SIAT Co-op in Action: Visiting Arcana Studio

I recently visited Arcana Studio, a Canadian animation company with substantial production depth and an experienced in-house team executing across feature films and series work. With over 50 hours of original content produced and international co-productions spanning multiple continents, Arcana operates with both creative ambition and production rigor. Founded by Sean Patrick O’Reilly, the studio continues to expand storytelling across multiple entertainment mediums with discipline behind the vision.

During the visit, I had the opportunity to see our SIAT co-op student, Rachel, working within that environment under the supervision of Adam at Arcana.

In conversation, Rachel noted that IAT 343 significantly prepared her for this experience. Understanding visual storytelling frameworks and production flow has helped her move through the studio pipeline with confidence. She understands how creative decisions connect to process.

Credit to Arcana — and to Adam — for integrating a co-op student in a way that is substantive, not peripheral. Meaningful mentorship and real responsibility make the difference between observation and growth.

This is what strong SIAT co-op looks like: capable students, engaged industry partners, and work that matters.