Commercial Animation is a two year, drawing intensive program that prepares students for successful careers in the animation industry. Students receive training by top industry professionals and learn how to succeed as animation artists and designers. The program focuses on skills directly related to the needs of the industry and industry artists and recruiters make frequent visits as guest lecturers. Students graduate with a professional portfolio of drawing, design and animation aimed at impressing studio recruiters and nailing that first job. On the last weekend of each April, we host a grad show of student work that is attended by industry.
Graduates find work mainly in local studios that produce animation for television, however our graduates have also been hired by studios that produce feature animation, commercials and games including, Electronic Arts, Rainmaker, Walt Disney Feature Animation and Next Level Games. Studios hire our graduates due to their excellent drawing skills and their ability to step right into jobs with minimum supervision. The Commercial Animation program also serves as an excellent foundation for artists wanting to advance to 3D animation because it teaches design theory, directing, storyboard design and timing & principles of character animation.
The success of the program and its close relationship with the industry is reflected in the several scholarships that studios exclusively offer to Commercial Animation students. Annual scholarships include:
DHX Media Scholarship – $2000 and a paid, summer internship* for a current 1st year student.
Bardel Entertainment Scholarship – $1000 and a paid, summer internship* for a graduating Commercial Animation student continuing their studies in our 3D Digital Animation program.
Atomic Cartoons Scholarship (1) - $1000 and a paid, summer internship* for a current first year student.
Atomic Cartoons Scholarship (2) - $500 and a paid, summer internship* for a current first year student.
*Optional. The recipient is not obligated to take the internship and the internship is offered conditionally on there being work available.
