Next Lab Is Accepting Submission For Its 2024 VR/AR/XR Workshops
Spain’s Next Lab Generation is accepting applications for the fourth edition of its annual initiative to promote the use of vr, xr, and ar tools, as well as video-game rendering engines, in animation and vfx production.
For this edition, the Next Lab selection committee will choose 20 vr, xr, ar, or animation projects featuring extensive visual effects to participate in the event. Representatives of the selected projects will receive guidance from industry experts in research, development, and innovation (R&D&I), marketing, and the latest tools being used by artists and techs around the world.
The Next Lab workshop is divided into two parts. An online phase will occur from January 8 through February 25, and an in-person phase will be hosted in Madrid from February 26 to March 2. All 20 projects will participate in the online portion, with 10 of those selected to move on to the Madrid-based phase of the workshop.
During the in-person phase, participants will create a teaser for their project using the latest vr tools and real-time rendering engines. Traditionally, Next Lab participants used Quill for animation and modeling and Unreal Engine for lighting, editing, and camerawork. This year, Next Lab participants will also have the option to use open-source software such as Blender and its real-time render engine Eevee.
Once completed, the teaser will be pitched during the Next Lab Generation event in Madrid on March 1 and 2. There, a jury of industry professionals will evaluate the pitches and select three to move on and pitch at Annecy’s MIFA 2024. The winners will also receive prizes including 8,000 euros ($8,800) in development funding, three months of mentoring, a travel grant, and free Annecy registration for one representative of the project.
Interested parties have until December 13 to submit their projects for consideration.
Submitting a project to Next Lab is free and can be done at the event’s website. Submissions must include two high-resolution images and a dossier of the project. Interested participants will be expected to provide a short professional biography, information regarding their role on the project, and a statement explaining why they would like to attend Next Lab 2024.
Next Lab is financed by the Community of Madrid through the Department of Culture, Tourism, and Sport and funded by the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA). The event is operated with support from the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), Weird Market, and Annecy Festival.
