Short Film Creation: Animation & Directing

In the Short Film Creation course you'll be animating a teaser trailer. Students will collaborate as a full production team, animators, artists, and composers, building the project from concept to final cut. It’s fandom, craft, and industry-level storytelling all in one epic experience.

Please submit your portfolio to enroll in the course.

Start date
June 5, 2026
Duration
12 weeks
Price per month
415€/month (excl. VAT)
Sign up for the course
Short Film Creation: [hl]Animation & Directing[/hl]
Edward Kurchevsky

Mentor

Edward Kurchevsky

2D animator and director, worked on Primal, Scavengers Reign, Tales of Alethrion and others.

About the course

A Collaborative Studio Experience Between Students and Industry

The Studio Production Lab is designed to bridge the gap between education and professional animation production. In this program, students train inside a collaborative studio-style environment, working through real production pipelines used in the animation industry.

Students work alongside mentors and production teams to develop animated short films, gaining hands-on experience in directing, visual storytelling, layout, animation, production planning, and team collaboration. The program follows professional studio workflows, helping students understand how animated projects move from concept to final film.

Through this production-based approach, students learn how to communicate ideas visually, direct scenes, collaborate across departments, and solve creative and technical challenges within a team environment.

Next term, students will collaborate on a Deltarune fan teaser production project.

Projects created within the Studio Production Lab are submitted to international competitions and animation festivals, serving as professional portfolio pieces and collaborative production credits for participating students.

Beyond technical growth, the experience of contributing to a real animated production helps students build confidence, teamwork, and practical production knowledge, preparing them for future studio environments and independent film projects.

Collaboration Model
What makes this program unique is that the students will work alongside an animation studio to create a short film. This production model has already led to student works being featured in international festivals in previous years, including selections at Insomnia Festival and the Academy Award-qualifying Cinanima International Animation Festival.

Students
- Take on production roles
- Create assets and shots
- Contribute to the final film

Mentors
- Provide direction and feedback
- Review work in production cycles
- Ensure quality and consistency

Studios
- Guide the themes of the production
- Production schedules mirror industry timelines
- Roles and responsibilities match professional teams

This structure allows students to experience how real productions operate while still being supported in a learning environment.


In which direction can you participate in the project?

Visual Development - creating visual effects for the film: Character Design, Prop Design, Background Design, Still Frames.
Animation - producing rough and clean animation for the project.

Throughout the 4-month duration, the work is divided into stages, where one team completes their part of the work and passes it on to another. In any team, you will learn to work in studio conditions and see the project through to completion.

All project teams exchange ideas throughout the course, working on creating a color script, background layouts, character layouts, character and background coloring, and so on.

How It Works

Students join a production team where their work is:

- Guided by experienced mentors
- Structured around a real animation pipeline
- Aligned with professional studio expectations

Mentors act as both:
- Educators teaching the craft of animation
- Supervisors ensure production quality throughout the pipeline.

This creates a hybrid environment where students are:
→ Learning
→ Practicing
→ Contributing

Building confidence in applying their skills in a studio environment.

Portfolio Level

This program is best suited for artists who already have a solid foundation in animation and are ready to step into a real production environment. Applicants are reviewed through a portfolio submission to ensure a good fit for the team and the project's scope.

Below are examples of the kind of work that reflects a strong application:

Acting in Animation Course 3 Graduates

Not sure if your work is the right fit? Feel free to reach out! We're happy to give you a sense of where you stand before you apply.

The course is suitable if you:

  • Graduate of Tradiation Animation or CG Courses

    You already have strong drawing or concept art fundamentals and want to apply your skills in a real production pipeline. This course gives you hands-on experience working collaboratively on a short film project. Great for students who have complete all our Traditional Animation Course

  • Want real studio-style production experience

    You’re ready to move beyond isolated exercises and participate in the creation of a complete animated short film, from concept development to final polish.

  • An Ambitious Indie Studio

    You want to improve the quality of your skills to work better with your team’s animation output. Being able to produce stronger, more dynamic animation with better efficiency while working in a learning enviorment.

  • Graduate of "Acting in Animation" Course

    You already understand the basics of animation and character performance, and now you’re ready to take your skills further through real production experience. In this program, you’ll work with a team on a short film project and create strong portfolio pieces in a studio-style environment.You’ll gain hands-on experience in a professional animation pipeline while improving your artistic, storytelling, and collaboration skills.

