Academy of Art University - School of Animation & Visual Effects

Academy of Art University - School of Animation & Visual Effects Check this page for updates and announcements from the Academy's School of Animation & Visual Effects

Congratulations to our talented student, Jaipetch "Bell".We’re thrilled to celebrate Jai’s incredible achievement! Her w...
09/14/2026

Congratulations to our talented student, Jaipetch "Bell".

We’re thrilled to celebrate Jai’s incredible achievement! Her work was selected for the Draft Selection and received a Rank A in Concept Art in the Rookies of the Year competition. 🎨🏆

This recognition is a wonderful reflection of her creativity, dedication, and talent. We’re so proud to see our students creating work that stands out on an international stage!

Congratulations, Bell! 👏💞 We can’t wait to see where your artistic journey takes you next!

StudentAchievement

🎬✨ OMG! LAIKA is coming to visit… virtually! 🎉YAY! We’re so excited to welcome LAIKA for a special virtual event! 🐙🎥Come...
09/09/2026

🎬✨ OMG! LAIKA is coming to visit… virtually! 🎉
YAY! We’re so excited to welcome LAIKA for a special virtual event! 🐙🎥
Come chat with LAIKA recruiters and find out what it really takes to work at one of the most creative stop-motion animation studios in the industry. Learn about opportunities, portfolios, hiring, and what they’re looking for in future artists and storytellers.
🎤 Teatime Animation Club will be emceeing the event!
Thank you, LAIKA! We can’t wait! 💛
📌 Students: Check the details at the top of your screen when you log into campus.
⚠️ Sorry, this event is for students only.
AnimationIndustry TeatimeAnimationClub

Congratulations to our incredible alumna, Shivani, on landing a Production Assistant role at Skydance Animation! We're s...
07/30/2026

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 ...
07/30/2026

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 gai...
07/29/2026

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 ...
07/27/2026

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 ...
07/20/2026

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! 👏✨

07/20/2026

Have you heard about our Feature Animation classes?

Learn directly from working animators at Pixar, many of whom are proud Academy of Art University alumni. Get real-world insights, professional feedback, and the skills studios are looking for.

Talk to your advisor today to learn more to secure your spot.

Don't miss this opportunity!

Meet our Advisory Board Member: Eran Dinur!Emmy Award-winning VFX Supervisor Eran Dinur has worked on more than 40 film ...
07/16/2026

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 GaleonJason is Head of Assets at FIN Design + Effects and brings more than 25 years of vi...
07/16/2026

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.

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San Francisco, CA

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415.274.2200

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