Gotham Film & Media Institute and Laika Launch Animation Accelerator

Mar 2, 2026 9:00am PT The Gotham Film & Media Institute and Laika Launch Animation Accelerator Program (EXCLUSIVE) By Jazz Tangcay Plus Icon Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor @jazzt Latest ‘Frankenstein,’ ‘One Battle After Another’ and ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Take Top Film Prizes at Art Directors Guild Awards 1 day ago ‘Sinners’ and ‘One Battle After Another’ Take Top Honors at ACE Eddie Awards 3 days ago Bong Joon Ho, David Fincher and More Join Academy Museum’s Spring Programming Slate – Film News in Brief 3 days ago See All The Gotham Film & Media Institute and Laika Animation have launched an animation accelerator program which is designed to support early and mid-career animators. The Laika x Gotham Animation Accelerator aims to support animation creators in developing pitches with an emphasis on visual clarity, storytelling strength, and viability in the animation marketplace. Selected fellows will benefit from individualized mentorship, access to Laika’s Portland, Oregon based animation studio, participation in programming at the Annecy International Animation Festival, and opportunities to present their work during Gotham Week. Related Stories Warner Bros. Discovery Cuts Losses in Q4, Despite Box Office, TV Woes; Nears 132 Million Streaming Subs Paramount Skydance Says It Will Pay Warner Bros. Discovery an Extra $650 Million per Quarter if Its WBD Takeover Isn't Completed by End of 2026 Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute said, “This fellowship marks The Gotham’s first dedicated initiative focused on animation and signals a significant expansion of Gotham Week. We’re honored to collaborate with Laika, a studio whose long-standing engagement with nonprofit and educational partners reflects a shared commitment to nurturing emerging creative voices.” Popular on Variety “We’re thrilled to partner with Laika, a legendary animation studio at the forefront of innovation,” said Kia Brooks, Deputy Director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute. “By providing resources, mentorship, and industry access this program will bring to life visions of this exciting cohort of artists.” Laika’s Chief Marketing & Operations Officer, David Burke, said, “At Laika, we believe the future of animation depends on investing meaningfully in creators who are ready to push the medium forward.” He went on to say, “Our partnership with The Gotham reflects a shared commitment to identifying bold voices and helping them refine ambitious animated short film pitches into projects that are both creatively distinctive and production ready.” Selected fellows will participate in a six-month intensive program featuring: individualized monthly mentorship sessions with industry professionals, a curated one-day visit to Laika’s Portland, Oregon headquarters, discussions with key team members, conversations about handcrafted and hybrid animation techniques, sessions on Laika’s filmmaker-led creative approach, and case studies inspired by their upcoming animated feature, “Wildwood.” The program is open to animation directors, storyboard artists, visual development artists, character designers, and animators with prior professional experience, top-motion fabricators, stop-motion/2D/3D animators or those with high-quality independent animation experience. Writer-creators are welcome if partnered with an experienced animation artist. Applicants should submit a pitch for an animated short film (logline, synopsis, or brief treatment) along with high-quality visual materials that convey the project’s style and tone, including concept art, storyboards, animatics, puppet concepts, costume fabrication samples, stop motion set pieces, or animation samples. The cohort will be selected with Laika’s core values in mind: Be Brave, See Beyond the Norm, Thrive Through Community, Respect the Quest, and Bring Your Story. These principles reflect both organizations’ commitment to supporting diverse voices and fostering innovation in storytelling. Applications are now open here, and close on April 2. The cohort will be announced in early May. Jump to Comments Caleb McLaughlin on Wanting to Play Miles Morales and Moving On From ‘Stranger Things’ Lola Young to Perform at Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar Party ‘Heated Rivalry’ Stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams Present at Golden Globes and Joke About the Crowd Seeing Them Naked Cara Delevingne on Trying to Stay Off Social Media: ‘That Algorithm Is Not Meant for Good Things’ Lisa Rinna on Where She Stands With Colton Underwood After ‘The Traitors’ Reunion Drama The Actor Awards Sets Inaugural Met Gala-Inspired Red Carpet Fashion Theme JavaScript is required to load the comments. Loading comments...