Indie Incubator offers animation students a different type of internship

For Max Kershaw and 12 other third-year Honours Bachelor of Animation students, completing the internship component of their program last summer was a unique experience.

Instead of working for an established animation studio, Kershaw and some of his classmates were part of Sheridan’s inaugural Indie Incubator program — a 12-week session where the participants explored different paths toward becoming independent creators. 

Funded in part with support from the Vijay Anand Foundation, the Incubator was open to students through a competitive application process. Just like any internship, students had to apply, with a résumé, portfolio, transcript, and a two-paragraph summary of intent. Successful participants were tasked with producing one 30-second animated pilot, in addition to five script summaries at the end of the 12 weeks.

“Once you get a job at a studio, you're often going to be working for other companies, creating their ideas,” says Kershaw. “So, the opportunity to make something that is your own and have the space that's dedicated to learning via what you're passionate about, I think is a harder opportunity to come by. 

“And that absolutely drew me towards (the Indie Incubator program). There's nothing really like getting to explore, experiment and learn from your own mistakes — and then hear from people who have already gone through those mistakes and how they can help you.” 

Students were mentored by award-winning animators, including Spencer Moreland (Most Fun Studio), five-time Canadian Comedy Award nominee Brandon Lane, Megan Ferguson (who won an Emmy for her work on the Netflix series Hilda), and Michael Hirsh, co-founder of animation studio giant Nelvana, famous for producing such shows as Franklin, Babar, Max & Ruby, and The Adventures of Tintin. Plus, each week, students heard from different guest speakers who had already forged paths as creators of their own work on various platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other social-media platforms, as well as through traditional channels.

One of those speakers was Aaron Long, whose independent creations (Sublo and Tangy Mustard, and Fester Fish) led to him directing episodes of Emmy-nominated show Bojack Horseman, as well as Tuca & Bertie. Another was Sheridan grad Kevin Parry (Bachelor of Animation ’10), whose viral videos of mind-bending illusions turned him into a much sought-after content creator for major brands, such as LEGO, Apple, and Mercedes Benz.

“(Aaron Long) was talking about how, if you create what you love, then you'll often get hired to work on that. And that was really affirming to me,” says Kershaw. “Instead of trying to be a Swiss Army knife, adapting to all the studio styles, if you really can show that you're capable and you’re passionate about what you like, then people will find you and hire you for that.”

Students were also required to develop a business plan for their creations, which included audience development and how they would monetize their intellectual property. According to program co-facilitator Constant Yen, that could mean things such as tie-ins with toys or video games. They also learned about navigating Canada’s various government funding bodies and were offered the opportunity to pitch their IP to companies.

Yen says the internship provided the students with the building blocks to take their creations further, including pitching their IP to companies. “They already have the five-episode summaries to build off of,” said Yen. “As well as an outlined plan to market their original ideas, using feedback they received from mentors and guest speakers throughout the summer program.”

The hope is to offer the program again in 2026, with a call-out for applications in the Winter term.

“This unique internship offering not only helps students develop and gain confidence in their own original content,” says Kirsten Ashall, Co-op Student Advisor, “it also allows them to explore another career path beyond graduation, to align with an ever-evolving industry.”

Learn more about the Honours Bachelor of Animation program.