(This article is promoted by Vancouver Film School.)

If you check out Brett Vanderkist's Linkedin profile, it's easy to see his enthusiasm for his career.

"I live to animate and love bringing characters to life!" the Vancouver Film School instructor reveals. "Seeing people respond to something I've animated is always a thrill. I'm always looking to work on great projects with great people that share the same passion."

But the former animator on Nickelodeon's Planet Sheen also knows that his students in the school's 3-D animation and visual effects program have to understand the culture of the industry.

“If you want to work at a certain job or certain company, one of the big questions is what is it like to work there?" Vanderkist says. "I think if your educational experience mimics that, that helps get you some information about what that’s like. Not just the technical skills, but also the soft skills—meeting deadlines, communication, working in groups."

This is what the Vancouver Film School specializes in.

The 3-D animation and visual effects department's creative director, Casey Kwan, said that the school has been modelled around being a studio.

The Gastown campus, where it's housed, features state-of-the-art equipment. And students in the one-year program learn by doing—working together on projects—rather than spending endless amounts of time listening to lectures.

‘We teach them on the software that is currently being used," Kwan said. "The techniques we’re using are coming straight from industry. From the skill level, our students are prepared. But most importantly, they understand the process."

Sarah von Fersen is the mentorship and industry relations lead in the Vancouver Film School's 3-D animation and visual effects department. In this role, she organizes the regular "Fresh Meet" events to introduce students to people working in the industry.

Prior to joining Vancouver Film School in 2014, von Fersen worked for nearly two decades in animation, rising to become the character and sets lead at Pixar Canada.

"It’s important for me to make sure the students come out with not only the reel they want, but also they feel that they’ve got the whole package—in terms of they know what studios are looking for, they know how to sell themselves, and they know how to ground themselves,” von Fersen said.

Another creative director at the school, Colin Giles, is another stickler for getting students ready to make the transition directly into the industry in a variety of settings. 

"Our students are so well prepared to be in an office, in a studio, to receive direction, to bring ideas to the table, to be professional," he emphasized. "Their experience here mirrors a studio so closely that when they get that first job, it’s not a huge shock to the system.”

These faculty members all know that there are jobs available in the industry. Anyone who visits the Vancouver Economic Commission website can see a list of 50 animation and visual effects companies that have opened in Vancouver.

It's made the city an international hub for studios that serve the film, television, and video game industries.

And Vancouver Film School plays a key role in providing the training for the creative economy. 

Melissa Best, senior instructor, said she and others at the school are in "constant contact" with the industry.

"We also bring in industry mentors so they work with the students on a weekly basis," Best added. "We try to work hand in hand with industry as much as possible.”

The Vancouver Film School opened in 1987 with 12 film production students. Its classical animation program was launched in 1994 and 3-D animation and visual effects was added the following year. The animation campus at the Gastown studio was unveiled in 2013.

(This article is promoted by Vancouver Film School.)