Charlie Bonafacio and APW’s animation industry guest-judges

Animation Portfolio Workshop has been privileged to enjoy the involvement of a number of experienced (and very generous) animation artists over the years who have taken time from their busy lives to take on the role of a special guest judge in our APW Character Design Contest.  Back in 2014 Animation Portfolio Workshop had the pleasure of working with Charlie Bonafacio.  It’s not everyday that a chance comes along for a beginner to have their drawings looked at by a former Disney animator and so we saw hundreds of drawings submitted.  Charlie spent hours carefully looking at each drawing from each submission and then chose the prize winners.  2013 saw Jim Zubkavich – former Program Coordinator at Seneca Animation and famous comic artist/writer judge the contest.  In 2015 it was director/character designer/visual development artist (APW grad) Saud Boksmati, in 2016 we had Toronto story artist (APW grad) Myke Bakich, 2017 was art director/character designer (APW grad) Aaron Hong and in 2018 it was Canadian stop-motion animator Lynn Dana-Wilton. In 2019, Toronto storyboard artist (APW grad) Sonia Furier judges the Character Design Contest. Each year we give young people the opportunity to have their drawings looked at by an animation industry professional and potentially chosen for a prize. Free tuition for the 2019/2020 Session of the Animation Portfolio Workshop, industry-standard professional animation software Toon Boom Harmony and Toon Boom Storyboard Pro, $300 worth of art supplies and free passes to Anime North.

Walk into any animation school or animation studio and mention his name and people know who he is – Charlie has built up such a strong reputation as an animator and animation educator over the years.  

Vince Peets Co-Director Animation Portfolio Workshop