ATF x TTB Animation Lab & Pitch 2024An initiative for the second year running for animation producers and projects from Asia and Europe, offering an insight into the animation markets, financing, and co-production possibilities between both continents.


IMPORTANT DATES

Deadline: Aug 31, 2024 (2359 hrs SGT) (DEADLINE EXTENDED)

Selections: From Sep 20, 2024

Online Module 1 (Funding): Oct 28 & 29, 2024

Online Module 2 (Creative/Packaging): Nov 18 & 19, 2024

Onsite Workshop @ ATF: Dec 3, 2024

Onsite 1 on 1 Meetings & Networking Activities @ ATF: Dec 4, 2024

Onstage Pitch @ ATF: Dec 5, 2024

Onsite 1-on-1 Meetings @ ATF: Dec 5, 2024

Attend Market: Dec 6, 2024

 

FINALISTS

All Good

PRODUCTION COMPANY
The Glow Animation Studio
SPAIN

Logline:

Professional unclogger Simon Gonzales is plunged into a whirlpool of absurd office adventures when eccentric colleagues, a new intern, and a family crisis threaten to turn his mundane life into a full blown burnout.

Synopsis:
“All Good,” is an animated office comedy that follows the exploits of Simon Gonzales, a proud yet naive unclogger, whose mundane life is obstructed daily by eccentric colleagues, a new charismatic intern, and a family crisis. Flooded by ego clashes, awkward situations and existential angst, Simon embarks on a hilarious journey of self-discovery.

As he navigates absurd office chaos with humor and unexpected wisdom, a big question looms: can Simon flush-out the clog in his life before plunging into a total burn-out?


blub blub blub

PRODUCTION COMPANY
Cat in Edge Productions
PHILIPPINES

Genre: Short, Fantasy, Dark Comedy

Logline:
A 7-year-old boy and his family discover that their pet goldfish has the ability to reset time through its death, which they exploit for their personal gain.

Synopsis:
In a small, unassuming fish store, young Jonathan becomes captivated by a magical goldfish. Despite the shopkeeper's refusal to sell it, Jonathan sneaks the fish home. Shortly after, he accidentally overfeeds the fish, causing it to die. To his astonishment, this death resets time by 30 seconds, bringing the fish back to life.

Jonathan's family discovers the fish's power and becomes consumed by their desires, using the fish's magic to manipulate events in their favor. With each reset, they increasingly abuse this power, indulging in greed and selfishness.

However, Jonathan, who has always had a deep love for animals, begins to see the dark consequences of their actions. Realizing the destructive cycle they are trapped in, he decides to end the abuse by stealing the fish from his family. As Jonathan flees, his entire family chases after him. In a moment of shock, he gets hit by a car, and the fish is crushed, causing time to reset. This time, Jonathan crosses the road while avoiding the car, but tragically, his family gets hit instead.

Now Jonathan is stuck in a dilemma—whether to keep saving the fish or save his family by killing the fish to reset time. Ultimately, he chooses the latter, deciding to kill the fish to save his family.


Down at Motel 629

PRODUCTION COMPANY
Momo Film Co
SINGAPORE

Logline:
A group of down-on-their-luck oddballs with no business savvy tries to keep a seedy and struggling motel afloat, all whilst fending off an aggressive and determined property developer.

Synopsis:
Down at Motel 629 revolves around the skeleton crew of the titular motel and how they are shaped by the challenge of running the motel.

Julie and Andrew, our receptionists (among other things), check-in guests and deal with their sometimes frustrating demands. Meanwhile, Raymond, their boss, comes up with unhelpful suggestions to ‘improve’ the motel, it often backfires.

Hunter, the custodian and war veteran, is in pursuit of a house gecko, Larry, who has been a menace to the motel. Unbeknownst to him, Larry is the founder of the Motel 629, formally known as the Hotel 629, reincarnated into a helpless lizard.

