The Internship Program

Have you wondered how your skills could translate into the world of animation? Our Internship Program dives into the craft, technology, and operations behind our animated films while developing your skills and connecting you to industry mentors. You’ll learn what it means to be a part of a collaborative team and how your outstanding talents can grow within our studio. Find yourself immersed in hands-on projects and learning guided by our artists, technologists, and production leaders.

Am I Eligible?

• 18 years or older
• Enrolled in a post-high school educational program (Community College, College, University, Trade, Online School, or equivalent) and returning back to the program for at least one semester post internship.
• Program Length: The approximate dates of this internship are May-August 2025. Interns must be fully available for the duration of a 12-week assignment.
• The Intern Program is based in our Burbank, California studios and will start in May 2025.

For our 2025 programs, we are committed to providing mentorship and development. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ production internship program provides emerging talent with an immersive view of Animation through educational seminars on craft and filmmaking, and individual and collective projects.

The 2D Cleanup Animation Internship

Location: Burbank, CA

Job Summary

Clean-Up Artists refine the animator’s rough drawings into the final drawings actually seen in the finished film. The consistency of their work crafts the illusion that one artist drew every scene in the film. The clean-up artist must be an excellent draftsperson, demonstrating the ability to interpret an animator’s rough drawings and complete them on model.

Clean-Up Artists should have an extensive mastery in figure drawing, anatomy, composition and perspective.

As a 2D Cleanup Animation Intern, your program is structured to introduce you to the art of traditional animation, our studio culture, and our production environment providing you with nurturing mentorship with Disney artists.

Key Portfolio Qualifications:

• Several pages of current life drawing from live subjects, both humans and animals
• Gesture sketches of people and animals in motion
• Some work based on imagination and original design sensibilities

In addition to the Basic Portfolio Contents, the following materials should also be included for Clean-up artists:

• If applicant has an example of an animation assignment that they completed through cleanup, they can submit individual drawing examples (roughs and cleanups for comparison) or the finished animation vs cleanup shot on a reel.
• Any other clean-up samples such as cleaned up model sheets or scene work (if scene work, please note if drawings are assistant, breakdown or inbetween work).
• If lacking cleanup experience, a couple of examples of rough character animation, showing understanding of animation principles such as locomotion, arcs and volume control.

How to Apply:

To apply, you must upload a resume including your school and expected graduation date and a portfolio consisting of your best and latest work according to the criteria listed above. Portfolios may be submitted as a website and/or PDF uploaded via a Googledrive link. If including a reel, you can submit via a video sharing link such as YouTube/Vimeo.

Deadline for applications is on January 5, 2025 at 11:59 PM PST.