DreamWorks Animation Internships: Launching Your Career in Animation

DreamWorks Animation, a leading producer of high-quality animated films and series, offers various internship programs designed to immerse students and recent graduates in the world of animation. These programs provide hands-on experience, mentorship, and exposure to the animation pipeline, fostering the next generation of storytellers, artists, and producers. If you're a dreamer who shoots for the moon, this might be your launching pad.

About DreamWorks Animation

DreamWorks Animation prides itself on being a growth-minded studio that creates a diverse array of original content in various formats, delivering compelling stories with unique characters. The studio values the experiences its talent brings, emphasizing frequent communication, transparency, and trust. It's a community of artists, technologists, innovators, and creators passionate about animation.

Internship Program Overview

The DreamWorks Internship Program offers an engaging and exciting environment where interns work alongside creative leaders and artists. Interns gain hands-on experience in TV and feature animated productions, immersing themselves in an inclusive and collaborative culture. The program welcomes driven and curious students and recent grads passionate about animation.

Key Features:

Hands-on Experience: Interns work on real productions, gaining insights into the animation pipeline and creative process.
Learning Opportunities: The program offers executive speaker series, professional/career development workshops, artistic classes, community outreach opportunities, and movie screenings.
Mentorship: Interns are mentored by industry professionals, including directors and artists.
Networking: Interns connect with studio leaders and participate in artistic and bonding events.

Internship Program Details

DreamWorks Animation internships are offered annually, three times a year in the Spring, Summer and Fall. Internships are paid, 10 weeks long, and are offered remotely and/or on a hybrid basis, depending on the department.

Application Information:

Due to increasing popularity and an overwhelming amount of applications to our Internship Program we need plenty of time to review applications to match up the right candidate with the right team!

Read also: Beginner's Guide to Animation

Types of Internships

DreamWorks Animation offers internships in various areas, including:

Animation Production Internship: Production Interns will be assigned to either a feature film or animated television show and gain insight into production responsibilities, workflows and processes. Additionally, they will be able to observe and learn about the animation pipeline and creative process. Production Interns handle various production activities under the direction of their Production Manager.
Visual Development Internship: For feature animated films, Visual Development artists imagine and propose ideas for what the animated world should look like based on the story, characters, and action. They use reference, illustration, drawing, design skills and animation and 3D tools like Maya to build visuals that convey ideas about how they envision the look of the world. The goal of the internship is to experience visual development in a production environment over the span of 10 weeks. The intern will be partnered with a production over the span of 10 weeks working closely with Production Designers and mentors. This intern will work through concept designs to final designs by pulling reference, crafting mood boards and designing sets, props, color keys, and more.

Eligibility

DreamWorks Animation internships are open to students and recent graduates (within six months of graduation date).

Hybrid Work Model

Our Internship and Trainee Programs are offered on a hybrid basis. This will be specified in the job description when applying to specific positions.

Animator Apprentice Program

Open to graduates with less than 2 years of work experience in the animation industry, the Animator Apprentice Program gives aspiring animators the chance to gain hands-on experience through a 12 week intensive training program within Feature Animation.

Apprentices are mentored by the Resident Program Lead and their individually assigned mentors throughout the duration of the program. They are exposed to a comprehensive curriculum taught by industry and studio professionals. Apprentices will be led through multiple assignments that focus on building their animation skills and prepare them for the Cycles Animation Team.

Key Aspects:

Hands-on experience on a real feature production.
Mentorship by the Program Lead and individually assigned mentors.
Comprehensive curriculum taught by industry and studio professionals.
Assignments that focus on building animation skills.

Upon successful completion of the 12 weeks of training, Apprentices are given the opportunity to move into cycles animation and from there, Assistant Animators.

LAUNCH Fellowship Program

DreamWorks is dedicated to fostering inclusion within the animation industry. Introducing the LAUNCH Fellowship Program, an extraordinary opportunity for students to engage with our studio virtually, without the need for relocation! As a LAUNCH Fellow, you will have the chance to build a professional network, attend engaging workshops, and receive mentorship from seasoned professionals at DreamWorks. The program is open to students and recent graduates from various backgrounds.

DreamWorks Immersion Day

Discover DreamWorks Immersion Day, a transformative annual event that embodies our commitment to nurturing inclusivity in animation. Our mission is clear: empower students from communities across Los Angeles, bridging the gap to the animation industry. Experience a behind-the-scenes journey into how our feature films and TV shows are made, sit down with talented artists, and network with creative executives.

Summer Speaker Series

Founded in 2020, the Summer Speaker Series has grown into an annual, week-long virtual event reaching students and professionals across the globe. This series features a variety of topics and aims to provide an inside look into our studio and the creative minds behind our beloved television shows and feature films.

Compensation and Benefits

All early career programs at DreamWorks are paid at a competitive hourly rate. The interns will gain exposure to studio leaders and have the opportunity to participate in artistic & bonding events.

Read also: Your Guide to Animation Colleges

How to Apply

To apply for a DreamWorks Animation internship, visit nbcunicareers.com.

Application Tips

In addition to your portfolio, we also place an emphasis on your resume: work experience, community involvement, and student leadership experience.

When the Internship you are applying for involves heavy writing and communication skills (i.e. Publicity, Digital Marketing, etc.), the cover letter will be highly scrutinized. Pay close attention to the job description to see if a cover letter for the internship/trainee program you are applying for is required. The cover letter does not need to be addressed to anyone in specific.

An ideal visual development portfolio will showcase a strong design foundation of perspective, composition, painting, lighting and color theory. You can include personal projects, academic projects, or professional projects in your portfolio.

An ideal story portfolio will contain strong storyboard samples (the samples can be personal projects, academic projects, or professional projects). Include your story thought process through: sketches, character poses, facial expressions, designs, etc.

Interview Process

Depending on the role you are applying for you may be asked to take part in different types of interviews. This may include phone screens, requests for work samples, video or in-person interviews. The recruiter will walk you through each step of the process.

DreamWorker Qualities

DreamWorks Animation is looking for passionate, driven people with a love for animated storytelling to become DreamWorkers!

Equal Opportunity Employer

NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

NBCUniversal will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories, or arrest or conviction records, in a manner consistent with relevant legal requirements, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative For Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, where applicable.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support throughout the application and/or recruitment process as a result of your disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation.

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