So much so that we sometimes forget to raise our heads and look (a little) higher, beyond France.
However, it has to be said that the many Belgian studios, which are just as internationally renowned as their French counterparts, represent a veritable manna of opportunities that are sometimes under-exploited by young ESMA graduates.
While the Cartoon Business trade event, dedicated to strategies and exchanges on the state of the animation industry, came to a close last week in Brussels for the second year running after three days of intense discussions on the future of the global animation industry, the forum was also an opportunity for seven Belgian studios to come and present their projects, their uniqueness, and also their recruitment opportunities. These presentations were followed by valuable face-to-face meetings, giving young Belgian and international talent the opportunity to showcase their portfolio.
Who are these studios – some of which, like nWave, have many ESMA alumni – and how do you approach them? Find out here.
Vivi Film – Studio Souza – Creature
For those unfamiliar with Vivi Film’s work, it is one of the most renowned Belgian production companies for the co-production of animated feature films in Europe, with projects such as Les triplettes de Belleville, Brendan and the Secret of Kells, Minuscule 2 and many others to its credit. Alongside this production activity, the company’s founder, Viviane Vanfleteren, is also co-founder of the Brussels animation studios Studio Souza and Ghent-based Creature, with whom she collaborates on all her animation projects.
Recent projects include co-productions Titina and La légende de l’ours blanc, as well as exceptional series such as La rivière à l’envers and La Quête d’Ewilan, which will be released in France in the first half of 2026. The Creature studio has also co-produced the 3D animated feature Stitch Head or La fabrique des monstres, which will be released in cinemas in December 2025.
Anyone interested in finding out more about these studios is invited to contact the teams directly. There are currently no vacancies at Creature (according to their website), but as you know, everything depends on upcoming projects and productions. So be sure to check their website (and social networks) regularly. You can contact Studio Souza directly at recruitment(at)studiosouza.be.
Dreamwall
Located in Charleroi, a Walloon city in the midst of a technological renaissance, Dreamwall is a multimedia services studio specialising in the creation of animated content using all technologies (2D, 3D, hybrid) and deploying its expertise in a wide range of productions. Thanks to its wide range of technologies, from the professional tools it uses to the production monitoring tools it can integrate with (Shotgrid, Kitsu, etc.), agility is at the heart of Dreamwall’s identity, making the studio a real nugget in Belgium’s animation ecosystem, which is unfortunately too little known.
A subsidiary of French publishing giant Média-Participations, Dreamwall works on feature films, TV series, animated documentaries and much more. The studio has collaborated on successful series such as the new 3D version of The Smurfs, as well as on Le Petit Nicolas, and critically acclaimed animated features such as Michael Dudok de Wit’s Oscar-nominated The Red Turtle.
Dreamwall is currently actively working on several projects, many of which are scheduled for release in 2026. On the feature film side, the 2D gem The Treasure of Barracuda has already been released in Spain, its local market, and will be released in other territories in 2026. In 3D, Dreamwall has collaborated on the eagerly awaited Les Légendaires, a feature film adapted from the best-selling comic book series of the same name, due to be released in French and Belgian cinemas in January 2026.
On the series front, Dreamwall is working on another comic book adaptation, Louca, a 3D series produced by Media Valley, Belvision and TF1.
With projects like these, the studio is constantly on the lookout for talent. So don’t hesitate to ask! Anyone wishing to find out more about Dreamwall or to apply for a job can do so directly on their website via an unsolicited application.
Walking the Dog
A renowned Flemish studio that has been in business for over 25 years, Walking the Dog has helped bring to life many of the European animation gems of recent decades.
Walking the Dog collaborated with Ari Folman on The Congress and Anne Frank, but producers Eric Goossens and Anton Roebben are also the ones who saved the feature film Jack and the Clockwork Heart from an uncertain fate, a gripping 3D musical film released in 2014. The studio is also responsible for the animated films Richard the Stork and Ricky’s Journey, as well as Fox and Rabbit Save the Forest, two productions aimed at young audiences that have met with wide acclaim.
In a more independent vein, Walking the Dog has produced films such as Another Day of Life, a documentary using rotoscoping and 3D animation that won Best Animated Film at the European Film Awards, and Sylvain Chomet’s latest film Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol.
