Submit your showreel to Kaboom Animation Festival and be part of Kaboom Industry Days 2025! We’re thrilled to bring back the Best Showreel Contest & Debutants Ball, a unique program spotlighting the latest generation of Dutch animation graduates. In 2025, the event kicks off during the opening day of the program – Kaboom Camp – on the 25th of March at HKU Art University in Utrecht (Oudenoord 700) and at a surprise location to be revealed soon!

Ten selected showreels will be screened at HKU, and their creators – a group of emerging talents – will be invited to participate in exclusive, prearranged one-on-one meetings with prominent professionals from the Dutch animation industry and beyond. Each debutant will receive a free day pass to the event.

In partnership with Toon Boom, the Debutant Award for the best showreel will be granted by an international jury and announced during the evening’s highlight: the Debutants Ball afterparty.

Interested? Please fill out our submission form before 24th January 2025 to participate:

RULES FOR PARTICIPATION: 

– Length of the showreel is maximum 60 seconds. 

– For submission we require an online screener. 

– For inclusion in our professionals catalogue we need an HD file (NOT A DCP) of your showreel, technical specs are available here.

– Selection of the ten debutants for the one–on–one meetings, will be announced not later by the end of February 2025.

– Deadline for sending of your HD file is the 28th of February 2025. 

– When selected for the one-on-one meetings, you must be available on the 25th of March 2025.

TIPS FOR PARTIPATION: 

– Think beforehand about what kind of work you would like to do; character animation, motion graphics, background design or something else? Choose the elements of your reel based on this ambition. (Pay attention: you don’t have to make an edit of your work, you can also show a 1 minute clip of your work if fits better with your ambitions, like directing or writing. For all other disciplines we advise a traditional showreel). 

– Only use your most recent work (of past two, maximum three years). 

– Only use your best work. 

– If applicable and possible: mention what you did for the work you’re showing. 

– Use music that matches your work best (instead of using music you personally like).

– More tips & tricks: Motional.com & CreativeBlog.com & 3DArtistOnline.com & PremiumBeat.com.

For more information, requests or questions please contact us via email:
Emilia Mazik 
emilia@kaboomfestival.nl