As our cast deals with each other and the day to day operations of the motel, Robin, a cutthroat real estate developer, alongside Angelo, her assistant, plot to take over the motel’s land.


Kanzan and Jittoku

PRODUCTION COMPANY
Mimoid Inc.
JAPAN

Logline:
This is a sci-fi historical humor animation that takes a closer look at the mysterious Kanzan and Jittoku from China.

Synopsis: 
In the mountains, the eccentric monks Kanzan and Jittoku, believed to be reincarnations of Bodhisattvas, laugh and live a simple, transcendent life. They mock the mundane world, dressed in tattered clothes, and fill bamboo tubes with food from temples and stores. Their friend Bukan, riding a tiger, joins them for play. In another time, a young man, modern-day Kanzan, fails his exams and flees to the mountains, where he meets Kanzan and Jittoku. They share their humble life, guiding him deeper into the mountains. The story explores how Kanzan became "Kanzan" through their teachings.


King Wray

PRODUCTION COMPANY
Studioset Production
ROMANIA

Logline:
A crippled cult musician and his son reunite to fake a comeback, but the son soon realizes that he must choose between saving his father from drug addiction or the seduction of fame.

Synopsis: 
In a neon-noir world, we tell the story of Leon and his father Ike (aka King Wray) - a notorious cult musician who concealed his face with a mask.

Ike suffers brain injury from an overdose that confines him to a wheelchair. Meg – the record label owner – convinces Ike to hide the truth – thus King Wray disappears into oblivion. Sixteen years later, Leon – a wanna-be musician who moonlights in a small kiosk – has reconnected with Ike following his mother’s untimely death, but their relationship is strained.

With the record label facing bankruptcy, Meg wants to release a King Wray ‘retrospective’ album, but Ike considers it the tombstone on his already stunted career. Desperate, Ike makes Leon an outlandish proposal. To wear the mask and imitate him onstage, while he sings from behind the scenes - together faking a King Wray comeback.

Leon resists - scared his father will re-lapse, but with assurances from Meg and the promise of a record deal, he agrees, and they go on tour. It begins well as Leon rises to the challenge, but he soon discovers that Ike has relapsed. Instead of trying to stop his abusive father however, Leon is hooked by his new-found-fame and ends up joining him instead.

This collective abuse reaches a head when Leon is forced to take over the singing as King Wray, making Ike jealous. His abuse worsens, until Leon finally stands up to his father, destroying his prized vintage guitar and attacking him backstage.

In the fallout, Ike ends the tour for good. In a bid to continue the show, Meg betrays Ike and offers Leon the chance to go solo as King Wray, and thus Leon must choose between his father, or the mirage of fame. Instead, he chooses neither, blowing the lid of the entire charade, and pulling himself and Ike out from underneath the toxic mask of King Wray.


Mah Jong Pai

PRODUCTION COMPANY
Pipapo Sdn Bhd
MALAYSIA

Logline:
Ripped out of his comfortable life as a regular nobody, due to his parents’ sudden death, Jon returns to Asia to live with his uncle. But when he accidentally frees his uncle’s secret collection of ghosts and ghouls, he is cursed and forced to stay to help recapture them.

Synopsis:
The story follows Jon, a young Asian man raised in America who leads an ordinary college life until his parents vanish in a plane crash. Forced to leave school, Jon relocates to the bustling, multicultural city of Bei Naan Gong in Asia, where he moves in with his mysterious Uncle Lo MoCoi, who runs a pawn shop/Chinese medicine store. Struggling to find steady work, Jon ends up helping out at his uncle's shop, where he’s given strict house rules, including avoiding certain off-limits rooms. Unbeknownst to Jon, his uncle practices black magic and keeps evil spirits trapped in Mah Jong tiles made from the bones of a legendary creature, Bai Ze, with the aim of resurrecting his deceased wife.

