Choosing An Animation School
When choosing an animation school, a student can feel a bit like "Bambi in the headlights." The fact of the matter is, everyone feels the mental congestion brought on by the plethora of colleges, universities and trade schools competing for the attention and dollars of potential candidates. So, take a deep breath, stand back and make an informed decision.
Before even beginning to peruse the long list of available schools you must decide for yourself: "At what level do I aspire to work when I graduate?" For example, if you desire to work at one of "The Bigs" -- Disney, DreamWorks, Warner Bros., Fox, etc. -- then the prescribed path will be somewhat different from that of someone who wants to build Web sites and do smaller Flash animation projects. Keep in mind that, now a days, the gap is growing smaller. Because of lower bandwidths, the Web is hungry for folks with classical animation skills.
This article is not directed toward those interested in studying the art form for its own sake. Rather it is focused on how to find good animation education for those aspiring to become working professionals in the global animation industry. When choosing a program, it is always best to aspire to the highest level possible, since it is easier to move from classical animation into personal or experimental, than vice versa. Your search can be distilled into three ingredients: the curriculum, the faculty and the facility. The Curriculum:
The curriculum is one of the most important aspects of one's education. And in animation education, the most important element is drawing! Look for at least one drawing class (preferably 6 hours) a week for every term in school. The saying in the industry is, "The better your drawing, the further you'll go." There is no substitute (not even computer software!) for drawing. The best animation programs have plenty of drawing: a combination of life drawing, layout animation and fundamental drawing studies. "The Bigs" want folks who can draw. If they have to choose between drawing, animation or computer skills, their choice would be...drawing!
Beware of the "bells and whistles!" The "bells and whistles" are the computers and software some schools try to substitute for drawing. Computers are sexy; they lure students into schools. But make sure to check the curriculum for the amount of drawing. Software programs come and go -- drawing is forever! Does it help to know the computer? Yes. Just be sure it is not a substitute for plenty of drawing. What else should one look for in an animation curriculum? Animation skills, storytelling, layout, character design, direction, design, editing, acting and visual communication. Animation skills should include not only a knowledge of fundamentals (weight, movements, timing, reversals, motivational forces and thinking time, etc.), but development in posing, breakdowns, in-betweening, clean-up and special effects (wind, rain, shadows, water, explosions, etc.) as well. These skills will prove very helpful when one first enters the job market. Visual communication is defined by topics such as design, composition, texture, color theory, etc. If inquiries into curriculum are answered by statements such as: "Oh, you can pick up the drawing with electives"...Beware! This often means the school does not place an emphasis on drawing. Also remember: studios like well-rounded people, so a healthy dose of academic classes will also be desirable.
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