Within the 22^nd Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film the best productions in the field of applied animation received their prizes in the evening of May 8, 2015 in the Mercedes-Benz Museum Stuttgart at the Animated Com Award (ACA). In this competition the best applied animation in the fields of advertising, spatial communication and technology are awarded. Also the special prizes Future needs Derivation – Individual Mobility by the Daimler AG and the Lapp Connected Award by U. I. Lapp GmbH have been given.

“The applied animation became a frequently used and pioneering medium in advertising and product films”, said Dittmar Lumpp, Managing Director Organisation and Finances of ITFS, “therefore we’re happy to have the opportunity to honour this work with the Animated Com Award.” Since this year the Animated Com Award cooperates with spotlight – Festival für Bewegtbildkommunikation, its awarding ceremony takes place on May 9 in Stuttgart for the first time. “We’re really delighted about bringing spotlight to Stuttgart”, said Prof. Ulrich Wegenast, ITFS’s Managing Director Programme. “With this cooperation some exciting synergies in advertising and animation will emerge.”

The awardees

The main prize was awarded to Arnaud & Jérôme from France for “League of Legends: Warriors”. “The trailer for the World Championship of Free2Play Games is a pure building of worlds! Three minutes of a pulling effect with absolutely perfect images, movements and music transport the game’s and community’s fascination”, says Prof. Thomas Hundt, Creative Director, CEO Jangled Nerves GmbH from Stuttgart and jury member. Besides Thomas Hundt the jury consisted of Dr. Martin Feyock (Munich), CEO of the advertising section for the board of German Producers Alliance – Film & Television, CEO of Exploitation Company TWF Trust Company and the German Academy of Advertisement;  Prof. Kathi Käppel (Berlin), director, illustrator, Weißensee Art Academy; Michael Preiswerk (Stuttgart), creative director and consultant; Florian Rederer (Stuttgart), CEO SCHOKOLADE Filmproduktion GmbH and Mate Steinforth (Berlin), CEO Sehsucht GmbH.

Within the category Advertising a brand leader in sports made it: Manvsmachine from Great Britain won with their commercial “Nike Mercurial Superfly IV”. The “feature film in 54 seconds” convinced the jury members in all five judging criteria concordant. “The idea is new, clear, convincing and technically excellent. Plus it brings joy. Essential traits of successful and creative advertisement”, they explained.

The Animated Com Award for Technology was awarded to “Ghost Peloton” by Mark Huskisson, Great Britian again. “LED technique isn’t new. Bicycling isn’t new. But the fact, that usual technique develops to a new, spatial unlimited light art by moving and dance performance, is fascinating”, the jury says.

“Smart Ampelmännchen” by Marten Persiel from Germany won the award within the category Spatial Communication. The jury: “An automobile manufacturer makes pedestrian lights “smart”: you see yourself and the others as dancing figures – and you don’t mind waiting at the red sign. That’s how you like safety technology!”

Nate Theis (USA) and his production “Driving” can be lucky about winning the special prize Future needs Derivation – Mobility in a Digital World by Daimler AG, which includes 2,500 €. The jury chose the film  “because the animation captures an everyday traffic situation and makes it ad absurdum by its exaggerated narrative style, plus the story and the images polarize the viewer.”

With the Lapp Connected Award (also 2,500 €) the special prize by U. I . Lapp GmbH, “Pass It On” by Teresa Cruz was awarded. The jury’s explanation: “The short film manages it in a likeable way to visualize the context of creativity with machines, electronic and production processes.”

Also within the event keynote speaker Jörn Großhans, VFX Supervisor at Mackevision – recently Emmy-awarded for “Game of Thrones” – gave insights into his work.

This year’s prize sponsors are Daimler AG, U. I. Lapp GmbH and the Animation Media Cluster Region Stuttgart. Partners are Spotlight – Festival für Bewegtbildkommunikation, jazzopen stuttgart, netzwerk P production, fischerAppelt, Hansgrohe, Ilg-Außenwerbung and KlickPiloten.