Creativity Rising with Corus Entertainment

Corus Entertainment’s recent $220,000 gift directed to Sheridan’s renowned Faculty of Animation, Arts and Design is a continuing affirmation of the benefits realized when industry and educational institutions work together to help drive change and creativity in both the workplace and classroom.

Corus’s support has helped launch some new creative and collaborative initiatives with students, professors and staff at Sheridan and Nelvana, and helped to foster a unique approach that takes animation to the theatre through connections with other arts programs. These projects are excellent examples of Sheridan’s Creative Campus philosophy. This philosophy stems from the desire to build on our established reputation for creativity in the arts by embedding creative thinking into every part of the Sheridan experience: the curriculum, the programs and the facilities.

In the spring and summer of 2015, students and professors from Sheridan’s Bachelor of Animation program worked on an animation test for Nelvana. David Quesnelle and Mark Mayerson, professors from the Bachelor of Arts animation program, enjoyed the experience of working with Nelvana and Toonboom Harmony educators for seven weeks in May and June 2015. Working on-site with Nelvana animators at Corus Quay gave the professors the opportunity to hone their Harmony software skills and reconnect with industry experts. In addition, six students were chosen by Nelvana to fulfill roles as designers and animators for a 14-week period. Mentored by Nelvana and Toonboom artists, the students were offered a unique experience to work at one of Canada’s leading animation studios. The students brought a new and fresh perspective to the project and Nelvana staff were extremely pleased with the students’ work and the reciprocal learning opportunities they provided to the staff.

This recent Corus investment is also helping to fund the Sheridan Theatrical Animation Project (STAP). It’s an experiment in interdisciplinary creative expression in which animation students, in collaboration with composers Neil Bartram and Brian Hall, are fully animating the musical tale of Senza Luce. Once completed, Sheridan Music Theatre Performance students will perform the animated song and bring it to the stage as part of the Canadian Music Theatre Project.

Pictured above (l to r): Scott Dyer, Senior Vice President, Corus Entertainment and President, Nelvana; Angela Stukator, Associate Dean, Animation and Game Design, Sheridan; Helen Lebeau (Class of 1982), Vice President, Production, Corus Entertainment, Ronni Rosenberg, Dean, Faculty of Animation Arts & Design, Sheridan.