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Hello. I'm new here and I am looking for info about Emily Carr Institute's animation program. What kind of reputation does it have? I'm having trouble finding such info.
I ask because I'm researching schools to apply to in Canada to study animation. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

New user, Q about specific school

Hey one and all, David C here, 23, looking at animation schools to apply to. For personal reasons I wanted to go to Montreal, And I found the Inter-Dec college there, which has an in-English program. The website seemed sort of vague and I can't even tell if a portfolio has to be submitted (you'd think so, wouldn't you?) If anyone knows anything about this college it'd be a big help, and if you don't, if some glorious industry pro could check out the info at this link I would be eternally grateful.:D

but these are FILM Festivals (where folks make shorts).

As they do every year, last year's SIGGRAPH had hours of short films being screened, including Shane Acker's "9", which was the student academy award winner, best of show at SIGGRAPH, nominated for an Oscar, and is being developed into a feature by Tim Burton. Oh, and it was an official selection at Sundance and Annecy too...

I've said it before and I'll say it again - comparing SIGGRAPH and Annecy is apples and oranges. One is a conference, the other a film festival. Of course the atmosphere is going to be different. However, anyone who doesn't manage to see short films at SIGGRAPH isn't trying too hard.

Yep, DrSpecter--sounds like you got shafted and that pisses me off some.

You just cited the chronic problems at VFS.
Grading assignments was something that was handed to TA's simply because class sizes were too big and the class instructors couldn't mark all the stuff themselves. 4 to 8 weeks was the norm back when I was teaching there and I'm sorry it still is.
The quality of some of the instruction you describe disappoints me, and I left the teaching gig behind because I was falling prey to the very same kinds of things you are describing. Not enough instruction, not enough hands-on not enough, not enough, not enough........ Its better off NOT having a teacher in the system that cannot deliver full-on attention to teaching the craft.
Certainly that could apply to the current situation with you.

I do remember a time when I would haunt the classrooms at the school, after hours, sometimes sitting down with students for impromptu lessons on things like inbetweening or portfolio reviews etc.....and doing so just because I was passionate about the whole venture. Some other instructors did much the same, but I'm not so sure they do it anymore. The school environment seems like its "teach the class and then get the heck out the door".
Sigh.

My advise would be that if you have a problem with an instructor, go to the HEAD instructor and make clear what your problem is. If you get the brush-off ( heaven forbid), then talk to that lawyer.

Some of my working colleagues from VFS read this site and forums and my name is out here for them and all to see. I'll go on record saying I'm not terribly impressed. Not a slight against them, but rather a sentiment that things were once a lot better. I wish they can turn things around for folks like you, but I get the sense talking with some of them that they are stymied and disillusioned by managment.
I really hope things change there.

"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)

Another CAS marriage?? what is it about that club..... and why didn't i catch it?? :rolleyes:

I heard about the name change... I check out their website from time to time. It's not exactly the same as it was, but the heart and soul is there, so its still CAS...

I can imagine the meeting where they changed the name... probably resembled a marketing meeting. "We gotta get rid of the word 'Classical'. 'Classical' sounds old, boring... we need to jazz it up people! How about.... 'Captivating'? no... 'Condescending'? oh wait... i got it.....

If Gary Goldman is down there, he should be reminding them what "Classical Animation" is, and the animation director that came up with that name.....

Follow @chaostoon on Twitter!

You want a word or two from a industry pro?

Here it is:

My gut instinct to avoid the place.

Two reasons: there's NO alumni or staff info on the site, and THAT raises a red-flag in my mind. If they have staff with industry experience, you'd think they'd tout them quite visibly. They are not, so either they have none, or they have staff with so little experience is not worth mentioning.

You go to a school to study under teachers that know their stuff, and the body of work the alumni produces in school demonstrates how effective the instruction is.
The gallery of work they have is the same bland stuff every other mediocre school displays--nothing really stellar here.
Alumni info is useful because if you can contact them directly, then you can ask if the experience they had was positive, and if the training they recieved actually landed them work. This school has been around.....6 years or so..........and what have they got to show for it?

My candid opinion is that you would be better off looking somewhere else--some place like Sheridan college would serve you better.

"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)

Oh, to add to the original list of art / animation schools...

There is Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, CA.

I hear mixed things about their "Digital" / 3D Program.
Hear their fashion program is top notch though.

