Hothouse 15: Call to Animation Artists

Table of Contents

About this edition

The theme this year is: “People Watching.”

Hothouse 15 is available to applicants located anywhere in Canada. Participants who reside close to the NFB’s headquarters in Montreal are encouraged to work from there. Most of the program will be conducted remotely, and to the best of our ability, equipment will be provided.

Participants must also be willing to travel to Montreal for one week of orientation, January 13–17, 2025, and again for one week of post-production, March 31–April 4, 2025. Travel will be arranged and paid for by the NFB.

Team and timeline

Mentoring Director: Lillian Chan

Associate Producer: Fred Casia

Producer: Maral Mohammadian

NFB English Animation Unit

Hothouse 15 production crew

Application deadline: 5 p.m. EST on Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Program dates: January 13–April 4, 2025

Orientation and pre-production: January 13–17, 2025

Production: January 20–March 28, 2025

Post-production and wrap: March 31–April 4, 2025

Theme and technique

“People Watching” is the theme for Hothouse 15.

This is your opportunity to demonstrate your creativity and originality. Show us who you are as an artist or storyteller. The theme can be taken literally but is wide open to interpretation, so exercise your imagination and showcase your abilities.

You can propose any animation technique that’s feasible within the Hothouse framework and with which you have experience.

It’s important to reveal a well-thought-out relationship between your concept and your chosen technique, whether it’s hand-drawn, stop motion, 3D CGI, collage, mixed media, etc.

We’re open to ideas that involve interactive or real-time elements such as Unity, Unreal, motion capture, data visualization, processing, etc. However, you must demonstrate a thoughtful reason behind the use of the technology and enough know-how to viably execute. If you plan to use generative AI tools for concept development or asset creation, please explicitly describe your intentions and methods. We will only consider proposals where such tools do not infringe upon intellectual property rights.

Your proposal must illustrate that you have the necessary skills or experience to execute the project as proposed. The film must be completed in the allotted three-month time frame, so project viability is a key deciding factor in the selection process.

Submission criteria

Submissions must include:

• an outline of your idea and intent, artistic approach, and motivation for participating in Hothouse 15. This outline can be EITHER in the form of a one-page written statement OR a maximum three-minute video—whichever format you’re most comfortable with;
• an explanation of your interpretation/approach to the theme. Don’t be afraid to play with it;
• an explanation of the relationship between your concept and technique or approach;
• ​​a​ brief description of your ​remote-​work environment if you plan to work outside of the Montreal office (i.e., is it a home studio? Is it in a film co-op or community center? Is it a private or shared space?);
• a description of all the equipment you have and anything you might need from us (i.e., computer specs, hardware, software, drawing table, digital tablet, props, cameras, specialized equipment, materials, workspace, etc.);
• two or three design samples (to demonstrate the look and feel of your piece);
• a short bio and a one-page résumé or CV.

Submit all text and images in ONE PDF file using the following naming format: FIRSTNAME_LASTNAME_HOTHOUSE15.pdf

• an excerpt from a previous film (animation or otherwise) or the entire film, no more than five minutes in length. You can also send a portfolio or reel but note that we prefer to see a finished film before demo reels. ​​Media must be submitted as a URL​; please do not​ send hard copies. If you don’t have a completed film, don’t worry, but make sure you highlight what you can do in your outline and design samples. Or, if possible, create a short animation test to showcase your skills. The submission form will allow you to paste a maximum of three URL links.

The NFB is committed to greater diversity and inclusion in Canadian cinema and new media. In keeping with the commitments outlined in the NFB’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan, you are invited to express in your proposal if you identify as Indigenous, Black, racialized or part of an underrepresented group.

Submissions must be received using our online form by 5 p.m. EST on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. The six successful candidates will be notified by Friday, November 22, 2024.

If you have questions, please contact Associate Producer Fred Casia at hothouse@nfb.ca.

Selection criteria

We are looking for:

• strength of idea;
• strength of art and design;
• your ability with the chosen animation technique;
• your conviction of vision and creative maturity;
• your point of view as a creator;
• your willingness to embrace the Hothouse experience.

Eligibility

Submissions are accepted from across Canada.

You must:

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (no exceptions);
• be an emerging filmmaker (meaning less than three films made);
• have experience in animation filmmaking or a related field (i.e., fine arts, film, graphic design, photography, electronic arts, computational arts, etc.);
• be open and willing to learn and explore;
• be prepared to commit for the period of three months.

