Hasta La Motion!

‘Time does not make history; people do!’ You open your mind and broaden your perspective not when you speak but when you listen. People’s stories, their thoughts, ideas, situations, problems, creativity, interests and lifestyles may considerably differ from what you are or what you believe in. But it is only when you encounter such people, cross your paths with their varied backgrounds, get to know their story and learn from whatever they are willing to impart that you grow, upgrade and transform into a better individual.

We are constantly on the quest to upgrade ourselves and fill our cup of knowledge. The internet seems to be the ideal knowledge provider but definitely everything around us has far more information to share for it comes down to a simple belief- Everybody around you has a story to tell. With a multitude of people from all backgrounds, Trojan Horse was a Unicorn (THU) is an event that focuses on bringing global knowledge to the attendees with the goal to inspire them to be better artists and better human beings.

THU founder André Luis

The unique creative event Trojan Horse was a Unicorn (THU) returns to Tróia, Portugal from 19 to 24 September, 2016 with a host of Academy Award-winning speakers. AnimationXpress got in touch with the founder of the festival André Luis to dive deep and dig out what is the event all about.

André Luis says, “Trojan Horse was a Unicorn (THU) is about creativity at 360 degrees. It is a bootcamp in paradise for artists and creators.”

It is the fourth edition of THU and the event has been constantly growing and evolving. “Very quickly, we achieved what so many events or corporations want: we are a community, a real community that we call the THU tribe.”

Well, the goal of THU is making sure everyone shares experiences and networks, and making friends is one of the most important aspects of THU. The event hosts activities from 9 am to 3 am every day which includes from masterclasses to inspirational talks and late-night drawing sessions.

Directors, screenwriters, designers and animators hold masterclasses and give inspirational talks. They bring new content and perspectives that can have a strong impact on the attendees. This year Brenda Chapman, Kevin Lima and Ryan Woodward are among the few Academy Award winning speakers.

A lot of exposure is given to animation, CGI and VFX. Films and various short film projects are a major topic of discussion too. Visionaries come in to talk about tendencies, the market, new projects and technologies, and discuss VR and AR. The whole event revolves around creativity so the AVGC industry fits in quite appropriately as a vast pool of information is shared by various industry experts, upcoming artists and lay people with an inclination towards creativity. So, the maestros share their experience and the curious minds quench their thirst in a fun friendly and enjoyable way.

Though THU is an international event, the recruitment process is really different over here. “We provide an environment like a living room, and instead of just showing their portfolios, all the attendees will be able to get portfolio reviews from the recruiters. This year we will also have an extra day of recruitment exclusively for the attendees who bought tickets to THU TV 2016.”

What’s the fun if you meet people but their ego and pre-conceived notion does not let you meet them entirely? For this very simple reason, THU believes in simplicity and an equal treatment.

“The best part of the event is that there are no VIPs at THU since day 1. Everyone is equal to us. First-time artists or visitors will fit in really well. They will not know the difference, to be honest. Especially since everyone sits, eats, drinks, and walks around in the same place.”

As per THU’s last edition, the event comprises of over 600 attendees from around 59 countries with approximately 100 hours of inspiration. In fact, THU 2016 will cater majorly to various topics from animation to VFX, concept art, 3D, VR, and illustration. So if you are one of those curious minds constantly searching for knowledge and believing in learning from people, then THU has a lot in store for you.

The post It’s all about meeting people, sharing ideas and learning from each other at THU appeared first on AnimationXpress.