I am a recent college graduate - went to UVA and graduated in May - and now I've found myself in an actionable position. I moved out of home to pursue a job that basically tanked, and now I'm considering what i really want to do. I've always loved to draw and I can see myself as an animator, but my undergrad degree was nothing Art related and I'm wondering if a reputable school would even sniff at me. What do I need to know here, what can I do?
If you've got a great portfolio, you'll end up in the mix with everyone else. What is your Bachelor's in? Is there any way to tie it into a career move like this (sometimes non art-related degrees can be "spun" to your advantage.)
While drawing is an important skill for any animator to have, you should know that earning a living as a 2D animator is very difficult these days. There are indications that 2D might be on the comeback trail, but it's too early to tell for sure (and then you'd have to compete with all the experienced 2D'ers who are out there).
Give it a shot - the worst they can do is say no :D
my degree was in English, and I have some experience with writing scripts and things, so I figured I could use that to my advantage for most of these programs, which have you take some writing courses in addition to the animation stuff. But basically as you can tell I'm starting from scratch - my portfolio would consist of drawings and sketches of mine and that's essentially it. I'm just wondering if there is possibly another route I should pursue before attempting to get into a Masters program that might not be so interested in me.
There are tons of private programs that can teach you the fundamentals of animation outside of a formal MFA program. Gnomon and Animation Mentor are two that come to mind. You can also work on building your drawing skills and portfolio with an eye toward submitting in the future.
Here are Disney's portfolio requirements - check out the MFA programs you're interested in and see what they're looking for. If what you have doesn't match what they want, start filling in the gaps.
It was very interesting to see the title of this thread because I'm basically in the exact same situation. I just graduated with a degree in a non-art field and am now returning to my true passion -- animation. I'm taking classes in 2D animation at a local state university, and am now looking into an MFA program. Although the school does not offer a formal Masters program in animation, I'm hoping to develop a digital arts focus.
Good luck on your search to find the education you need. It's a tough puzzle to crack -- determining what is needed to actually make it in the field.
:)
Behind every animation, tv show, movie,commercial is a writer. Perhaps you can focus on writing for animation. Understanding the process will help a lot and school can help you with that though you may not need a MFA.
Study a TV show and try writing a script/story for it. Or develop something new. Good luck. Bummer about the job.