StopMoLab
Master workshops, talks, case studies, mentoring and lectures are part of StopMoLab, an international training program for the stop-motion animation industry. 9 months of intensive work and study will be provided by a group of top-class specialists and professionals who are associated with such productions as "Corpse Bride", "My Life as a Zucchini" or "The Red Turtle".
SKILLS, BUSINESS and GO GREEN are three keywords and, at the same time, modules to which the program is subordinated. Improving your skills, discovering new trends, business models and the topic of pro-ecological activities are the most important directions in the development of the animation industry.
StopMoLab is the latest professionalization project of the Poland-based company MOMAKIN.
MOMAKIN combines the world of animation filmmaking with international production, distribution and promotion. It supports animation projects at every stage of their development: from planning and financing through production to distribution. It runs a talent agency, and initiates and produces film projects in Poland and abroad based on a network of contacts that ensure effective distribution and promotion. It has an extensive distribution catalog for the cinema, TV and VOD. It is involved in the education and professionalization of the film industry.
MOMAKIN is the organizer of the ANIMARKT Stop Motion Forum – the only industry event in the world dedicated to stop-motion animation.
Paulina Zacharek
Head of StopMoLab, programmer
film distributor, filmmakers’ professional development expert; coordinator & programmer of film education for professionals events. Company owner and co-founder of MOMAKIN. Organizer of cultural events aimed at popularisation of animation. At Momakin responsible for cinema distribution, film events & education. Co-organizer & programmer of professional education and business section of ANIMARKT. Master of History of Arts, alumni of Postgraduate Studies for Museum Curators at Jagiellonian University, curator; from 2010 to 2015 manager of Se-ma-for Museum of Animation, organizator and coordinator of numerous film education projects
Ola Wawrzynkiewicz
Coordinator of StopMoLab.
Holds a master degree in Graphics Design from Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź. For years associated with the animarkt during which she was responsible for supervision and coordination of the workshops.
Katarzyna Gromadzka
Programme consultant
Holds a master degree in Film Culture and Audiovisual Arts from Lodz University. Alumni of Organization of Film and TV Production at Lodz Film School (PWSFTviT) and Department of Film, Theatre & Television of the University of Reading (UK, Erasmus Programme). Started her professional career as a production manager and set manager in commercials and music videos production, as well as working for numerous film festivals (including International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography CAMERIMAGE, SE-MA-FOR Film Festival). In 2010 joined Se-ma-for studio as events coordinator (Se-ma-for Film Festival, Se-ma-for OnTour, Semafor European/Asian Express) and production assistant. From 2012 working as production manager and line producer in Se-ma-for (e.g. “Flapper and Friends” dir. Krzysztof Brzozowski, “Blue Room” dir. Tomasz Siwiński, “Small Hands in a Big War”, "Escape" dir. Jarosław Konopka). Currently in Momakin acting as a producer and executive producer (i.a. “Kids of Courage” mini-series, dir. Matthias Zirzow, nominated to EMMY Kids Award 2019) and coordinating work of stop motion artists with producers from all around the World (i.a. Germany, Mexico, Slovenia, Albania, Argentina, Chile and Czech Republic), as well as representative of "Polish Quality" project promoting Polish artists. Member of Polish Filmmakers Association (SFP) and Polish Animation Producers Association (SPPA).
Agnieszka Kowalewska-Skowron
Programme consultant
Head of ANIMARKT Stop Motion Forum, the world's only industry event for stop motion animation. She is co-founder of MOMAKIN, where she deals with the contact with broadcasters and VOD platforms. Her main tasks at MOMAKIN include searching for films and TV programmes for distribution. She coordinates projects promoting Polish animation in the world and organizes cultural events.
She is a film expert and a graduate of Postgraduate Public Relations Studies at the University of Łódź and of Corporate Social Responsibility at the Tischner European University in Kraków. Professionally associated with the Se-Ma-For Film Festival, TOYA Television, Multimedia Poland, and Klub Wytwórnia. She co-created a VOD platform with children content.