On the subject of recruitment, producer Eric Goossens was both enthusiastic and cautious: “We try to hire as many trainees, juniors and intermediate profiles as possible, as well as of course seniors and specialists. But in my opinion, if you want to apply to Walking the Dog, be as direct and precise as possible. We’re also human beings, our time is precious and we’re looking for people who are prepared to commit themselves fully to working with us.
How can you make your profile stand out from the crowd? Quite simply by going straight to the point, but also by taking part in this type of event. A face-to-face meeting is worth a thousand emailed CVs. Work on your pitch, find out about upcoming projects or the studio’s expectations, and go for it. If that’s not possible and you want to apply, contact Walking the Dog at hr[at]walkingthedog.be
nWave
The love affair between nWave and ESMA goes back a long way, as Christopher Grao, a former ESMA Montpellier student and now CG Supervisor for the studio, can testify. One of Belgium’s biggest animation studios, and an integral part of the Brussels Animation Valley, nWave stands out for its resolutely large-scale 3D approach, with films that titillate Pixar and Disney on their turf.
nWave made its name in 2009 with the film Fly Me to the Moon, followed by Sammy’s Journey, and has since succeeded in producing almost one feature film a year, thanks to an in-house production strategy and an ever-growing team of over a hundred artists.
Their most famous productions include Bigfoot Family, Hopper and the Hamster of Darkness (the sequel to which has just been released in cinemas, and has already sold over 750,000 tickets).
Still going strong, the nWave team is currently working on several feature films, not to mention numerous commissioned collaborations (with artists such as Stromae).
One of them is their “Jean-Paul Gaultier project”, announced at Annecy this year and scheduled for 2027, but they are also hard at work on a new feature film, Yugly, which they presented at Cartoon Movie this year.
The film is currently in production, and many other projects (commissions and original ideas) are underway at nWave. During our chat with Christopher Grao, we also had the chance to see (thanks to Vincent ‘Kmeron’ Philbert, Head of Productions and member of the ESMA Graduation Show 2025 jury) the first images of Yugly, a real treat.
Anyone interested in applying for a job with this Belgian animation giant (which now has offices in Liège and northern France) can find more information here.
The Pack
Much more than just an animation studio, The Pack defines itself as “a collective of talented artists, supported by a high-performance infrastructure and solid production”. What do they do? Not just special effects for film and television, but also series, commercials, post-production and stunning virtual reality experiences, some of which have been shown at international festivals.
It is interesting to note that they are also exploring video games, with a highly transmedia approach, combined with a tri-regional structure that enables them to obtain funding from all over Belgium, in a rather fragmented landscape.
The Pack recently collaborated on the award-winning independent animated feature Journey to Yourland, as well as creating the Venice-selected VR film The Sad Story of the Little Mouse who wanted to become someone, and is currently working on new projects such as The Bottanix, a German-Canadian co-production.
Want to find out more? Visit their website here.
Waooh!
Active for over ten years in a wide range of animation fields, Liège-based studio Waooh is one of the hidden gems of Belgian animation. The studio is equally at home in 2D shorts, series and 3D animated features, and has also mastered the art of set design and compositing, producing results that are often breathtaking.
Their recent productions include Planets, Momoko Seto’s feature film selected at Cannes, as well as a collaboration on the series Goat Girl, the series Ki et Hi and the feature film Allah n’est pas obligé, and the series Big Lizard, in a 3D rendering close to modelling clay.
Thanks to their wide range of techniques, Waooh collaborates on numerous projects and has developed a rich palette of talent. At Cartoon Business, Waooh took the time to present its agile, prudent and rigorous method, which has enabled the company to stay on course while continuing to grow.
If you’d like to find out more about their productions, and submit an unsolicited application, click here.
There are, of course, many other studios based in Belgium (or with offices there). Submarine, a Dutch studio recently acquired by Mediawan, for example, has a branch in Antwerp. But it would be difficult to name them all, as the landscape is so rich.
If you’re tempted by the Belgian adventure, don’t hesitate to find out about recruitment opportunities at these studios. And keep in mind the advice of these wise producers: get informed, polish your pitch, learn to sell yourself, and be direct. That’s the best way to highlight the skills you’ve learned during your training.