The only hiring limits you'd find from being in Ringling's program is if you either (a) didn't do work that stands out, or (b) decide to remain in Florida after you graduate. Ringling has an outstanding reputation in the industry, and all the major studios (of both the movie and game varieties) recruit there regularly.

No degree from any school is going to confer employment on you upon completion - it's all about your reel. That said, either CalArts or Ringling will provide you the opportunity of an outstanding education.

It's easier to paint on the computer if you've painted with a brush. It's easier to get a real sense of animation timing and a feeling for movement if you've had good life drawing training and classical animation training. I spoke to an animation director today- he complained that most schools are now producing technicians, not artists. Obviously in this day and age, you need to be comfortable with computer programs,and understand how to use them effectively...but there's, oh, so much more to creating work of real beauty and lasting value.

To piggyback off of what DSB said, I talked to someone at Pixar about Animation programs in general. The first two he mentioned in regard to where Pixar's been hiring from as of late were were Ringling and CalArts. While CalArts has always been known for having a strong Disney/Pixar connection, he said that the amount they've been getting from Ringling lately has been increasing. If the studios mentioned are where you want to go, it sounds like either school is a good bet.

Ucla

I've read through most of this thread and I would like an opinion on UCLA's masters program. Apparently Animator's career review ranked it #2 in the country. It seems to have most things that I need (Very close, offers MFA, open to ppl with ungrads in anything, emphasis on drawing, not super expensive) I would just like some opinions.

Thank you!

Hmm why can't we seem to get any hard numbers from SCAD?? :)

I think it's interesting that a school wouldn't maintain lists of their successful students and have that information readily available for a prospective student's information.

I am about to graduate from Ringling so my opinion may be a bit biased, however, if I were looking to start school one of my first questions would be "How have your graduates done in the industry?"

Equally interesting is that a quick perusal of the SCAD website had at least a little bit of this information readily available.

http://www.scad.edu/alumni/where/years/2005.cfm

Visen Brnicevic (B.F.A., computer art, 2005) - character artist for LucasArts.

Wai Ho Chu (M.A., computer art, 2005) - effect artist with DreamWorks Animation.

Allen Rose (B.F.A., visual effects, 2005) - digital effects artist for Digital Domain.

Alexander Manresa (B.F.A., animation, 2005) - animator with Activision.

Laura Ceredona (B.F.A., animation, 2005) - is a Flash animator and background painter for Animation Collective.

Jason Cummings (B.F.A., animation, 2005) - graphic designer with Ignition Studios.

Kevin Duc (B.F.A., animation, 2005) - concept artist for Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment.

Marji Fortin (B.F.A., animation, 2005) - Flash animator with Radical Axis.

David Jones (B.F.A., animation, 2005) - animator and concept artist for Virtual Heroes.

Adam Lawthers (B.F.A., computer art, 2005) - animator with Left Field Productions.

Aaron McGriff (B.F.A., animation, 2005) - character animator with Crog Studios.

Kyle Mohr (B.F.A., animation, 2005) - animator with Charlex.

Kristen Swanson (B.F.A., visual effects, 2005) - production assistant and compositing intern with Zoic Studios.

There are 14 animation related individual's listed on this list so if we only knew how many graduated from the various animation related degree programs we could come up with a percentage of individuals that were successful in their bid to become artists working in the vairous fields related to animation.

I'd like to congratulate each of the people above on their accomplishments and wish them the best of luck in the future.

However, I wonder why the people on this forum are reluctant to do a little bit of research and provide this community with what seems to me to be the most relevant bit of information about their school??????

Personally, I think that coming to Ringling has prepared me better for a career in the Animation industry then I could ever had hoped for! I recently accepted a position as a Pipeline TD at Sony Pictures Imageworks which I will be starting after a much needed summer vacation after I graduate in May. I'm positive that if I had not attended Ringling and had the opportunity to learn from the amazing array of talented faculty members and students at this school that would never have been possible.

SO for what it's worth I heartily recommend Ringling, it's more work then you imagine and more rewarding than I can express!

G'luck in your search for a school. :)

Yah, I'm not so sure about segregation. The theory is independent of medium, but pointing to a color on a screen to get it is way different than knowing how to mix it in oil.

It is the same pursuit but the skills are -naturally-separate. It makes sense to me that being at every point of control, every step along the way in a traditional-media creative act would be more informative to your sensibility than thinking it into being.

Plus it forces you to plan more when you can't go back and tweak the crap out of stuff. It's nice to know definitely what you want, and set off for that.

