{"id":73,"date":"2017-08-11T10:08:48","date_gmt":"2017-08-11T08:08:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stellmach.iostage.net\/?page_id=73"},"modified":"2026-05-04T21:31:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T19:31:51","slug":"thomas-stellmach-biography","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/stellmach.com\/en\/about\/thomas-stellmach-biography\/","title":{"rendered":"Thomas Stellmach – Biography"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Thomas Stellmach – Biography<\/h1>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1754663942740{margin-top: 16px !important;margin-bottom: 32px !important;}”]I\u2019m an Oscar\u00ae<\/sup>-winning animation filmmaker<\/strong> from Kassel<\/strong>, Germany<\/strong>, specializing in artistic animated short films<\/strong> and animation workshops<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Born in 1965<\/strong> in Straubing<\/strong>, I discovered my passion for paintings<\/strong>, model building<\/strong>, and filmmaking<\/strong> at an early age. As a teenager, I received several national awards<\/strong> in visual arts competitions.<\/p>\n

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The groundbreaking visual effects<\/strong> and imaginative storytelling<\/strong> of Star Wars in the 1980s sparked my interest in filmmaking \u2013 especially animation<\/strong>, which allowed me to bring my own ideas to life. In 1982, I began producing my own stop-motion<\/strong> films<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 even before studying at the Kassel School of Art and Design<\/strong> under Oscar\u00ae<\/sup> nominee Paul Driessen<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The stop-motion short film QUEST<\/a><\/strong>, which I created in 1996 during my studies in collaboration with Tyron Montgomery<\/strong>, was awarded the Academy Award\u00ae<\/sup> for Best Animated Short Film<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0in 1997<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After earning my diploma<\/strong>, I founded Lichthof \u2013 Film & Animation Studio<\/strong> in Kassel<\/strong> in 1999<\/strong>. Together with my team, I produced animated commercials<\/strong><\/a> for advertising agencies<\/strong>, television<\/strong>, and music labels<\/strong>. Today, I focus fully on independent artistic productions<\/strong>, animation workshops<\/strong>, and public presentations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Since the early 1980s<\/strong>, I have created independent animated short films<\/strong> that have been shown at festivals worldwide<\/strong> and received over 150 international awards<\/strong> \u2013 both as a student<\/strong> and a professional<\/strong>. I use a wide range of animation techniques<\/strong>, including 2D hand-drawn animation<\/strong>, stop-motion<\/strong>, pixilation<\/strong>, 3D computer animation <\/strong>and experimental ink animation<\/strong>, to tell visually distinctive<\/strong> and expressive stories<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Alongside my artistic work, I have been leading animation workshops<\/a><\/strong> for children<\/strong>, teenagers<\/strong>, and adults<\/strong> since 1996<\/strong>. In my Animated Film Show<\/a><\/strong>, I present my short films<\/a> <\/strong>live<\/strong> and offer insights<\/strong> into the creative process<\/strong>. My interactive Spinning Animation Shows<\/a><\/strong> features historical animation devices such as the zoetrope<\/strong>, combining artistic practice<\/strong> with an engaging perspective on film history<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I live and work in Kassel<\/strong>, Germany<\/strong> \u2013 as an independent animation artist<\/strong>, educator<\/strong>, and Oscar\u00ae<\/sup>-winning filmmaker<\/strong> with a passion for creative storytelling<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Discover my interviews<\/a><\/strong>, full filmography<\/a><\/strong>, and a gallery<\/a><\/strong> of photos and production insights.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”17910,17912″ img_size=”full” css=”.vc_custom_1653578206050{margin-bottom: -24px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1754338453722{border-bottom-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-style: solid !important;border-color: #eaeaea !important;}”] Thomas Stellmach – Biography [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1754663942740{margin-top: 16px !important;margin-bottom: 32px !important;}”]I\u2019m an Oscar\u00ae-winning animation filmmaker from Kassel, Germany, specializing in artistic animated short films and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":19599,"menu_order":10,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-73","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nBiography of Animation Film Director Thomas Stellmach<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Oscar\u00ae-winning animator from Germany. 150+ awards for artistic short films and animation workshops. 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