Teacher says animation is notthe way to go

Bill Plympton.
He has a website right here on www.awn.com.

And this is old but one of my favorite animation stories is about Norm Ferguson who was a camera man for Disney way back when. One night he was shooting and realized that there were some missing drawings. He then drew them himself and, when Walt found out, was offered a job as an animator. His went on to do some of Disney's most memorable characters, like the evil queen in Snow White.

recently in my grade 10 careers class we had to do an "end of the year interview" my teacher basically asked stupid question about life, the first thing she asked me was "what are your dreams", i wasnt expecting that, so i said " i want to be an animator, she said that the only way to make it as an animator is the university/college route, not that i disagree with her but i am just curious do you know anyone who has made a succesful living as an animator, but didnt go to school for it, if so could you share there story

....and your grade 10 teacher knows how much about animation and the animation industry????

I'm self-taught. When I was in grade 10 ( in 1977), there was only Calarts, Sheridan College and I think the Joe Kubert school was just starting up.
That was it.
I learned how to draw, on my own, from How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way, some walter Foster books on Animation, comics, cartoons and a few books on illustrators and such.
Nothing near like the resources that exist today.

I have said and will keep saying that a student does NOT NEED schooling in this craft if they are focused/dedicated enough and use all the tools that are pretty much freely ( or inexpensively) available.
If I (and many of my colleagues) could do it, then so can anyone else.

HOWEVER, schooling provides a student with an environment of consultation and evaluation that can develop their skills faster and finer than self-exploration can.
So either avenue can work.

One more example - I just spoke with a near-decade Pixar vet tonight who told us he was a college drop-out. So it's been proven at least once you don't need to -complete- school. =)

I'm with Ken, she's talking out of her arse. If you can do the job, that's what matters. If she asks for you to be in class a 8am, and you get there on time, does she ask you how you got there? Of course not. You aren't getting paid for having become great a specific way, you're getting paid because you're great.

Your teacher is an idiot.
1) SOunds like she was asking you a leading Q so she could pee on your dreams.
2)Studios don't care about degrees and diplomas. EVen animation instructors IIRC unless they're administrative top brass, don't need a degree, just industry expereince.
3)What everyone else said.

Like you said GABe, not that I would discourage formal training...but there are many who didn't complete or technically failed ( like skipped english) or took an alternative route.

Keep in mind though that the stories of the experts not going to school are often the exception. Most of Chuck Jones' crew and the early Disney animators where mostly unschooled because there were few (to none) schools that teach this craft and there weren't nearly the numbers of people clamouring for animation work like there are now. How many reels does Pixar get a day?

Most of the people I know in this industry went to school for it in one fashion or another (2 year schools, too). There's similar parallels to the indy film industry. For every Kevin Smith or Robert Rodriquez, there's literally thousands of broke indy film makers who didn't know quite as much as they thought they did.

And while it definitely is possible, for most it isn't probable. I don't know of many people who are dedicated enough to take up a course of self study that rivals the course work and guidance you'll get through a good school. You may be one of them that can do it, but it's very difficult. Ask yourself, are you a dedicated artist that would rather draw than watch television? Have you already exceeded the art instruction that's available at your school?

My personal recommendation: go to school. You'll get some over the shoulder instruction. You'll be forced to learn animation at a good pace. You'll meet some cool people. You get to work on YOUR projects (it gets a lot harder to find the time when you start working full time). Get a head start on networking (my break into the industry was through a school buddy). Plus, college is alot of fun. . . ALOT of fun. Basically, it may not be necessary, and it isn't a gaurantee, but it will definitely increase your odds of finding work.

Don't be in such a hurry to go off to the salt mines. You'll be here with us before you know it.

Whichever way you choose, asking questions here is a good start. Good luck! :D

I've got a guy sitting right next to me that never studied animation... And, all you need is to take a look at his stuff to see that he is already good, and is just going to get better and better with time and practice. He learnt everything from books, films and tutorials on the net.
So, what if he doesn't know most of the animation films that I talk about, never heard of Propp's theory and thinks that Starewicz and Fischinger are brands of washing detergent? I did the college/universty route and I'm working with him, and believe me I don't consider myself better that him. Unless you get into a degree course that really shows you how to animate and doesn't just fill your head with theories, you might as well practice at home.