A juror member at animation festivals around the world and a selector of films for the Ibero-American Premios Quirino awards.
Programme Board
People who were responsible for the evaluation of the StopMoLab programme with whom we consulted the substantive values.
Annemie Degryse
Anna Bielak
Szefowa Developmentu w Aurum Film i tutorka na warsztatach Atelier Scenariuszowe. Odpowiedzialna za development takich fabuł jak m.in. “Żeby nie było śladów”, “Piosenki o miłości”, “Tarapaty 2” i serialu “Król”. Opiniuje scenariusze dla różnych instytucji i programów na rynku polskim i międzynarodowym (m.in. Midpoint, Animarkt Stop Motion Forum, Baltic Pitching Forum). W latach 2016-2018 asystentka Philipa LaZebnika na warsztatach Kids Film.PRO - dedykowanych rozwojowi projektów dla dzieci i młodzieży. Współpracowała także ze Stowarzyszeniem Nowe Horyzonty podczas organizacji Warsaw Kids Film Forum jako selekcjonerka projektów. Między 2017 a 2019 rokiem Dyrektor Artystyczna Script Fiesty - festiwalu dla scenarzystów organizowanego przez Warszawską Szkołę Filmową. Ukończyła filmoznawstwo na Uniwersytecie Jagiellońskim w Krakowie, a wiedzę scenariuszową rozwijała na wielu międzynarodowych warsztatach (m.in. LIM - Less is More, Midpoint Training for Trainers i Feature Launch oraz Six Days of Practice i Script Circle w Berlinie) i pod okiem takich tutorów jak Franz Rodenkirchen i Francoise von Roy czy Séverine Cornamusaz.
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Matija Sturm
Piotr Knabe
Francesca Maxwell
Francesca Berlingieri Maxwell started working in stop-motion animation twenty years ago on Aardman’s “Chicken Run” and “Tortoise vs. Hare” as Painter, Model-maker and Set Dresser. She was Painter on the Swiss stop-motion feature “Max & Co.”, Head Painter on Tim Burton’s “The Corpse Bride”, Art Director on Wes Anderson’s “Fantastic Mr Fox” and on Laika’s “ParaNorman”, and Production Designer on Mexico first stop-motion feature film, Luis Tellez’s “Inzomnia”.
Francesca trained in Fine Art in Milan and in Beijing and studied at Venice and Bologna Universities.
After moving to England she worked as a scenic artist, assistant designer, props, costumes and mask maker at many theatres throughout the UK.
Her work explores the effects of transparency and layering in a variety of media, particularly with ink and watercolour but also with oil, pastels, fused glass and digital painting.
Angela Poschet
Angela Poschet is an award-winning Line Producer and Consultant for Animation productions in Europe. Her credits include numerous distinctive and commercially successful film and television projects.
She is the Line Producer on “The House”, a 3x30min eccentric dark animated comedy, produced by NEXUS STUDIOS in London for NETFLIX, which was worldwide released on the 14th of January 2022.
Before that she worked as Production Supervisor on Wes Anderson stop-motion movie “Isle of Dogs” and Tim Burton’s Oscar nominated “Frankenweenie”. She line produced the two most successful stop-motion features in Norway: “Solan&Ludvig - Herfra til Flaklypa” and “Solan&Ludvig - Jul I Flaklypa” in 2012 and 2015.
As a Production Manager and Scheduler she was involved in the first Spanish feature produced in stereoscopic: “O Apostolo”; Furthermore her portfolio includes the award winning CGI Feature “Maya -The Bee Movie”; Roald Dahls: “Revolting Rhymes“, “Sandman and the Lost Sand of Dreams”, “How to Raise the Moon”.
