By Christopher Mack, Director, Grow Creative, Netflix & Cécile Blondel, Head of International Relations, GOBELINS, L’école de L’image
Two years ago, Netflix and GOBELINS L’école de L’image first partnered on two scholarship programs to help develop new voices in animation. Since then, we’ve been able to support talent from France, India, and Africa through our Japan-based Netflix Animation Scholarship Program as well as our Character Animation Scholarship Program.
However, we want to do even more to nurture the next generation of animators. We recently teamed up again for a week-long visual storytelling course for students at India’s Amity School of Film & Drama. Held from March 15-19, GOBELINS L’école de L’image curated the course and faculty, many of whom were graduates and teachers from the famed animation school.
Students were introduced to Storyboarding and Animation principles during the lectures of the programme.
Activities included sessions on animation principles, storytelling fundamentals, character design, storyboards and gesture design. There were guest lectures by expert animation studio heads including Guillaume Dousse (Sun Creature) and Anish Mulani (Fractal Picture). The group also heard from Green Gold Animation founder Rajiv Chilaka, who created Netflix’s beloved preschool hit series Mighty Little Bheem.
Students also received personalised coaching from faculty, helping them develop personal projects for formats across film, television and animation.
We love fresh new creative voices, and were grateful to be able to help support and spend time with this group in a way that celebrates India’s storytelling culture and helps bring more of it to the world.
