ESMA 3D

Study in France

2 trainings, 4 destinations...

Study in Canada

1 training in Montréal

Welcome to ESMA

ESMA is a school of applied arts, with no less than 25 years of experience ! The school has trained many talents, who have become the actors of today’s creative industry.

Established in Bordeaux, Lyon, Montpellier, Nantes, Rennes, Toulouse and Montréal, ESMA offers curriculum in keeping with the actual needs of the professional world, in order to facilitate the students’ integration and success.

1 st

School in the world in the ‘Excellence in 3D Animation Production’ category (The Rookies 2024 competition)

4 th

Best Animation School in France (Animation Career Review 2024)

100 %

Success rate (2024)

90 %

Overall job entry rate at 6 months (2021)

Movies

Alumni

You are our talent !

One of the characteristics of the trainings offered at ESMA is their variety. But most importantly, the school attaches a great importance to helping its students to reach their professional goals. And the outstanding success rates on their final exams are one of the many proofs of this achievement !

ESMA is also very proud of the occupational integration rates of its students : with currently over 4000 former students all around the world, the school is present in advertising agencies, production studios and design offices.

ESMA’s strong reputation in France and on an international scale, is a great asset, and the school counts on it to place its students inside companies, whereas in the frame of internships or actual positions, whether abroad or in France. The school cultivates solid relationships with many professionals, who frequently share their experience with the students during conferences and workshops.

ESMA has a very strong background in animation cinema and that’s really what we’re looking for. This allows us to have specialized students, very focused on their careers. Students are passionate and highly motivated by what they do.

Erik SMITT

Director of photography at Pixar Animation Studios

PROFESSIONAL QUOTE

ESMA is really one of the two premiers schools, not just in France, but in the world.

Shelley Page
Head of International Outreach, Dreamworks

PROFESSIONAL QUOTE

I love the movies I’ve seen but I also love this school! The quality of the work is really good and high and the students don’t hesitate to confront complicated situations.

Andrew GORDON

Head of Animation (Feature Animation)

We are visiting several schools but to be honest, ESMA is where we met the best student works. We are really delighted to see all the love and hard work they invest in their projects and how hight the level of everything they have done is.

Claudia GLOD

Producer and Resource Manager

Milford Creative Studio

professional quote

The qualities of ESMA are the qualities of a very high level school. That a short film from ESMA is selected for the Oscars is well deserved!

Kristof Serrand,
Directeur Artistique, Dreamworks

PROFESSIONAL QUOTE

What I like it’s an atmosphere of camaraderie that there is, and that feels the effects in movies a lot. To Illumination MacGuff, we try to recreate a cocoon, in order to people feel good. And when we see them all together, having made movies like that, it is magnificent. You want to take a group to make a movie.

Jean-Jacques Benhamou
Producer, Illumination MacGuff

Professional quote

We have recruited talented artists who have studied at ESMA in recent years. The curriculum they are following has allowed them to prepare well for our studios.

Dana RAAD

Talent Acquisition Manager – The Focus

professional quote

To better prepare for the professional world, ESMA students learn the importance of teamwork. They work with passionate and experienced teachers to produce ambitious animated films!

Jason Figliozzi
Animator, Disney Animation

PROFESSIONAL QUOTE

ESMA is an outstanding school… The animation and VFX produced by the students is impressive on every level. I always look forward to seeing the final projects.

Dylan Sisson
Technical Marketing Specialist, Pixar