Animation Incubator
Story & Art Labs

Designed for producers to accelerate
their animation project.

This unique program is designed for producers and their creative teams
to boost their animation projects. It aims to accelerate early stage development
with the help of seasoned Hollywood mentors.

For the eighth time in the picturesque castles
of Cesky Krumlov and Litomysl in the heart of Europe.

How does it work

Submit your project

Producers bring their animation projects to participate in the incubation program. The capacity of the program is limited to five projects. Bring your team of 2-3 artists per lab and work on your project with our mentors. Alternatively, we will help you find a team to work on it or add individual artists to your team.

Choose an area to progress with a project

Directing Characters in Storyboarding
Character Design Lab
World-Building Art Lab

Who will you work with?

We proudly introduce our mentors for 2024 edition.

Meet storyboard director Tom Owens from Skydance, cartoonist and character designer Stephen DeStefano (Disney, Dreamworks, and Sony), and art director Jim Moore from Lucasfilm.

Get stronger in the incubator

Every idea has its potential, but sometimes, it needs to be pushed to become stronger and broader. Check whether your idea is also suitable for the big story of a film or series. Our mentors will help you develop the initial idea for a movie into a genuine concept with which you will apply for funding for further work.

What do you get?

You will get insight and attention to your project from artists who have participated in the creation of numerous well-known and successful films in Hollywood studios. Meet them personally, talk to them, learn from them, and let your creativity grow. In addition to mentors, you can also meet other artists. Mutual networking can open the door to further work and exciting projects.

Enjoy an inspirational place

Work and stay in one of the most beautiful places in the Czech Republic, the historical towns Cesky Krumlov and Litomysl. Our creative labs are located right in the middle of UNESCO-protected Renaissance castles. As the place, we combine the heritage of classical animation with the newest trends, human creativity with the latest technologies, and fresh ideas with the wisdom of skilled professionals.

What outcomes you can expect

In each lab you explore and accelerate different aspects of your project; you end up with:

Storyboard scenes introducing your characters that can be produced as project teaser later in development.
Explored designs of main characters from scratch or polish your existing ones.
Develops strong visuals of a digital world based on the narrative concept.