ACR Staff

Dominated by series, spin-offs, and sequels, this year’s Visual Effects Oscars race is one of the industry’s most anticipated competitions. Some veteran nominees have already won an Academy Award or two, while others will be competing for their first. One of many common threads this year’s VFX nominees have, though, is most have been nominated for Oscars and other coveted awards in previous years. In fact, every member of the spectacular Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. team has been here before.

After nine French directors threw their hats into the animated feature race for 2017, Variety declared that France had “firmed up its reputation as home to the world’s second biggest animation industry behind the U.S.” In the mix were Mark Osborne’s The Little Prince, Franck Ekinci and Christian Desmares’ April and the Extraordinary World, Claude Barras’ My Life as a Zucchini, Remi Chaye’s Long Way North, Michael Dudok de Wit’s The Red Turtle, Alexandre Heboyan and Benoît Philippon’s Mune, Guardian of the Moon, and Alain Gagnol

2018 is off to a great start in the world of animation programs, with several schools announcing plans to launch a collection of undergraduate degrees that will prepare students to compete for positions at top studios around the globe. We are pleased to report that Central Michigan University, County College of Morris, and Cavalier Animation & Media College in Bangalore, India have launched some exciting new animation programs and most are accepting applications right now. Read on.

Each year, Nickelodeon Animation makes it possible for several aspiring artists to work at the company’s Burbank studios. Known as The Artist Program, the program invites artists with diverse backgrounds and experiences to hone their artistic skills while working on Nick’s 2D and CG animated television shows. Two creative avenues are offered including the General Track and Storyboard Track.