Before she moved into Production management, she worked as a Cinematographer on the pre-school series: “Ludovic”, “Dragon and Friends”, “Miffy and friends” and in 1998 most notably, as DoP, she was setting up the very first seasonof the internationally popular television series, “Bob the Builder,” produced by the prominent HITEntertainment, received over 20 awards, including a BAFTA Award for “Best Animation” and two Parents’ Choice Awards.
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Denis Walgenwitz
Kerdi Kuusik-Oengo
Recruitment Committee
Persons responsible for selecting participants qualified for the current edition of the StopMoLab program.
Tim Allen
A stop motion animator for over 20 years, Tim Allen is currently a Senior Animator on Pinocchio for Guillermo del Toro. He was a key animator on Wes Anderson’s oscar nominated film Isle of Dogs. His other credits include Fantastic Mr Fox, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride & Frankenweenie plus Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires. As well as animating on Oscar winning Peter & the Wolf & Oscar nominated My Life as a Zucchini, he’s served many years of TV series work including Fireman Sam, Postman Pat plus Shaun the Sheep & Creature Comforts USA for Aardman Animations. Tim is well known for his work on commercials & animating short films for up & coming directors. He was Animation Supervisor on The Magic Piano as well as the stop motion Club Penguin specials for Disney
Tim has an extensive background in teaching animation techniques worldwide for trainee animators of all experience levels
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Anna Bielak
Szefowa Developmentu w Aurum Film i tutorka na warsztatach Atelier Scenariuszowe. Odpowiedzialna za development takich fabuł jak m.in. “Żeby nie było śladów”, “Piosenki o miłości”, “Tarapaty 2” i serialu “Król”. Opiniuje scenariusze dla różnych instytucji i programów na rynku polskim i międzynarodowym (m.in. Midpoint, Animarkt Stop Motion Forum, Baltic Pitching Forum). W latach 2016-2018 asystentka Philipa LaZebnika na warsztatach Kids Film.PRO - dedykowanych rozwojowi projektów dla dzieci i młodzieży. Współpracowała także ze Stowarzyszeniem Nowe Horyzonty podczas organizacji Warsaw Kids Film Forum jako selekcjonerka projektów. Między 2017 a 2019 rokiem Dyrektor Artystyczna Script Fiesty - festiwalu dla scenarzystów organizowanego przez Warszawską Szkołę Filmową. Ukończyła filmoznawstwo na Uniwersytecie Jagiellońskim w Krakowie, a wiedzę scenariuszową rozwijała na wielu międzynarodowych warsztatach (m.in. LIM - Less is More, Midpoint Training for Trainers i Feature Launch oraz Six Days of Practice i Script Circle w Berlinie) i pod okiem takich tutorów jak Franz Rodenkirchen i Francoise von Roy czy Séverine Cornamusaz.
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Francesca Maxwell
Francesca Berlingieri Maxwell started working in stop-motion animation twenty years ago on Aardman’s “Chicken Run” and “Tortoise vs. Hare” as Painter, Model-maker and Set Dresser. She was Painter on the Swiss stop-motion feature “Max & Co.”, Head Painter on Tim Burton’s “The Corpse Bride”, Art Director on Wes Anderson’s “Fantastic Mr Fox” and on Laika’s “ParaNorman”, and Production Designer on Mexico first stop-motion feature film, Luis Tellez’s “Inzomnia”.
Francesca trained in Fine Art in Milan and in Beijing and studied at Venice and Bologna Universities.
After moving to England she worked as a scenic artist, assistant designer, props, costumes and mask maker at many theatres throughout the UK.
Her work explores the effects of transparency and layering in a variety of media, particularly with ink and watercolour but also with oil, pastels, fused glass and digital painting.
Angela Poschet
Angela Poschet is an award-winning Line Producer and Consultant for Animation productions in Europe. Her credits include numerous distinctive and commercially successful film and television projects.
She is the Line Producer on “The House”, a 3x30min eccentric dark animated comedy, produced by NEXUS STUDIOS in London for NETFLIX, which was worldwide released on the 14th of January 2022.
