The international workshop Next Lab reveals the twenty animation projects selected.
Next Lab 2022 announces the twenty projects selected for the second edition of its workshop, which will start on January 10th with a first online phase. The total number of aspiring candidates has risen to 45 proposals, which have come from eleven countries: Argentina, Brazil, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.
Thanks to a successful first edition, Next Lab has obtained new strategic partners such as Europa Creativa MEDIA, the General Directorate of Cultural Industries and DeAPlaneta Entertainment, as well as the main sponsorship for the second consecutive year from the Community of Madrid. For all these reasons, Next Lab has grown and has been able to support more than twice as many projects as in its first edition.
The final selection stands out both for the quality and internationality of the projects and for the variety of formats, being made up of 9 series, 6 short films, 4 feature films and 1 music video from six different nationalities, including a co-production. After a first six-week online phase about learning the tools, work on the project and a masterclass, later only 10 of these projects will be part of the second phase of the workshop, which will be held on site in Madrid from February 21st to 24th.
Selected projects
The most repeated format among those selected has been the series, with an overwhelming spanish representation through the projects: Adálion: Tierra de Maokis by Marcos Sánchez Lastra; Cherry Tree House by Paula J. Bueno and Sonia Sánchez, Spain; Cretácico 96 by Rafael Carmona González, Spain; Hades, The Underworld by José Antonio Cerro; Marla & The Guardians of Time by Belinda Bonan; Onion & Pea by David Tomaselli and Jose M. Villena, Spain; Plock by Javier Bernardino Alonso; and Twins by Carlos Escutia García, Spain.
Among the selected series projects, we also find the winner of the DeAPlaneta Entertainment Award, Animal Drone League by Christian Garnez (Spain), which will have a complementary 3 months of mentoring with international experts to develop the IP and a co-development contract for a value of 6,000 euros. In addition, he will have the opportunity to build a brand by working together with DeAPlaneta Entertainment, starting from his original idea and leaning on the company’s more than 20 years of experience producing and distributing content globally. The support from the company, a leader in Europe in the creation and commercialization of entertainment for the whole family, is one of the great novelties of this second edition.
There are six short film projects that will develop their teaser using disruptive technologies, in a selection marked by the plurality of the participants’ backgrounds: 40 Days Without the Sun by João Furia (Brazil); Buscando a Ana de Inés Vecilla Fernández (Spain); Lumen de Enric Sant (Spain); The Elephant I Found Under My Skin by Shaool Levy and Daniel Sweed (Israel); The Iron Dragon by Valentin Urziceanu (Romania) and Wan by Víctor Monigote (Spain).
Four feature film projects will also participate in this second edition of the workshop: Draw by Lorenzo Degl ́Innocenti and Xosé Zapata with the participation of Nacho Laya Gómez (Spain & Portugal); Oviblion by Claudia Ruiz with the participation of Ana Inés Flores (Argentina); Osikran by Esther Ji (Spain); and Viaje al Bosque Olvidado by Noelia Mª Muíño González (Spain). The selection is completed by the music video project Amplitune by David Mingorance Puga (Spain).
These twenty projects will work on the application of creative tools within the virtual environment and will receive advice on how to be produced, applying R + D + i and the latest technology. The final result will be an animated piece as a teaser for each participating project. The ten projects that go on to the in person phase will present their teaser in the subsequent event, which will be held on February 25th and 26th in Madrid in person. An international jury will select the two winners to be presented during Annecy MIFA 2022.