Netflix Partners with Gobelins for Animation Fellowship

The renowned Paris institution Gobelins and Netflix have entered into a new partnership to support equal opportunities in animation.

As part of the partnership, the Netflix Animation Fellowship will enable one Gobelins graduate each year to work directly alongside animation experts in Japan developing Netflix original anime titles. The post-graduate program is meant to help deepen the technical and creative skills of the participant. Claire Matz from France, who started at Gobelins in 2015, has been selected as the first recipient of this new fellowship.

Additionally, Netflix is funding scholarships for up to ten students a year over four years from Africa to study at Gobelins as part of their Master of Arts in Character Animation and Animated Filmmaking Program. The first recipients of the Character Animation Scholarship Program will be named in September 2019.

Nathalie Berriat, director of Gobelins, said: “We care deeply about helping to promote equal opportunities in the animation industry and we want to ensure that financial constraints don’t act as a brake for students. We’re excited to work with Netflix to support upcoming talent in animation from diverse backgrounds and cultures.”

Melissa Cobb, VP of original animation at Netflix, added: “At Netflix, we are excited to support emerging animation talent in countries like France and Japan, as well as within the African continent. By helping students attend a world-famous institution such as Gobelins, we hope to contribute to the growth of their careers and increase diversity across the industry.”

“We want to give talented young animators from around the world an opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture of Japanese anime and contribute their skill and passion to this globally beloved art form,” said John Derderian, who oversees Netflix’s anime programming efforts out of Japan. “Claire Matz is the trailblazer for this initiative and we look forward to her collaboration with the extraordinary teams of animators and artists working in Japan on our upcoming slate of Netflix originals.”

“My childhood was inspired by Japanese manga and anime like the Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion series. So I am excited to start my professional career in a country whose rich culture and long history in animation production I love,” said Matz.

Separately, Netflix joined imagineNATIVE, The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) and Wapikoni Mobile to reveal a number of partnership programs that aim to develop the next generation of Indigenous creators across Canada. These programs range from screenwriting intensives to apprenticeship programs, joining the 11 existing partnership programs Netflix has funded to nurture the next generation of Canadian creators from underrepresented communities.

“Indigenous communities in Canada are rich with unique stories, and organizations like imagineNATIVE, The Indigenous Screen Office and Wapikoni Mobile are vital to ensuring these voices are heard,” said Stéphane Cardin, director of public policy at Netflix Canada. “Netflix is proud to help launch these three programs, which will reach Indigenous communities across the country.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Netflix to offer an unprecedented series of professional development initiatives at imagineNATIVE,” added Jason Ryle, executive director of imagineNATIVE. “This funding is a significant investment in opportunities for Indigenous directors, producers and screenwriters in Canada, and marks one of the largest sponsorships in imagineNATIVE’s history.”

“ISO spent the last year in consultations with Indigenous creators and this fund responds to their expressed need for new funding opportunities that will advance work and career opportunities, as well as allow them to follow protocols and practices that are central to Indigenous ways of working,” commented Jesse Wente, director of the Indigenous Screen Office.