There's still room to move around but the temptation for a lot of people -- most people -- with computer stuff is to leave too much as open questions and not answer them, and not HAVE an answer for them, when the time comes.

UCF digital media vs art-animation track

I was wondering if anyone here has attended either the UCF digital media program or the UCF art-animation track program. I was wondering which one a prospective feature film animator would want to pursue and why?

Thankyou

Cliff Charpentier

Hey, I have a quick question. Would it be a wise choice to go to a school like lets say Ringling College or AAU and take out the entire cost for all four years on loans? It scares to think about owing lets say 80K+ in loans.

Ringling and SCAD?

My opinion:

Ringling places more people at higher levels in the industry than SCAD.

Ringling is smaller- SCAD has a great facility and more students (over 700 just in animation)...

Ringling has some great teachers in the higher levels- WITH industry experience.

Ringling emphasizes drawing more.

And...Goeblins is the best!

Holy cheese...all at once? Bless your bravery, especially if you're loaning against your house or something.

Not that it'd help by the sounds of it, but has "Peter" been confronted directly? If their motivation is profit I don't think they'd risk disciplinary action that might make you jump ship (with your money to boot) and certainly you don't have to do or say anything to go that far to provoke it. If he knows the pressure is there, that a wheel is squeaking, maybe he'll ease a little more of the stick out of his arse, play favorites with you (It's not gorgeous behavior but it'd serve your desires)....something. Certainly I'd hit him up and scare him a little before going over his head and undermining him, which might ratchet up the pain assuming supervisors or the legalese doesn't pan out very well.

VFS is a one year program, and they already have my money. Peter doesn't really teach the class any more, and I've already talked to the department head. Suddenly, most of the faculty seems to be walking on eggs around me and telling me my final film is looking great. In some ways it's a pleasant change, in others, it's just kind of weird. I don't know how much I trust any of it. We'll see what happens...

Thanks--my feeling was much the same, but I hadn't considered the faculty aspect of it. I was checking out Sheridan's website earlier, and I'm having trouble locating faculty info and student galleries on that one as well. It's probably too late to apply there for September anyway, plus... there are so many things to consider, like the cost of tuition for four years of school vs. starting sallaries for animators. You did help me rule out Interdec, though. Thanks a lot! More pondering ahead for me though.

hey guys just a curious question do any school offer scholarships to their students (in terms of 3d animation )

as for me i m a self tought 3d animator still learning hehe :)

cheers
Mandeep

Studying animation.

I think (maybe because you think you don't have time?) the mistake you made is trying to get it down in one year. You are not too old! You need a solid education so that you will have a career. How developed are your drawing skills? Have you studied life drawing ? Does your program teach you other aspects of animation (cartooning, boarding, layout etc.)? There is a real need for people with solid, old fashioned fine art skills, plus classical animation, plus 2D and/or 3D computer animation. I hope you don't give up!

The difference between Sheridan and this... Interdec... is that Sheridan has a well-established reputation for outstanding animation training, going back many, many years.

Interdec, OTOH, sounds like a computer from the 70's... :D

Congratulations on getting the job, Kvale, and thanks for showing the list. I myself was curious where my former classmates went.

As a very rough estimate, I think that there were a least a couple hundred students in the computer arts department that graduated in 2005 (but I could be wrong). That would of course make the job rate percentage pretty low. However, I should point out that the list is incomplete and that there are many other people who have gotten jobs prior to graduation or in the months following. I supposed many of us tend to scatter upon graduation and that with a thousand students graduating its hard to keep track of everyone.

But regardless, this statistic does not reflect the quality of those students that have gotten jobs nor does it nessecarily reflect that of the college's ability to train artists. Like the students of Ringling and of other art colleges, the successful people are the ones that put the time and effort into their work. SCAD casts a wide net in accepting students, and there are good and bad things that result from it, but it doesn't affect any motivated student that takes advantage of the college's resources.

I do think the ratio of finding jobs is important and is something to consider, but it can also be a bit misleading.

I had two fine life drawing teachers at VFS. As I said, outside of the actual animation classes, things were pretty solid. One year is a pretty unrealistic time frame to learn classic animation. My concern was and is not my age, but the amount of time I can afford to remain unemployed and pay ridiculous tuition.

If I don't get a full time job at a studio, I'm going to try freelancing. I'm going to make my living serving animation's highest calling-- making things flash on and off on the internet!

