The Jedi Academy is a unified, global, 12-week junior talent paid internship and trainee program at Lucasfilm, Industrial Light & Magic, and ILMxLAB created for students and graduates. The program is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to learn in a dynamic and creative production environment, focused on developing the next generation of diverse talent across art, public relations, and technology.
After playing Vader Immortal, I knew that I wanted to help make those kinds of games and tell those kinds of stories,” said Gary Walker, intern at ILMxLAB. “So if you want to do something, go for it. Ask how you can get there because there are people willing to help you if you’re willing to go out and you’re willing to do it.”
Jedi Academy interns are able to gain valuable, real-world experience through hands-on training and mentorship across day-to-day production work. Trainees also gain valuable skills through intensive classes and immersive learning modules taught by industry experts from a variety of disciplines. The trainees are exposed to fundamental artistic concepts as well as key business skills that support their transition into the industry.
“Coming into this I was very interested in a lot of things; VR, animation, video production, film production,” said Jared Tan, Video Production Intern at Lucasfilm. “And now coming out of the internship, I know what skills I need to polish so hopefully one day I can come back here to work and help this ecosystem of filmmakers and creative people at this amazing company.”
Lucasfilm is committed to improving the diversity of our studios, and programs like our Jedi Academy help us provide opportunities to a broad range of applicants at the start of their careers. The experience is perhaps best described by Alexandria Frank, Studio Talent Group Intern at Lucasfilm, “Just the sheer intention and passion that comes with everyone working here, it radiates through everything.”
The most recent Jedi Academy interns for ILM focused on virtual production and the company’s StageCraft technology, an ever-growing part of the company’s business. The company is preparing to launch another Jedi Academy focused on the San Francisco and Vancouver studios soon.
Would you like to Join the Force? Keep your eyes peeled on our Careers page for when we announce our next Jedi Academy.
