BC + AI
Director’s chair in an animation production studio facing four scenes, storyboards and editing monitors.

AI Animation & Filmmaking Accelerator

Direct an animated short. Ship the cut.

A hands-on BC + AI accelerator for creators who want to turn an idea into a finished film—through story, visual direction, motion, sound, editing and critique.

Choose a formatWatch the work

Now booking · Current offers

Choose your production format

Ask a question

Cut 01 · The work

Watch what past cohorts made

The strongest evidence from the accelerator is the work itself. These four projects do not look like one house style or one model’s demo reel. They carry the choices of the people who made them.

Cohort 3 is complete. Its work belongs here as proof, not as a registration offer.

Program film

See the production room before you enter it.

Story, generation, performance, edit and critique belong to one directing process.

Watch the complete student showcase playlist

Cut 02 · Production journey

From idea to final frame

The tools will change. The directing decisions still have to connect from the first audience question to the final screening.

  1. 01

    Audience and scope

    Name the audience promise and the smallest version of the story that still works.

  2. 02

    Storyboard and shot plan

    Turn the premise into beats, boards and a shot plan before spending generation credits.

  3. 03

    Character and world lock

    Lock character turns, world references, props, materials and lighting before motion.

  4. 04

    Creative production toolkit

    Choose tools around the direction: story, voice, timing, colour and delivery.

  5. 05

    Motion and sound

    Direct motion from stable frames, then shape performance with voice, timing and sound.

  6. 06

    Edit, review and handoff

    Review the cut, fix continuity by story value and package the smallest shippable version.

  7. 07

    Screen the cut

    Finish with a film you can show, submit or carry into the next cut.

Cut 03 · Call sheets

Schedules and deliverables

Pick the production shape that matches the cut you want to make. Dates, prices and registration status stay attached to each live offering.

Enrolling now

Cohort 4 — Online Studio

Online · Zoom
When
September 21–October 5, 2026
Schedule
September 21, September 28 and October 5 · 6–8 PM Pacific.
Capacity
20 seats
Final cut
A finished 30–40 second animated short.
  • Three live two-hour Zoom sessions.
  • Plan for 10–16 hours of production between sessions.
  • All three sessions are recorded for the cohort.
  • Enrollment through September 27 at 11:59 PM Pacific.
StandardCA$900
StudentCA$450Limited tickets
Join Cohort 4 — Online

Enrolling now

Cohort 5 — Vancouver Intensive

In person · Vancouver
When
October 31, 2026
Schedule
Saturday, October 31 · 10 AM–6 PM Pacific.
Capacity
16 seats
Final cut
A finished 10–15 second animated micro-short.
  • Bring a laptop and arrive with the requested creative AI accounts configured.
  • Three two-hour studio blocks with one-hour breaks. Resource pack and private cohort chat included.
  • No recording is promised for this in-person intensive.
  • Budget approximately CA$50 for participant tool usage.
  • Enrollment through October 30 at 11:59 PM Pacific.

Studio agenda

  1. Direction, story, audience, world and shot scope
  2. Break
  3. References, first and last frames, motion, voice and audio
  4. Break
  5. Edit, polish, critique and in-room cohort screening
StandardCA$600
EarlywormCA$450Through October 9
StudentCA$300Limited approval tickets
Join Cohort 5 — Vancouver
A speaker addresses a seated audience beside a large projection screen at Multimodal Media Lab.
A BC + AI gathering at MML. Photograph by Michelle Diamond.

Cohort 5 · In person

One day inside MML

Hosted at Multimodal Media Lab (MML), a close BC + AI creative partner and the creative home of AI Film Club. MML is a Vancouver studio and research lab for AI film, immersive media and creative technology, at 375 Water Street, Suite 645, one block from Waterfront Station.

October 31, 2026Saturday, October 31 · 10 AM–6 PM Pacific.

A finished 10–15 second animated micro-short.

Direction · Tiny Ghost Studios

Cohort 5 instructors

Working studio practice, live production judgment and direct critique from the people building the pipeline.

Luke Minaker

Co-founder, Tiny Ghost Studios

An animator and director working across film, television, games, client production, and original IP. Luke leads story, direction, performance, and production review.

Mayumi Rollings

Co-founder, Tiny Ghost Studios

Tiny Ghost Studios co-founder and AI animation upskilling lead. Mayumi develops production workflows for animation professionals and emerging filmmakers.

Kris Krüg

Program Lead, BC + AI

BC + AI program lead. Kris shapes the cohort arc, connects the production work to the wider creative community, and helps participants get the cut over the line.

Public production resource

Field Guide + deeper learning

Course path, production tools, credit reality checks, reference pools, review language, rights context and the terms used in the room.

Open the Animation Accelerator Field Guide

Public talks

Mayumi Rollings: Is AI Film Still Art?Luke Minaker: Using AI Animation to Realize an Art-School Dream

Cut 04 · Before you book

Frequently asked questions

Which format should I choose?

Choose the online studio if you want three live sessions, production time between meetings, and a finished 30–40 second animated short. Choose the Vancouver intensive if you want a one-day in-person room and a finished 10–15 second animated micro-short. The offer chooser shows which registration paths are currently open.

Are recordings included?

The three-session online studio includes recordings of its live sessions. The in-person Vancouver intensive does not promise a recording.

What should I bring and budget for tools?

Bring a laptop and arrive with the requested creative AI accounts configured. Participants joining the Vancouver intensive should budget approximately CA$50 for tool usage.

Where is the in-person intensive?

The Vancouver intensive is hosted at Multimodal Media Lab (MML), a close BC + AI creative partner and the creative home of AI Film Club, at 375 Water Street, Suite 645, Vancouver, one block from Waterfront Station.

Does an Animation Accelerator ticket include Futureproof?

No. The Vancouver intensive scheduled alongside Futureproof weekend is separately ticketed. Futureproof admission is not included, the accelerator curriculum is not festival-sponsored, and a festival screening is not guaranteed.

Final call · Pick the room

Choose your production format

Ask a question

Enrolling now

Online · Zoom

Online Studio

September 21–October 5, 2026

A finished 30–40 second animated short.

StandardCA$900StudentCA$450
Join Cohort 4 — Online

Enrolling now

In person · Vancouver

Vancouver Intensive

October 31, 2026

A finished 10–15 second animated micro-short.

StandardCA$600EarlywormCA$450StudentCA$300
Join Cohort 5 — Vancouver