ACE Canada

The ACE Canada (Animation Career EXCELerator) Program in partnership with WIA Vancouver is designed to advance the careers of women in the animation industry by giving them a key credit in the creation of their very own short film, TV proof of concept or web series pilot, and providing mentorship and training along the way, to ensure they are set-up for success. The program includes: Individual mentoring for each participant Group-wide mentorship and training Individual pitch training, focusing on how to present and sell yourself and network Marketing and pitch training for the development and pitching of their own IP Attendance at a festival and/or market Promotion of each participant through social media initiatives and industry networking opportunities Why does this work? “Women don’t have the experience.” = This program provides the experience and training to prepare women to succeed “We can’t find women for these roles.” = The program shines a spotlight on these women, so that studios and production companies can ‘find’ women for these roles It reduces the risk level for studios, in promoting these women to senior roles, by giving women the opportunity to show they are capable of managing the responsibilities required. This program ‘pays it forward’. Studies show that women tend to hire more women, so having women in these key creative roles, increasing the opportunities for diversity into the future, beyond the initial participants.