Walt Disney Animation Studios Story Intern, Summer 2023

The Internship Program

Have you wondered how your skills and talents 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 unique talents can grow within our studio. Find yourself immersed in hands-on projects and learning guided by our artists, technologists and production leaders.

Walt Disney Animation Studios Summer Internship Program is a 12 week paid experience designed for students studying art, animation, computer graphics, and film. The 2023 Summer Intern program begins May 2023. Please note, the safety and well-being of our teams is very important to us. We will be determining whether this program will be in-person at our Burbank, CA studio or virtual in the coming months based on government recommendations.

The deadline for applications is January 15, 2023, 11:59 PM PST.

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.

For our 2023 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 Story Internship

Story Artists translate story ideas into visual sequences. They convey the essence of storyline, scene structure, and character emotion while creating action and humor in alignment with the film. By working with other members of the production team, they will develop the concepts for cinematography and staging, choosing initial camera placement and angles, defining action and camera movement. This program is intended to provide you an immersive look into this creative process while pairing you with mentors from our talented Story department.

Portfolio Requirements:

• REQUIRED: To submit portfolio of storyboard sequences:
• Website with sequences in slideshow format
• Video sharing link for animatics and/or pitches such as Youtube/Vimeo (animatics pitches are encouraged)
• A multipage PDF file with each board as its own page so we can click through your sequences board by board (you can upload via a Googledrive link)
• NO other formats will be accepted
• Versatile range of character-driven story sequences preferred. Showcase a variety of genres and emotions including: comedy, action, romance, suspense, drama, musical
• Sequences do not need to be a full film in length but should have a clear beginning, middle, and end
• We would like to see:
• Strong understanding of emotional acting and entertainment value
• Strong gestural drawing, the ability to draw very loosely and roughly yet with clarity in character appeal and acting
• Strong understanding of cinematography and narrative staging with visually clear shot flow applied throughout work
• Observational Drawings/Sketchbook samples
• Character moments, comics, and/or caricatures helpful

How to Apply:

To apply, you must upload a portfolio and a resume consisting of continuity sequences of your best and latest storyboard work. Portfolios must be formatted as any of the following:

• Website with sequences in slideshow format
• Video sharing link for animatics and/or pitches such as Youtube/Vimeo (animatic pitches are encouraged)
• A multipage PDF file with each board as its own page so we can click through your sequences board by board (you can upload via a Googledrive link)
• Resume with with month and year of expected graduation date

Deadline for applications is on January 15, 2023 at 11:59 PM PST.