The Filmakademie’s Rugbybugs wins a VES Award; Wedding Cake receives an Annie Award.
Double success: two films that were created at the Institute of Animation, Visual Effects and Digital Postproduction at the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg were bestowed with important industry trophies during the last weeks: Rugbybugs won a VES Award this Wednesday, February 12, and Wedding Cake received an Annie Award on Saturday, February 1.
The third-year project Rugbybugs, which was directed by Matthias Baeuerle, Fabian Fricke, Emanuel Fuchs, Martin Lapp and Carl Schroeter, received a VES Award at Wednesday's ceremony in the category "Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project." The 12th annual VES Awards are the second most important international award ceremonies next to the Oscars that honor outstanding achievements in Visual Effects. Rugbybugs was one of five nominated student projects, among them Linus Stetter's Morphium, another film that originated at the Institute of Animation.
The Rugbybugs team is overwhelmed: “Winning the award was a great ending to an exciting night at the VES awards. The whole Rugbybugs team is thrilled and would like to use this opportunity to say ‘Thank you’ again to everyone involved -- as well as to the Institute of Animation for making all of this possible.”
Rugbybugs, which was also chosen as this year's trailer for FMX, Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Transmedia, spotlights several forest inhabitants and their thrilling race through the forest. During their chase, they pass on a red, glowing ball to each other. Rugbybugs combines CG characters and visual effects with a miniature set in an imaginative, original way. A huge team of students created the film including the producers Anica Maruhn and Alexandra Stautmeister, the technical directors Timm Wagener, Manuel Seifert, Sascha Langer as well as students from other parts of the Filmakademie.
In addition, Viola Baier's Wedding Cake took the top award in the category "Best Student Film" at this year's 41st Annie Awards ceremony in Los Angeles at the beginning of February. The Annie Awards are presented by ASIFA Hollywood and recognize accomplishments in animation. Wedding Cake was one of eight international nominees, among them Julia Ocker's Kellerkind that was also realized at the Institute of Animation.
Baier's diploma film tells the unique story of a marzipan couple that tries to have the perfect marriage on top of a wedding cake. The 3D marital concoction has already received nominations at the Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival (Bristol) and the animago Award (Berlin).
Complete credits listing all the students who contributed to both productions can be found on the Institute's website in the "student projects" section.
Source: Filmakademie
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
