Freelance Animation School

Mission Statement

Freelance Animation School aims to provide quality animation tuition to prepare people for careers in film, television, digital media and print.

Freelance Animators Ltd (an Auckland-based Animation Studio) was founded by John Ewing, a Disney feature film animator from Los Angeles, USA, and Barry Pearce, an Auckland businessman with a background in print graphics. In 1989, Freelance Animators began training artists to staff the studio, and the training department of Freelance Animators grew into a sister company Freelance Art School Ltd.

In 1993 Freelance Animation School Ltd was registered as a Private Training Establishment with the New Zealand Ministry of Education. In conjunction with the Film and Electronic Media (FaEM) Industry Training Organisation, Freelance Animation School wrote the first New Zealand Unit Standards in Character Animation, which were registered by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. Freelance has continued to update and improve these unit standards in accordance with industry practice.

Animators who were trained at Freelance Animation School, now form the basis of New Zealands classical animation industry, which today is successful in its production of shows for release to television, video and feature film around the world.

All Freelance Animation School tutors have trained within the School under the direction of John Ewing. John is a former Disney animator who received his schooling from the Chouinard Art Institute and was employed by the Disney Studio in Burbank. John worked alongside the legendary John Lounsbery for twelve years on such classics as 101 Dalmations and Jungle Book. The classical training John received in his formative years as an animator runs throughout the teaching programmes taught at Freelance Animation School.

Freelance Animation School is fully registered and accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. We are accredited to deliver unit standards to level 5 in Character Animation, and to level 4 in Computer Generated Imagery, on the National Qualifications Framework.

Freelance Animation School is unique. We are the only School in New Zealand offering classical animation training to the Diploma level. We offer a three-year diploma The Freelance Diploma in Character Animation. Students can opt to complete their Diploma in Classical Cel Animation or Computer Generated Animation.

Airport Pickup: Freelance can assist with this.
Accommodation: Freelance can assist in placing students in accommodation