School recommendations?

[venomize]

I am a S.F. Bay Area artist who is planning to enroll in school for animation & visual effects. I have some intermediate experience in 3D Studio MAX but am serious about entering the animation & effects field, and want to take my skills to the next level. I don't necessarily need to be lead character animator at Pixar... I would just love a job in visual effects doing even modeling, animating effects, or compositing CG into live shots for commercials or film.

I am considering the following 3 schools:

The Academy of Art College - in S.F.
Gnomon - in Hollywood
Vancouver Film School

Would anyone personally be able to recommend one program over the others, perhaps from what you've heard? Or, have you encountered more effects people who have come from one of the above programs?

I have heard a few negative reviews of the Academy of Art, but they admittedly were from a while back and things may have changed... any comments on the current program/faculty there? I've heard CalArts is good as well, but I think it would take me 4 years there, whereas Academy of Art has a 2-year 2nd degree transfer program, so it would save some money.

Any advice is much appreciated...
Thanks!

[mag]

If you're skills are up to par, and you can handle it, apply to gnomon. I've heard alot of great things about it, only problem is finding a place to live in L.A. can be expensive, but if you can afford, I think it's your best bet.

[venomize]

Thanks for the advice. When you say "If you're skills are up to par, and you can handle it", are you perhaps implying that Gnomon is more geared toward the working professional who is already fairly advanced in 3D animation/effects?

[mag]

Let me first say that I did not go to Gnomon, however, I do know people there, and I do have a pretty good understanding of what they're all about. Alright, with that out of the way...

To answer your question, Gnomon is not necessarily for people already in the industry, although they do quite a nice job of training employees for companies. The complete course, which is 4 terms, only accepts 8 students per year (last time I checked). To get in, you have to have a great portfolio and then follow that up with a great interview. When I say "portfolio", it doesn't have to be 3D work, any type of art at all. Whatever it is you love to do. They maintain 100% placement, which is easy considering a school of that calibre is only putting out 32 students a year, so they are in demand.

The workload will be tough, and it's best if you have some kind of idea what you want to do before you just rush in there. The people you'll work with there, the instructors and the students next to you are exceptionally talented people, no question about it. You'll be reviewed by people in the industry constantly, and you'll get a chance to network better than anywhere else can offer you. I mean, it is after all, Hollywood. Give them a call, they'll send you a brochure, and ask around. They've got a great rep as far as I know.

If any of my information is wrong, I ask that anyone who is more familiar with Gnomon would post and correct me. Thanks.

[mastersimon]

I took Gnomon's 9 week Fast Track course. It was excellent program. The classes moved very fast. There were only between 5 - 9 people in the program... it changed weekly since you can take any of the weeks individually. Because the classes were very small you could get as much 1:1 with the instructors as you wanted. They didn't expect you to absorb everything and didn't mind answering the same questions or questions ... I understood. I can be very dense at times. All of the instructors have industry experience - mostly film. The classes were not modeled with a textbook approach. We learned a lot of production short cuts and work around tips that you couldn't learn from a textbook or on your own.
Everyone in the class (students) were already experienced animators... I had used ElectricImage and FormZ. Others 3D Studio or Lightwave. If you have an understanding of animiation, modeling, etc. You wouldn't have a problem with the program. It is is very intense and takes all of your time during the 9 weeks. They have a good facility and equipmnet. The labs are open until 1 am 7 days a week. I'd recommend them.
Gnomon's regular program covers the material to slowly if you just want to quickly learn Maya.

[mr-nice]

Personally, I strongly recomend the Vancouver Film School. I was in your position about a year ago. After much research, I decided to enroll at VFS. I am now about half way through the program. It is an excelent one. It is highly intense, and in one year, you come out industry ready, with a great demo reel. The staff, facilities, and cirruculum are way better tnan I expected, and the program is filled with highly motivated and creative individuals that have a lot to offer as far as learning from each other. If you have the motivation and focus, I'd definitely recomend the Vancouver Film School.

[jem]

If you're in the Bay area, the other two local schools you should be looking into are Expression Center for New Media, and SF State. Expression has the advantage of being a quicker 1-year program (although very intense) so it saves time and money and gets you into focusing on other things (like internships and jobs) a lot faster.

