2019

A Panel Discussion on the Synergy of Education and Industry

What is needed in the animation market? What knowledge do educational establishments offer to acquire? What is their vision of the future? What makes them unique, and how can they collaborate?
This discussion will bring together representatives of the Estonian Academy of Arts, the Art Academy of Latvia, the National Film School of the Latvian Academy of Culture, Vilnius Academy of Arts and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, and the graduates of these establishments.

Working language: English

Open event

Panelists

Anna Zača (moderator)

Head of Latvian Animation Association, Curator of RIGA IFF programme SHORT RIGA

Anna represents Latvia in the Board of Emile Awards. She has researched animation theory in the Estonian Academy of Arts, later continuing her research in the Latvian Academy of Arts.

Priit Tender

Animator, director, editor, The Head of Animation department at Estonian Academy of Arts, Estonia

Priit Tender graduated from Tallinn Pedagogical University as an art-teacher. However he also works as a film director. His film of 2015 House Of Unconsciousness received Award for Best European Short Film from GoShort Short Film Festival Nijmegen, Netherlands and Award for Best Animation Technique from Ottawa International Animation Festival, Canada 2015 amongst many others.

Dzintars Krūmiņš

Professor of animation in Jānis Rozentāls Art School as well as Latvian Academy of Arts, Latvia

Has received his bachelor’s degree in film directing from the Latvian Academy of Culture in 1997. He has worked as a screenwriter, production designer, director, cameraman, computer artist and animator for several Latvian films. Since 2008 Krūmiņš has taught classical (2D) animation and has been a diploma work adviser at Janis Rozentāls Art School; since 2012 he has taught classical (2D) animation software and acting at the Art Academy of Latvia.

Tomas Mitkus

Lecturer at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Art Director and co-founder of the animation studio MB Studio Mitkus, Lithuania

Has received a Bachelor of Arts degree in animation from University College for the Creative Arts in Farnham, UK in 2008 and continued his master’s degree studies in animation at Glasgow University, UK. Tomas has worked in various live action and animated TV, feature, advertising and video games projects in Lithuania and abroad. A member of Lithuanian film board and an author of few academic books.

Ilja Bereznickas

Animator, illustrator, scriptwriter and caricaturist, head of the Animation Programme Vilnius Academy of Arts, Lithuania

Since 1985 worked at the National Lithuanian Film Studio as director, animator and scriptwriter. Since 1990 has worked in Israel, Norway and the U.S. producing and creating animated TV ads, shorts and feature animation films, and illustrating children’s books. In 2002 initiated and became the head of the Animation Programme Vilnius Academy of Arts as part of the Photography and Media Art Faculty. In 2003–2004 taught at the School of Visual Arts in New York.

Edmunds Jansons

Film director and artist, the professor of animation direction in Latvian Academy of Arts, Latvia

Edmunds works as an animation film director and graphic designer at his studio Atom Art. His animation films have been screened all over the world and have won prizes at Animafest Zagreb, Interfilm, Hiroshima International Animation Festival, KROK, Sommets du cinéma d’animation, SICAF (Seoul), CICFF (Chicago), LIAF (London), etc. He is also a recognized children’s book illustrator and professor of Latvian Academy of Arts.