  • Application Process

    The Studio Production Lab is selective. Applicants submit: Portfolio work, Area of interest, Preferred role or track Students are then placed into teams to ensure balanced production across departments.

The course is [hl]suitable[/hl] if you:

Program Structure

Phase 1: Development

3 lessons

  1. Team structure & Story ideation: Define production roles and organize the workflow then develop the concept, themes, and core narrative.
  2. Storyboarding: Along with the visual development team you will create the pacing and animatic.
  3. Color script. Establish mood, atmosphere, and emotional tone through color design.
  • <b>1-month (8+ hours per week for homework recommended)</b>

    1-month (8+ hours per week for homework recommended)

  • Together with the visual development team, start creating a project idea, create a storyboard, layout and develop a color palette for the future project

    Together with the visual development team, start creating a project idea, create a storyboard, layout and develop a color palette for the future project

<b>Phase 1: Development</b>

Phase 2: Rough Animation

4 lessons

  1. Working with Director’s Storyboards. Translate storyboards into production-ready animated sequences while maintaining storytelling, staging, and cinematic clarity.
  2. Layout. Build scene composition, camera placement, and character staging to support movement and visual storytelling.
  3. Rough Animation. Develop animation passes that establish timing, motion, acting, and scene pacing.
  4. Blocking / Passes. Build animation from rough blocking to refined, polished movement.

  • <b>1-2 month (8+ hours per week for homework recommended)</b>

    1-2 month (8+ hours per week for homework recommended)

  • By the end of this phase: Students will complete animated sequences from storyboard to polished production shots while learning how layout, animation, and story departments collaborate within a professional studio pipeline.

    By the end of this phase: Students will complete animated sequences from storyboard to polished production shots while learning how layout, animation, and story departments collaborate within a professional studio pipeline.

<b>Phase 2: Rough Animation</b>

Phase 3: FX Animation & Clean up

3 lessons

  1. FX Design. Develop effects concepts that support mood, impact, and visual storytelling.
  2. FX Animation. Create animated effects such as smoke, energy, debris, lighting, and environmental motion.
  3. Cleanup & Color. Refine animation with polished linework and finalize color for production-ready scenes.
  • <b>1-2-month (8+ hours per week for homework recommended)</b>

    1-2-month (8+ hours per week for homework recommended)

  • <b>By the end of this phase,</b>Students will create production-ready effects animation and integrate it into animated scenes, gaining hands-on experience working with FX pipelines inside a collaborative short film production.

    By the end of this phase,Students will create production-ready effects animation and integrate it into animated scenes, gaining hands-on experience working with FX pipelines inside a collaborative short film production.

<b>Phase 3: FX Animation & Clean up</b>

Phase 4: Compositing

4 lessons

  1. Compositing. Combine animation, effects, lighting, and backgrounds into cohesive final scenes.
  2. Editing. Assemble sequences, refine pacing, and strengthen storytelling through cinematic timing and transitions.
  3. Final Polish. Apply the finishing touches to prepare the short film for presentation and showcase.
  4. Creating “The Making Of”. Document and present the creative and production process behind the film.
  • <b>1-month (8+ hours per week for homework recommended)</b>

    1-month (8+ hours per week for homework recommended)

  • By the end of this phase: Students will complete the post-production process by compositing scenes, refining editing and pacing, and applying final polish to prepare the short film for presentation, festival submission, or portfolio showcase.

    By the end of this phase: Students will complete the post-production process by compositing scenes, refining editing and pacing, and applying final polish to prepare the short film for presentation, festival submission, or portfolio showcase.

<b>Phase 4: Compositing</b>

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How will the training go?

What software is needed for the course?

What You will Achive

Our students work on fan trailers, sequences, and clips inspired by global brands, such as creating the Cinanima teaser. Cinanima is one of the oldest and most prestigious animation festivals in Europe, held annually in Espinho, Portugal since 1976.

Join a team. Work under mentorship. Contribute to a film. Gain real production experience.

Studios where they work our students after the course

Short Film Creation: [hl]Animation & Directing[/hl]

Short Film Creation: Animation & Directing

Course fee

415€/month (excl. VAT)

Start

June 5, 2026

Spots left

15 spots

Frequently asked
questions about the course