Set your career in motion.
Animation brings imagination to life. More than toy stories for children, digital animation has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry. Technological advancements and the wide use of animated videos in manufacturing, medical, engineering, entertainment, and other sectors are driving this rapidly expanding market. That means animators are in high demand.
Canada is recognized as a world leader in animation, video game development, and visual effects. According to the Canada Media Fund, digital media is a $22 billion industry in Canada that supports more than 120,000 creative jobs, making Canada one of the foremost investment destinations for global digital media companies.
CNA’s Digital Animation program provides a pathway to success in this exciting industry. With design fundamentals, animation software tools and production techniques, you’ll learn to perform your best individually and collaboratively, creating animated films and video productions from concept to completion.
Study with us and build a professional creative portfolio that will get you a job you love.
If you can imagine it, you can create it. And we can help.
Program Highlights
- Learn the fundamentals of drawing, design, digital graphics, and digital painting
- Build worlds through story development, storyboarding, and acting
- Create hand-drawn and rigged 2D animation
- Explore 3D modelling, texturing, rigging, and animation
- Delve into technical aspects including lighting, rendering, and post-processing
- Work as part of a team to develop and create animated capstone projects
- Create a final demo reel and portfolio to accompany your professional resume
Did You Know?
- Canadian-based companies have created animation and effects for many box-office hits and award-nominated feature films such as Marmaduke (2022), Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015), The Adams Family (2019), and popular television series such as Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series, and DC Superhero Girls.
- The 30 top-grossing films of all time featured high-end visual effects or computer-generated animation.1
- Digital animation professionals find work at advertising agencies and video game companies, with movies and television, in digital marketing and more.
- Graduates have showcased their work internationally at events such as the Nickel Film Festival in NL; the National Film Festival for Talented Youth in Seattle, Washington; the Kerry International Film Festival in Ireland; the Upstate NY Horror Film Festival; and the TOFUZI International Festival of Animated Arts in Georgia, among many others.
1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be prepared for employment in a variety of roles including, but not limited to:
- 2D/3D Animator
- 2D/3D Artist
- 2D/3D Environment Artist
- 2D/3D Lighting Artist
- 2D/3D Rigging Artist
- 3D Modeler
- Storyboard Artist
- Texture Artist
- Background Artist
- Layout Artist
OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be able to:
- Communicate a knowledge of animation tools, techniques, and concepts through each stage of production
- Work collaboratively in a team environment on an animation production
- Develop concepts for characters, environments, and props for use in an animation production
- Design appropriate previsualizations using art and cinematography
- Apply the production process to create assets for 2D and 3D animation
- Prepare 2D and 3D assets for rigged animation
- Produce realistic and stylized 2D and 3D animations
- Create natural phenomena with the use of 3D simulations and effects
- Composite animation, simulations, and effects through the post-production process
- Integrate dialogue, sound effects, and music through the post-production process
- Create materials to promote an animation project
- Create a professional portfolio that demonstrates skills and knowledge
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
1. High School
Provincial High School Graduation Certificate with a 60% average in eight level 3000 credits or equivalent
2. College Transition (prior to 2024, students would have completed Comprehensive Arts and Science (CAS) Transition)
College Transition Certificate
3. Adult Basic Education (ABE)
Adult Basic Education (Level III) Graduation with General College Profile (or Business-Related College Profile or Degree and Technical Profile) with an average pass mark of 60%
4. Mature Student Requirements
Applicants who do not meet the education prerequisites for this program, are 19 years at the time of application and out of school for at least one year may be considered on an individual basis under the Mature Student Requirements; for more information regarding the Mature Student Requirements please refer to
Procedure AC-102-PR Admission.
International Applicants – English Proficiency
All international applicants must meet the College’s English language proficiency requirements for acceptance into our regular programs; for more information regarding the College’s English language proficiency requirements please refer to
AC-102-PR, Admission Procedures, Section 5.2 English Proficiency.
Note: Basic computer skills along with an ability to draw are important and considered definite assets for success in this program.