Good animation schools?

[Zaphkiel]

Hey guys. I'm looking at attending the Art Institute in Seattle, and I just saw that post on top about the AIs, and it's a wee bit scary. I'm friends with a student who goes there though, and he seems pretty satisfied, and the curriculum sounded alright to me... Does anyone else have personal experience with it?

I also wanted to know about Savannah College of Art and Design. I've heard very little about it, and their courses for animation are here: http://www.scad.edu/academic/majors/anim/courses.cfm But, I was told that in recent years they've been caring more about money than teaching students, and that was also a little discouraging.

Other than that, can you guys suggest any good schools? (preferably US) I looked at Ringling and Full Sail, but they seem to focus on 3D animation, which isn't really an issue for me, but I like 2D too...

[Mirana]

SCAD (like all private art schools) is a business. Yes, they like making money, but they are hardly alone in that. ;)

I'm in sequential art, but know those in animation. As you can see, the required courses are pretty diverse(3D, 2D, stop motion...), but the many electives are what allow you to focus on whichever medium you prefer.

You can do a search on SCAD in this forum to see people's opinions on other aspects of the school.

[IcyM]

I wouldn't recommend Full Sail either, its got very updated equipement, but the classes and teaching isn't the best quality...

Is California an option? There is Academy of Art. Also, outside of US, is Vancouver Film School.

http://www.vfs.com/
http://www.academyart.edu/

and here is a website listing.. maybe you can find something there closer to home?

http://schools.awn.com/

As for AIs, well, all that I have read and the people I have met, have not spoken well of AIs. Not just in one city, but nation wide in the US. I serously recommend you look at other schools and have them mail you their info. It may not be like traveling to the schools to see, but its better than nothing? Personally, I don't know. But from what I have recieved, I would be weary about AIs and if you do go, be aware if its filling your needs. If it isn't, drop the school. Better to waste a few hundred dollars droping in the first few weeks than sticking thru and wasting thousands of dollars.

Good luck!

[Revlyn]

Are you looking at going to the Art Institute of Seattle simply because it's close to home? If so, maybe Digipen (http://www.digipen.edu) is something to think about. Honestly I don't hear a lot of people talk about the school so I don't know many people's opinions of it, but they offer a Production Animation (http://www.digipen.edu/main/BFA) degree that seems to cover both 2D and 3D.

Anyway, I'm thinking about trying to go to SCAD myself and I mentioned it to an art instructor I had at the community college and he was absolutely livid. Apparently their instructors "come and go" but that was all I got out of him about why he hated it. Honestly, though, it didn't phase me because I've never heard anyone else say bad things about it.

[WhizBang]

Anyway, I'm thinking about trying to go to SCAD myself and I mentioned it to an art instructor I had at the community college and he was absolutely livid. Apparently their instructors "come and go" but that was all I got out of him about why he hated it. Honestly, though, it didn't phase me because I've never heard anyone else say bad things about it.


Did they give you a reason as to why they "come and go"??

That strikes me as strange. Wouldn't you think they'd want to stay there?

[Chinesefork]

here are some schools you might want to consider.

http://www.rsad.edu/ Ringling School of Art and Design

http://www.animationmentor.com Online school created by Professional animators from Pixar

http://www.cca.edu/ California School of Arts and Crafts


I would highly consider Ringling if you got the dough. If you know anything about SIggraph Conventions, start looking more up about it, 90% of the time they've managed to get an animated short from their students to end up in the annual Siggraph Electronic Theatre. And that says alot.

Siggraph is a major industry convention that is held in a certain part of the world every year (usually at LA) where the biggest animation studios come as well as gaming studios, to present cinematic or technological accomplishments of the year. Also something to look into.


But rememeber, bottom line is you could go to any school but the school is not what makes the animator or 3d Artist, its you, this industry is pretty cut throat, like any artist, to survive you must have talent and passion.
I've known some friends that went to SCAD, some made it, some didn't, one of the guys i've known now works at Blizzard as a modeller. However the problem I've been hearing at SCAD is that the professors are on oh whats it called .. a teneur plan? So for a set of 4 years you maybe blessed with a set of professors that are all time knowledgeable and helpful, while you might risk a chance with being some that might not since these profs will be constantly rotating.

