2K Games, Gearbox Software, and the Academy of Art University announce Borderlands Cooperative, an animated short film using the setting from Borderlands, Gearbox Software's role-playing shooter series. The movie is due by the end of this year, and word is the students creating it will be provided the opportunity to provide additional free labor to the studio to advance their educations:

“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,” said Chris Armstrong, Director of School of Animation & VFX at Academy of Art University. “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."

In addition to valuable experience and networking opportunities, students involved in Borderlands Cooperative have a chance to jump-start their careers with an internship at 2K. During the spring semester, teams of students will create original short stories that take place inside the Borderlands universe. Any student, regardless of their discipline, can form a team and submit an original storyboard for consideration. A panel of Academy of Art University, 2K and Gearbox judges will select one story to become part of the Borderlands mythos, and the team behind that story will have the opportunity to interview for the internship.

Animation students will work together throughout the summer and fall to produce an animated short film based on the story selected by the judges. The real-world scenario will challenge students to work together, to overcome obstacles, and to produce finished products on deadlines, just like professionals in their chosen fields.