2026 CalArts Animation Portfolio Day

The 2026 CalArts Animation Portfolio Day took place last month! Thanks to everyone who helped make the event a success, and to all of our studio colleagues and students for their time and energy!

Photos by Rafael Hernandez

"Imagination takes flight at the 2024 California Institute of Arts Producers’ Show" →

Many thanks to Procreate for writing such a kind article about the 2024 Producers’ Show! This is the second year that Procreate has been a sponsor of the CalArts Animation Showcase, as well as juried the Procreate Award for Creativity in Animated Filmmaking. We’re thrilled that Jennifer Busey, Partnerships Manager, co-presented the award at the event with our guest of honor, CalArts alumnx Pete Sohn.

Check out the two films that have thus far received the Procreate Award:

  • 2023 Procreate Award: The Bowl, by Si Yi Lee

  • 2024 Procreate Award: Testimony, by Su Min Ha

Thank you to all of our Animation Showcase sponsors, including Procreate!

2024 Character Animation Producers' Show

We returned to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures for our annual Producers’ Show on April 30, 2024 to screen 23 of the films our students made this academic year. Check out the list of films here. It was great to see everyone and celebrate our students’ films! Thank you to everyone who made this event possible.

Edited to add: thanks to Cartoon Brew for this great write-up!

2024 Producers' Show video recap

2024 Character Animation YouTube Playlist

Jorge R. Gutiérrez visits CalArts

CalArts alumnx and acclaimed filmmaker / artist Jorge R. Gutiérrez visited campus on January 18, 2024, and spoke to our students in the Bijou! Jorge gave an inspiring talk about his experience as a student at CalArts, his career, and advice for our students about artistic perseverance.

Jorge was kind enough to make his own poster for the talk; I took the photo below while the poster was projected on-screen, and Rafael Hernandez (CalArts’ Institute Photographer) and Jorge were on stage.

See more photos here.

Rafael Hernandez (left), Jorge R. Gutiérrez (right), Bijou Theater, CalArts, January 18, 2024.

Q&A with Jeff Rowe, director of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

CalArts’ Office of Alumnx and Family Engagement held a screening of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Paramount / Nickelodeon) on January 8, 2024. Character Animation alumnx Jeff Rowe directed the film, and I was fortunate to have the chance to do a Q&A with him after the screening!

It was great talking to Jeff about TMNT — hearing his thoughts about themes of family and belonging explored in the film, getting to hear about other CalArts alumnx who worked on it, stories about the amazing voice talent and composers, and more.

Read an interview with Jeff about TMNT here.

Photographs by Rafael Hernandez.

2023 Producers' Show opening

Check out the opening for the 2023 Producers’ Show, made by our fourth-year students, with help from our first-years! Jennifer Nie directed the opening, and Zoé Lacau produced it (full credits are in the video).

Here are some of the students who worked on it! They were so kind to give me artwork from the opening. 😭 From left to right: Jonathan, Maya, Zoé, Vivian, Jennifer and Noah.

2023 Character Animation Producers' Show

We gathered at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures for our annual Producers’ Show on May 3, 2023 to celebrate our students’ films. View the film list and official photos from the event.

This year, Procreate partnered with us for the first time on a new award called the Procreate Award for Creativity in Animated Filmmaking. We’re very grateful for their support of our students’ work!

Check out our 2023 YouTube playlist, and 2023 Vimeo channel to see all of our students’ films from this academic year.

2023 Character Animation YouTube Playlist