ABOUT

I'm a Director and CG-Artist with a sense for cinematography, lighting and storytelling. I’m striving to create emotional stories and visuals with great attention to detail, an moody atmosphere, and an organic, authentic feel.

I'm the writer & director of the Student Academy Award® Gold Medal-winning short film A Sparrow’s Song.

Born in 1993, I began my creative journey in 2010 with photography. From 2012 to 2017, I studied Communication Design and graduated with a Master of Arts. In 2014, I started working as a freelance artist, gradually shifting my focus toward film and CGI. Alongside my work as a CG artist, I also gained on-set experience as a director of photography, assistant director, and camera operator.

I worked as a CG Generalist in a small studio, as a lecturer, and as a freelance artist. In 2021, I joined the project-based studies at the renowned Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg to pursue film and directing. I completed my studies at the Animationinstitut with a Diploma in Directing in 2025.

My graduation film A Sparrow’s Song began its festival run in 2025 and has already received multiple awards, including the Gold Medal at the Student Academy Awards and nominations for the Annie Awards, VES Awarads and BAFTA Student Awards.

GET IN TOUCH

mail@tobiaseckerlin.com

SHOWREEL

My current showreel is not publicly available at the moment due to unpublished projects. I’d be happy to share it with you upon request.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Student Academy Award 2025

Winner of the Gold Medal

BAFTA Student Award 2025

Finalist

THE ROOKIES Awards 2025 | Film of the Year | 3D Animation

Finalist – winner TBA.

THE ROOKIES Awards 2024 | Film of the Year | Visual Effects

Highly Commended

Caligari Award 2023

Winner project funding

THE ROOKIES Awards 2023 | Game of the Year | Immersive Media

Highly Commended

Next Reality Award Hamburg 2022

Winner

FEATURED / SPEAKING EVENTS

The Foundry – Lighting, LookDev, and Compositing a Student Academy Award winning film

SIGGRAPH 2025 – Educator's Forum 

ACM Digital Library publication

FMX 2025 – Graduation Projects Animationsinstitut

PRESS / INTERVIEWS

Animation Magazine – ‘A Sparrow’s Song’ Wins Animation Gold at Student Academy Awards

Tagesschau – Studenten-Oscars: Absolvent der Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg holt Gold

Tagesschau – Deutscher gewinnt goldenen Studenten-Oscar

Spiegel – Deutscher Regisseur gewinnt goldenen Studenten-Oscar 

The Spot – Tobias Eckerlins Studentenoscar erstrahlt in Gold

Tagesschau – "A Sparrow's Song": Regisseur aus Schwetzingen gewinnt Studenten-Oscar

ZEIT – Deutscher Regisseur Tobias Eckerlin gewinnt Studentenoscar

SWR Kultur – Television Report 14.09.2025

The Spot Media & Film – Interview

WDR 3 Resonanzen – Radio Interview

SWR Kultur – Radio Interview 

Heilbronner Stimme – Newspaper Interview

Mannheimer Morgen – Newspaper Interview

Tagesschau – Studenten-Oscar: Ludwigsburger Filmstudent unter Gewinnern

ZEIT – Deutscher Regisseur gewinnt einen Studierenden-Oscar

ZEIT – Hoffnung auf Nachwuchs-Oscar für Film-Studenten

SWR – Film-Studenten hoffen auf den Nachwuchs-Oscar

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

DIPLOMA University - University of Applied Sciences 

Honorary lecturer for Photo Design /// 04/2018 – 09/2021

Heidelberg University International holiday workshop

Teacher for video & film /// 2014 – 2019

EDUCATION

Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg

Diploma Animation – Directing

University of Applied Sciences Mannheim

Communication Design – Master of Arts

University of Applied Sciences Mannheim

Communication Design – Bachelor of Arts

FESTIVALS

Please check the relevant project page for the festivals.

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Imprint

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