Netflix and ACE Canada select forty five talents for their animation program

Published on May 24, 2026 | Translated from Spanish

The Animation Career Excelerator Society and Netflix Canada have announced the 45 shortlisted candidates for the fifth edition of their ACE Canada training program. This initiative is aimed at animation professionals who identify as women, non-binary, and Two-Spirit, with the goal of advancing their careers through immersive training.

Animation studio workspace with diverse artists collaborating around a central light table, women and non-binary creators sketching character designs on tablets while reviewing storyboards on large monitors, one artist adjusting a 3D rig on a stylus screen, another layering cel animation sheets, soft blue glow from computer screens, warm overhead lamps, technical animation tools visible, inclusive creative environment, cinematic photorealistic style, action of learning and creation occurring simultaneously, hands demonstrating techniques on drawing tablets, process of mentorship visible through body language, ultra-detailed studio equipment, dramatic yet welcoming lighting

A talent pipeline with a focus on technical diversity 🎨

The program offers direct mentorship with Canadian studios, access to cutting-edge software, and workshops on techniques such as rigging, lighting, and visual effects. Selected participants will take part in hands-on sessions covering everything from pre-production to final delivery, with an emphasis on tools like Maya, Houdini, and Unreal Engine. The initiative aims to close the representation gap in key technical roles within the industry.

Spoiler: it does not include a tutorial on how to survive crunch 😅

The lucky ones will learn from the best without having to experience working 80-hour weeks at an indie studio. That said, the course does not teach how to negotiate impossible deadlines or fake enthusiasm when the producer asks for the third storyboard revision. But hey, at least they will come out with contacts and without bags under their eyes as deep as those of an animator on a Friday deadline.