Thomas Hawranke

Thomas Hawranke is a Professor of Motion Design and Animation at the Department of Design, Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle. A media designer and creative content creator with expertise in 3D animation and motion capture, Hawranke has worked for prominent studios and clients like Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and BBDO. He co-founded the interdisciplinary Paidia Institute collective and completed his practice-based PhD at Bauhaus University Weimar, focusing on modifying computer games as a method for artistic research and collective knowledge generation in transnational online communities.

• Education
  • Apprenticeship as a media designer for image/sound (2003), specializing in 3D animation and motion capture
  • Studies at Cologne Academy of Media Arts (2004-2009)
  • Practice-based doctorate at Bauhaus University Weimar (2013-2018)

Hawranke’s research explores animal-human relationships, the media representation of animals, embodied filmmaking in real-time 3D environments, and the epistemic qualities of design practices. His artistic projects, exhibited internationally at venues like ZKM Karlsruhe and Kunsthalle Darmstadt, blend design, art, and science to interrogate ecological and technological themes.

His recent courses, such as Basics of 2D Animation and collaborative seminars like GLITTER – frivolous, fun and playful, emphasize transmedial experimentation, procedural animation, and critical engagement with digital materiality. Hawranke also coordinates master’s thesis colloquia, focusing on research methods and contextualization within academic discourses.

• Scientific Awards
  • Scholarship for artistic research in computer games at ZKM Karlsruhe

Hawranke has taught at the University of Cologne, University of Siegen, and Bauhaus University Weimar. He co-led the 2021 lecture series The Damaged Planet and collaborates with Gerhard Funk on generative animation techniques. His work bridges artistic practice, academic research, and interdisciplinary education.