Unless you get into a degree course that really shows you how to animate and doesn't just fill your head with theories, you might as well practice at home.

I think that's really key, finding a GOOD school. Otherwise, you're just tossing money away. Do your leg work. Ask around here if people have gone or are attending school there.

Gabe I personnally think you would benefit from at least two years of college, if only to discover who you really are.

College isn't like high school. You have the opportunity to share ideas and visions with like minded individuals. That's something that's sometimes hard to find when you are trying to pick it all up on your own.

And some basic life drawing and freehand drawing classes would really strengthen your skills.

Pat

Something my 11th grade AP History teacher told us on our last day of school that year.

"People are not excellent because they achieve great things, they achieve great things because they choose to be excellent."

I never forgot those words and I still live by them. While school certainly helps you along your way as it has done for me...any monkey or toddler with nothing more then a 3rd grade education who can out animate me can easily take my job.

As the other guys said...how much does she actually know about this industry? A degree in my case meant nothing in landing my current job...my demo reel did.

This post is not about discouraging post-secondary training. It's not saying that that the self-taught are not the exception to the rule.

But to work in animation, Your portfolio and demo reel, not your degree or diploma, is what will get you hired. That is a 100% fact.

Degrees can be a prequisite , may help you go into to teaching and open usually-hands-off-theoretical-administrative-type-positions doors from those who are impressed by such things ... like Gabes' teacher.

One piece of advice came from a former instructor of mine, the great Zlavtko Grgic. I may've been asking him what to include a portfolio but he said,"...and don't put your diploma in the portfolio." I laughed and he said ," Don't laugh, I've seen it done by students. They're interested in how you can draw..."
(Major paraphrasing but that was the gist.)

Definitely, I did get my start because of my time at school, but it had nothing to do with the degree. I learned the skills I needed there to put together a decent 1st reel and met someone who helped me out (networking).

I have had a job interview where they said that having a degree helped, in that it showed I could stick with something long enough to finish it. I've only heard that once, but having schooling on your resume helps keep it from looking very empty when you don't have anything else on it. And many places do look at resumes in addition to the reel/portfolio.

And I couldn't agree more, whatever you do, be sure to draw, as much as you can. Take as many life drawing courses as you can. Spend as much free time as you can learning to love to draw, even if you're thinking of 3D. I didn't in high school and still regret it.

And I couldn't agree more, whatever you do, be sure to draw, as much as you can. Take as many life drawing courses as you can.

And when it comes to bulking up your resume, remember to include any drawing classes you take. Any formal training you get along the way counts, shows you're serious, and helps round out an otherwise (initially) sparse resume.

I never went to school for art. Got into the industry when I was 21. I had plans to go to school, but instead I got paid to learn on the job. Who would turn that down?

I think the secret is to always be pushing yourself to do better. When you draw or animate, always ask yourself how you can do it better this time around. You'll see yourself grow by leaps and bounds.

School can also offer opportunities like awards and such that'd be additional stuffing.

There was a time that studios would teach you how to animate based simply on your portfolio (not necessarily animation), rather than any formal training. This was because, as Ken said, there were few schools. If you were a strong artist, then you could start out as a clean-up artist, then move your way up to inbetweening, to assistant animator, to animator and so on... Back then, andimation (2D) was being done in-house, and studios had to do it that way, as there were just not enough people with the formal training to form a full team.

Now though, studios want to see a strong animation ANIMATION demo reel. School gives you the means to be organized about obtaining the necessary skills to get this demo reel, and I believe that to be very important. You will learn how production works, and not be such a "greeny" coming into the business. This is not to say you cannot teach yourself with the plethora of resources now available to you, but your chances would be better about getting serious about the art, and learning it quickly by going to school for it.

I am in now way saying it to be impossible to get a job in animation with no formal training, but I honestly believe that if you do have this training, your chances are greatly increased.

I think the secret is to always be pushing yourself to do better. When you draw or animate, always ask yourself how you can do it better this time around. You'll see yourself grow by leaps and bounds.

That absolutely is true whether you go to school or not. School is by no means a replacement for hard work.