes place as part of the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film and the FMX – Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Immersive Media. Around a third of the projects presented here in previous years have now gone on to be successfully produced.

The large number and consistent high quality of the submitted projects are indicative of a continually expanding industry in which a spirit of optimism prevails. In comparison to live-action film, and despite fierce competition, European animation has a successful track record on the international market. The submissions also reflect the great diversity of genres, formats, styles and techniques that distinguish animation. Alongside classical series and films, also cross-media projects, Games, VR projects and online formats are represented, including numerous projects for teenage and adult target audiences. Topics range from edutainment, comedy, adventure stories and fantasy for kids to historical and political material, animated documentaries, satire and science fiction.

 Of the 50 selected projects, 19 are from Germany. And with 10 projects, Danish production companies are strongly represented. The total production budget for the selected projects is around 180 million Euros.

9  projects are from newcomers who have gained a place via an application to the APD Talent Programme. This year, as part of its funding from the Creative Europe MEDIA programme, APD can award a total of 15 free accreditations to outstanding young talents. At APD they are given the opportunity to discuss their ideas with seasoned industry experts, develop contacts with important decision-makers and find cooperation partners for their projects. One example of this is the short film “Crabs” from Poland which was pitched during CEE Animation Forum (as Come Undone, winning a special mention and the Playade Postproduction Award, and an Animation Sans Frontières scholarship).

The short has been subsequently pitched during  Animarkt 2018 Stop-motion forum; it has qualified for participation in the APD Talent Programme as part of a cooperation with the Animation Sans Frontières European training programme.

Crab, Piotr Chmielewski & Julie Peitersen

 Selected Projects 2019

“23 insults“, studio KAPI / Feature 85′, Ukraine

“Animal Me”, Happy Asylum Entertainment GmbH / TV Series 26 x 11′, Germany

“Apple Hills”, Nice Ninja / TV Series 26 x 11′ / Denmark

“Boots & Paws (WT)”, studio soi GmbH & Co. KG Filmproduktion / TV Series 26 x 5′ or 52 x 5′ /Germany

“Die Aquarianer”faktura film, / GmbH /Feature 90′, Germany

“DINO MITE”,M.A.R.K. 13 / Feature 85′, TV Series 26 x 11′, Game Germany

“ELEMENTED”, E*D Films / TV Series 26 x 22′, episodic sequential, VR, playable assets /Canada

“Feline Dion”, Woodblock / TV Series 10 x 11′, Germany

“Friedefeld”,Little Dream Entertainment GmbH / TV Series 13 x 30′, Germany

“GUS, THE GUIDE DOG”,WKND / Feature 90′, Spain

“Henry – Guardian of Nature”,Inlusio Interactive / Game, Switzerland

“Hugo & Holger”, Wil Film ApS / TV Series 52 x 7′, Denmark

“Hygge- Blue Winter Blues”,Parka Pictures APS / Feature 81′, TV Series 26 x 7′, Denmark

“Klincus”, Grid Animation / TV Series 26 x 22′, Belgium

“Little Who WHo”, Recircle / TV Series 52 x 7′, Croatia

“Lottie”, arx anima animation studio GmbH / TV Series 26 x 11′, Austria

“mouse & CRANE – Harbour Adventures”, Those Eyes / TV Series 26 x 7′, Game, Mobile Content / App, Denmark

“Mysterious Cities of Gold”, Blue Spirit Productions / TV Series 52 x 11′, France

