Toronto Animation and Film Industry Park
Empowered by in-house expertise and long-term experience in animation and a strong network with related industries, Visionary Education Technology Holdings Group (VG) has developed the Toronto Animation and Film Industry Park (TAFIP). VG is determined to create a comprehensive institution that integrates education and the application of animation to foster and advance the development of the art and animation industry. Furthermore, generating a new infrastructure and valuable network also inspires innovation and creativity.
TAFIP is located in Markham, on VG-owned property consisting of two office buildings with a total floor area of 120,000 square feet. This property sits on a land of 5 acres. VG plans to build two additional buildings on the site, extending the total building area to 220,000 square feet.
The optimal goal of TAFIP is to integrate the education and the practical work field, which contribute to the entire animation industry.
- Education: TAFIP providesfour different levels of animation program.
- Short-term training—currently offers 20 training courses to students at a broad range of age and competence.
- Max and Mutt College of Animation School offers three college programs to students: animation diploma, concept art diploma, and illustration and storytelling for sequential art diploma.
- 2+2 programs with options to transfer to university undergraduate study.
- TAFIP is building an animation MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses)—the world’s largest animation/game interactive online learning platform.
- Incubator: TAFIP has established incubators to support the commercial exploitation of work completed by students and teachers by seeking financial aid and securing industrial collaboration. Individuals that are not in the TAFIP program can also apply start-up businesses program related to animation in our organization. This incubator is created to resolve the problems normally experienced by companies in animation, gaming, filming, short video making, and cultural product design.
- Project-based corporation: TAFIP is well equipped with technological facilities essential for creative work in animation. Any industrial consortium working on an actual project can partner with TAFIP for the most cost-effective operation.
- Animation Asset Exchange Platform: this AI-based platform allows for the digitalization of animation assets and IP trading.
TAFIP has established strong partnerships with influential industrial partners, small enterprises, artists, and animation schools. Merged with the support from all three levels of government (city, provincial, and federal), TAFIP is certainly positioned well to influence how the animation will develop in the future.