Open Workshop

About

• About Open Workshop

  There are four film workshops in Denmark all supported by the fund Filmtalent. The  workshops are located in Copenhagen, Odense, Aarhus and Viborg. While the three other workshops mainly focuses on live-action filmmaking, Open Workshop primarily supports projects within the realm of animation – including but not limited to animated shorts, tv series, feature-films, gaming, VR, and interactive media.

  Open Workshop functions as an artist residency where both new and more experienced talents can live for a time to work on their personal projects, while also having access to skilled consultants within the animation industry. Open Workshop supports both internal and external projects and discovers original and skilled talents and guides them along their chosen career paths.

  You can apply with a project four times a year during our application rounds - make sure to read the guidelines before you apply. 

  As an artist, you also have the option to apply for a portfolio spot at Open Workshop. These spots are reserved for artist who wish to develop their portfolio in order to apply for a Danish education within the fields of animation, computer graphic arts, graphic storytelling and other visual arts. These spots are only  open for applications once a year in may.

  We also offer Professional Portfolio spots - these spots are for those seeking time and space to organize and expand their portfolio in order to apply for a new job. Open Workshop provides a workspace with a workstation available, and you have free access to our facilities. Additionally, you will be assigned a consultant dedicated to your portfolio work, offering ongoing feedback.

  Open Workshop is supported by Filmtalent, which operates under the Danish Film Institute, and by Viborg Kommune.

• How to apply

  Application Criteria

  To apply you must provide:

  • Additional Info (Application Form)
  • CV (PDF)
  • Project package (PDF)

  You can download our application form marked “Additional info” by clicking the link below. 

  The Project Package should include all materials that will provide us with a clear understanding of your project, to enable us to make a thorough evaluation. Script/treatment, storyboard, budget, schedule, artwork, links, etc. and any other relevant information available should be included. The project package must be gathered into one cohesive PDF before uploading.

  Additional info (Application Form) (ENGLISH)
  Supplerende oplysninger (Ansøgningsskema) (DANISH)

  Uploading your application

  Once you have gathered your documents, applications must be uploaded through VIA's online application platform NemStudie, by clicking the applicable Ready to Apply-link at the top of this page. 

  If you have a CPR number, simply use it with NemID to log in. If you do not have a CPR number, just enter your email address. You will receive an email with a link, press the link, choose English at the top right corner, then select “Educational programmes” > “Continuing and further education” and then Search for “Open Workshop” in the top right corner.

  Deadlines

  You can apply to Open Workshop four times a year; February, May, August and November. 

  For additional info on the application procedure, check out guideline: 

  Application & Evaluation Procedure

• Housing

  When applying for a spot at Open Workshop you can also apply for Open Workshop housing. The housing is located in one of the former barracks and is less than 100 meters from The Animation Workshop/VIA University College. Here you will have your own private room and shared kitchen and bathroom facilities with other Open Workshop residents. Please remember, you are responsible for cleaning up after yourself, when using the shared utilities. When you leave your residency and your room, you will have to clean it, so it is ready for a new artists in residence to arrive. If you are applying to Open Workshop to work on your portfolio housing is unfortunately not available. 

• Fees and finances

  A residency at Open Workshop is completely free.

  If you are approved for housing, your room and utilities will also be free during your stay. However, Open Workshop does NOT provide living money or any type of personal cash for
  its resident artists.

  Directors or producers of Danish projects, or projects that are anchored in Denmark through a Danish production company, may also apply for a financial support of up to 20.000 DKK.

• International applicants

  Open Workshop is financed by The Danish Film Institute to develop primarily Danish animation talent and encourage experimental filmart.

  International artist wishing to apply for an Open Workshop residency must be a junior animation professional from whom younger Danish talents can learn and with whom they may collaborate during their stay at Open Workshop, or in future collaborations and co-productions.

  International applicants can apply for residency and workstation, but in order to apply for financial support you must either have a Danish CPR-number or your project must have a connection to Denmark, for example through a Danish crew-member or a Danish production company. 

  Moving to Denmark

  Open Workshop will be happy to provide you with letters confirming your residency period and status as an artist in residence at The Animation Workshop/VIA University College. You are responsible for acquainting yourself with the rules that apply in relation to your stay in Denmark. For artists from outside Europe, we don’t have resources to take care of VISA. You are very welcome to apply for a 3 Months residency in Open Workshop with a tourist VISA, where no work is required from our site.

  More information:

  Study in Denmark

  Work in Denmark

• For current residents

  Apply for Quick Support

  If you are currently a resident or supported artist at Open Workshop, you have the option to use our Quick Support, which allows you to extend your residency or apply for minor assistance (materials, equipment, train tickets etc.). Quick Support has no deadline, and can be applied for at any time.

  Apply for quick support here

  Complete you Project residency

  Upon completion of your residency, you are required to inform Open Workshops of the projects status by submitting the Status Declaration form.

  Status Declaration Form

  Complete you Portfolio residency

  Upon completion of your portfolio residency at Open Workshop, you are required to submit the Portfolio Completion Form. 

  Portfolio Completion Form

• How to credit your project

  Finishing your project

  When you’ve finished your project at Open Workshop, you must include us in the credits of your project with a version of our logo and the following sentence in either English or the project's chosen language: Supported by The Open Workshop artist residency at The Animation Workshop / VIA University College

  Download logo package 

  Upon completion of your film, you must submit the project to The Danish Film Institute’s film archive no later than six months after completion.

  Submission to DFI