Next Lab Generation Workshop 2025

Event Description

Next Lab is an initiative that integrates a workshop, an event and a digital platform; created and organized by Paramotion Films (creators and organizers of Weird Market and Quirino Awards). The initiative, focused on the inclusion of innovative tools to streamline the production of animation projects, is once again sponsored by the Community of Madrid through the Department of Culture, Tourism and Sports. It receives funding from the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA) as part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan promoted by the European Union, to discover new talents and boost the most advanced animation production from a technical and narrative perspective.

2025 Call for Entries

The call is open for animation projects that intend to experiment with the use of VR, XR and AR tools along with the use of real-time rendering engines and AI tools for animation prototyping and production. Fiction works with an emphasis on animation or VFX are also eligible. The proposals submitted may be headed by an individual or by a team, and projects of any nationality will be accepted. Projects must have a minimum visual development. Each selected project will be able to participate in Next Lab Generation’s workshop free of charge (regular participation costs 6,000 euros per person).

It will be taught by several professionals and experts in the sector. The end result will be an animated piece as a teaser for each project. At the end of the entire process and in the subsequent event, the six finalist projects will be presented in a public pitch with a jury. From this pitch, the three winners will have the opportunity to present during Annecy MIFA 2025.

Eligibility:

• All those producers and/or filmmakers of any nationality with projects that already have a minimum visual development may participate in the call. Projects that have already been submitted in previous editions and have not been selected may be submitted.
• The workshop will be held exclusively in Spanish. Projects of any nationality can participate, but the language of the classes and tutorials will be Spanish.
• All animation techniques (3D, 2D, stop motion, etc.) are accepted. Having in mind that the main tool to use is Quill.
• All animated formats are accepted: short films, feature films, series, music videos, video game intros, etc. Or fiction productions with a high content in animation or VFX.
• In this edition it will be especially valued that the project is related to video games, either by presenting an intro or game trailer or that the IP from which the project comes from is a video game.
• Each candidate may present a maximum of 3 projects.

Workshop Specifics

• Dates of realization: from January 7th to March 1st, 2025. The online part will be held from January 7th to February 23th, with workshop sessions, tutorials and work on the project. The on-site part will be held from February 24th to March 1st in Madrid.
• For those participants who are not from Madrid, accommodation will also be covered from February 24th to March 2nd.
• Each participant must manage the transport costs during the days of the workshop and event, from February 24th to March 1st.

• Regulations
• Application
• Deadline: December 13th, 2024 at 23:59 (Mexico time).

2023 Event Coverage

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);
Where is my Expresso? by Sebastian Garcia (Colombia). 

2021 Event Coverage

Projects realized