Woodblock Expands Animation Work From Las Vegas’ Sphere to New Series
Woodblock, a rapidly expanding animation studio based in Berlin, has made a name for itself by creating visually stunning shows at Las Vegas’ Sphere. The studio, founded in 2013 by six friends who studied at Germany’s Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, has grown to a team of 50 and has collaborated with major brands such as Greenpeace, Disney, Netflix, Apple, Nike, and Adidas. With teams in Ludwigsburg and Los Angeles, Woodblock is now setting its sights on captivating new audiences with a lineup of ambitious sci-fi and horror-fantasy series that showcase its unique style.
One of Woodblock’s standout achievements is creating 80 minutes of sci-fi-inspired visuals for electronic music artist Anyma’s “The End of Genesys” show at the Sphere in 2024. The studio is now gearing up for its next project, providing animated visuals for the immersive “Odyssey” concert series by electronic dance music star Illenium, set to debut in March.
Woodblock’s latest endeavor includes a partnership with Berlin-based production and distribution group DCM on a new project called “Dark World.” This globe-trotting fantasy-horror series, created by Moritz Mohr, follows a teenage boy who teams up with the Fairy Queen of Celtic lore to search for malevolent mythical creatures from around the world, aiming to save them from impending doom rather than destroy them.
In addition to “Dark World,” Woodblock has upcoming shows like “Blue Marble” and “Space Probe Force.” “Blue Marble” follows a girl and her robot companion as they embark on a culinary adventure in a future Earth where cooking has become a lost art. Meanwhile, “Space Probe Force” takes a satirical approach, following a crew of human space explorers as they conquer and colonize planets from the perspective of the alien inhabitants.
Woodblock’s commitment to original storytelling is evident in projects like the acclaimed animated short “Bye Bear,” which explores the dreams of a robot longing to be a bear. With a focus on series and films as the primary medium, Woodblock is dedicated to pushing boundaries and developing innovative projects.
The studio will be attending this year’s European Film Market at the Berlinale, participating in the new EFM Animation Days showcase and EFM Beyond initiative that focuses on cross-media storytelling for independent IP. Woodblock CEO Ilija Brunck will also be speaking at the EFM Beyond workshop on the role of game engines in the animation sector, highlighting the studio’s innovative approach to storytelling.
Overall, Woodblock’s commitment to pushing creative boundaries and exploring new storytelling avenues positions it as a leading force in the animation industry, poised to captivate audiences with its unique and visually stunning content.
