CG Spectrum Brings In-Studio Film and Game Training to Australia

GameChanger Academy: New VFX, Animation, and Games Training Program Launching In Melbourne

PRESS RELEASE: October 2, 2024, MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA – CG Spectrum is set to embark on a promising new chapter in education with the launch of GameChanger Academy, a groundbreaking visual effects (VFX), games, and animation training program backed by the Victorian Government and delivered in partnership with VicScreen. 

Yesterday, Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks announced the launch, with the academy set to open in Melbourne in 2025. With $3.6 million in funding, the GameChanger Academy will provide specialized film and games training aimed at bridging the skills gap in Victoria’s booming creative industries and meeting global demand for more skilled graduates. 

“This initiative will ensure that Victoria has a strong and continuous source of job-ready graduates to service the digital screen sector and ensure Victoria remains a leading destination for cutting-edge screen production.”
— Colin Brooks, Minister for Creative Industries 

The Academy offers unique access to the tools, talent, and techniques shaping today’s entertainment landscape, including in-studio placements when available. Students will gain real-world experience through immersive studio environments, with mentoring from local and international industry experts.

The team who helped make it happen at Framestore, Melbourne. (L to R) VicScreen CEO Caroline Pitcher, Framestore Head of Studio Melbourne Lara Hopkins, Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks, CG Spectrum co-founder Jeff Pepper. Photo by Daniel Mahon.

The Academy will offer two flagship programs:

• Good to Great: A 12-week intensive for recent graduates, entry-level trainees, and junior talent designed to prepare them for industry demands through studio-based projects and simulated experiences. Students will work within the conditions, schedules, and expectations of an actual studio, including participation in rounds, dailies, client briefs, and feedback sessions. There is also an accredited Graduate Certificate for this program in the pipeline.
• Elevate: A capability-building program aimed at empowering current industry professionals with advanced technical and management skills, ensuring Victoria’s creative leaders stay at the cutting edge. Developed in close collaboration with industry experts to tackle identified skills shortages, these short courses offer targeted upskilling and cross-skilling opportunities for meaningful career development.

These programs will be delivered in collaboration with leading Victorian VFX and animation studios such as Luma Pictures, Framestore, and Princess Bento, ensuring a truly industry-driven approach. These local studios have worked on some of the biggest film and TV shows in the world, including Avatar: The Way of Water, Barbie, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Deadpool & Wolverine, I Am Groot and Koala Man. 

The GameChanger Academy supports the state’s $191.5 million VICSCREEN strategy, driving a skilled workforce and strengthening its position as a world-class hub for screen and game production. In partnership with VicScreen, the initiative will ensure that Victoria can train the next generation of screen professionals at the highest international industry standard. 

“We know that to meet the increasing demand for visual effects (VFX), digital games and animation, the Victorian screen sector needs more industry-informed education and training, creating a steady stream of job-ready graduates equipped to join the highly skilled workforce that has made Victoria a global screen powerhouse.”
— Caroline Pitcher, VicScreen CEO 

For more information on the GameChanger Academy, visit www.cgspectrum.com/game-changer-academy.

About CG Spectrum:

CG Spectrum (CGS) is a higher education provider offering expert-led training and industry upskilling in animation, visual effects, digital art, and game development. Established in 2011 to meet the industry’s demand for skilled artists, CGS delivers a job-focused curriculum taught directly by film and game professionals. CGS is committed to nurturing the creative and technical talents of aspiring artists and providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in a competitive industry.

Learn more: https://www.cgspectrum.com/.

Contact:

Media enquiries and interview requests: marketing@cgspectrum.com.