HEY EVERYONE,

 

Welcome to the daily preview of FMX Highlights! The selections compiled by the FMX team are subjective, of course, and not intended to favor certain sessions over others. ✨ We are proud to present a rich and diverse program, and we hope there is something for everyone. Find the complete program of Day 1 here!

 

"At FMX's 30th edition, we are proud to bring you three packed days of sessions on site in Stuttgart filled with wisdom, value, and inspiration", says FMX Project Manager Mario Mueller. "The dense and diverse program will top up your confidence, resilience and creativity for 'The Road Ahead'. Welcome to FMX 2026!"  💡

 

Well, then: On your marks, get set, go! 🚀

 

 

🎬 COMMUNITY & INCLUSION:

Resilience as a Collective System, Not an Individual Trait

In her presentation, Lead Compositor Kader Bagli (RISE | Visual Effects Studios) explores how studios can build collective resilience through empathy, transparency, and human-centered workflows creating environments where creativity thrives without heroics.

 

 

📌 10:00 | Raum Tübingen 💬 Ed Hooks

It's time to say farewell to a magnificent teacher and true friend of FMX: For the last time, Ed Hooks is giving his acting workshop designed especially for animators. He explains the connections between thinking, emotion and physical action, the differences between regular reality and theatrical reality, scene structure, characterization, comedy vs. drama, heroes and villains.

 

 

📌 11:15 | König-Karl-Halle 💬 Beth Albright

🎬FEATURE ANIMATION:

The Stylized World of Pixar's "Hoppers"

How do you design a world that can be funny, suspenseful, and epic—sometimes all at once? Visual Effects Supervisor Beth Albright (Pixar) breaks down the stylized visual language of "Hoppers", from felted characters and tactile environments to an innovative brushstroke projection pipeline.

 

 

📌 12:30 | König-Karl-Halle 💬 Jacob Frey

🎬FEATURE ANIMATION:

The Animation of "Zoomania 2"

Join Animator Jacob Frey (Disney) as he shares the exciting and innovative collaboration between art and technology at the center of Walt Disney Animation Studios' filmmaking process and latest feature, "Zoomania 2".

 

 

📌 14:30 | König-Karl-Halle 💬 Aaron Hertzmann

🎬THE ROAD AHEAD:

Can Computers Create Art?

In his keynote, Principal Scientist Aaron Hertzmann (Adobe) will discuss how recent developments parallel the development of previous artistic technologies. Aaron argues that “AI” algorithms will not have human-level intelligence in the foreseeable future – and so it is extremely unlikely that we will consider algorithms to be artists either.

 

 

📌 14:30 | Meidinger-Saal 💬 Benoit Bargeton

🎬SHORTS:

"Le Mal-Aimé"

How can feature film level animation be achieved in a commercial context? Benoit Bargeton will show how an independent studio adapted its workflow and resources to deliver a project of this scale. The session focuses on artistic and acting choices, and the technical decisions made to support these directions.

 

 

📌 15:45 | Bertha-Benz-Saal 💬 Kate Menz

🎬 MANAGING CHANGE:

The Impact of Global Mentorship

Mentorship on a global scale breaks down barriers, builds networks, and facilitates knowledge transfer. It can bridge the gap between education and employment and help develop empathy for others’ experiences. Program Manager Kate Menz (WIA) will discuss the impact mentorship can have not only on individuals but also on the spaces themselves.

 

 

📌 15:45 | König-Karl-Halle 💬 Martin Hill & Jonathan Dysart

🎬 VFX FOR EPISODIC:
"Stranger Things" Season 5 | TURNING the Upside Down INSIDE OUT

As lead vendor on "Stranger Things": Season 5, Wētā FX delivered 1,185 shots across every episode, earning four Visual Effects Society Award nominations. Senior Visual Effects Supervisor Martin Hill and Lead Creatures TD, Jono Dysart, will describe what it’s like to deliver such a monumental amount of work across all episodes, including the "third-act battle". They will discuss the creatures Vecna and the Mindflayer and the challenges.

 

 

📌 17:00 | Meidinger-Saal 💬 Panel Discussion

🎬 INDUSTRY EXCHANGE:

How do tech and business realities shape the way we tell stories?

FMX is the place to bring together professionals to discuss the impact and power of good synergy between story, technology, art and business. We open the stage to address the current situation and outlook for production environments and audience demands, with the aim of achieving the best possible fit. On stage: Lila Hannou (Ellipse Animation), Hannes Jakobsen (Chapter41), Terry Kalagian (Gaumont) & Jan Pinkava (FMX Conference Chair and Director of Animationsinstitut, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg).

 

 
📌 18:15 | König-Karl-Halle 💬 Shelley Page

🎬FMX SCREENING:

Shelley's Eye Candy

Shelley Page, Locksmith Animation's artist liaison and key talent hunter, returns to FMX with another collection of outstanding new short films, including the delightful "Cardboard" (Locksmith Animation), the disturbingly creepy "Gone Wrong" (ESMA) and the extraordinary classical animation of "Niccolo" (Gobelins) - among others.