University of Texas at Austin
Texas Animation
Organization
A student animation studio at UT — built to make original short films from the ground up, together.
Now Accepting Applications · ~20 Seats Available
University of Texas at Austin
A student animation studio at UT — built to make original short films from the ground up, together.
Who We Are
“We’re building a space at UT where the best creative people on campus can find each other — and actually make something worth watching.”
TAO is a student-run animation studio at the University of Texas at Austin — the only organization of its kind on campus. We’re not a club that watches films and talks about them. We make them.
We operate on an application model, keeping the team small, intentional, and high-quality. Every seat is filled by someone genuinely committed to the craft and to the people around them. We simulate a real-world production pipeline, with defined studio roles and professional standards from day one.
We’re starting with a 2–3 minute short film to find our creative voice and build something we’re proud of. From there, each project gets more ambitious than the last.
TAO was founded in December 2025 by Benjamin Spalding — a McCombs business student who grew up using movies as an escape — and lead animator Ayden Ross-Nguyen. The belief that started it: the talent to make great animation already exists at UT. It just needed a home.
The Roadmap
We’re building this in stages — starting small, staying intentional, and growing with every project we finish.
We’re recruiting ~20 UT students across six disciplines. Applications are reviewed by the founding team. We’re looking for craft, commitment, and collaborative spirit — not just a portfolio.
Now OpenWe produce a 2–3 minute animated short to establish our creative voice, test our pipeline, and prove what this team can do together. Every role contributes, every frame counts.
Up NextWe don’t stop at one. Each short film is a chance to grow — more ambitious stories, stronger craft, deeper collaboration. We keep going until we’ve made something truly worth watching.
The GoalThe Founders
TAO was built by two UT students who believed that making real animation on a college campus was possible. They were right.
Benjamin is a Business student at McCombs with supplementary coursework in Film Studies. He founded TAO in December 2025, designed its production structure, and serves as its creative director — shaping the artistic vision and direction of every project the studio produces. Beyond TAO, he serves as VP of the Texas Energy Banking Association and acts as a talent agent at Longhorn Artists Connect, a student-run multimedia agency at UT.
The creative engine of TAO. Ayden leads all animation production, sets the visual and technical standards for the studio, and guides collaborators across every discipline. Where Benjamin builds the structure, Ayden builds the worlds inside it.
Applications
TAO runs on an application process. We’re not trying to be exclusive — we’re trying to be intentional. Every role has limited spots and every applicant is reviewed personally by the founding team. Show us what you can do.
Draw a prince or princess character interacting with an original creature of your own creation — think Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny. Show us your character sensibility.
Create a detailed medieval environment background. We’re looking for strong sense of space, atmosphere, and world-building.
Draw an original four-panel storyboard sequence. Tell a visual story — camera, staging, and pacing all count.
Submit a short edited reel showcasing your work. Show us how you bring separate elements together into a finished sequence.
Create one polished concept illustration of an original medieval character or setting that establishes the tone of the story. We want vision, not just technical skill.
Write a short scene or dialogue exchange set in a medieval world. Show us your voice — character, tone, and story instinct matter more than format.
Submit your name, contact info, and the role(s) you’re going for. Each role has a specific submission prompt — follow the one that matches your position. Strong candidates will be invited to interview with the founding team. You can apply for multiple roles; just submit one piece per prompt.