2K Games, Gearbox partner with Academy of Art for Borderlands animation project

2K Games and Gearbox Software have partnered with the Academy of Art University for a development project asking students to create a short film based on the Borderlands universe.

Under the guidance of university professors and industry personnel, students participating in the Borderlands Cooperative will produce an animated short, to be available by the end of 2013. 2K and Gearbox hope to provide students across all disciplines with a unique opportunity for career development and networking.

During the current spring semester, students will form teams and create original short stories and storyboards set in the Borderlands universe. A panel of judges made up of Gearbox, 2K and Academy of Art University personnel will select one story to form the basis of the short film and "become part of the Borderlands mythos." The chosen team will also be given internships with 2K Games. Students will develop the film throughout the summer and wrap up production in the fall.

"Academy of Art's mission is to prepare students for the jobs of the 21st century and this project with industry leaders at 2K and Gearbox is exactly the kind of real-world experience we strive to provide," Academy of Art's School of Animation and VFX director Chris Armstrong said in a press statement. "These students are aspiring game designers, programmers, writers and animators who will now graduate with hands-on experience and a product of work they can share with prospective employers, making them well-positioned to compete for and win the jobs of today's global economy."

"We are thrilled that our Borderlands universe has inspired so much creativity," added Gearbox president Randy Pitchford. "We are happy to offer the Academy of Art University access to our digital assets so that its student's creativity can be harnessed into positive career development efforts and, if we're lucky, the creation of some great content that every Borderlands fan can enjoy."