Deciding on a Path

[Tenks]

Hey all,

So I have been posting here before inquiring about graduate schools in the past, but after interviewing at several locations I have come to the decision that the best thing to do would be to ask students.

I have, since childhood, always dreamed of creating my own animated series. I am constantly writing, sketching and recording ideas for my series and have been doing so for almost two decades. I have been inspired by both western and eastern animation, and have always wanted to create an epic series drawing from my experiences and my own personal style.

I know this is a very ambitious goal, one which I probably will not attain for some time. However, in the meantime I wanted to know what sort of route I should take to get there, and which schools could help set me on the path. One of my biggest challenges in terms of my goal is that there are thee aspects of animation, art, writing and cinematography (or film in general), and throughout my education I have been bouncing back and fourth between them all, unsure of which is the most vital to my success.

I graduated from Connecticut College in 2007 with an Student-Designed Interdisciplinary Major in Japanese Anime and Manga. While it sounds simplistic, attaining the SDIM began in my sophmore year by working together with the dean and an advisor commitee (writing many essays and convincing many skeptics that I was serious about my work), working my way to study in Tokyo for a semester, and single-handedly producing my own thirty-page graphic novel based on the Japanese folktale Dojoji. I also worked as an Editorial Assistant at Japanime Inc in Tokyo during my time abroad, a Production Intern at Animation Collective and a PA at A&E Television Networks.

Since deciding to return to school I have applied to the Academy of Arts University, The Art Institute of Boston, Digital Media Arts College and California Institute of the Arts. I do not have any animated works to my name, but do have a decent portfolio of artwork, as well as many good writing samples.

What I'm wondering is whether or not I should even go to school for animation in the first place, or whether something along the lines of Illustration, Media Arts or Production is more in line with my goals. I have spoken to an expert at Blue Sky Studios who, after discussing my interests with me, HIGHLY reccomended Calarts for its extremely open approach to individual student interests. However, it would be good to hear all of your opinions on this. Please list your experience/education if you choose to reply. Thank you very much!

[laurabaura]

First, I think it's really amazing that you show so much drive and determination. So thumbs up for that.

In my mind, I would suggest actually doing a degree in animation, if that's what the end goal is. There's things about animation that you can't learn from drawing something that's still. I think just attending the info sessions at colleges showed me that I don't know how to make a ball look like it's bouncing properly. A "stretch and squish" motion, I think they called it.

CalArts is one of the top schools in the world for animation, so that's a great goal. There's alot of excellent schools in North America for that field also, stretching into Canada too.

One thing I think you may have as a hurdle, is that it seems - and I may be wrong on this - that schools in north america, want a portfolio and the work you submit to be more "westernized" than manga is. I know when I applied to Sheridan, they outright said that you shouldn't include manga in the portfolio to apply.

Not that the two can't or shouldn't be fused together, I think they're more focused on the frame being lifelike, and less about cool spikey hair :D

Anyway, that's just my two cents. I only really say that you should take animation, because from teh sounds of it, you don't want to be the producer, you want to be the guy drawing the thing. So if you want it in your own unique style, then you need to learn *how* to animate.

[kmaxon]

The schools which you listed and which i am aware of are not well known animation schools. This means a lot because the more prestigious a school is, the better and more devoted the teachers and students who are drawn to it are. And having a community of dedicated artists to motivate and inspire you is one of the main reasons art school is worthwhile.

I certainly would recommend CalArts, as well as Sheridan (in Toronto) for their animation programs.

Another consideration to take in mind is what the best known art schools are (in general, not just for animation), as the broader the school is, the more you will learn about art in general, and about yourself as an artist in our world. And under this category, also taking into mind the quality of the 2d animation program (as I am aware), I would recommend RISD, RMCAD, and SVA. It's not that CalArts isnt a great art school in general, its just that these schools, though they arent famous for 2d animation, are still very much worth consideration (probably before academy of arts or digital media arts).

Keep in mind that there are few 2d animation programs available at art schools -- 3d may actually be more common at this point.



