APD Conference #1:
ENABLE! Case Studies and Market Trends (live session, no VoD)
6 May 2021, 15:00 – 16:30 pm (CET), online via livestream

HOST: PROF LILIAN KLAGES, APD Curator

In the first block of the conference, practice-oriented case studies will be presented to discuss technological innovations or new distribution and financing strategies for animation projects. The topics range from new potential business fields or cooperations in the games, VFX or VR sector to field reports on current, successful animation film projects that present innovative ideas in the context of content development, financing or cooperations.

The first part of the APD Conference “ENABLE!” is open to all registered APD participants (access via online meeting platform), as well as accredited professionals from ITFS (ONLINE-PRO) & FMX.
The Conference will be held in English.

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CASE STUDY 1
NEOSHIN – A transmedia adult animation series:
A cutting-edge cyberpunk series aims to break new ground in transmedia storytelling

NEOSHIN combines narrative series, music and modern media into a consistent transmedia experience. The series explores the theme of the glass consumer in the year 2073X and depicts a drastic exaggeration of everyday social conventions.

Showing a world where hedonism, self-expression and mass consumption have become more important than compassion, humanity and sustainability, we will dive into the transmedia aspects of the project and outline how the real band NEOSHIN along with our virtual influencer is to be integrated into the story.

Speaker

Jiayan Chen
Producer, NEOSHIN GbR

Sebastian Selg
Director, NEOSHIN GbR

Ramon Schauer
Co-Director/ TD, NEOSHIN GbR

NEOSHIN GbR has been founded by a core team of 4 people. The team met while studying at the internationally renowned Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. After contributing to several large scale game and film projects, the team decided to combine their passion for music and film. They started developing the concept of NEOSHIN, an animated series which aims to break new ground in transmedia storytelling.  

CASE STUDY 2
AINBO: Spirit of the Amazon:
How to coproduce and tell stories between Latin America and Europe

In the spirit of Moana and Frozen, ‘AINBO: Spirit of the Amazon‘ is the epic journey of a young hero and her Spirit Guides, “Dillo” a cute and humorous armadillo and “Vaca” a goofy oversized tapir, who embark on a quest to save their home in the spectacular Amazon Rainforest.
The independent animated feature, originated by Tunche Films in Lima, Peru and co-produced in the Netherlands by Katuni BV, was first introduced in 2016 at Animation! Ventana Sur as a “Pitch” and then again as a “Work-in-Progress” in 2018. The film was completed in December 2020. The story of AINBO was inspired by Director Jose Zelada and his two brothers and producers, Cesar and Sergio Zelada whose mother grew up in Puccalpa, Peru in the Amazon Rainforest.

Speaker

Edward Noeltner, President of Cinema Management Group (CMG), International Sales Agent

Edward Noeltner is a seasoned and well-respected executive in the field of international motion picture licensing and distribution. Over the past 30 years, he has licensed worldwide major Academy Award winning features and a number of prestigious film libraries. He founded Cinema Management Group (CMG), an International Sales Agency, in 2003 with the worldwide Box Office hit HOODWINKED which went on to gross over US$ 110million worldwide. CMG licensed titles include Oscar® and Golden Globe® Nominee LOVING VINCENT (worldwide box-office over US$ 42million); Cannes Official Selection SEARCHING FOR INGMAR BERGMAN, TIFF Official Selection BORN TO DANCE and STILL MINE; SXSW Audience, Jury and Emerging Women Award winner EDEN; Academy Award® Nominee GASLAND, and Annecy Official Selections ADVENTURES IN ZAMBEZIA, KHUMBA, SALMA’S BIG WISH, and Annecy Contrechamp Winner AWAY. In addition to licensing new titles around the world, CMG is also currently executive producing a number of feature films both animated and live action.

Richard Claus, CEO & Producer, Cool Beans

Richard Claus is a producer, writer and director and runs the Amsterdam based production company Cool Beans and the animation studio Katuni together with Chantal Nissen and the German Comet Film. Richard is a German citizen living and working predominantly in The Netherlands. Richard has also worked and lived in the United States of America and in South Africa. With his companies he has produced more than 20 theatrical feature films.
He is known for international productions such as: MUTE WITNESS (1994), THE LITTLE VAMPIRE (2000) BLACK BUTTERFLIES (2010), AN ACT OF DEFIANCE (BRAM FISCHER) (2017). On some of his family entertainment productions Richard also served as a writer and director, including the following: THE THIEF LORD (2004), THE LITTLE VAMPIRE 3D (2017), AINBO (2020), PANDA BEAR IN AFRICA (2021/22).

