VFX and Animation Symposium

#Training: VFX and Animation Symposium 2017 and Graduate Traineeship announced

Screen Training Ireland, and Animation Skillnet announce the Animation and VFX Graduate Traineeship 2017/18.  To coincide with the launch of the Graduate Traineeship Programme for the Irish Animation and VFX sectors there will be a two day VFX and Animation Symposium packed full of exciting talks and masterclasses in the area of animation and VFX which will take place in the Morrison Hotel Dublin on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st of October.

The Graduate Traineeship Programme 2017/18 will take place over a six month period and is targeted at developing skills and talent in the Irish animation and VFX sector.  The programme will involve a mix of on-the-job training/mentoring as well as additional specialist training/mentoring delivered through Animation Skillnet and Screen Training Ireland.  The participating trainees will receive tailored training as well as specialist skills development in their assigned host studios.  Past participating studios include Cartoon Saloon, Brown Bag Films, Boulder Media, JAM Media, Screen Scene VFX and Windmill Lane VFX.

Delegates at the Symposium will have an opportunity to hear from top Irish and international animation and VFX practitioners to include Eamonn Butler, Head of Cinesite Animation Division (Independence Day: Resurgence, Captain America: Civil War, Edge of Tomorrow); Brian Coldrick, Illustrator and Concept Artist (Doctor Who, Red Dwarf, Zapped); Scott Pritchard, Compositing Supervisor (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Avengers : Age of Ultron, Inception); Sanna Myllykangas, Story Artist, Rovio and Aardman Animations; Damien O’Connor, Director, Brown Bag Films (Angela’s Christmas); Fred Burdy, CG Supervisor,  Brown Bag Films (Angela’s Christmas).

Day two of the symposium will include an exciting range of masterclasses including, Previs Fundamentals with Elaina Scott (Avengers : Age of Ultron, The Hunger Games, Hugo); Animal Anatomy and Mechanics with Annie-award nominated and Eisner-award nominated graphic novelist Sydney Padua (The Lion King, The Jungle Book, The Iron Giant); Gesture, Figure Drawing and Design Language for Animation with Richard Smitheman, Visual Development Artist (Rock Dog, Enchanted, The Prince of Egypt).

In addition, Screen Training Ireland and Animation Skillnet will be revealing details of an international mentoring fund designed to offer animation and VFX practitioners at all levels access to local and international talent in order to build customised, structured mentoring supports in the industry.

It’s great to be launching the third iteration of the highly successful VFX and Animation Graduate Traineeship Programme with a Symposium featuring outstanding International and Irish speakers from the world of Animation and VFX. The Traineeship Programme has played a significant role in addressing skills gaps in Ireland over the last few years, while the Symposium gives local talent the opportunity to learn from and network with high-level global talent.
Gareth Lee, Manager – Animation Skillnet

If you are interested in attending this event, please register at Animation Skillnet here by Friday the 13thof October.  Tickets range from €80 (waged)/€40 (unwaged) for two days to €50 (waged)/€25 (unwaged) for one day.

The VFX and Animation Symposium is supported by Screen Training Ireland, Animation Skillnet, the Irish Film Board, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, and the Industrial Development Authority.