Jon’s life takes a terrifying turn when he accidentally releases a Toyol, an undead foetus enslaved by black magic, and unknowingly goes on a date with a Pontianak, a vampiric spirit from Malay folklore. In his panic, Jon enters the forbidden room, damages Uncle’s prized Mah Jong case, and releases all the evil entities his uncle had captured over the years. Furious, Uncle binds Jon with a curse, making him responsible for recapturing the escaped spirits before he can return to a normal life. Now trapped in the city, Jon must face unknown terrors and find a way to recapture the entities and rid himself of the Toyol, despite having no clue what he’s up against nor how to deal with any of it.


Mechozaurs:
The Voice From Afar

PRODUCTION COMPANY
Laniakea Pictures
POLAND

Logline:
Young warrior Zina embarks on a epic quest for revenge against the God of the Zaurs, who seeks to escape their planet.

Synopsis:
Driven by a desire to ravenge her mother’s death, the powerful young warrior Zina embarks on a bloody crusade against Nakatu, the tyrannical ruler of the humanoid dinosaurs’ world.

Unknown to Zina, Nakatu has devised his own plans to harness her powers to alter the fate of their doomed world; he intends to use Zina’s life force to power his ‘Ark’ and escape the planet.

As Zina’s quest progresses, she unwittingly forms an alliance with Hiranu, unaware that he is the true murderer of her mother. Together, they navigate a treacherous path filled with battles and betrayals. Throughout her journey, Zina is forced to confront her visceral desire for vengeance, leading her towards a redemption that challenges the very  cost of her wrath and her role in the destiny of their world.


Riamise

PRODUCTION COMPANY
IBRIDO Studio
ITALY

Logline:
Riamise is a city devastated by drought, crime and giant reptiles. Jona and Kala, a boy and a girl, discover the secret behind the absence of water, changing the fate of Riamise forever.

Synopsis:
Riamise is a city ravaged by drought, crime, and giant reptiles. Only the reptiles managed to adapt to survive the city’s arid territory, leaving humans to struggle. The population has never seen water and relies on jelly-like food, but only one type quenches their thirst. The sacred rite to produce it, known only to the local priest, requires blue crystals, Riamise's currency.

The richest in crystals are the two criminal clans controlling the city. The police are despised as they are corrupt, though they have maintained a fragile balance, until now. The police commissioner, Jona's father, is killed, shattering this delicate equilibrium.

Jona, a skilled 16-year-old, has lived far from the city and knows nothing about Riamise. Seeking to uncover his father's mission, he feels defeated until he meets Kala, a 17-year-old girl with blue skin and white hair living in the city's dump with her tribe. Tired of merely surviving, Kala seeks change and accepts a criminal deal, triggering disastrous events. As tensions between factions escalate into war, Jona and Kala reunite, uncovering the truth behind the blue crystals and the water shortage, ultimately changing the fate of Riamise forever.

2024 DECISION MAKERS & EXPERTS

Aiken Zou
Producer
AHA Entertainment

Elvis Chew
Studio Director 
Anima Vitae Point Sdn Bhd

Christoph Hahnheiser 
CEO & Founder 
Black Forest Films

Josune Hahnheiser
Producer
Black Forest Films

Kanji Kazahaya 
President & CEO
Culture Connect Co., Ltd.

Simon Crowe
Chairman 
Film Export UK

Rodney Uhler
Director of Acquisitions and Development
GKIDS

Justin Deimen
Managing Partner
Goldfinch Asia

Christophe Bruncher
Producer
Ici et Là Productions

Tonje Skar Reiersen
Producer
Mikrofilm

Diego Rosner
Executive Producer
Nexus Studios

Ervin Han 
CEO & Executive Producer
Robot Playground Media

Carlene Tan 
Director
Original Production & Development: Animation – Greater China & Southeast Asia and Kids 
APAC
Warner Bros. Discovery

Anna Głowik
Creative Filmography

Juraj Krasnohorsky
Lab Consultant / Pitch Mentor

What is ATF x TTB ANIMATION LAB & PITCH?

