AWNtv has posted sneak peeks of the interviews and attractions of day one through four of FMX 2010. Hear words of wisdom and impressions of the event from industry superstars like Marc Weigert, Volker Engel, Tim Sarnoff, Bruno Velazquez, David Schaub, Bruce W. Smith, Hendrickson, John Bruno, Stuart Sumida, Ben Grossman, David Sproxton, Mohen Leo, Victoria Alonso and Ed Hooks.

View them all at the FMX Channel on AWNtv!

Here we go again! It's May again, so time to travel to Stuttgart, Germany to meet, to listen, to open the eyes and the minds, to feel the sense of wonder, the pulse of the future and to be amazed by the achievements of the many professionals, as well as those of the bold young students, who present their work. For the 15^th time the Conference on Animation, Effects, Games & Interactive Media starts today and — business as usual — this year's program let your mouth drool, if you are a big fan of those wondrous worlds.

Fifteen editions ago, in 1994, the small and tiny “Film and Medienbörse Stuttgart” was held for the very first time – Prof. Thomas Haegele and his team decided to translate the German term into English and the “Film and Media eXchange” in short FMX was born.

 

 

It's curious to analyze the growth of FMX, both in prestige and program diversity, certainly within the context of the decline in scope and size of other festivals and conferences within the animation, visual effects and gaming space.

While I have no evidence to support my theory besides my own travels and discussions with colleagues, I would venture to say that in the last 10 years, between the rise of the Internet and a couple of economic downturns, attendance at many events has steadily declined. Many otherwise excellent events have closed up shop altogether. A decade ago (maybe more) I remember a NATPE (National Assn. of Television Production Executives) show in New Orleans that filled the entire convention center -- the line to get the Warrior Princess Xena's (Lucy Lawless) autograph stretched hundreds long, out the door and down the Riverwalk to the mighty Mississippi River. Regis and Kathy Lee broadcast their show from the floor that year, which certainly attested to the event's size and, at the time, impact on and importance to international broadcast and cable TV programming and distribution. Today, unfortunately, the NATPE event, while still an important destination, only occupies a small space at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay.