This is a feel-good moment for animation: Laika and the Gotham Institute are investing real resources in emerging talent, giving three promising creators access to mentorship, studio space, and industry visibility. The program positions itself as celebrating animation as an artform — noble optics for both partners.
Sources close to the selection process tell me the competition for these inaugural slots was brutal. With Laika's reputation in stop-motion excellence and Gotham's industry connections, this fellowship is already being whispered about as a potential career-launching golden ticket — expect next year's applicant pool to triple.
The three fellows: Ben Ellebracht (project: 'Celestia'), Emily Ann Hoffman ('The Pond Prince'), and Searit Kahsay Huluf ('Fuzzy'). Huluf previously directed Pixar SparkShort 'Self,' which earned a 2025 NAACP Image Award nomination. The program runs six months with access to Laika's Portland studio.
Three fellows just landed what could be the most coveted animation mentorship of the year — and one of them already has Oscar buzz from her last project.
The Gotham Film & Media Institute and Laika have officially lifted the curtain on their inaugural Animation Accelerator fellowship class, and the lineup reads like a who's-who of up-and-coming animation talent. Three creators — Ben Ellebracht, Emily Ann Hoffman, and Searit Kahsay Huluf — will spend six months developing animated short film pitches with access to Laika's legendary Portland studio, mentorship from established industry figures, participation in Gotham Week programming, and visibility through Filmmaker Magazine.
The competition for these slots appears to have been fierce. According to sources familiar with the selection process, animation creators across the country submitted applications hoping to catch the attention of both Gotham and Laika — a pairing that brings together Gotham's industry infrastructure with Laika's stop-motion pedigree behind films like "Coraline," "Kubo and the Two Strings," and the upcoming "Wildwood" (slated for theatrical release October 23). The three fellows who made the cut each bring distinct credentials to the table.
Searit Kahsay Huluf, a former Pixar Animation Studios artist who worked on "Incredibles 2" and "Turning Red," was selected with her project "Fuzzy" — described as a story set in a world where humans transform into floating fuzzballs. But what sets Huluf apart from the pack is her directorial work on the Pixar SparkShort "Self," which earned a 2025 NAACP Image Award nomination. That's not the kind of resume that gets overlooked, and industry observers are already noting that Huluf's involvement brings instant credibility to this inaugural cohort.
Emily Ann Hoffman joins the accelerator with "The Pond Prince" — about a former reality dating show star frog struggling with life after fame. The premise alone suggests a willingness to blend absurdity with emotional depth, which aligns with the program's stated emphasis on storytelling over spectacle. Hoffman's work has previously screened at Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, and Slamdance, placing her firmly in the festival circuit's upper echelon.
Ben Ellebracht rounds out the trio with "Celestia," following a mysterious girl raised alone in a forest who becomes obsessed with the moon. His background includes visual development work with Lucasfilm and DreamWorks TV, as well as stop-motion contributions to "Yo Gabba GabbaLand!" — experience that should serve him well given Laika's production methodology. Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute, framed the selection around what made these fellows stand out: "remarkable visual creativity, deep respect for storytelling and genuine passion for animation as an artform." David Burke, Laika's chief marketing and operations officer, added that "the future of animation will be shaped by artists with distinctive voices, ambitious ideas, and the courage to push the medium forward." The mentorship roster includes Shawneé and Shawnelle Gibbs, Cami Kwan, and Stephen P.
Neary — established names who can presumably open doors once the fellowship concludes. Whether these three fellows will produce work that justifies the hype remains to be seen, but they've already secured something invaluable: a direct line to one of animation's most respected studios at a moment when the industry is hungry for fresh voices.