My sense of structure is getting more solid, and I'm usually able to get a readable image eventually. If there were such a thing as a job in trad animation, I don't think I'd be able to make quota.

Actually, I think storyboarding is my calling. I would also like to do animatics, and be able to bounce back and forth between animation and live action. I have no intention of giving up on anything, but thanks for your words of support.

Larry moving on

Ah, I get it. Time.......Can you share any of the back burner projects with us? If we promise not to mention them to anyone else, (besides the 1100 folks reading the posts?)

I have so many things I want to do and so many projects on the back burner- it's time to move on...

I love the students and appreciate the college.

It's just time....

I have the same reasoning for leaving teaching too.

Its now time to contribute to the other side of my creative career again.

"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)

Yello All,

This thread has been immensely helpful to me in my search for animation schools, and at the moment I'm pretty dedicated to applying to SCAD and Ringling (though I've asked for information to be mailed from a few others).

Anywho, I have a few questions...

First, to anyone knowledgeable about SCAD:
- What are the differences between the animation major and the visual effects major? If I were interested in both, how feasible is it to take visual effects classes on the side to animation? How many of the classes overlap?
- What are the differences between the M.A., M.F.A., and B.F.A. in animation at SCAD? I'll be graduating with a Studio Art major this spring and am looking at possibly attending SCAD in the fall. Which program would likely benefit me more, as I have no real animating experience yet, other than fiddling with Maya and Bryce? I'm banking that it'll probably be the B.F.A., but would like to know what people who have been through the program(s) think.

Second, and this in just a general question:
-Would anyone be willing to show me their portfolio, preferably one that was accepted by Ringling or SCAD? I've never put a portfolio together before, and am not sure what sort of images animation schools would prefer to see, and how a good portfolio is organized, etc. I know the schools' websites have guidelines for portfolios, but seeing some would help immensely.

Thanks guys!

"One of the major difficulties Trillian experienced in her relationship with Zaphod was learning to distinguish between him pretending to be stupid just to get people off their guard, pretending to be stupid because he couldn't be bothered to think and wanted someone else to do it for him, pretending to be outrageously stupid to hide the fact that he actually didn't understand what was going on, and really being genuinely stupid." ~Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Introducing NYU Tisch Asia (Animation and Digital Arts Program)

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It may not fit into your game plan, but check out Max the Mutt. We are affordable and really do have a top quality program. If you find you just need a few courses to get you where you want to go, and you have the skills you need
to take those courses, we can help. We've done it for a number of mature people who either needed professional development, or wanted to add animation to already developed illustration skills.(www.maxthemutt.com)

I'm sorry your experience wasn't what you expected, but you obviously have the brains, and the stamina to get where you want to go. Lots of luck.

However, I wonder why the people on this forum are reluctant to do a little bit of research and provide this community with what seems to me to be the most relevant bit of information about their school??????

I'm sorry! It's been the Easter holiday, and I've been visiting family... haven't had the time to do the research, so thanks for taking the second to do it!

It is interesting that SCAD doesn't track it more closely, but I do think that it is misleading. Many of the more successful folks at the big studios didn't *poof* and arrive there.... but that has a lot to do with the industry and the rollercoaster-like cycle of hiring. I remember when SquareSoft came to SCAD and snatched a bunch of student out of thin air, no warning at all.

But... I CAN provide relevant information, thanks.

www.thecampuschronicle.com/features/040618c.cfm

www.emmys.tv/media/releases/2006/CTA_Winners.php

Follow @chaostoon on Twitter!

Cartoonchaos- You need to re-read my post. I said "if they are looking at
two candidates whose demo reels are equally strong". Meaning that they
are equally good animators. I did not say a good traditional animator and a
crappy 3D animator. The "50% stuff" has been told to me by multiple studios
on many occasions for many years (hint- I am not a Freshman).
If you think that Ringling is all about software and machines, you need to take
a look at the work. For that matter, a SCAD grad on this thread even said
that it was SCAD who was more about the technical side of things. Ringling's
emphasis is on animation skills and storytelling.

Dear Freshman Jim,

Sorry I've been away. Its been the Easter holiday and I've been visiting family. I'm back now and here is my rebuttal:

You need to re-read MY posts and stop talking like an executive. As an animator, you need to have STRONG... TRADITIONAL... ANIMATION... SKILLS... to be successful. I didn't say anything about 2D vs. 3D.

