Hi, It seems as though the common training most animators go through is the BFA (correct me if I'm wrong). Here in Australia, we don't have the same course title offered, but we do have Bachelor of Visual Arts. Does anyone know if that's the same thing?
Is BFA the same as BVA?
By keenasmustard | Wednesday, June 9, 2004 at 12:53am
#1
Is BFA the same as BVA?
Sounds the same. I wouldn't worry about it though. An education in animation is an education, and we all come out with the same skills. Animation employment is based on those skills, rather than the piece of paper you got from it, and what the title of the dgree is. I don't even have a degree (I just have a diploma in animation), and I turned out alright. ;)
Cheers
"Don't want to end up a cartoon in a cartoon graveyard" - Paul Simon
Don't listen to him! He's a crack pot old geezer! ha ha ha ha ha
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that has been given to us." ---Gandalf
There's hope for me yet then? It seems like most of those doing 3D animation have the illusive BFA. There are so many different types of training out there. I've already done a Dip in Multimedia (2 years) and now think I wasted my time and could have got 2/3's of a degree and learnt more? Aaarggh it's so frustrating.
Just to add to that: I find the career path to 3D animator so frustrating... For example...If you want to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer there are specific degrees to lead you there. Sure there are different unis/colleges with a better "name", but at the end of the day, you get your qualifications and you can practice in one of those fields. If you want to be a tradesperson, you can go to trade college and again, get your qualifications that way. The government has strict guidelines that determines what the tertiary institutions put in their courses to qualify people in these fields.
Then you look at 3D animation: You can find places advertising study through a degree, a diploma, a certificate or even no official award at all. Their prices range from mega-budget to ludicrous. You can take the IT/techie channel through an IT course, not getting any artistic training at all. Or you can go in the other direction and get your art training but no training in how to use it with the software... Through all of this, there are plenty of places that may teach you in either discipline, but STILL don't give you any ANIMATION training!!!
Have I just answered my own connundrum? It sounds like Ringling and SCAD (for example) are two places that succeed in combining the two types of training AND teach animation. If I don't have access to this type institution in my area, is the answer to do some fine arts studies like drawing and sculpture and then (or simultaneously) get some software-specific training somewhere else? If I'm still minus the specific animation training, I guess I'll have to remain glued to the internet.
Sorry about that. I'm part venting, part thinking out aloud. I'd love to hear any thoughts you have on my dribble. :)