Worthwhile? I'm not even in college yet lol, but just curious. Would it be better off doing one striaght after a degree, or better to work for a while?
What are the benefits? Could one lecture after gettin their masters in animation yeh?
>> Would it be better off doing one striaght after a degree, or better to work for a while?
If you want a Masters and can afford to do it straight through, go for it. Finding the time and money once life kicks in is very, very hard. Do it now. As the cost of education goes higher and higher, a few years can make a huge difference financially.
You may not need it, but it's a great place to polish your reel and add more work. You can also specialize, say you like lighting and rendering, SFX, particle systems, texturing and painting - this would be where you hone your skills.
And teaching can and will be an option at some point in your career, so I think it's a good thing to have.
That's hard to say. I think film and entertainment industries work differently in that aspect to other subjects.
For example, someone get a Master's degree in animation then gets a lecture date and they're asked the question (which will be a big one), "What films, animations, or shorts have you produced?" If you have no career an only educational training your answer will be, "none," and you'll lose credibility. On the other hand a subject that's less tangible and more intellectual, say maybe biology, one can study and divulge what they've learned to others. That's not to say film or animation isn't intellectual, but for the sake of lecture giving on entertainment folks typically want to know what you've done as an answer to why they want to listen to you.
I can't say that would help you get a job either because it would be the same case: okay you have education but what can you do?
I don't think that degree would care no value at all, but you would need to make sure you can back it up when someone calls you on it.
You only really need a Masters degree if you want to teach at college/university. When you apply at a studio they aren't going to hire you just because you have a masters. They are going to look at your work and demo reel. If your Masters degree demo reel is horrible, they will hire the person who never went to school and taught them selves and has an awesome demo reel.
I'm not saying education is worthless. What I'm saying is that at the Masters level you aren't going to be learning that much more than what you learned durring your undergrad studies.
Aloha,
the Ape
—
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."
>> Would it be better off doing one striaght after a degree, or better to work for a while?
If you want a Masters and can afford to do it straight through, go for it. Finding the time and money once life kicks in is very, very hard. Do it now. As the cost of education goes higher and higher, a few years can make a huge difference financially.
You may not need it, but it's a great place to polish your reel and add more work. You can also specialize, say you like lighting and rendering, SFX, particle systems, texturing and painting - this would be where you hone your skills.
And teaching can and will be an option at some point in your career, so I think it's a good thing to have.
cool :D
wow this site is really inspiring lol, people actually seem to know what they're talking about instead of bsing like on some other sites i go to
That's hard to say. I think film and entertainment industries work differently in that aspect to other subjects.
For example, someone get a Master's degree in animation then gets a lecture date and they're asked the question (which will be a big one), "What films, animations, or shorts have you produced?" If you have no career an only educational training your answer will be, "none," and you'll lose credibility. On the other hand a subject that's less tangible and more intellectual, say maybe biology, one can study and divulge what they've learned to others. That's not to say film or animation isn't intellectual, but for the sake of lecture giving on entertainment folks typically want to know what you've done as an answer to why they want to listen to you.
I can't say that would help you get a job either because it would be the same case: okay you have education but what can you do?
I don't think that degree would care no value at all, but you would need to make sure you can back it up when someone calls you on it.
I'm working on an MFA because I want to transition into teaching, but I've also been working in the industry for over 17 years.
cool, yeh ive learned a lot about animation over the last few days lol
it really is about what you can do and how you develope yourself really isn't it?
Before, I kinda thought, ah yeh, i'll go to college, work for a while, then get a job at Pixar...lol
You really have to be the best it seems...I think im up for the challenge
kinda at a disadvantage tho bein here in ireland :(
You only really need a Masters degree if you want to teach at college/university. When you apply at a studio they aren't going to hire you just because you have a masters. They are going to look at your work and demo reel. If your Masters degree demo reel is horrible, they will hire the person who never went to school and taught them selves and has an awesome demo reel.
I'm not saying education is worthless. What I'm saying is that at the Masters level you aren't going to be learning that much more than what you learned durring your undergrad studies.
Aloha,
the Ape
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."