OF COURSE you need 3D skills, you'd be stupid if you weren't familiar with the current popular program. HOWEVER, the current popular programs are THE... FLAVOR... OF... THE... MONTH...

Maya WILL be obsolete someday. Flash is about to become obsolete, thanks to Toonboom and those amazing Cintiqs.

YOU SAID THAT A 3D PERSON WOULD BE HIRED FIRST over a traditional animator. That makes no sense. Try rephrasing that... Maybe, a skilled 3D animator would be hired first before an average 2D animator... Of course, try saying that to John Canemaker and he'd smack you with that Oscar he just won, beating some Pixar guys.

But I apologize... you don't sound like a freshman... you sound like an EXECUTIVE. We all know how THEY are (Hey, do you work at Adult Swim?) -haha! joke! much love AS! If you want to make crazy statements like that, at least ask a recruiter how to say it first.

As far as SCAD, look at my previous post. Judging a school based on how many grads get hired right out of school is misleading and unfair. If that is how you chose Ringling and need personal affirmation that you made the right choice... go see a therapist. The animation industry is twistier and turnier than the wildest rollercoaster. Its back up recently, yes, thank God, but hiring temperatures vary. To accurately compare what you're saying, we'd need a complex chart that compared how the industry hired over time and networking and blah blah.

The fact is... studios hire right out of Ringling, yes. They hire out of SCAD. They hire out of CalArts. They hire out of VanArts. They hire out of Animation Mentor (which is amazing! can't wait!) Don't discredit the hard work those Ringling students put into their demo reels by saying it was the school they chose. If they went to SCAD or Sheridan or Art Center or wherever, they'd probably be just as successful.

Oh and by the way, I was one of the SCAD grads that talked about their technical side.

Signed,

cartoonchaos

Follow @chaostoon on Twitter!

Usc

Hi everyone,

I've just been accepted into University of Souther California's MFA Animation Program (yay!) and am still waiting to here from two other schools. Just wondering if anyone who's attended USC could share their experiences of the program with me. What are the faculty and classes like? If anyone studied traditional animation, how was your experience with that? Or just share anything about the program.

Thanks and hope to see some responses! :)

Seems like what Jim is trying to say is... if you can't judge a school by it's placement of students in the job market.. then what can you judge a school by if not the ultimate success of the students that it trains for real world job applications.

Oh another clairification, and Jim stated that two applications who are equally good at animating, but the one knows 3D will be chosen over the one who only knows 2D.

(:

SCAD allows students without portfolios or meeting prior set of art requisites into their program, whether that is at the is good or bad is not for me to judge or decide. Obviously it worked into some people's favors, like Matt had stated. So for those fortunate ones, that's effing awesome. (: And I have nothing to say but congrats.

I'm confused though.. the original kid who posted.. he got into both Ringling and SCAD and is trying to make a decision? . . . or no? Is this just a hypothetical question? Because if you had to choose for Ringling's CA program... didn't the accpetance deadline pass? O_O

If all that mattered was purely what you went into it, not what school, then don't go to school at all. Shoot, why pay the thousands of dollars that it costs to go to SCAD or Ringling? Just get the program, learn it yourself, get tutorials, join an artist commune, make friends... I'm ranting.. I guess.. what I'm trying to say.. is.... uh... meow? Yes the animation industry is a crazy rollarcoaster ride when it comes to consitancy of the job market.... I know for myself.. if I was not fortunate enough to get into the CA program at Ringling... I would not be where I am... I would have learned what I have learned.. and not had the same opportunities I have had... Where the teachers like Jim and Ed (and Heather and Deborah and Karen) did not care as much as they cared, worked as hard (even harder) than the students worked, offered guidance and mentorship, I would not be where I am today. Which is why I can say I would go through the program all over again... (:

And in the end, isn't that what matters?

<3

Share the love.
Love the knowledge.

Long live the revolucion!

:D

kee

Bezalel Academy of Art and Design - Jerusalem

An excellent Animation and Visual Communication Programs. Comprehensive and rigorous - 3D (Maya based), 2D and stop motion. I did my undrgrad there and am now getting my master's from SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design).

http://www.bezalel.ac.il

My stuff:
http://www.aniboom.com/Player.aspx?v=1455 (animations)

http://www.royiddan.carbonmade.com (non-animated work)

Hi everyone,

I've just been accepted into University of Souther California's MFA Animation Program (yay!) and am still waiting to here from two other schools. Just wondering if anyone who's attended USC could share their experiences of the program with me. What are the faculty and classes like? If anyone studied traditional animation, how was your experience with that? Or just share anything about the program.

