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It Takes Three to Tango

Through a series of pointed questions we take a look at the relationship between educators, industry representatives and students. School profiles are included.

When it comes to educating students for the job market there are three very distinct partners that play a role: students, educators and industry representatives. How these three very different groups communicate their expectations is crucial to successful careers, schools, businesses and projects.

We asked each group several pointed questions and found that the recent animation boom has certainly created a strong working relationship between all of these entities.

Educators How are you preparing your students for a career after graduation? What skills are you stressing?

Industry Representatives What do you think about the skills most graduation students have that you see? What areas do you see lacking most frequently?

What advice do you have for students trying to break into the business? What skills should they possess/focus on? What should they expect?

Students

What are your expectations about your career upon graduation?

Students should realize that different schools have different educational philosophies. Some institutions focus on placing their graduates in the entertainment industry, while others strive toward producing filmmaking auteurs. Choosing a school may be one of the most important decisions you will ever make. In order to make the most informed conclusion and avoid future disappointment, one must do careful investigation and research.

In order to help you locate and contact schools in which you are interested, AWN is publishing its first annual Animation School Directory. This free publication provides listings and contact information for hundreds of schools worldwide and will be available June 15, 1998.

Heather Kenyon is editor in chief of Animation World Magazine.