VFXWorld recently queried a wide range of education and training institutions around the world about their individual programs and approaches in preparing students for careers in the rapidly changing 3D animation and visual effects industries. Here is a survey of their informative responses to the following topics/questions:

Please describe your core philosophy of balancing education and training and what distinguishes your program.

Enter the Montgomery Lab at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Courtesy of Savannah College of Art and Design.

The Savannah College of Art and Design is possibly the only college offering BFA, MA and MFA degrees in Visual Effects. With more than 6,000 students we are the largest art school in America with the most extensive facilities. There are 1,900 students in Film and Digital Media alone. The school is committed to teaching general education, art foundation skills, and courses specific to visual effects. While other programs may emphasize technical skills only, our program emphasizes the value of a well-rounded education, artistic, technical and conceptual skills. Vfx is tightly integrated with the other departments: Animation, Broadcast Design & Motion Graphic and Interactive Design and Game Development.
Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah, Georgia

At Ex’pression College for Digital Arts, having a “hands-on” curriculum with special emphasis in a laboratory environment makes us a unique entity. Students are prepared for their careers using real-world scenarios in a deadline driven philosophy. In addition to basic general education courses, classroom time focuses on lecture driven presentations of course material.

This is reinforced in the lab where students are given the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge gained in the classroom. As one employer put it: “Ex’pression students come running out of the box.” Ex’pression’s education makes sure students have the right attitude and work ethics.
Ex’pression College for Digital Arts
Emeryville, California

Our core philosophy is commercial training. We are concentrating almost entirely on character and creature animation. Therefore, we are not looking at developing skills for our students for any other purpose than to work in the business as CG artists. Obviously beginning level students who do our course will be far from industry ready upon completion; however, we replicate commercial environment and application of the software from the outset.
Intense Animation Studio
Singapore, Singapore

Our core philosophies involve an emphasis upon the development of strong fundamental artistic and creative skills as they apply to animation. We balance our education by addressing other topics that are not necessarily within our animation oriented curriculum, but which we feel help to round out our students. Topics such as world history, discussions on current events, science, the environment as well as business and intellectual property issues and trends in the animation industry.

Our program is distinguished by our emphasis upon fundamental strength in one’s basic artistic skills, in developing traditional skills as they would apply to digital animation, in encouraging our students to find unique creative personal expressions, and in taking advantage of new and emerging technologies in media and marketing to promote themselves and realize successful creative careers outside the boundaries of the studio system.
The Animation Academy
Burbank, California