Project Overview

Secure, Open Source Learning Ecosystem

Project Overview

Secure, Open Source Learning Ecosystem

Led the design and rollout of a secure, open source learning ecosystem that scaled global upskilling and improved production efficiency across Mikros Animation.

Garrett Fry

Global Head of Learning and Development
Strategy & Org Development
Learning Platform Developer
LMS Administrator
Curriculum Design
Leadership & Talent Dev

Garrett's Full Profile

Clients

Mikros Animation

I built MPC Training entirely from the ground up. I established the department from scratch—defining its vision, structure, processes, and tools—to support MPC’s global VFX teams across London, Montreal, Toronto, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Adelaide.
Starting with no formalized training infrastructure, I assembled and led a 45-person team responsible for the end-to-end design, delivery, and evaluation of technical and creative training. Programs spanned onboarding, software skills, workflow-specific coaching, and leadership development.
Designed to align closely with production needs, the training function became a critical partner to creative and operational leadership, helping bridge workflow gaps, accelerate project-readiness, and improve delivery timelines. The initiative also embedded a culture of continuous learning and collaboration across all studios.

To meet the demands of a fast-paced, global animation pipeline, I led the development of a secure, scalable, open source learning ecosystem at Mikros Animation. This initiative aligned with strategic goals to enhance workforce readiness, reduce training costs, and build internal capability — all within the constraints of a high-security production environment. The system, built with Moodle, PeerTube, and BookStack, delivered structured training, video content, and collaborative documentation across multiple international sites — all fully integrated with studio infrastructure and identity systems. More than a tech deployment, this was a business enablement strategy: removing vendor dependencies, empowering local teams, and future-proofing learning operations through sustainable, flexible platforms.

Learning Challenge

Enabling learning in a high-security, globally distributed production environment

Operational Readiness at Scale

Mikros required a training solution that could rapidly onboard and upskill talent across multiple time zones — without relying on external vendors or licensing constraints.

Data Sovereignty & Compliance

All systems needed to run in air-gapped environments with no internet access, meeting rigorous security and compliance standards required for production.

Seamless Integration into the Business Ecosystem

The learning stack was designed to work within the studio’s broader infrastructure, offering centralized authentication, data protection, and role-specific access to learning and documentation.

Strategic Cost Control & Sustainability

By leveraging and customizing open source tools, the studio gained long-term control over its learning technology roadmap — eliminating recurring costs while retaining flexibility.

Learning Management System

Moodle

Tailored to deliver structured, role-based training paths aligned with production roles, the LMS enabled department leads to track learning progress, assess readiness, and align skill development with project needs — all within a secure, offline environment.

Video Streaming Platform

PeerTube

A private, studio-branded platform for searchable training content, PeerTube provided artists with on-demand access to technical demos, masterclasses, and workflow tutorials. Integrated with the LMS and documentation system, it helped scale tribal knowledge across teams.

Documentation Platform

BookStack

Acting as a living knowledge base, BookStack housed pipeline SOPs, technical guides, and process documentation. Standardized formatting and deep integration allowed seamless transitions between training and day-to-day reference needs.

Doc Pages Sorted	8,000+
Doc Spaces Restructured	26

Learning Technology

Delivering open source tools with the reliability, scalability, and security of a studio-grade solution.

To meet Mikros Animation’s technical and security standards, each platform in the open source learning stack was deployed with enterprise-level architecture in mind. From authentication and data protection to global access and disaster recovery, the system was designed for real-world production environments—fully secure, fully scalable, and fully under studio control.

LDAP Integration

Seamless single sign-on experience for all users, allowing login with existing studio credentials and centralized access control.

Secure Network Compliance

Installed entirely within Mikros’ isolated production network and passed internal security compliance checks for data protection and access control.

Global Network Reach

Optimized for multi-site access across international locations, enabling consistent learning experiences for distributed teams.

Backup & Recovery

Local, automated backup system with recovery procedures in place—ensuring training data is protected and easily restorable.

Learning Reporting

Transparent reporting—unlocking the full potential of the open source stack.

To ensure transparency and strategic alignment, I implemented executive-level reporting tools built into the open source stack that translated raw learning data into actionable insights for business stakeholders. These insights promoted accountability, informed decision-making, and helped keep distributed teams aligned on talent development goals.

Reporting Dashboards

Live dashboards pulled data directly from the open source platforms to track training metrics and progress, giving executives, business leaders, and stakeholders transparent insights into workforce development and program impact.

Reporting Intraweb Site

A centralized site designed for leadership, outlining active training initiatives, timelines, and capability priorities. It enabled alignment across departments, supported forecasting, and promoted shared accountability for talent development.