Event category: Pro

Animation Lounge

Lounge for animators and animation lovers to meet, greet and network!

On Saturday, professionals are welcome to attend the Animation Lounge, where, in a relaxed atmosphere, they can learn about the activities of the Finnish Animation Guild, Mediametka, Grafia’s Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland and animation organisation Freimi, and exchange ideas and contacts.

How can professionals in the animation sector be supported, and what sort of activities do the sector’s communities organise? The Animation Lounge brings together professionals working in animation and moving images, as well as representatives from four Finnish industry associations. This relaxed and conversational event offers an opportunity to learn about the associations’ activities and objectives, share experiences and information, and forge new connections amongst professionals in the sector.

Participants in the discussion:

Mika Koskinen / Finnish Animation Guild

Elina Vitkala / Mediametka

Maarja Jullinen / Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland

Aleksi Mäkelä / Freimi

The event will be held in English.

TAFF PRO Discussion: Animated to Life – The Difference Between Story and Movement

In a discussion moderated by Tatu Pohjavirta, puppeteer and performance artist Ishmael Falke and Claus Gladyszak (NOR), a producer at the Norwegian company Trollfilm, explore two different ways of bringing inanimate material to life: the three-dimensional world of puppets and the layered expression of multiplane work. The discussion will explore the common expressive techniques of these handmade, material-driven art forms and their approaches to addressing both everyday and challenging topics, as a counterpoint to computer-generated and AI-based content.

TAFF Pro Masterclass: Ishmael Falke – Material narratives & objects’ objectives

In the masterclass Material narratives & objects’ objectives, a puppeteer’s perspective on storytelling is offered by puppeteer and performance artist Ishmael Falke, whose international career centers on the stories told by materials and spaces, the redefinition of the body, and the deconstruction and reconstruction of old and familiar stories.

TAFF PRO MASTERCLASS: Anita Killi – MasterGlass

Anita Killi (NOR) has spent decades developing a distinctive multiplane technique — animating on layers of glass to give her poetic, deeply layered films room to be read differently depending on where the viewer stands in life. Her films tackle difficult subjects — domestic violence, incest, war — yet reach audiences from age two upwards, without ever being didactic. In this masterclass, Killi traces her own journey with the technique: from rolls of paper threaded between glass plates in her student days, to Trollfilm current ambition of building one of the world’s most advanced multiplane rigs.

TAFF Pro Workshop: Nanna Mäkinen & Anni Oja – Laboratorio 

The theme of “Animated to Life” is explored in greater depth in the workshop LABORATORIO, led by puppet maker Nanna Mäkinen and animator Anni Oja. The workshop explores how puppet theater and stop-motion animation can be used to bring puppets, materials, and objects to life. Both the instructors and participants will bring their own perspectives and expertise to the table to create short experiments. Participants are welcome to bring along any (small) objects that interest them. The workshop’s experiments will be filmed using the participants’ own devices, such as a smartphone and the free Stop Motion Studio app.

Register for the workshop via this link. The workshop is part of our TAFF Pro program for professionals. All professionals and students in the fields of animation, film and the arts in general can apply for accreditation to the festival. Accreditation grants the festival pass with the discounted price of 38 €. 

TAFF PRO Masterclass: Anna Ivanova – From the Puppet’s Perspective

Puppet theater expert and director Anna Ivanova (FR) brings the perspective of a puppeteer to the theme of how the inanimate becomes alive. Anna has years of experience in various puppet theatre productions, most recently she has delved into baby theatre.

TAFF PRO Masterclass: Thomas Volda – Breathing the Inanimate to Life

On Thursday, director Thomas Volda (UK/CRO) offers an insight into the creative and practical process of making puppet films through his award-winning stop-motion films made in with his artistic partner, Ivana Volda. Drawing on his experience in stop-motion animation, Volda explores storytelling, visual development, puppet performance, and the expressive possibilities of handcrafted filmmaking. Through examples from his own films and production process, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how animation can transform inanimate materials into compelling cinematic worlds.