Academy of Art University - School of Animation & Visual Effects

Congratulations to our incredible alumna, Shivani, on landing a Production Assistant role at Skydance Animation!

We're so proud to see your hard work, talent, and dedication leading to this exciting milestone. Wishing you all the best as you begin this new chapter. We can't wait to see all you'll accomplish!

Please join us in congratulating Shivani! 👏💙

  # AlumniSuccess

Shannon Thomas has joined our Advisory Board!

Shannon Thomas is an Academy of Art University alumnus who initially set out toward veterinary science before a deeper passion for film pulled him into visual effects. Over a 20+ year career, that pivot has carried him through industry powerhouses including Rhythm & Hues, DreamWorks, Weta FX, Blizzard Entertainment, and Industrial Light & Magic. His portfolio spans iconic franchises including Avatar, The Hobbit, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and How to Train Your Dragon, alongside cinematic universes for World of Warcraft, Diablo, Hearthstone, and Overwatch.

Shannon currently collaborates with ILM’s Realtime and StageCraft teams, contributing to Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Superman, and The Mandalorian & Grogu. He also served as VAD Supervisor for NBCUniversal’s Emmy Award–winning coverage of the 2024 Paris and 2026 Milan Olympic Games.

Passionate about shaping the next generation of creators, Shannon is known for spotting talent early. He has spent two decades hiring and mentoring artists, partnering with Rise Up Animation and Women in Animation along the way. A member of the Visual Effects Society, he has been a featured speaker at SIGGRAPH, GTC, and BlizzCon. Outside the studio, he is an award-winning indie filmmaker with shorts recognized at the Austin Comedy Film Festival and LA 48HFP. He is currently exploring the intersection of traditional filmmaking, AI, and real-time workflows

Congratulations to Colin Smith, who is spending the summer as an Intern at Framestore! We're so excited to see Colin gaining hands-on experience at one of the world's leading creative studios, learning from industry professionals, and taking another exciting step in his journey.

Can't wait to see what's next!

So many wonderful things are happening in our ANM/VFX community this summer!

Congratulations to Christa on this exciting opportunity:

"I'm thrilled to be joining the UEFN Student Bootcamp this summer! Looking forward to learning how to create and publish my own Fortnite island and learning from the experts."

We can't wait to see what you create, Christa! 🎮🚀 Keep learning, creating, and pushing your skills to the next level.

Anyone else have some news to share? Message us!

Congratulations to ANM student Robin on an incredible summer opportunity!

This summer, Robin is working as an Animation Intern on the upcoming Simpsons feature film with The Walt Disney Company! 🌟

We're so proud to see our students bringing their talent to exciting productions and grateful to Black N Animated for helping create opportunities like this.

Congratulations, Robin! We can't wait to see where your animation journey takes you! 👏✨

Meet our Advisory Board Member: Eran Dinur!

Emmy Award-winning VFX Supervisor Eran Dinur has worked on more than 40 film and television productions and is the author of The Filmmaker's Guide to Visual Effects and The Complete Guide to Photorealism. His industry expertise and passion for education make him a valued member of our Advisory Board.

Meet Our Advisory Board: Jason Galeon

Jason is Head of Assets at FIN Design + Effects and brings more than 25 years of visual effects experience spanning over 40 feature film and television projects. His career has included leadership roles at FIN Design + Effects, Wētā FX, Framestore, and Sony Pictures Imageworks, with credits on Avatar, The Avengers, The Hobbit, The Dark Knight, The Matrix Revolutions, I Am Legend, and The Chronicles of Narnia. We are proud to have Jason serving on our Advisory Board, sharing his expertise and helping inspire the next generation of artists and storytellers. Learn more about Jason and the rest of our Advisory Board through the link in our bio.

Meet Our Advisory Board: Michael Franchesi
We're thrilled to have Michael to our Advisory Board! A distinguished alumnus and Head of Animation at Disney. Michael brings nearly two decades of experience leading world-class animation on some of the most celebrated films of our time, including Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, Encanto, Raya and the Last Dragon, and Moana 2. His creative leadership, passion for storytelling, and commitment to excellence make him an incredible addition to our advisory team, and we're honored to have him helping inspire the next generation of artists and animators.

# ArtsEducation

Meet Our Advisory Board: Dan Cox

Academy of Art University alumnus Dan Cox is a Visual Effects Supervisor whose career spans industry leaders including Eyeline, Wētā FX, ILM, and Sony Pictures Imageworks, with credits on Avatar, The Avengers, Pirates of the Caribbean, Happy Feet, and Hotel Transylvania. A Visual Effects Society Award winner for his work on the jungles of Pandora in Avatar and a member of both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Visual Effects Society, Dan is also recognized for his contributions to Blizzard cinematics, including Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and Diablo. We are proud to have Dan serving on our Advisory Board, sharing his expertise and helping inspire the next generation of artists and storytellers. Learn more about Dan and the rest of our Advisory Board through the link in our bio.