2025 Talent Development Program - Lighting Apprenticeship

Join us for an opportunity to experience the art of animation and be a part of Walt Disney Animation Studios. The Talent Development Apprenticeship Program is an immersive experience available for emerging artists. Under the guidance of Disney mentors, the Talent Development Apprenticeship Program offers a unique opportunity to hone and understand skills, refine and strengthen key disciplines, and engage in a real-time production environment.

The deadline for applications is November 23, 2025, 11:59 PM PST.

The Lighting Apprenticeship Program
 

Lighters are an integral part of the storytelling process, using their keen eye to manipulate color and light to emphasize shifts of mood, both subtle and dynamic. They assemble the elements of a shot into a final composite and compose the digital lighting of the scene.

As a part of the Lighting Apprenticeship, the first four months of your program are structured to introduce you to the art and technical aspects of our Lighting process, our studio culture, and our production environment. These initial months will showcase the skills and philosophies of our Lighting department while providing you nurturing mentorship with Disney artists. A four month review provides you with real-time feedback and determines future assignments and promotional opportunities that would bring your skills into real-time production environments. Learn more about our filmmaking process here.

To apply for this position, select “Login” to update your profile and Apply. If you do not have a profile with us, select “Register” to create a new profile and Apply with a resume, reel, and shot breakdown (if applicable).

Am I eligible to apply? What we're looking for:

• 18 years or older
• Emerging artists with less than 5 years experience in the Animation industry
• Recent graduates - Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment, taking direction from artistic and technical leadership
• An understanding of color, contrast, and lighting design, along with a solid understanding of 3D lighting in a CG scene
• A strong visual sense and the ability to distinguish subtle differences that affect the matching of elements created in multiple mediums
• Experience with Houdini and node-based compositing programs such as Nuke
• Exposure to Global Illumination and experience manipulating lights and materials to achieve a specific art direction
• Ability to interpret and execute key aesthetic elements from visual development artwork into a shot
• Strong problem solving skills

The pay rate for this role in Burbank, California is $33.12 per hour. Select benefits may be provided as part of the compensation package, such as medical, financial, and/or other benefits. To learn more about our benefits visit: https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits.