Dwarf Animation studio to establish in-house training program, Dwarf Academy, with former Pixar/PDI/DreamWorks artist Minhyung Lee as Head of Training.
Montpellier, France-based Dwarf Labs, also known as Dwarf Animation Studio, has announced that it will establish a new in-house training department called Dwarf Academy. The new training program is to be set up under the direction of Pixar and DreamWorks veteran Minhyung Lee as Head of Training. The Academy’s mission will be to keep the studio’s professionals sharp and develop the next generation of recruits.
The curriculum will be geared toward high-end CG careers in the entertainment industry, with each student being mentored by a pro from Dwarf using real-world, deadline-driven examples. Since the training is integrated with Dwarf’s production and R&D facilities, students will use a pipeline based on the studio’s using state-of-the-art hardware and proprietary software. The best artists and technicians out of the program will be offered a chance to join Dwarf.
“Dwarf Academy is such a unique place. Its program is very similar to the training courses at Pixar and PDI. It is organized to show the big picture of team play in a production, but also is very clear in letting you know how you as an individual artist or technician will be expected to contribute,” Lee says. “We have designed a course where artistic and technical skills development are balanced, and one that focuses not only on the fundamentals of visual concepts and theory, but complements them with master classes by leading professionals in their discipline, and practical exercises that are absolutely essential for the student to be able to hit the ground running as soon as they graduate.”
Source: Dwarf Labs
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
