Hello all,
I don't post here much but I am in quite a pickle! I am currently enrolled in the Westwood Online "Animation" BofS degree. It will take approximately till the spring of 2007 to get my degree through this program. It is not by any stretch of the imagination a "competitive" program but it is accessible and workable around my life (btw I'm 26 will be 27 in Sept. married and working). I am very interested in the program at the Academy of Art in SF (online BFA program). But, it will cost more (possibly) and take more time, maybe almost a year more. It looks like it is as close to the real deal as I can get over the internet, but I am not sure if I can afford to be in school until I am 30, I would very much like to have a job in animation by then.
Anyway, my dream is to do animation or games or whatever. I understand that I need to pick a focus, right now I like traditional 2d animation most, but I already know much about 3d animation software as I self taught a lot to myself years ago. I am not sure what is wiser to do, be in school longer and have a better degree on paper, as well as learning more industry trades, or get my degree sooner while teaching myself all that I can from books and taking local life drawing classes.
If someone who works in the industry can help me out I would be most grateful. This is a mess, I know I should have just gone off to school as I originally planed years ago after high school but life is what it is, and now I am trying to figure out the best path. ThanX! :confused:
Edit:
Also, I undertand how important a portfolio is, will employeers skip my reel and portfolio based on my degree? I am very worried about that!
Pardon my wise, but, it's far more likely that chocolate-coated demon monkeys will rain from outer space.
A degree is to you a chance to become familiar with the theory of the fine art itself, practice applying it, and engage with the steps in the production process. To a top-tier animation employer it is a knowledge of the manner in which you were trained and sometimes a primary indictation of the level of professionalism you were trained to display.
Your talent (as evidenced by your reel/portfolio) is the thing you are payed for possessing. It is the product or service, if you will, you are selling to the company for which you work and why you receive your salary. You don't really give them an incentive to care about the school you went to. That's like saying a guy who failed out of Harvard beats the pants off of a guy who graduated with honors from the University of Michigan. Next to your attitude it's basically the most important part of the package you have to offer those who are hiring.
The only decision you have to make is what gets you closest to where you want to be when you want to be there. As soon as you sift through your options and pick a program, run with it. Incidentally, if you're open to online courses, your situation seems right in line with the relatively inexpensive AnimationMentor (.com). Check out their site, or ask some of the people on the forum here about it. There's also a huge list of blogs on a Google search, all of which will clear up what they're about. But as I said it's cheap and intensive training that's probably far more valuable to you than what you're lining up right now, and what's more, it gets you out the door in 18 mos. vs years and years and years.
scatter is right.
if you have the skill + some theory and understanding of the process. this is invaluable. but in the end you will learn a lot of things on the job. so its important to really get the best you can and get out.
its not like computer engineering where in class learning is paramount.
i never look at a persons resume first. always the demo reel, then i go to the resume. in the end if you have the fundamental skills you can learn almost any software with plenty of practice in a few months.
but you can never learn the skill.
good luck.
ThanX for the input! I will check out that link and probably jsut keep doing what I am doing. I know that I need to keep improving my figure drawing techniques so I will keep taking life drawing localy and see where that gets me in the next 3 months. At that point depending on how satisfied I am with it, I'm gonna move into learning some animation techniques.
:)
Edit:
I checked it out and I think this is what I need, and I can stay at my current program while doing this! ThanX again, you guys rock!!!
Just want to throw into the mix. If you feel Academy of Art (or any program) will give you more competitive skills than the program you're in, I'd strongly recommend that you switch. Money can be an issue, and I understand your desire to be working sooner rather than later, but time is time. You'll be 30 in three years anyway, and if you hit that milestone with a better skill set than you'll get out of what you're doing now, you're better off in the long run.
Be sure your thinking is long-term enough to get you where you want to go.