Before that she worked as Production Supervisor on Wes Anderson stop-motion movie “Isle of Dogs” and Tim Burton’s Oscar nominated “Frankenweenie”. She line produced the two most successful stop-motion features in Norway: “Solan&Ludvig - Herfra til Flaklypa” and “Solan&Ludvig - Jul I Flaklypa” in 2012 and 2015.
As a Production Manager and Scheduler she was involved in the first Spanish feature produced in stereoscopic: “O Apostolo”; Furthermore her portfolio includes the award winning CGI Feature “Maya -The Bee Movie”; Roald Dahls: “Revolting Rhymes“, “Sandman and the Lost Sand of Dreams”, “How to Raise the Moon”.
Before she moved into Production management, she worked as a Cinematographer on the pre-school series: “Ludovic”, “Dragon and Friends”, “Miffy and friends” and in 1998 most notably, as DoP, she was setting up the very first seasonof the internationally popular television series, “Bob the Builder,” produced by the prominent HITEntertainment, received over 20 awards, including a BAFTA Award for “Best Animation” and two Parents’ Choice Awards.
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Marcin Zalewski
Marcin Zalewski – od 17 lat specjalizuje się w wytwarzaniu lalek animacyjnych, animatronicznych oraz rekwizytów wykorzystywanych w produkcjach teatralnych i filmowych. Urodził się w 1975 roku w Tomaszowie Mazowieckim. Edukację artystyczną rozpoczął w 1991 r. w Państwowym Liceum Sztuk Plastycznych im. Władysława Szermentowskiego w Kielcach na kierunku „Techniki Rzeźbiarskie”. Liceum ukończył w 1996 r. ze specjalizacją „Kamieniarstwo Artystyczne”. W latach 1997 – 2002 kontynuował naukę w Akademii Sztuk Pięknych im. Władysława Strzemińskiego w Łodzi na Wydziale Edukacji Wizualnej ze specjalizacją „Grafika Warsztatowa”. Po ukończeniu cyklu nauczania, zmuszony do wyjazdu za granicę, porzucił pracę magisterską. Do branży filmowej trafia w 2005-tym roku, dostając pracę jako malarz i rysownik w Studiu Filmowym Se-Ma-For przy produkcji „Świteź”. W tym samym roku bierze udział w konkursie rzeźbiarskim zorganizowanym przez Semafor oraz BreakThru Film Production i po pomyślnej decyzji jury dostaje zatrudnienie jako rzeźbiarz i lalkarz w produkcji „Piotruś i Wilk”. Od tego momentu wykonywanie lalek animacyjnych staje się jego główną specjalizacją, pasją, źródłem utrzymania. Szybko stając się jednym z trzonów ekipy lalkarskiej w latach 2006 – 2018 pracuje jako rzeźbiarz, lalkarz, koordynator pracowni lalek dla klientów z Polski, Niemiec, Słowenii, Czech, Finlandii, Norwegii, Danii, Meksyku, Stanów Zjednoczonych, Wielkiej Brytanii, Japonii, Holandii. Od 2017 roku pracuje jako freelancer. Na co dzień współpracuje z firmami: Mandoria, Momakin.
Olivier Catherin
Olivier Catherin is an ethnologist by training. He was a board member and employee of the French Animation Film Association (AFCA), where he was responsible for the Resource Centre and created the International Animation Film Day. In 2008 he created the production company "Les Trois Ours". He produced, among others, Kiki of Montparnasse which won a César for best short animation film. From 2015 to 2018 he was in charge of the animation sector for the Hauts-de-France region (Nord) at Pictanovo. He is one of the co-founders and administrators of the European Animation Awards (Emile Awards). Today he is a freelance producer on international co-production projects (Steakhouse, Granny’s Sexual Life, Franzy’s Soup Kitchen), consultant for various entities as CITIA or CEE Animation. He’s also teaching animation production and History of Cinema (INA sup, Sciences Po).
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Kerdi Kuusik-Oengo
Denis Walgenwitz