The Animation Lab & Pitch brings together selected producers with animation projects from Asia and Europe, offering an insight into the animation markets, financing, and co-production possibilities in both continents.

An intensive online prep session in autumn segueing to a second onsite lab, an open pitch, and further onsite activities with renowned industry decision-makers in December, the aim of the training is to prepare the participants for the market launch and pitch of their projects. Onsite events will take place at the Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) in Singapore on December 3—6, 2024. 

TARGET GROUP

We will select 8—10 selected animation projects (4—5 each from Asia-Pacific* countries/regions and Europe*). Accepted formats include feature-length animated films, as well as TV formats (series or mini-series) and short films in development or financing stage. Preference will be given to projects with great creative potential, exciting visuals, interest and potential for co-production, and potential for travel across borders and continents. The programme is not open to pre-school content. Preference will be given to animation for youth, families, and adults.


Please contact RX Global – [email protected] – to enquire about the countries/regions currently listed in compliance with the Economic & Trade Sanctions Policy.

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES

Full Programme

*subject to change

SELECTION CRITERIA

  1. Accepted formats include feature-length animated films, TV formats (series or mini-series) & short films in the development or financing stage.
  2. Preference will be given to projects with greater creative potential, exciting visuals, interest & potential for co-production.
  3. Preference will be given to projects with capacity for travel across borders & continents.
  4. This program is not open to pre-school content, with inclination towards animation for youth, families, and adults.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

  • The deadline has been extended to Aug 31, 2024.
  • There is no submission/ participation fee.
  • The application must be submitted by the producer who holds the majority rights.
  • All the documents, including treatment and script, must be in ENGLISH.
  • All selected participants should cover their travel and accommodation to Singapore during the ATF market.
  • Talks are ongoing with European and Asian national/regional funds and promotion agencies in order to fully cover the costs of the participants from the respective countries/regions. Please contact us for further information.
  • In addition, a limited number of partial travel & accommodation scholarships are available, with priority given to applicants from countries/regions not providing any scholarships for this kind of activities, or participants in any other proven situation in need of financial support.
  • Each selected projects will receive up to 2 all-access passes to ATF.
  • The selection will be made by a selection committee and will be announced by end-Sep 2024.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The application must be submitted by the producer who holds the majority rights. Incomplete submissions will not be evaluated.

In the online Pitch Entry Form, you will be requested with the following information below:

  • Short biography of Producer, Director, Scriptwriter (80—170 words each)
  • Producer’s Previous Training Experience — Letter of motivation to participate in the training and ATF market in Singapore (500—1000 words)

**Please explain specifically:

1.   How your project and company could benefit from this program,
2.   Why you believe that the ATF in Singapore is the right place to present your project,
3.   What you believe are the strengths of your project in terms of co-production potential (also in terms of possible division of work and sharing of Heads of Departments)

** Please indicate the exact stage of your project at this moment and what you are looking for.

  • Project Title
  • Project Logline (100 words max)
  • Project Synopsis (250 words max)
  • Link to view teaser/trailer/animation test (if available)
  • Link to view visual material
  • Short presentation of your production company (70—130 words)
  • Full list of company’s productions clearly marking which projects are in development, pre-production, production or released and what was the applicant's role in those projects (.doc or .pdf file, max upload size 10MB)
  • Production company logo (.pdf file with your logo in vector format, max upload size 10MB)
  • Treatment—up to 10 pages (if available, .doc or .pdf file, max upload size 10MB)

The ATF x TTB Animation Lab & Pitch 2024 is organised by ATF, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Audiovisual Fund,
and EAVE, and supported by Creative Europe — a MEDIA sub-programme of the European Union.

Backed by sponsors Film Development Council of Philippines (FDCP) and Visual Industry Promotion Organisation (VIPO),
this program is organised in partnership with the CEE Animation Workshop and the Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association (SAAVA).

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