Netflix partners women in animation

Netflix in Canada has become the partner of a scheme to advance women working in animation led by non-profit organisation Women in Animation Vancouver (WIA).

Ted Sarandos

The Animation Career EXCELerator programme (ACE) provides mid-level career professionals with targeted and focused mentoring, support and training. Participants are also given the opportunity to develop, create and own original intellectual property.

Netflix is giving the ACE scheme a grant, as part of its Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, which will see the global streamer invest US$100m dollars over the next five years in external companies that support the careers of underrepresented communities.

The fund will see the current ACE programme expand to applicants across Canada and will allow additional key creative roles to be included in the programme’s offering. Currently six roles are covered in the programme including writer, producer, director, art director, animation director and composer.

Applications for the next ACE programme will open at the Spark Animation Festival 2021 and all selected candidates will be announced in March 2022 on International Women’s Day.

Rose-Ann Tisserand, WIA Vancouver Board Member and ACE programme founder/co-executive producer, said: “WIA’s mission is to promote diversity and gender equity in the animation industry, with the goal of 50/50 by 2025. We are thrilled Netflix has recognised the value of the ACE programme and the impact it has had on the animation industry here in BC. We are excited that this new partnership not only allows us to continue the programme but expand it to reach women across the country.”

Ted Sarandos, co-CEO and chief content officer Netflix, told the online version of the Banff World Media Festival: “Canada’s animation sector is second to none. This partnership will help ensure that the animation industry continues to thrive and include the experiences of Canadian women from diverse backgrounds.”

Sarandos also told the online version of Banff that Netflix has acquired the global rights to Canadian sci-fi sequel Code 8: Part II from its producer Collective Pictures.

The film is directed by Jeff Chan and will see Robbie Amell (Upload) and Stephen Amell (Arrow) reprise their roles from the first film, Code 8.