Tips

• Propose the film you want to make, not the film you think the NFB might like.
• In your proposal, pay attention to the clarity of your idea and intent. If you’re unsure about something, let us know, and explain what you intend to do about it. ​Ambiguity is not a virtue, communicate clearly;  someone other than yourself must be able to understand/feel/appreciate/be ​intrigued​​ ​by what you’re conveying.​
• ​​The goal of remote production is to provide access to people who cannot relocate​​.​​​ ​​​It ​​should not be seen as an added challenge or a shift to a more independent production model. So, think carefully about your creative approach and production needs to help evaluate the support you might require for bringing your idea to life.
• Become familiar with Hothouse. Watch the previous Hothouse films here.
• Be sure to ​thoroughly​ read the Rules and Regulations for an understanding of what we expect from you and what you can expect from us.
• ​​​Hothouse is an ​​​​NFB English ​​Animation Unit​​​ ​initiative and therefore English proficiency is important. However, we accept proposals in both official languages.​​
• ​​​​​Francophone artists and artists proficient in French: stay tuned for details about the French Animation Unit’s mentorship program, called Alambic, which will be released in the coming weeks. If you are interested, contact alambic@onf.ca to be added to their mailing list.​​

Rules and regulations

​​​Hothouse participants will direct an animated short, maximum one minute in length, going from creative inception all the way through to final sound mix and video release​,​ in 12 intensive ​weeks​​. ​We provide—within reasonable limits of budget and availability—the tools, resources and support to master this challenge ​alongside​​ ​the Hothouse 15 production team​,​ and within the filmmaking community of the NFB.

By submitting a proposal, participants agree to these expectations:

• Each Hothouse participant receives a fixed artist’s fee of ​​​​​​$13,000, based on the NFB’s guild agreements with the WGC and the DGC;
• Participants must be able and prepared to work beginning January 13​​​​​​ and until April 4, 2025;
• Projects can use digital or analog techniques and must ​not exceed​​ ​one minute in length. They must respect the parameters of Hothouse, including available human resources and expertise in the Animation Studio;
• Participants must be prepared to work with the Hothouse production team, which includes the associate producer, mentoring director, producer, technical director, technical coordinators, production coordinators, composer, sound designer, editor, marketing manager and administrator;
• Participants must be prepared to engage fully, which includes mandatory work-in-progress reviews, discussions with producers and mentor, crew and marketing/distribution colleagues, interacting with the larger NFB filmmaking community and contributing frequently to NFB social media platforms;
• Participation with and inclusion in any behind-the-scenes promotional content is granted by all Hothouse participants who accept the Hothouse offer. Here’s an example;
• Adherence to five locked delivery dates: offer response, concept lock, picture-edit lock, final mix and online mastering;
• Any travel arrangements for those living outside the Greater Montreal area will be made by the NFB;
• Projects shall be subject to the NFB’s standards for production and distribution, which includes the applicable collective agreements;
• The films created as part of Hothouse 15 will be released on the NFB’s digital platforms and shared across social media. They will benefit from a promotion and communication campaign targeting the Canadian and international animation industry.

About the program

Hothouse is a mentorship program for emerging Canadian filmmakers. It was created in 2003 by NFB Animation Studio Producer Michael Fukushima and Executive Producer David Verrall. The aim is to create animation more quickly and with more flexibility, celebrating the shortest of short forms while maintaining the hallmarks of NFB animation: creative and technical excellence.

This is not “quick and dirty” but rather “intense and amazing.” Think of horticultural hothouses where gardeners create optimal growing conditions to encourage the flowering of exotic orchids and other blooms in weeks rather than months.

Hothouse is not a funding program nor school: it is a mentorship in real-world animation filmmaking, with the NFB as producer and distributor.

Animation at the NFB

Initiated by Norman McLaren in 1941, animation filmmaking at the NFB has been recognized as a cornerstone of NFB production, garnering many international awards for excellence and innovation. Today, the NFB maintains a commitment to eclectic techniques and the experimental exploration of animation as art. The diverse range of artistic visions at the NFB reflects the passion and imagination of their creators, offering audiences novel styles, methods, subjects and cultures from across the country.

Questions? Reach out to our Associate Producer Fred Casia at hothouse@nfb.ca.