2027 Apprenticeship Program - Lighting Trainee

Join us for an opportunity to experience the art of animation and be a part of Walt Disney Animation Studios. The Talent Development Apprenticeship Program is an immersive experience available for emerging artists. Under the guidance of a Disney mentor, the Talent Development Apprenticeship Program offers a unique opportunity to hone and understand skills, refine and strengthen key disciplines, and engage in a real-time production environment with mentorship support.

The Lighting Apprenticeship:

Lighters are an integral part of the storytelling process, using their keen eye to manipulate color and light to emphasize shifts of mood, both subtle and dynamic. They assemble the elements of a shot into a final composite and compose the digital lighting of the scene. Learn more about our filmmaking process here.

The Lighting Apprenticeship Program begins in February 2027 at our Vancouver studio location. The deadline for applications is November 20th, 2026, 11:59 PM PST.

The initial four month period of the Lighting Apprenticeship Program is designed to introduce you to the art and technical aspects of our Lighting process, our studio culture, and our production environment. During this time, you will learn the skills and philosophies of our Effects department while receiving personalized mentorship from Disney artists. A four-month review will provide you with real-time feedback and determine future assignments and promotional opportunities that would bring your skills into real-time production environments.

Key Qualifications:

• Emerging artists with less than 5 years of animation industry experience OR Recent graduates with a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• 18 years or older
• Eligible to work in Canada

Application Requirements:

To apply for this position you must upload a resume and a single reel no longer than 2 minutes.

Reels/Demonstrated Skills Should Include:

• Ability to work in a collaborative environment, taking direction from artistic and technical leadership
• An understanding of color, contrast, and lighting design, along with a solid understanding of 3D lighting in a CG scene
• A strong visual sense and the ability to distinguish subtle differences that affect the matching of elements created in multiple mediums
• Experience with Houdini and node-based compositing programs such as Nuke
• Exposure to Global Illumination and experience manipulating lights and materials to achieve a specific art direction
• Ability to interpret and execute key aesthetic elements from visual development artwork into a shot
• Strong problem solving skills

To apply for this position, select “Login” to update your profile and apply. If you do not have a profile with us, select “Register” to create a new profile and apply with a resume, reel and shot breakdown (if applicable). The deadline for applications is November 20th, 2026, 11:59 PM PST

PAY TRANSPARENCY

The pay rate for this role in British Columbia is C$30 per hour. Select benefits may be provided as part of the compensation package, such as medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

This position is with Walt Disney Animation Studios Vancouver Inc., which is part of a business we call Walt Disney Animation Studios.

To learn more about Disney's guidelines on the use of AI for candidates, click here.

Having technical issues? View the FAQs for help.