الـــــــدورة السادســــــة - ١١ - ١٥ فبـرايـــــــر ٢٠٢٦
6TH EDITION - 11-15 February 2026
PROFESSIONALS
WORKSHOPS
These workshops will be on 12, 13, 14 and 15 February
in AUC Tahrir Square
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Read the details of the workshops thoroughly
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Make sure that you meet the workshop requirements
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Fill in the registration form with the needed information, and make sure to submit any needed submission for the workshop
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You can apply to more than one workshop, but priority will be to choose as many diverse participants as possible
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Spots are very limited
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The instructors and team choose the selected participants for each workshop, and will send a payment link to pay the workshop fees (100 LE for each workshop)
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If selected, you'll need to buy the ticket of the event day on the day of the workshop. This is separate from the workshop fees.
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See you there!
Developing Your Visual Style
Shadab Shayegan
13 & 14 February
4:00pm - 6:00pm
Hill House 602
About the workshop:
Every artist has a unique "visual fingerprint," but finding it requires more than just practice. It requires play and experimentation. In this intensive workshop, we will strip away the fear of the blank page and dive into the mechanics of style. Through a series of rapid-fire exercises, we will build a personal library of marks, textures, and moods to expand our creative toolkit.
Topics covered:
o Understanding how marks, color, shape and texture define a look.
o Creating a Mark-Making Library
o Reinterpreting a Reference Image
o Creating Texture Libraries
Sound Editing:
Establishing Pace through Sound
Gianmarco Serra
15 February
11:00am - 2:00pm
Hill House 602
About the workshop:
Taking Sultana's Dream as a case study, participants will explore and learn about the relation between sound design and editing, establishing the pace of the film through its sound, music, effects, and shots.
Workshop requirements:
o Interest in sound design
o Basic experience in editing
Animating, Not Imitating:
Using Reference to Develop Performance
Meena Ibrahim
12 February
2:30pm - 5:30pm
Hill House 602
About the workshop:
Through analyzing animation references in real-time, award-wining animation supervisor Meena Ibrahim will be guiding and and showing participants how to choose and use references for animation, acting and poses in 3D.
Workshop requirements:
o Open for all, more helpful for mid level to seniors
Storytelling in Mixed Media
Isabel Herguera
12 February
11:00am - 2:00pm
Hill House 602
About the workshop:
During this hands-on workshop participants will design a mixed media board (revolving around their first memory). This concept is based on "I REMEMBER" written by Joe Brainard.
Workshop requirements:
o Open for experinmentation
o Participants should bring their own favorite materials to play with
Stop Motion Animation & Puppetmaking
Laura Tofarides & Joshua Flynn
13 February
10:00am - 2:00pm
Hill House 602
About the workshop:
Participants will be sculpting the upper torso of a plasticine clay puppet, built over a solid core with aluminium wire and exploring ways of creating strong, characterful expressions. Participants will then be animating these creations into a number of different expressions learning tricks for maintaining the build and pushing the performance. The workshop will focus on sculpting a puppet for animating but can be adapted to favour the building or the animating depending on participants preference, it will be a good mix of the two.
Workshop requirements:
o Mobile phone with Stop Motion Studio app installed (free app).
o Phone charger/power bank in case your phone battery runs low.
o Any sculpting tools - small metal and wooden ones.
o Any of your own creations you would like to show.
Short Film Distribution 101
Laure Goasguen
12 & 13 February
11:00am - 2:00pm
Hill House 603
About the workshop:
This workshop offers an accessible and practical introduction to the distribution of animated short films. It is designed for participants who are new to distribution and wish to understand how animated short films circulate today, how to build a distribution strategy, and how to avoid common mistakes. Through a mix of theoretical input, concrete examples, and hands-on exercises, participants will gain a clearer understanding of the distribution landscape and leave with practical tools they can apply to their own projects.
Workshop requirements:
o Beginner level (students, emerging filmmakers, aspiring distributors)
o No prior knowledge of film distribution is required
o Each participant has a have a film to distribute; participants without a film will pair up with someone who does
Writing without Writing:
From Script to Beatmatic
Ferdinand Ehrhardt
14 & 15 February
11:00am - 1:00pm
Hill House 603
About the workshop:
Drawing on his experience in making "Detlev" and current new projects, and focusing on changing the medium after a first draft of scriptwriting, this workshop is for filmmakers who want to find alternative ways of scriptwriting and learn how changing the approach often helps you to see your story and characters more clearly.
Workshop requirements:
o Bring a first idea or a basic first version of a script of a film you're already working on, to be able to change the medium into a beatboard
Storyboards Review
Michael Hollingsworth
14 February
2:00pm - 6:00pm
Hill House 603
About the workshop:
Having drawn and reviewed thousands of storyboards across his career, supervising director Mike Hollingsworth will be sharing a show bible of one of the famous shows he worked on and then reviewing the boards of the participants, establishing industry standards and showing where to improve
Workshop requirements:
o Submit your storyboards for review. Storyboards should be 1-3 minutes.
Facial Animation Shot Review
Sara Matta
15 February
2:00pm - 6:00pm
Hill House 603
About the workshop:
Drawing on her wide experience in animation especially on Arcane, Sara will provide a lecture of her approach to acting and facial shots, then it will be followed by collectively reviewing the participants' animated shots one by one, showing
Workshop requirements:
o Submit a personal acting shot or facial animation.
Character Design for Stylized CG Animation
Nadia Darries & Shofela Coker
12 & 13 February
3:00pm - 6:00pm
Hill House 603
About the workshop:
Participants will choose a story brief based on a "culturally resonant sci-fi" premise. Director (Nadia Darries) provides the character expectation for this 2d/3d hybrid film animated on 2s. Participants then receive a slideshow presentation on best practices in designing a character for stylized animation. Presentation includes case studies, world-building, gathering appropriate references, and good communication tips. Art director (Shof Coker) and Director will guide the participant through a design feedback cycle that mimics a studio pipeline.
Workshops Goals:
o One 2d concept character designed for a CG animation pipeline.
o Learn to navigate studio standard feedback pipeline with an art director and director.
o Helpful tips for approaching design theory & problem solving.
Workshop requirements:
o Photoshop/Digital Painting/Drawing Software
o Bonus if you're familiar with: ZBrush/Blender
1-on-1 Speed Distribution Consultancy
Laure Goasguen
14 February
11:00am - 3:00pm
Oriental Hall
Consultancy Objectives:
in 20-minute slots, and in speed dating format, particiapants (directors and/or producers) will have a chance to show their completed or nearly completed animated short films to Laure, distribution expert, and breifly discuss the ideal distribution strategy and channels for it, and how tweak and implement it.
Workshop requirements:
o Short films, ideally completed or closed to completion
o Participants to submit a screener link + a short presentation (basic info you can usually find in a presskit)