10/1/2023
Generation
Next Lab Generation announces the twenty projects selected for the third edition of its workshop, beginning yesterday, January 9th, with an initial online phase. A total of 60 projects from 13 countries participated in the competition, from Argentina, Armenia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Italy, Spain, United States, United Kingdom, and Venezuela.
For a third consecutive year, the initiative received the support of the Community of Madrid through the Council for Culture, Tourism, and Sport as a main sponsor, aiming to discover new talents and promote the production of more technically and narratively advanced animation projects. This third edition also received financial support from the Institute for Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA), as part of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan advanced by the European Union, with additional support provided by the Ministry of Culture, DeAPlaneta Entertainment, and the Municipal Government of Madrid, and collaboration from Enisa, Annecy Festival, and Weird Market.
The final selection is noteworthy both for the quality and diverse international origins of the projects, coming from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Spain, United States, and two Argentine-Spanish and Dominican-Spanish coproductions.
WORKSHOP
These 20 animation projects will work to apply digital creative tools and receive guidance on production processes and applying R+D+i and the latest technologies. The final result for participants will be an animated teaser for each of the projects, developed in record time.
After an initial, seven-week online phase involving training on creative tools, project work, and masterclasses, the ten best projects will move on to the second phase of the workshop – to be held in-person in Madrid from February 27th to March 4th. This phase will conclude with a special event on March 3rd and 4th to include conferences, a public pitch by each of the finalists, and other activities.
A jury made up of professionals in the field will select the three best projects as winners of the edition, to be presented at the Next Lab Generation conference at Annecy MIFA 2023. In addition, for the first time, each one of the winning projects will receive a gross payment of 8,000 Euros in aid for development, three months of mentoring, and a travel bag and accreditation for one representative from the project to attend the Annecy Festival 2023.
SELECTED PROJECTS
This year’s participants stand out due to the combination of new talents and recognized professionals from the field, such as Carlos Zaragoza and Aurora Jiménez, production designer and visual development artist, respectively, for Sony in films like “Vivo” and the “The Emoji Movie”; Renato Roldán, former set designer at King for the Bubble Witch franchise; Diego Porral, nominated for an Emmy Award as the lead animator for an episode of “Love Death and Robots” for Netflix; and Andrés Liebman, with more than 20 years of experience, and creator and director of the series “Meu AmigãoZão,” distributed in over 100 countries.
The 20 selected projects are: Atalaya Tour by Ana Inés Flores (Argentina, Spain); Caregivers by Daniela Cuenca (Spain), with work by Aurora Hermoso and Daniela Cuena, El Cerrajero by Mauro Luis and Juan Torres (Spain); Döppelganger by Barbara Gragirena (Spain); The Last Spitfire by Renato Roldán (Spain); Life in Dreams by Mario Caballero (Spain); Latente by Carlos Zaragoza and Aurora Jiménez (Spain); LIMBO by Daniel Shambo (Colombia); Los Alas Grises by Ernesto León (Chile), with work by Ernesto León and Diego Garcia Batista; LUCUS by David Fidalgo (Spain), with work by David Fidalgo y Daniel Rodriguez Palacios; Manolitos by Diego Porral and Joaquín Garralda (Spain); Memor Sonn by Marine Hercouët (Spain); Nerea by Fabiola Rosso (Dominican Republic, Spain); Puma_Blue by Noelia Muiño (Spain); Spicy Pumpks Football Club by Juan Carlos Calderon (Spain); Teradox by Andrés Lieban (Brazil); The Origin of Blindness by Emilia Gozzano (Italy); The Wild Remains by Javier De La Chica (Spain); Unfolding by Regis Lee (USA); and Where is my Expresso? by Sebastian Garcia (Colombia).
THE PROFESSORS
The experts that make up the teaching faculty in this edition include the digital artist and animation director Federico Moreno Breses, Real Time VFX Supervisor at Reel Fx and Quill program expert; Joaquín Martínez, one of the winners of the first edition that has been working for three years in VR animation, combining experimental new workflows and teaching in experimental animation; Raúl Colomer, CTO at Hampa Studio, focused on the development and implementation of “real time” workflows in 2D and 3D animation using immersive technology to previsualize content on free software platforms; and Daniel Martín Peixe, an animator with 12 years of experience at Disney – who worked on “Zootopia” and “Moana” in 2016 – and currently works at Moon Studios as a cinematic animator.
In addition to classes and tutoring, participants will also have access to masterclasses offered by leading companies in the field, such as DeAPlaneta Entertainment.
Next Lab Generation 2023 is sponsored by the Community of Madrid through the Council for Culture, Tourism, and Sport as a main sponsor, with financial support from the Institute for Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA), as part of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan advanced by the European Union, additional sponsorship by the Ministry of Culture, DeAPlaneta Entertainment, and the Municipal Government of Madrid, and collaboration from Enisa, Annecy Festival, and Weird Market.
LIST OF SELECTED PROJECTS:
Atalaya Tour by Ana Inés Flores (Argentina, Spain). Participants: Ana Inés Flores & Luz Marquez.
Caregivers by Daniela Cuenca (Spain). Participants: Aurora Hermoso & Daniela Cuenca.
Döppelganger by Bárbara Gragirena (Spain). Participant: Bárbara Gragirena.
El Cerrajero by Mauro Luis & Juan Torres (Spain). Participants: Mauro Luis & Juan Torres.
The Last Spitfire by Renato Roldán (Spain). Participant: Renato Roldán.
Life in Dreams by Mario Caballero (Spain). Participant: Mario Caballero.
Latente by Carlos Zaragoza & Aurora Jiménez (Spain). Participants: Carlos Zaragoza & Aurora Jiménez.
LIMBO by Daniel Shambo (Colombia). Participant: Daniel Shambo.
Los Alas Grises by Ernesto León (Chile). Participants: Ernesto León & Diego Garcia Batista.
LUCUS by David Fidalgo (Spain). Participants: David Fidalgo Omil & Daniel Rodriguez Palacios.
Manolitos by Diego Porral (Spain). Participant: Diego Porral.
Memor sonn by Marine Hercouët (Spain). Participant: Marine Hercouët.
Nerea by Fabiola Rosso (Dominican Republic, Spain). Participant: Fabiola Rosso.
Puma_Blue by Noelia Muiño (Spain). Participant: Noelia Muiño.
Spicy Pumpks Football Club by Juan Carlos Calderon (Spain). Participant: Juan Carlos Calderon.
Teradox by Andrés Lieban (Brazil). Participant: Andrés Lieban.
The Origin of Blindness by Emilia Gozzano (Italy). Participant: Emilia Gozzano.
The Wild Remains by Javier De La Chica (Spain). Participant: Javier De La Chica.
Unfolding by Regis Lee (USA). Participant: Regis Lee.
Where is my expresso? by Sebastian Garcia (Colombia). Participant: Sebastian Garcia.