Thanks and hope to see some responses! :)

Why would you apply to a school where you've not answered those questions BEFORE applying ??? Read some of the anecdotes above in this thread for the dangers in that kind of blind application.

"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)

i can second Animated Ape's recommendation for AAU...

Of course, i have a natural bias cause i go to AAU :D . Animation majors are actually required to take some Motion Picture Television classes for there BFA, and vice versa.

oh hi.. i'm new to the forum btw. It's all about the networking.. haha

Without Angst... There is No Art

First of all, take a deep breath and relax. There is no expiration date on learning animation ("You're 21? Forget it...":D).

Take some art classes wherever you can, or wherever you're going. Life drawing, basic drawing - whatever will help you hone your skills. Put together a portfolio and start submitting it to the schools you're interested in. Use this time to look into different aspects of the animation process and think about where you might fit into the process (story, character design, animation, TD...). Research those jobs to find out what skills are desired to land the position, and start exploring those areas.

Again, relax. You're plenty young enough to get started now with no detrimental effect to your (long-term) career.

Following up on this, I emailed CalArts on how the transfer thing works. My fastweb.com account gave information about school, and under CalArts transfer it said "continuous". Turns out, the deadline is done and Fall 06 is closed. Which is fine, I expected that. But I mentioned looking to get into the character animation program and was told

"Students are accepted into the Character Animation program only at the BFA1 (freshman) level because of the highly sequential nature of the studies. Applicants with previous college experience may be eligible for a year-level review during their third year in the program."

So does this mean I can't get into that program ever, essentially canceling out CalArts as a choice? This last sentence confused me, "Applicants with previous college experience may be eligible for a year-level review during their third year in the program". 3rd year in what program? This is what I meant by shooting myself in the foot, with where I went my first year. Is there anyway to swallow my previous college year's losses and be accepted into the character animation program?

Also, are Ringling and SCAD the same way? I really need answers here. Not sure where else to go with it. Obviously learning animation has no expiration date, but I'm not so sure about this top notch education.

Seems like what Jim is trying to say is... if you can't judge a school by it's placement of students in the job market.. then what can you judge a school by if not the ultimate success of the students that it trains for real world job applications.

Oh another clairification, and Jim stated that two applications who are equally good at animating, but the one knows 3D will be chosen over the one who only knows 2D.

Well, he CAME ACROSS as saying 2D isn't worth knowing. That's as silly as saying stop motion isn't worth knowing. I think you can judge a school based on it's curriculum and professors and the successful alumni, and that's it.

SCAD allows students without portfolios or meeting prior set of art requisites into their program, whether that is at the is good or bad is not for me to judge or decide. Obviously it worked into some people's favors, like Matt had stated. So for those fortunate ones, that's effing awesome. (: And I have nothing to say but congrats.

I'm confused though.. the original kid who posted.. he got into both Ringling and SCAD and is trying to make a decision? . . . or no? Is this just a hypothetical question? Because if you had to choose for Ringling's CA program... didn't the accpetance deadline pass? O_O

If all that mattered was purely what you went into it, not what school, then don't go to school at all. Shoot, why pay the thousands of dollars that it costs to go to SCAD or Ringling? Just get the program, learn it yourself, get tutorials, join an artist commune, make friends... I'm ranting.. I guess.. what I'm trying to say.. is.... uh... meow? Yes the animation industry is a crazy rollarcoaster ride when it comes to consitancy of the job market.... I know for myself.. if I was not fortunate enough to get into the CA program at Ringling... I would not be where I am... I would have learned what I have learned.. and not had the same opportunities I have had... Where the teachers like Jim and Ed (and Heather and Deborah and Karen) did not care as much as they cared, worked as hard (even harder) than the students worked, offered guidance and mentorship, I would not be where I am today. Which is why I can say I would go through the program all over again... (:

And in the end, isn't that what matters?

You're right. Schools are for those individuals who need a task master to guide them. Those teachers have to know what they are talking about though... that's the thing. :D

Follow @chaostoon on Twitter!

J2, I think, but not completely sure, that they mean you have to start from the begining of their animation program. Like each semester builds upon what was learned in the previous one, so they don't want you starting in second semester with out learning what was taught in the first semester. Once again, I'm not sure about this, but thats what it sounds like to me.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

Eh Im just tryin to stay the hell away from television classes.
I hate television.

