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Building Brands, Real-Time Production in the Spotlight at ADP 2019

Case studies detailing the use of game engines in animation production as well as new ideas and strategies for the exploitation of animation projects to be presented at the 13th edition of Germany’s leading animation business platform.

Case studies detailing the use of game engines in animation production as well as new ideas and strategies for the exploitation of animation projects to be presented at the 13th edition of Germany’s leading animation business platform.

STUTTGART, Germany -- The full conference program has been unveiled for the 13th edition of Animation Production Days, the annual business platform held as part of the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film and the FMX Conference on animation, effects, games and immersive media.

Bringing together co-production, financing and distribution partners for animation projects in a series of one-to-one meetings, APD offers focused discussions and presentations on current challenges facing the industry. This year’s edition, which runs May 1-3, offers inspiration for the future of the industry with case studies detailing the use of game engines in animation production and new ideas and strategies for the exploitation of animation projects.

In the first part of the conference, producers who have explored new paths will share their experiences. Thomas Borch Nielsen (Nice Ninja) and Dirk Hampel (B-Water Animation Studios) have both produced projects using game engines and will report on lessons learned.

Can you build a series and establish a successful brand without a linear platform? Helen Howells and Oliver Ellis from Hoho Entertainment will discuss how they refused to give up on their preschool brand, Cloudbabies, long after the series finished airing on terrestrial TV in the U.K. Niko and the Sword of Light went from being a hit animated comic book app to an almost-cancelled series to an Emmy Award winner. Co-creator Bobby Chiu will recount the strategies, trials and tribulations behind the series.

Meanwhile, at the conference’s Content Briefing Session, representatives from German and international TV channels and distributors will provide an overview of current industry trends and market developments. Dr. Astrid Plenk (Managing and Programming Director of KiKA, the Children’s Channel of ARD and ZDF), Dominique Neudecker (Senior Manager of Acquisitions & Co-Production, Disney Channels GSA), Richard Rowe (Director of International Acquisitions & Co-Productions, DHX Media) and Chris Rose (VP of Animation Production/Development, Nickelodeon International) will introduce their programming requirements and strategies with regards to animated content.

Access to the APD conference is granted to all accredited APD participants and also to industry guests with ITFS and FMX accreditation. Over 160 participants from 23 countries are accredited for the APD co-production and financing market. In roughly 800 pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings on May 2 & 3, they will be discussing the 50 animation projects chosen by the jury (from a total of 84 submissions) to be presented at this year’s APD. (An overview of all the selected projects can be found on the APD website at www.animationproductiondays.de; a list of the APD participants can be found here.)

Source: Animation Production Days

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.