Work is never quite what you think it will be when you first start out. Photo courtesy of iStockPhoto.

For years companies have used intern programs to give students a chance to see the workings of a business. Animation studios are no different, as several offer programs to expose animation students to the rigors of studio production. One such studio is Cartoon Network, in Burbank. And one such intern is Intern X.

This year, Intern X begins his senior year at an animation school in Burbank, California. The school’s curriculum includes both handmade and computer animation. The school has a teaching staff of retired animation veterans and professionals still in the business. Along with classes, Intern X works part time at an art supply store.

“So far my classes have included Storyboard, Character Design 1, Animal Drawing, Animation Drawing, Gesture Drawing and Speed Drawing (from beginning to intermediate to advance).” At his school, Gesture Drawing is being used in lieu of Life Drawing. Working with live models, the artists do quick sketches of the gestures done by the models, eventually working up to full figure sketching. Animal Drawing was a weekly trip to the Los Angeles Zoo. Each session included discussion on animal structure as well as sketching animals in the zoo. “For the final, we had to come up with our own animal design. I mixed an elephant with a chameleon.”

“I’ve also taken Computer Animation. We’re working with Maya and they have us doing character design, rigging and finally putting in the joints and making the character move. But I’m not very much into CGI. I feel the problem with computer animation is the computer does too much of the work. Look at the old school animation of classic cartoons like Tom and Jerry or even silent cartoons. You can see the love and work put into each drawing. Some of the expressions are amazing. I like that. With the computer you have a character and you just click here and click there to make it move. Computer cartoons are fun to watch. They just don’t have the personal touch.”

“One of my favorite classes was Illustration. It was very free spirited. The instructor would suggest an idea, like the three pigs. You would come up with the concept and design a poster. You could use any media you wished like charcoal or watercolor. I did a lot of watercolor and really learned about color. I also got a lot of feedback on creating strong composition, use of color for mood and emphasis and how to create a style, etc.”

Over the summer of 2005, Intern X was accepted into the intern program at Cartoon Network. He worked directly with the Production Development department. That is the division that oversees production of shorts and animatics being evaluated for possible series. It offered Intern X a chance to interact with a variety of talents and facilities used in the production of TV animation.

After working at the studios, interns quickly learn that there’s more out there than just classic Disney and Warner Bros. animation. Pinocchio image © Walt Disney Enterprises. Looney Tunes image © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Animation.

“I didn’t even know there was an intern program at Cartoon Network. I had actually gone to the studio to drop off my portfolio and discovered they had an intern program. In fact, after I found out about it, I told a lot of friends. They began signing up for the program also.”