APD Conference #2:
Content Briefing Session (live session, no VoD)
7 May 2021, 11:30 am – 13:00 pm (CET), online via livestream

HOST: CHRISTOPHE ERBÈS, APD Curator

In the APD Content Briefing Session, four representatives of major broadcasters and SVoD platforms will present their current programming needs and future programming strategies. Four individual interviews followed by a joint panel will focus on what animation content is currently being sought after, whether and how the pandemic has changed programming strategies and what this means for the animation industry.

The second part of the APD Conference “Content Briefing Session” is open to all registered APD participants (access via online meeting platform), as well as accredited professionals from ITFS (ONLINE PRO).
The Conference will be held in English.

Speaker

Orion Ross, Vice President, Animation, The Walt Disney Company – EMEA

Orion develops and produces animated content, working with independent studios and producers across EMEA, for Disney’s global platforms including Disney Junior, Disney Channel and Disney+.

Current and recent projects include new takes on Disney classics “101 Dalmatian Street” and “Chip ’N’ Dale: Park Life”; pre-school hits “PJ Masks” and “Gigantosaurus”; original children’s series “Miraculous Ladybug”, “Counterfeit Cat”, “Furiki Wheels”, “Space Chickens in Space”, “Viking Skool” and “The Unstoppable Yellow Yeti”; and the BAFTA-winning Disney XDFC shorts program.

Previously Orion was the creative director for Turner’s Asia Pacific entertainment networks, where he developed original content including “Exchange Student Zero” for Cartoon Network, “Galli Galli Sim Sim” with Sesame Workshop, and the arts format “M.A.D.” for Pogo.

Janine Weigold, Manager Animated Originals Kids & Family, Netflix

Janine Weigold joined Netflix in November 2019. Based in Amsterdam, she works as a creative in the Kids & Family Department looking for original animated content out of Europe.

Prior to that, she worked at Super RTL, the market leading broadcaster in Germany.

As Head of Children’s Content, she was responsible for the co-production and acquisition of new series across all platforms. Before her time at Super RTL, Janine worked at Nickelodeon for 9 years, with her last position leading the Acquisitions & Development strategies for Northern Europe.

Patricia Hidalgo, Director of Children’s & Education, BBC

Patricia Hidalgo is responsible for developing and implementing creative and editorial strategy for BBC Children’s services across all platforms, with a focus on the strategic future direction of media consumption and business models. Patricia also heads up the two most popular networks for children in the UK, CBeebies and CBBC, and leads the BBC’s Education department, overseeing all the division’s content output including in-house productions, co-productions and acquisitions. Patricia has a strong industry track record and is behind some of the most successful shows in kids’ TV. During her last six years at Turner she was responsible for the production of the multiple award-winning series The Amazing World Of Gumball, as well as the Emile-awarded and Bafta-nominated The Heroic Adventures Of The Valiant Prince Ivandoe. In 2017 Hidalgo was awarded World Screen’s Global Kids Trendsetter award for her outstanding contribution to the kids’ media industry. Prior to her role at Turner, Patricia spent 15 years at Disney where she held a number of senior roles in Spain, Italy and the UK.

Nicole Keeb, Head of International Coproductions and Acquisitions Children’s and Youth, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)

After I had finished my first animation experiments (featuring playmobil figurines…) at the age of 6 years on a kitchen table, I decided to study film (and sculpture and history) at the “Staatliche Hochschule für Bildende Künste” in Braunschweig/ Germany (Masterstudies and State Exam). I worked for pubcaster WDR on the “Show with the Mouse/ Die Sendung mit der Maus” for two years and was an intern at SAT 1, the first private channel in Germany, in the news department. After 2 years I was hired by Premiere (Germany’s leading pay tv channel at that time), was responsible for tv movies and entertainment, worked as an editor in children’s dep. until I was promoted to be head of the department. After 5 years I went to Mainz to work for ZDF as a Commissioning Editor for acquisitions and co-productions for 9 years. I’ve been promoted in 2006 to work as “Head of International Coproductions, Development and Acquisitions” in the same department.