Hollywood North animation sector still a source of unique job opportunities

While COVID-19 prompted many Hollywood North sectors to pause, Vancouver’s animation and visual effects (VFX) studios shifted into overdrive in order to keep up with expanding demand.

“In 30 years of working in the animation field, there have always been ups-and-downs,” said veteran local animator Scott Kiborn. “But I can’t ever recall a period where projects that were sitting on the fence, things that were shelved and more all got green-lit at once and everywhere was hiring.”

Entertainment Weekly declared cartoons to be the king of COVID times, while Statista.com projected worldwide animation market growth to increase from about US$180 billion to US$587.1 billion by 2030. These figures undoubtedly helped heavy-hitters such as Disney and Atomic Cartoons to expand local operations in recent years.

All indicators of a near-constant upward trajectory appeared to be in place for the sector.