For three years now, Netflix has created different ways of helping emerging talent in the animation industry. Through the Netflix Animation Foundations Program, the company has built a strong mentorship initiative that expands access for underrepresented talent to compete for entry-level roles in animation.
Netflix’s first session had 74 mentees chosen by the non-profits Latinx in Animation and Exceptional Minds. Participants have gone on to be interns at Nickelodeon Studios and Dreamworks, character designers at Marvel, and freelancers at Disney Television. The program’s second session ran with 52 mentees sourced from Illuminative and Veterans in Media & Entertainment.
A former program mentee, Michael Johnson, says, “I've established a great relationship with my mentor and feel that the Netflix staff was genuinely working to guide me to the next step in my professional career path. I challenged myself to develop an animated pilot during the program and feel more confident in my writing.”
KEEP MENTORING THE FUTURE
For this year, Netflix has partnered with Black N' Animated, an organization working on career growth and empowerment for Black students and professionals in the animation industry. They will identify up to 50 participants for the session. Those looking for more information on how to apply can do so by contacting Black N' Animated.
This year’s program will be divided into six sections: art and visual development, storyboarding, writing, CG/VFX, production management, and an informational track that covers part of all these disciplines. All channels are run virtually and run for four months.
Participants are matched with a mentor from Netflix Animation, where they receive advice on the industry, their careers, and guidance on editing and curating portfolios, writing samples, and resumes. Mentees are also invited to lectures on the animation pipeline to help them prepare to apply for internships, training and apprentice programs, or entry-level positions in the animation industry.
What are your thoughts on Netflix’s mentorship program? Let us know in the comment section!
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