Oscar- Nominated Animation House is Donating Money to Fund an Animation Studio At Bowie State University
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Posted By: Kennedy Williams on February 03, 2021 According to Deadline Deadline, Oscar-nominated animation house, Laika, is partnering up with Bowie State University to increase the number of Black animators by providing a “direct pathway into the industry.” What started as an internship program for BSU students to experience working at a big-time animation studio turned into Laika funding to upgrade Bowie State’s greenscreen studio. In a statement from Laika’s head of production, Arianne Sutner, the company expressed its excitement about the new partnership: “Laika is thrilled to be partnering with as prestigious an institution as Bowie State University. At its heart, Laika is a community of artists, craftspeople and scientists committed to expanding the technological capabilities of our animation medium in order to tell everyone’s stories with boldness, compassion and excellence. Helping BSU students to express their experience, their artistry and their potential through the stop motion art form speaks to our creative and corporate mandate. We’re so excited to explore their talents and to provide mentorship and tools that will enlarge the scope of their filmmaking vision.” Bowie State, who already had an Animation & Motion Graphics program, is bound to see growth in the program with all of the new equipment and opportunities. This will, no doubt, help Black animators get their foot in the door while getting an education among other people that look like them. In how this partnership will have an impact on the animation industry, head of the BSU Fine Arts and Performing Arts department, Tewodross Melchishua Williams said, “ “This is a great opportunity for students to learn valuable skills that will carry them into the professional world of animation. There are a lot of storytelling and narrative elements that have yet to be brought to life via stop-motion animation, especially in the arena of children’s programming. We are looking at this partnership to be an internship and career pipeline that can help diversify the animation industry, which has been a traditionally underrepresented sector when it comes to the voices of people of color, women, LGBTQ and other communities.” This is an incredible opportunity for, not only Bowie State students but for any Black person looking to begin a career in animation. Kudos to Laika and Bowie State for creating a space for Black artists. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Kennedy Williams
From Loganville, GA Spelman College class of 2020 Member Since July 2016 |
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