11/2/2025
Generation
Two days of conferences, project pitching, networking and Meetup, in which in addition to learning about the latest trends in innovation and new technologies in the world of animation and video games, the workshop finalists’ results will be presented. Registration is now open at Eventbrite until February 19th at 11:59 p.m. Madrid time or until full capacity is reached.
The organization has posted on its website an outstanding program, featuring some of the most relevant personalities in the industry today. The first day will kick off with Lorena Gonzalez, Co-Founder of INMERSIVA XR, the Extended Reality Association of Spain. This session will explore real-world uses and applications of XR at both national and international levels, covering different sectors such as video games, animation, and the production of other audiovisual content.
The vibrant Blender community, which gathered in the previous edition of the event in a special monographic session, will once again have its place in this edition with several conferences highlighting the transformative power of this software in animation and video game production.
The event will feature two case studies of projects that have benefited from the second edition of Ibermedia Next, a grant from the IBERMEDIA Program consisting of financial support of up to €150,000, together with a training and promotion program. The teams behind the “Urke” and “Catwalk” projects discuss how they have applied new technology tools and open-source software to the production of their animation project.
The feature film “Urke”, co-developed by Spanish production companies Bígaro Films and Aupa Studio, together with the Mexican Sísmica Studio, will focus on how tools such as Blender can expand their formats, enabling the transition from 2.5D to Virtual Reality. The film is a journey through the history of one of the indigenous peoples of the Iberian Peninsula, the Iberians.
Meanwhile, the “Catwalk” series team returns to the event after being one of the winning projects in the last edition. This project with a team made up of 69% women, reflects on the complex nuances of what it means to be free, with a strong aesthetic commitment in a production made entirely using Grease Pencil VR, Grease Pencil and Blender.
Also Lino Grandi, 3D artist at tech giant OTOY, will share highly sought-after insights for artists and developers working with non-photorealistic rendering, exploring different technical possibilities such as anime-style shading in Blender OctaneRender.
Addressing yet another of the most debated topics in the sector in recent years, the program will also include a space to discuss Artificial Intelligence, one of the most disruptive technologies of our time, which is transforming not only processes within audiovisual production but also sectors as diverse as health and education. Experts in the field such as Alby Ojeda, Product Designer at Wells Agency, will address the impact, trends and future of AI. The conference led by Alby Ojeda will focus on the automation of repetitive tasks to enhance creative processes.
Bringing a vision closely tied to the creative approach, the event will be attended by artist and director Dan Franke, Co-Founder of the pioneering Virtual Reality studio “Studio Syro” and CEO of Spacelime Studios GmbH. Franke will share his expertise in creating immersive stories, from his work on the Oscar-nominated VR short film “Namo” to directing “Tales from Soda Island,” the world's first VR series.
On Friday morning, one of the most anticipated highlights of the event will take place: the pitch of the finalist projects of this year’s edition, which will mark the end of the workshop. During this pitch, participants will showcase the animated piece made during the eight weeks of training and will also present their conclusions about the process and the progress they have made. That same Friday afternoon, the jury will announce the winners of Next Lab Generation 2025, who will receive professional accreditation for Annecy MIFA 2025 and the opportunity to make a presentation at the Next Lab Generation conference.
The full program and schedule of the event can be found on the Next Lab Generation website.
Next Lab Generation 2025 has the main sponsorship of the Community of Madrid, through the Council for Culture, Tourism and Sport, the participation of Ibermedia Next, the cooperation of the ICAA, the Ministry of Culture, Madrid’s Audiovisual Cluster, the Madrid Film Office, Annecy Festival, and FOM; and the support of Weird Market, Pixel Cluster and DIBOOS.