But yeah, Ill go check out the art academy....

My parents are just kinda worried about me going to the west coast for school (or anywhere too far away from home) considering that I live on the East Coast

Some great college:

Sheridan college
Online: Animation Mentor
West Coast: CalArts
East Coast: SVA

______________________

Video scribe

film and animation

Hi Cgurl09,

On the East Coast you might want to look at Tisch ( NYU school for the arts )
It's expensive and competitive but has a great reputation in film and is on the Pixar list of animation schools. Here is a link with a little info...

http://www.awn.com/mag/issue3.11/3.11pages/canemakernyu.php3

You might also want to look at RIT school of film and animation. I personally didn't have a good impression on the visit but the programs are very merged.

Other schools in the East are, Parsons School of Design (NY)
Pratt Institute (NY)
Ringling (FL)
Scad (GA)
School of Visual Arts (NY)
Sheridan College ( Toronto )

Best of luck! ..........Natosh

Here's one more thought for anyone and everyone reading this thread:

Think really long and hard about your level of artistic ability before you enroll in these schools.
That must be forefront because of two things:
-Quite a lot of people clearly get caught up in the whole idea of animation as a career, and...
...if your abilities are lacking, you could go into massive debt for no reason.

Let's make something very clear here--a true cautionary statement:

[U]No school, anywhere, can teach you how to draw professionally from nothing, and expecting this is beyond foolish.
They can hone existing near-professional talent into professional ability.
Taking people with little or no ability and turning them into prolific professional artists is unheard of. It does not happen.[/U]

Unless you are very practised at marshalling your drive and focus to accomplish difficult tasks--the odds are greatly against someone with weak ability learning how to draw professionally while attended animation school.
Shrugging this idea off means you will assume a huge debt--potentially as much as $100,000 because you are putting your talent into a position where its all a crapshoot.

Again, as said before, the more developed your abilities are, the better the schools will help you and the greater your chances of getting professional work upon graduation.
This is also a consideration if you are mulling over seeking a degree.
A degree is essentially useless, if you lack ability--and you CAN gain a degree with weak abilities. ( and before anyone says it........yea, you can get a teaching job with a degree. But who wants to be taught by an animation instructor with a degree, but with little or no industry experience?? Yea, I thought so....)
You need to decide if your level of ability is such that you either get animation training and then get work experience, or seek the degree ( or train, then work, THEN get the degree after you have some good job experiences under your belt).

"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)

Hi gang,

I'm just curious whether anyone knows if the terms of a payment-deferred (until graduation) student loan are breached in the event that the student fails or is required to repeat any of his or her academic courses, thereby increasingthe amount of time in total he or she would spend in the university before graduating (and presumably beginning to repay the loan.)

Of course more money would have to be borrowed, but could the student in question in fact continue to defer payment until after graduation? Is there any limit on this extension?

I have no plans of making a living doing animation but I find myself wonting to take drawing classes. With no intention of getting a degree in the arts, would it be wrong to take up space in a art class? My thinking is to do something this fall and I do not wont to do one of those community class things.

there are also art institutes in Chicago and Schaumburg, Illinois, didn't see them listed. Hey can anyone tell me anything about the animation academy in Burbank?

The short answer is no, it would not be wrong to "take up space" in any class you were interested in taking. If a drawing class is available to you and you're interested, take it.

Usually any place "taking up space" would be a problem, they will make sure you don't get in (or get less priority than students in a related major, or simply the full-time students) anyway; without those restrictions in place you're just a person with time and money taking them up on an offer for a service.

No harm in that.

Go for it Wontobe. You won't be taking up space. You are bettering your self and that's what it's all about. Have fun.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

That is a long way from "I'll second that. If you feel there's a place or need for traditional skills in your repertoire there's no replacement for them."

My point is that if you really want to be able to do this you can't avoid or skip the essence of it, and the essence of it is always the same whether your painting with berry juice on a cave wall or on an computer palette, little things like composition, understanding light, anatomy, line quality, ect. If the focus is simple learning the Medium (Computer), it becomes the carriage before the horse. And if we as students are asking what is my best possible education then obviously it’s to learn the fundamentals Aka traditional skills and then learn how to transfer them to any medium

What do you mean by "Than thinking it into being" isn't that done in any creative process

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