Could this animation school change the game for Aussie creatives?

When Glenn Melenhorst, an Australian Emmy Award-winning visual effects supervisor, joined the industry more than two decades ago, he had to fend for himself.

“There was basically nothing around – no proper programs or courses. People would come into the industry with either little training, or no training at all,” says Melenhorst, who has since worked on major projects like Game of Thrones, Ted and Christopher Robin.

Emmy Award-winning visual effects supervisor Glenn Melenhorst had no formal training when he joined the industry. Now, there’s a whole school for it.Credit: Penny Stephens

Formal schooling dedicated to animation, visual effects and games has been sorely lacking across the country. However, the GameChanger Academy – the first screen professional tertiary school in Australia – aims to fill that gap.

“In the past, training has been hit or miss, but the academy puts us on the world stage,” Melenhorst says.

The announcement of GameChanger Academy, which will be based in Melbourne and run by online VFX, game design and animation school CG Spectrum, comes as Australia experiences a shortage in multimedia specialists and sound technicians. It’s backed by a $3.6 million investment from the Victorian government, and is delivered in partnership with VicScreen.

“Australia has a global reputation for excellence with lots of potential for further growth,” says minister for the creative industries Colin Brooks. “We need even more highly skilled, highly trained digital and screen workers.”

However, some may argue that local talent isn’t lacking, rather it’s the job opportunities that are rare. For example, Telstra’s stop-motion ad campaign earlier this year was shot in Poland despite having been written and conceived in Australia. As a result, many multimedia specialists move overseas.

Haley Sheriff, a junior animator at Framestore studio, which has helped develop films like Barbie, Deadpool & Wolverine and IF, believes the academy will help keep talent here.

“It will nurture Australians’ creativity so that we can keep offering our skills and even develop the confidence to pitch our own projects,” she says.

Head of Framestore Lara Hopkins agrees, adding that studios involved in the Academy, including her own, are trying to improve local continuity.

Framestore junior animator Haley Sheriff believes GameChanger Academy will be precisely what it says it is: a game-changer.Credit: Penny Stephens

“Framestore is offering long contracts instead of short, project-based contracts,” Hopkins says. “We want to have a permanent team here, so that people can stay in Victoria and have their career progress and grow, rather than feeling like just job-to-job.”

Melenhorst believes animators will continue to work overseas, regardless.

“We get itchy feet and just want to know what it would be like to work somewhere else. But, generally, the good people come back.”

The academy’s value will lie in its ability to make young creatives job-ready, Melenhorst says.

“Students will be able to specialise in what they’re interested in. You can’t just be a generalist in this industry any more. Specialising is key in terms of getting your foot in the door.”

GameChanger Academy will open for student enrolments on October 14. First courses to start in February 2025.

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