School Outreach

LAIKA is committed to fostering and developing talent through educational programs. The students of today are the promising artists of tomorrow and will be part of the success at LAIKA. We are currently developing programs that will allow opportunities for both students and academic institutions to partner to help cultivate the rising stars of tomorrow.

Below, please find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we receive from students and academic professionals.

• What schools have LAIKA employees attended? 

• There are many schools with programs in art and/or technology that can provide you with a strong educational foundation. LAIKA employees come from a variety of different schools and programs, including but not limited to:

  1. Gnomon School of Visual Effects
  2. Ringling School of Art and Design
  3. Cornell University
  4. Carnegie-Mellon University
  5. Texas A&M
  6. Sheridan College
  7. Savannah College of Art and Design
  8. CalArts
  9. Rochester Institute of Technology
  10. Skidmore College
  11. New York University
  12. University of Washington
  13. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  14. Vancouver Institute of Media Arts
  15. University of Oregon
  16. Oregon State University
  17. Art Institute of Portland
• What types of courses should I take? 

• If your goal is a career in creative animation, courses in acting CG, stop motion, film, photography, and even acting can help. Many institutions offer degrees in animation, computer graphics, design, art, or related fields. If your goal is a career as a technical director, a degree in computer science, engineering, computer graphics, art, or an equivalent is helpful.

• Do you have entry level positions? 

• Yes. Typically these positions include various types of assistants and runners.

• Do you offer internships? 

• We are currently in the process of developing an internship program. Our internship program will allow students to apply what they have learned in school, and will also give them the opportunity to contribute to the making of animated feature films and commercials. If you are interested in an internship at LAIKA, check our career site as we will be posting updates periodically.

• Do you offer apprenticeships? 

• We are currently in the process of developing an apprenticeship program. Our apprenticeship program will allow graduates to apply what they have learned in school, and will also give them the opportunity to contribute to the making of animated feature films and commercials. If you are interested in an apprenticeship at LAIKA, check our career site as we will be posting updates periodically.

• Do you have a school partnership program? 

• LAIKA understands and values the importance of education as the launching ground for a career in the animation field. We feel it is essential to partner with educational institutions to help foster students both academically and prepare them for careers in animation. However, due to the overwhelming interest in our studio, we are unable to respond directly to each individual school inquiring about partnering with LAIKA. We are starting to reach out to schools individually, and hope to include more schools on our partnership roster in the near future. If you are an educator, or work for an academic institution, and are interested in partnering with LAIKA, please click on Contact Us in the upper navigation bar to place your school's name on our list for possible future partnership opportunities.

  Be sure to include the following in your email:

  1. School name
  2. Programs offered
  3. Masters program offered
  4. Contact name
  5. Contact title
  6. Contact email
  7. Contact phone
• How do I get a studio tour? 
• At this time, we are not able to accommodate individual tours of the studio. We do allow for educational tours of our NW Portland location, but certain conditions apply. Educational tours will only be allowed during non-production periods, are limited to 20 students older than 14 years with teachers and chaperones. Tours must be prearranged at least three weeks in advance. For educational tours, please contact LAIKA at ask_us@laika.com
• How do I get an informational interview? 

• Unfortunately, we do not offer informational interviews. If you are seeking information, we ask that you review these FAQ’s completely. If additional assistance is needed, please contact us at ask_us@laika.com