Makati-based school iAcademy said it is now offering what is said to be the first intensive training on the complete Toon Boom pipeline, a set of courses that animation students must have in preparation for the international Toon Boom certification exam.
Toon Boom Animation is a Canadian software company that specializes in animation production and storyboarding software for major animation studios and media publishers such as Universal Studios, Fox, NBC, Cartoon Network, DreamWorks, and LucasFilms among others.
Last year, iAcademy received the Center of Excellence (CoE) recognition from Toon Boom, making the school the first educational institution in Southeast Asia and in the Philippines to be awarded the distinction.
As classes have started this school year for some schools, iAcademy said it is the only animation school in the country to offer a complete set of Toon Boom courses that will equip aspiring animators the necessary skills and expertise needed by both local and international animation studios.
Among these courses are Advanced Toon Boom Rigging and Advanced Toon Boom Compositing. These are professional skills needed to pass the Toon Boom Certification Exam. Apart from the courses, iAcademy offers subjects like 2D Effects, Cut Out, and Storyboarding, among others.
Weena Espardinez, chairperson of the animation department at iAcademy, emphasized the importance of having the complete technical skills to become competitive in the animation industry.
“Working knowledge in Toon Boom Harmony and Toon Boom Storyboard Pro plays a critical part in the success of our graduates. The best animation studios in the world use Toon Boom — Universal, Boulder Media, Ubisoft, Fox, NBC, Lucasfilms, Cartoon Network, Asi Studios, Melvana, Rough Draft, Tezuka Productions, Brown Bag, Chavo, Pipeline Studios, 2D Lab, South Park Studios, Folimage, Saeroom Animation, Toon City, Snipple, Xilam and many others. Here at iAcademy, we ensure that students are well-equipped to meet the technical challenges of both local and international animation studios,” Espardinez said.
Animation students are honed through this intensive training by veteran animators who have worked locally and internationally from known animation studios. Part of their roster of faculty members are Peter Brown, an animation director whose projects include Disney TV’s Lilo and Stitch, and FOX TV’s Family Guy; AJ Siytangco, who worked as FX Artist for Lucasfilm Animation; and Hamill Buyco, a 3D Artist who worked on the Big Hero 6 TV series.
Aside from the lineup of animation professors, its alumni members have also started paving their ways in different animation studios including Toon City, Xentrix Toons, and Snipple Animation Studio. iAcademy’s students have also received various awards from competitions like Animahenasyon, an annual animation festival and competition organized by the Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. (ACPI), and Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Gawad Alternatibo.
“As the only school given the Toon Boom Center of Excellence distinction, we have always strived to make sure that our students are equipped with the necessary skills and expertise they need to become globally competitive and be able to create world-class animation productions. Offering this intensive and complete training for our animation students does not only spell success for our graduates but also creates a multitude of Filipino animators who will soon become more recognized in the animation industry locally and abroad,” said iAcademy’s president and CEO Vanessa Tanco.
