Niklas Wolff, a CGI Artist and Animation Directing Student at the Animationsinstitut of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, offers valuable insights into studying at this renowned institution in the field of animation.
Niklas Wolff, a CGI Artist and Animation Directing Student specialises in texturing, lighting, and compositing. In this article, Niklas shares valuable insights into studying at the world-renowned Animationsinstitut of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg.
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I am currently enrolled at the Animationsinstitut of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, one of the larger film schools in Germany, situated in the small town of Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart. What sets Filmakademie apart is its highly practical approach to education. From my first semester to graduation, I have actively participated in numerous projects and initiated some of my own. The curriculum encourages students to organise themselves into groups, follow industry-like workflows, and benefit from the guidance of proficient lecturers.
I opted for the Animationsinstitut primarily because it is renowned as the best university for 3D animation and CGI in Germany. When I did my research after graduating from high school, it was also ranked number 1 worldwide in the Rookies Global School Rankings. Since the only alternatives I could find at the time were expensive private schools, Filmakademie was the obvious choice. Getting accepted wasn't easy, however, as you have to go through a multi-stage application process. This includes a 72-hour exam in which you have to complete a practical task (some VFX shots, concept art, or animation).
At Filmakademie, a limited number of permanent lecturers provide long-term support and lectures during our projects, while the majority of teaching is delivered by industry experts during interesting workshops. Mentorship opportunities with industry professionals are also available, catering to specific needs outside the standard curriculum.
Participating in a diverse range of projects, from small groups to larger teams, has significantly enhanced my communication and teamwork skills. Roles such as VFX artist, art director, lead artist, and director have each presented unique challenges, allowing me to refine my craft, improve communication, and gain insights into the creative processes in films and games. For the first time, I also tried out directing animated films during my studies and discovered it for myself. I've now done it on several projects, such as in my second year where I directed a short film called “Into The Cutezone”.
“Into the Cutezone” was one of the projects that I realised with a smaller team. In such projects, you learn to use your resources effectively and to solve problems with smart approaches. For example, due to the limited time, I chose an animation style that was effective for me: the characters mostly move in slow motion or jump cartoony from one pose to the next. This reduced the time I needed to spend animating and made it possible for me to finish this film with more than 60 shots in a reasonable amount of time.
I opted for the Animationsinstitut primarily because it is renowned as the best university for 3D animation and CGI in Germany. When I did my research after graduating from high school, it was also ranked number 1 worldwide in the Rookies Global School Rankings
Yes, of course! For example, we are currently working in a large team on our diploma project called “The Deep Above”, which will consist of a full CG short film and a video game set in the same fictional world. Recently, we had a project mentoring session with Dennis Müller (Senior Lighting Artist at ILM), who reviewed our shots and gave us invaluable tips on how we can further improve the look of our film through the clever use of lighting and shot design.
As the Animationsinstitut is part of the Filmakademie, it offers the opportunity to collaborate with live-action film projects. This is particularly great for VFX students, who have the opportunity to learn a lot about working on set. For example, in our second year, we did the so-called Set Extension Workshop, where we worked with cinematography and production design students on the short film “Sprout”.
Our aim was to use bluescreen set extensions within the small studio to tell the journey through a much larger environment. The Animationsinstitut now even offers the opportunity to work with modern virtual production technology such as LED walls. In addition, the animation and VFX students who join the undergraduate program learn all the essentials of working in film. They learn the basics of writing scripts, working with cinema cameras, directing actors, and much more.
In the third year of our studies, we completed the so-called “AniFilm/AniPlay” project. The brief was to develop an Intellectual Property (IP), a story world so to say, as a team and to make a movie and a video game within this IP. It was a way of working that was relatively new to us and a challenge, but also a great opportunity to learn. I was part of the team that realised the “Fish Or Chips” project, which we also entered into The Rookie Awards 2021. As art director, defining the look of the film together with director Julia Skala was particularly exciting, as I came from a more realistic CGI/3D background and she came from an illustration background. We were able to bring this together in a stylised 3D project with lots of 2D elements.
As I mentioned before, we have a lot of lessons and mentoring with industry professionals. The Animationsinstitut also strives to teach about production methods in a way that is closely aligned with real-world practices. For example, you have to create project and production bibles for the projects, organise the projects neatly with production management tools such as Shotgrid or FTrack and usually work with the latest tools and software packages. In addition, there is always the opportunity to receive feedback on projects from industry professionals. For example, there are regular VFX consultations with a VFX supervisor who gives the teams professional feedback on their projects.
These topics play a significant role in our studies. Especially in the first year, we had classes focused on diversity in film production and the media industry. There are also regular talks and workshops on these important issues. Since the MeToo movement, the Filmakademie has implemented various measures to incorporate these topics into the curriculum. Right now, staff and students are working together to make, among other initiatives, the application and admission process more inclusive, aiming to bring more diversity into the student community.
What sets Filmakademie apart is its highly practical approach to education. From my first semester to graduation, I have actively participated in numerous projects and initiated some of my own.
Upon graduation, I aspire to work as a lighting, texturing, and compositing artist, gaining insights from various studios and contributing to exciting film or game cinematic projects. The Filmakademie and its Animationsinstitut have equipped me with a well-rounded education, preparing me not only to navigate the industry but also empowering me to pursue and realise my own creative projects in the long run.
Check out more of Niklas' work in his Rookies portfolio here. Learn more about Animationsinstitut of Filmakademie, Baden-Württemberg here.