Stuttgart – Starting from today, projects can be submitted for the 18th Animation Production Days (APD). The curated business platform for the European animation industry is taking place from 23 – 25 April in Stuttgart. As a joint venture between the two renowned partner events FMX – Film & Media Exchange and the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS), APD is the most important co-production and financing market for animation projects in the German-speaking countries.
Every year, animation producers from over 20 countries present their newly developed projects to potential financing partners and co-producers in pre-planned one-to-one meetings. Representatives of broadcasters, streamers, world sales companies and distributors look for new material and talent at APD. The programme is complemented by the APD conference, where current challenges and trends in the industry are discussed. The programme also includes numerous exclusive networking events for the approximately 170 participants. This year, APD and ITFS will be placing a special focus on the innovative Irish animation industry as part of the “Zeitgeist Ireland 24” initiative.
For APD, film, TV series, mobile content, games, and cross and transmedia projects can all be submitted in the concept or development stage. Applications are invited for original, creative and innovative projects in terms of design and content. They should be suitable for and open to European or international co-productions and have the potential for brand development and international distribution. Special consideration will be given to projects which convincingly integrate topics such as diversity and ecological sustainability in both content and their development and realisation. A maximum of 50, chiefly European projects will be selected for presentation at APD.
The submission deadline is 6 February 2024. Producers who submit their project by 19 January 2024 benefit from a reduction in accreditation fees with the Early Bird rate. All the information about project submission, project selection and accreditation is now available on the APD website: www.animationproductiondays.de/registration
Apply now for the APD Talent Programme!
The APD Talent Programme supports new European talents who have developed their own promising animation project and are now looking for partners. Young producer/creator teams (with a maximum of two people) can now submit their applications. A maximum of eight outstanding young talent projects will be selected for APD 2024 with the aim of bringing those talents together with established industry experts and thus making it easier for them to take their first steps in the European market. The selected applicants will receive a free-of-charge accreditation for APD (incl. ITFS and FMX tickets) and their accommodation costs will also be covered.
All information about applying for the Talent Programme can be found at www.animationproductiondays.de/talent-programme-2024
One of the 2024 talent projects will once again come from the European “Animation Sans Frontières” project development initiative. For the seventh time now, APD is cooperating with this training programme which is supported by the EU’s Creative Europe MEDIA programme and is organised by Animationsinstitut at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (Germany), The Animation Workshop – VIA (Denmark), Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (Hungary), and GOBELINS, l’école de l’image (France).
The APD Investor Programme
The APD’s carefully curated selection of newly developed projects offers everyone looking for fresh content for their portfolios an excellent opportunity to find suitable material and exchange ideas with producers and other creatives about cooperation opportunities. As of today, representatives of broadcasters, streamers, world sales agents, distributors, funding institutions and so on can register for the APD Investor Programme. As above, those who register by 19 January 2024 will benefit from the discounted Early Bird rate. You can find more information at www.animationproductiondays.de/registration/#investor
Co-Producer Programme
Production companies and studios working in animation, games, VR and VFX who do not wish to present their own project at APD but who are looking for projects in which they can participate as co-producers or service providers have the opportunity to become accredited for the Co-Producer Programme. All information about the registration requirements can be found on the APD website: www.animationproductiondays.de/registration
The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) and FMX – Film & Media Exchange, whose programmes present and discuss the entire spectrum of creative forms of expression and technological innovations in animation media and related disciplines, take place at the same time as Animation Production Days. This very special combination of film festival, congress and co- production and financing market has seen the three events develop into a platform that is unique in
Europe and attracts up to 6,000 industry representatives to Stuttgart every year.
About Animation Production Days:
Animation Production Days (APD) is a joint venture between the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) and FMX – Film & Media Exchange. APD is organised by the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH in cooperation with Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH. APD is funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Arts, the MFG Baden-Württemberg Film Fund and the Creative Europe MEDIA programme of the EU.