“Napoleon”, Ja Film A/S / Feature 90′, Denmark

“One Giant Leap”, Neue Celluloid Fabrik / TV Series 16 x 7′, Germany

“OSMOND”, Atmosphere Media / TV Series 52 x 13′, Germany

“Pearl”, Rolling Pictures spol.s.r.o. / Feature 90′, Czech Republic

“Pepe”, Dansk Tegnefilm/ TV Series 52 x 7′, Denmark

“POLINOPOLIS”, Mago Audiovisual Production /TV Series 52 x 11′, Spain

“Rat and Pigeon”, Hoho Entertainment Ltd/ TV Series 52 x 11′, United Kingdom

“Silk Man”, Hamlet/ Feature 80′, Belgium

“Spaceport”, Parovoz Animation Studio / TV Series 26 x 11′, Russia

“Spookies”, Wolkenlenker / TV Series 52 x 7′, Germany

“SuperSchool”, Akkord Film Produktion GmbH / TV Series 52 x 11′, Germany

“Tafiti – Through the desert”, Tradewind Pictures GmbH / Feature 75′, TV Series 12 x 22′, Germany

“Tales from the Multiverse”, Tumblehead / Denmark

“The ELEMENTS”, animation people / TV Series 26 x 11′, Czech Republic

“The Knomes“, A. Film Production / Game, Mobile Content / App, Denmark

“The Legacy of the Magic Flute“, WunderWerk / TV Series 26 x 24′, Germany

“The Pirate Code“, MotionWorks GmbH / TV Series 26 x 22′, Germany

“The Rainbow Dragons“, Master Video s.r.o. /Feature 90′, Slovakia

“The Upside Down River“, Dandelooo / TV Series 6 x 52′ or 12 x 26′, France

“Today is the Last Day of the Rest of your Life“, Transmitter Film / Balance Film / Feature 90′, Austria / Germany

Today Is The Last Day of the Rest of Your Life

“Ugly – the little Spider”, B Water Studios / TV Series 52 x 7′, Germany

“Vitello – 24 Christmas Tales“, Zentropa / TV Series 24 x 7′, Mobile Content / App, Vitello Universe, Denmark

“Women in War“, Sparre Production ApS /Webbased serial content 6 x 7′, Denmark

Talent Projects 2019

“Bioluminescence”, Reynard Films / 10×10 digital series and standalone VR experience, Germany

“CRAB”, Piotr Chmielewski & Julie Peitersen / short film, Poland

“Family Bonds”, Maria Schmidt & Nina Schwarz / TV Series 12 x 11′, Germany

“Fili”, Maria Virginia Moratti / TV Series 5 x 20′, Italy

“Mystery Delivery”, Coen Balkestein / TV Series 13 x 22′, Netherlands

“Night Cat”, Jessica Drechsler / TV Series 12 x 6′, Germany

“Taleraiders”, Michele Assante & Fabiana Fiengo / TV Series 13 x 22′, Italy

“The Beings”, Johannes Dreibach & Igor Medvedev / TV Series 12 x 20′, Germany

“The Very Hairy Alphabet”, Eliza Plocieniak-Alvarez & Laura Messner / TV Series 26 x 5′, Game, Mobile Content / App, audio, print, Germany

Investors Can Still Register until 8 March 2019

The demand for new content for the growing number of linear and non-linear platforms is high. At APD, programme buyers, investors and potential co-producers can find exciting new projects and give producers feedback on the requirements of the various European markets. Numerous national and international broadcasters and distributors will be there, including BBC Children's, Canal+, DHX Media, Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE), France Télévisions, Hessischer Rundfunk (HR), KiKA, Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI), Sony Pictures Television Networks, Südwestrundfunk (SWR), Turner Broadcasting Systems Europe, The Walt Disney Company, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF), Entertainment One, Federation Kids & Family, Jetpack Distribution, Motion Pictures Entertainment, Pink Parrot Media, Sola Media GmbH, Wild Bunch Germany, Newen Distribution, SUPERIGHTS, Zodiak Kids. SVoD platforms like Amazon and Hopster have likewise confirmed their participation and national and international funding bodies will also attend. The registration deadline for investors and financiers is still open until 8 March 2019.

Animation Production Days (APD) is a business platform for the international animation industry and takes place annually as part of the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film and FMX – Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Immersive Media. APD is organised by the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH and the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. It brings together co-production, financing and distribution partners for animation projects in a series of one-to-one meetings and, with the APD Conference, offers focused discussions and presentations on current challenges facing the industry.