If you're going down to LA, I agree about Gnomon being a great choice and very professionally oriented. Their certificate program has competitive admissions to make sure they only get promising artists - unlike other schools like Academy of Art College, who let anyone enroll. Gnomon also has open courses you can join one at a time, so you can combine it with professional work schedules.

-jeremy

[jem]

On Academy of Art College - it does seem to take a long time - students in 2nd year computer arts courses seem as if they are learning things they should have taken the first year. Still, some people have been sucessfully using it start their careers, and after you've finally gotten going, it does give you more time to work than a more abbreviated program.

Cal Arts is very strong in 2D character animation, but is not very oriented towards visual effects or computer graphics. It seems as if computer graphics is intentionally marginalized by the undergraduate character animation and graduate experimental animation departments, as a way to keep students focused on the core art of animation rather than the technology.

Vancouver Film School is another good short program, it actually has adjustable length if you want to take a year of character animation first before computer arts, and the Vancouver area is an exciting one with a lower cost of living and more new production and game companies emerging than in most of California. If I wanted to get out of the US for a while, I'd look at VFS (or CDIS in Vancouver.)

[ Regarding my experience with them: I've taught at Cal Arts, am currently teaching a course at Academy of Art College, and VFS hired me a few years ago to come up for a weekend and train their instructors in sumatra. ]

-jeremy

[xsfspeed]

Any recommendations for schools in New York and Florida. Strong possibility I might be moving and would like to get a degree in Art and animation.

[mag]

NYU if New York, Full Sail or Ringling if Florida. Note about Ringling: Requires filthy rich parents, or really good loans. If you have neither, then forget it. Full Sail is good for what it is, a fast paced program for past paced people. If you like putting in 16 hours a day (8 for them, 8 for you, which is what it takes), then more power to you. If not, then forget that too. Better have a portfolio ready if you are checking out ringling or NYU, as well as some decent grades. I'm sure there's other schools too, but these are just the ones I know about.

[ryan3d]

Id recommend CDIS over VFS anyday...both good schools but CDIS has a longer program, and from what Ive heard students and teachers are more satisfied with CDIS's equipment, resources, and fascilities...
Both are in Vancouver so you can check them both out and compare.....not trying to bash VFS but ive talked to alot of unhappy customers.....The courses are about the same price between the two, but CDIS 's class is longer and more in depth.....besides VFS is in a crappy neighboorhood full of diseased crackheads lol...need i say more?

[nyiotis]

I saw that someone mentioned us... http://expression.edu... I would be happy to talk to you about what we offer and if we're right for you!

Cristina Mu

[3d-drone]

I am also looking to go into visual effects and animation i just finished my bachlors at NYIT in Old Westbury NY and I am currently looking to go to NYU for my masters. I took a tour of there new CADA program (center for advanced digital applications) http://www.scps.nyu.edu/departments/depart....jsp?deptId=9an it looked real nice. The only thing is the student work was not all that geat. If anyone has any knowlage of this school please share some info. Or if anyone knows of any better schools in NY.

[thai-1]

Yea I've heard bad things about VFS. I'm not completely sure what this guy said but something like it was a waste of time. Heh don't base your decision on that but I thought that might help a little bit. I'm going to CDIS right now, in fact I'm in class heh. My first semester is almost over and I have no complaints. Except for they need to get someone to clean out the lockers. The etc building is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

[rockneptune]

If you're on the east coast, the best choice would be NYU's Center for Advanced Digital Applications in the midtown section of Manhattan. They offer intense programs for both Masters and non-credit; courses include Computer Animation and Visual Effects using Maya, 3D Modeling, Digital Audio Production with Pro-Tools, Character Animation, and more.

Just recently they've had several guest speakers visit to give lectures, including Laura Fryer (head of XBOX Development), and a spokesperson from George Lucas's Industrial Light & Magic. Also, ILM is planning to recruit current graduate students from CADA for an internship program through an interview process.

For more information about CADA, you can visit this site: http://scps.nyu.edu/cada

Or, if you have questions, you can call: 212-790-1370

-E.L.

PS: If you're interested in a brochure you can contact the address given in the official site or eol201@nyu.edu

[mnhan32]

For your Masters check out the Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design, part of The Ohio State University (http://www.accad.ohio-state.eduhttp://www.accad.ohio-state.edu). They have a very prestigous history (probably only second to Utah) and lots of alumni out there ... on the East Coast (or close to it) I rank that the highest of all Master's (MA or MFA) choices for the Computer Animation area.