The Academy of Cinema has awarded the 2026 Segundo Chomón Prize to Daniel Martínez, filmmaker and developer of animation tools. This award, which recognizes his contribution to the technical development of the industry, celebrates a triple career: as a teacher at Pepe School Land, director of the Goya-winning short film Alike, and creator of free software for animation. His work is a pillar in the Blender community, demonstrating how 3D innovation drives visual storytelling. 🏆
Grease Pencil and the integration of 3D into the audiovisual pipeline ✏️
Martínez's most tangible contribution to professional workflows is his participation in the development of tools like Grease Pencil within Blender. This tool breaks barriers between 2D and 3D, allowing the creation of storyboards, previsualizations, and final animation in the same three-dimensional environment. This optimizes the pipeline, from the initial idea to the final product, and is used in international productions. His work democratizes access to professional workflows, empowering studios and independent artists. His future project, a laboratory of practical tools, promises to continue shortening the distance between technique and creation.
Technical democratization and the moment of Spanish animation 🇪🇸
The award to Daniel Martínez underscores the excellent moment of animation in Spain, driven not only by artists but also by developers who build the digital infrastructure. His figure unites artistic excellence (the Goya) with technical innovation (the Chomón). By sharing knowledge through teaching and free software, he fosters a more robust and accessible ecosystem. This recognition validates that the future of animated cinema also lies in open source and the community, where 3D is a versatile canvas for any narrative.
Can open-source free software become the standard for creating visual effects and 3D animation in Spanish auteur cinema?
(P.S.: Previz in cinema is like the storyboard, but with more chances for the director to change their mind.)