MIDIS and Zoland Animation Launch Training in Vertical Animated Series Production

The International Institute of Design and Service, a member of the Russian Animated Film Association, has signed an agreement with Hangzhou-based Chinese studio Zoland Animation. The agreement was signed at China Licensing Expo in Shanghai, which featured the “Culture of Moscow” stand organised by the Agency for Creative Industries. With the Association’s support, the partners are launching a programme that will train MIDIS faculty in the full production cycle of vertical animated series, including the use of artificial intelligence tools.

The agreement was signed by MIDIS Rector Maxim Usynin and Shen Yuliang, General Director of Zhejiang Zhongnan Animation Co., Ltd. (Zoland Animation), in the presence of Irina Mastusova, Executive Director of the Russian Animated Film Association. The Chinese studio’s portfolio includes more than 190,000 minutes of original animation and over 230 awards from national and international competitions and festivals.

Led by Zoland Animation experts, the training will take place on the ZolandAI platform. MIDIS faculty will develop their own animated projects in the vertical 9:16 format, working through every stage of production, from script development to a finished episode.

The programme comprises six modules: scriptwriting and storytelling; character and environment design; storyboarding and directing for the vertical frame; scene animation and video generation; voice recording and sound design; and final editing.

Irina Mastusova emphasised that the project opens up new opportunities for training professionals for the Russian animation industry.

According to Maxim Usynin, the central aim of the partnership is to enable faculty members to experience the entire production process themselves, with feedback from studio professionals, before passing that experience on to students. This approach will help them teach students how to develop a coherent story and produce a finished animated series.

All teaching and learning materials developed for the programme will remain available to MIDIS. They will be used to teach students on the institute’s higher and vocational education programmes in Digital Animation and Motion Design, within its new animation and AI animation workshop.