This is the third time The Ugly Duckling and Me has been to Cartoon Movie, each time with a new element. This year Ratso (right) has been added as Ugly’s adoptive father. © Ugly — Magma Films/A-Film/Ulysses/Futurikon 2005.

But perhaps the most interesting section of Cartoon Movie comes with the shorter back-to-back presentations of projects that are still at the concept stage. These are the pitches that will either be picked up and grow into movies over the next couple of years or wither away and die. But which is which? Here are some of the best.

Bug Muldoon is a co-production between Magma Films in Ireland and Ulysses and Europool in Germany. It’s the tale of a private eye beetle faced with the ultimate test — the survival of all the insects in the garden lies in his hands. Also presented by Magma — this time together with Danish partner A Film — was Hugo. Based on the existing international TV and videogame character, the ugly little troll is now getting a 3D makeover as a secret agent.

Magma was well represented at Cartoon Movie with co-productions of Bug Muldoon (left) and Hugo. © Bug Muldoon — Magma Films/Ulysses/Europool 2005. © Hugo — Magma Films/A-Film/ITE 2005.

A Film was also presenting Journey to Saturn — a low-budget (€2.5 million) CGI movie using the same technology as the company’s current hit Terkel in Trouble. Based on a Danish comic strip, it is aimed at an audience of 10 years and over.

Animation festival favorite Phil Mulloy presented a feature concept called Cottonhead together with German co-producer Thomas Meyer-Herman from Studio Film Bilder. The budget is set at just €2 million for this modern adult fairy tale — rather more if the preferred casting of Tom Waits works out.

Icelandic CGI studio Caoz was presenting an ambitious project based on stories of the Viking warrior God Thor — the budget has been set at a relatively high €16.7 million.

German studio Hahn Film presented Malmi — a charming CGI snowman character. For the first time this year, more than 50% of all projects presented were for CGI. Another German 3D project was Backyard Heroes from Kandor Graphics — a group of singularly unattractive animals — a skunk, raccoon, armadillo, porcupine, opossum and squirrel — who turn superhero to gain a little respect.

A number of British projects included the intriguing dreamworld fantasy of Gone! from Ink Animations in Scotland. My Team Animation presented The Ministry —a view of Heaven as a huge bureaucracy running the Universe — and Stardust Pictures — a long-time service company on DreamWorks movies — presented an adult comicbook style adaptation of the classic horror yarn Jekyll & Hyde.

Iqbal, Tale of a Fearless Child from Italian studio Gertie received some serious interest. Adapted from a successful book, it deals with a tragic story of child slavery in the carpet industry of Pakistan. Already supported by UNICEF and with a Canadian partner putting up 20% of the €8 million budget, the producers were looking for European co-production partners.

Probably the most technically demanding concept presented was I.T. The Intra Terrestrials from 109 Films Production in France. Designed as a stereoscopic 70mm photorealistic CGI project for Imax cinemas it explores the fascinating possibility of communication between humans and ants.

Bob Swain is an animation scriptwriter based in the U.K.

Ron Diamond is the president of AWN and the owner of animation production house, Acme Filmworks.