I am currently attending SVA, having entered as Computer Art and switched to Fine Arts, but am considering leaving to seek a more general BA at university before potentially pursuing more academical art training. I feel authorized to answer your question because I have been on the hunt for good art schools for the last 2 years, essentially.

[Tenks]

Thanks so much for your help guys,

Yeah, I am aware of the prejudice manga has in the USA as a "lazy" artstyle (though I personally have a easier time drawing figure drawings and landscapes then trying to get that one little tiny line in a manga just right). With that in mind I have figure, still-life and landscape drawings to include in my portfolio.

As for what my eventual career choice would be, I don't really want to be the guy sitting on the "animation assembly line" so to speak. Don't get me wrong, I am totally willing to do that to further my ambitions, but my ultimate goal is to be the George Lucas to my own Star Wars, Akira Toriyama to Dragonball, etc etc. The head creative honcho. I'm not sure exactly where that falls in entertainment is the problem. Producers seem to deal more in the capital involved in production whereas directors are more about guiding the creation of another's work rather then their own. And animators, well, animate what they're told. If I have misconceptions about this, please let me know, but the LAST thing I want to do is waste time with an education only to find out half a decade down the road that I made the wrong choice.

[Brendan Draney]

I was thinking Calarts as well. The thing about going to calarts is that you will make contacts and have many more opportunities to ride the pipeline into the major studios. Another thing... Don't worry about "am I an animator or an illustrator?" or whatever. You'll figure that out by taking the journey. Realize this as well - a lot of the people working in the animation industry ARE really just illustrators. They're visual development people (character and environment or both). Think about how much goes into an animated film. There is room for all artistic talents. If you can swing it, I'd say go for it. Socal is not the wrong place to be if you are looking to get into the industry to pay the bills until you create your own personal masterpiece.

[Tenks]

Totally,

I really do want to get into Calarts, but it's a long shot since I applied late having missed the fall deadline, still gotta go for it! After thorough research, here are the schools I have found for Animation (2D/3D) in the United States:

Tenks' Master List!


-School of Visual Arts 212.725.3587 (??? Animation?)

-New York Institute of Technology 212.261.1796 (MFA)

-California Institute Of The Arts (661) 255-1050 x2242 (MFA in Experimental Animation)

-New York Film Academy - 1-212-674-4300, 1-818-733-2600 (Certificate)

-Sheridan- 1-905-845-9430 (Certificate)

-The Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University - 1-781-209-1700(MFA)

-Digital Media Arts College - 1-866-255-DMAC (MFA in Special Effects Animation)

-Art Institute of Boston - 1-617-349-8827 1-617-585-6710 (Certificate)

-The New England Institute of Art - ! (MFA in Computer Animation at Miami and San Fran locations)

-University of Texas at Dallas Arts and Technology (MA, MFA)

-Pratt Institute (MFA)

-Savannah College of Art and Design (MA, MFA)

-Art Center College of Design (???)

-The American Animation Institute (No degrees but seems like a good place to study in the meantime)

-Woodbury University (818 ) 767-0888 (BFA)

-University of Southern California (213) 740-3986 (MFA)

-The UCLA Animation Workshop (310) 206-8441 (MFA)

-Academy of Entertainment Technology @ Santa Monica College (310) 434-3700 (MFA)

-Mount San Antonio College (909) 594-5611 (Certificate)

-Chapman University, Dodge College (714) 997-6765

-California State University (818 ) 677-2242

That's all the info I could get thus-far. Feel free to add any schools, corrections, other info etc you see fit so we can build a solid list for prospective animation students. Admins, would it be too much to ask to sticky this?

I'd really like to get a Master's or at the least a Certificate, having already gained my Bachelor's Associate from Connecticut College. The biggest problem is that I decided to go back to school at a rather inopportune time and ended up missing alot of the deadlines for a 2010 entrance into the schools. Currently debating whether I should "take my pick" from the schools I do get into, and possibly transfer at a later date, or wait till 2011 and spend the time taking courses at places like The American Animation Institute. Anyone know any good places to take courses over the summer to keep active?

Thanks for all your help guys and gals!