Meet & Mingle: Animation Meets Games 2019

The Meet & Mingle: Animation Meets Games 2019 event, hosted by Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein and gamecity:Hamburg, served as a professional networking platform designed to bridge the gap between the animation, film, and game development sectors. Held on October 22, 2019, at the SAE Institute in Hamburg, the event aimed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among industry professionals by highlighting the shared challenges of working with established intellectual properties across different media formats.

The program featured two primary keynote presentations that addressed the practical and creative hurdles of brand management. Maurice Hagelstein, Game Director at Tiny Roar, discussed the complexities of rebooting the Leisure Suit Larry franchise while navigating modern cultural sensitivities. Concurrently, producer Dirk Beinhold of Akkord Film detailed the multi-year process of transforming a traditional German legend into a contemporary film brand, Die Heinzelmännchen, including the integration of merchandise and cinematic release strategies.

The event underscored the significant media infrastructure present in Hamburg, which supports approximately 200 game companies, 80 animation studios, and 600 film production entities. By facilitating a panel discussion moderated by the Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, the organizers sought to identify the operational similarities and distinctions between film and game production. The gathering concluded with a networking session, reinforcing the region's commitment to integrating its diverse creative trades through ongoing industry-focused initiatives.