Overview
The Cross-Cultural Animation Workshop 2025 in Thailand was organized by the Media Arts BFA Program, Faculty of Architecture and Design at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), in collaboration with partner institutions within the Asian Animation Education Network (AAEN).
The program focuses on collaborative animation development, where students from Japan, China, Korea, and Thailand work together to create short animated projects inspired by Thai culture, from concept to animatics.
Event Details
Date: June 23–27, 2025
Venue: KMUTT, Bangkok, Thailand
Participating Institutions
King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (Thailand)
Silpakorn University
Tokyo University of the Arts
Korea National University of Arts
Communication University of China
Participants
A total of 38 students participated in the workshop:
KMUTT: 21 undergraduate students
Silpakorn University: 5 undergraduate students
K-Arts: 5 undergraduate students
CUC: 1 undergraduate, 1 graduate, 4 doctoral students
Tokyo University of the Arts: 1 graduate student
Program Structure
Day 1
Opening ceremony, screening of works, and group formation (introductions and concept ideation)
Opening ceremony, screening of works, and group formation (introductions and concept ideation)
Day 2
Cultural field trip in Bangkok, including visits to Wat Saket, Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall, Loha Prasat, and ICONSIAM
Cultural field trip in Bangkok, including visits to Wat Saket, Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall, Loha Prasat, and ICONSIAM
Day 3
Group development and storytelling session with guest speaker Kompin Kemgumnird
Group development and storytelling session with guest speaker Kompin Kemgumnird
Day 4
Production phase and faculty seminar
Production phase and faculty seminar
Day 5
Final screening, critique, and closing ceremony
Final screening, critique, and closing ceremony
Workshop Highlights
Collaborative Animation Development
Students were divided into international teams consisting of participants from Japan, China, Korea, and Thailand.
Each group developed a 1–1.5 minute animation project at the animatic level, focusing on narrative structure and visual storytelling.
Each group developed a 1–1.5 minute animation project at the animatic level, focusing on narrative structure and visual storytelling.
Animatics—used in pre-production—combine storyboard visuals with timing, sound, and motion to simulate the final animation.
Cultural Exploration as Creative Input
The cultural tour played a crucial role in the creative process.
Participants collected references through sketching, photography, and sound recording, which were later used as key materials in their animation concepts.
Participants collected references through sketching, photography, and sound recording, which were later used as key materials in their animation concepts.
This approach effectively connected cultural experience with creative production.
Guest Lecture: Kompin Kemgumnird
A special lecture was delivered by Kompin Kemgumnird, an experienced animator who has worked with major studios such as Walt Disney and Blue Sky Studios.
He emphasized the importance of clear storytelling, strong character design, and efficient production workflows—especially within limited timeframes.
Academic Seminar
Faculty members from the five participating universities presented research and educational practices, including:
Animation design based on Mekong cultural beliefs (KMUTT)
AI applications in Chinese animation (CUC)
Historical and future perspectives of Chinese animation (CUC)
Japan–Korea collaborative workshop case study (Tokyo University of the Arts)
Story development using AI tools (K-Arts)
Hybrid learning strategies in media education (KMUTT)
Outcomes & Reflections
Despite a short production period of approximately 1.5 days, students successfully produced high-quality animatic works by combining their diverse skills.
AI tools were also explored as part of the creative workflow, contributing to increasingly sophisticated results—even beyond the expected level of completion.
The final screening and critique session received highly positive feedback from international faculty and guests.
Future Direction
According to the KMUTT organizing team, the workshop is planned to continue as an annual program, expanding collaboration and strengthening the AAEN network across Asia.
Summary
The Cross-Cultural Animation Workshop 2025 highlighted the integration of cultural experience, collaborative learning, and emerging technologies in animation education.
It demonstrated how short-term intensive programs can produce meaningful creative outcomes while fostering international academic exchange.
It demonstrated how short-term intensive programs can produce meaningful creative outcomes while fostering international academic exchange.