Then of course theres the great Tyson Ibelle, who is probably the youngest and the best 3D Artist I've ever got a chance to talk to, who never went to College to do 3D he's actually been doing it since he was 15, and basically learned all he knew through forums like CGtalk.com and of course lots and lots and lots of practice. And his stuff literally looks just as good as Carlos Baena (animator at Pixar) Tyson now works at a studio called MAKE studios, where he's done a number of some of the most insane commercials you'll ever see. However he still plans on going to school some day.. when you see his site, you'll prolly ask the same question I have.. "why the hell for!?"

www.tysonibele.com

Point getting across is, you got the heart for it, you'll start now, the internet has a wealth of information....And you can learn a hell of lot just by knowing where to search.

you can start. here www.cgtalk.com

[Zaphkiel]

Thanks for the replies, guys! :}

Actually I was considering AiS because I've heard good things about it.. it's not close to home at all, as I live in Maryland. Actually I feel incredibly guilty about it, because my family wanted to visit the school, but I'm having second thoughts about it after reading all this stuff, and we can't change the flight plans at all. :bashful:

And I also looked into Digipen actually, but they don't accept transfer credits for art classes at all, which was pretty rough to me, plus their tuition is absolutely astronomical! I did hear good things about it, otherwise.

Chinesefork: Yeah, some of my friends are going to Siggraph this year as student volunteers! It sounded really awesome, but I couldn't apply though, those dates are already taken up in my schedule..

Revlyn: I had a teacher do that to me too. I mentioned SCAD to a teacher and she got really huffy about it, for the same reasons, but she didn't tell me anything else about the school. (Which is why I came here...)

But I'm not sure I like SCAD's courses..

IcyM: Wow, Academy of Art looks great! (I think I'm easily swayed or something.) I think I might look into it some more.

I know how people say that it's not really the school that matters, but I just want to make sure I'm not wasting my money, you know? :[

[Chinesefork]

yeah if you get a chance definitely try to leave some time open during the summer for Siggraph, Lots of great stuff to get exposed to, and definitely great to put on your resume.

[jprowland]

SCAD is a good animation school, but some of their better 2D instructors have been leaving lately. The focus is shifting VERY strongly to 3D and a little Flash; 2D is still taught in the intro classes but discouraged in the later classes (although ex-Disney animator and wonderful teacher Phil Young is still here, I believe). Then again, this is pretty much the trend everywhere. It's a little frustrating, as many of the teachers are very insistent that drawing is the most important skill for an animator to have yet there are very few opportunities within the framework that's set up to emphasize drawing, so you're kinda on your own.

If you ask around too much, you'll get a really negative opinion about SCAD as there are, for some reason, a number of untalented spoiled kids who leave bitter and unemployed and blame SCAD for all their problems. Part of it may be SCAD's very open enrollment policy, but there are plenty of good artists/animators here now and in the past who are doing quite well for themselves. I've been to 5 different colleges over the years, both public and private, studying various unrelated fields and SCAD, as an institution, is no different. There are some really good teachers here and some really bad ones. The administration makes choices to make the school money and stay in business, but they also do plenty of things to help their students and give back plenty of freebies. You see what you want to see in any school.

In general, you won't go wrong with SCAD as long as you understand that you'll be focusing almost entirely on 3D animation. Ringling is probably the closest alternative. Cal Arts, imho, produces fantastic animators, but only because their entrance standards are so high to begin with, not because of anything special with their program or faculty (they have one big advantage: most of the leading animators at the big studios went to Cal Arts, and they'll be quicker to hire someone from their alma mater). SCAD is accredited, which means you have to waste time taking a bunch of general education classes, and although it's average-priced for an art university, it's still not cheap. If you want to study a more well-rounded art education, there are better schools.

FWIW, Larry Lauria (http://tooninstitute.awn.com/) who recently left SCAD always told me I should go to Art Center in Pasadena. They only teach film, not animation, but he always felt the broader art education in drawing, painting, etc. was far more valuable.

[Mirana]

Phil Young is teaching? Huh. I didn't realize he was teaching while also taking classes as a student in the Seqa Dept....he must not sleep. ;)

Perhaps your profs were upset about SCAD from a prof POV (not being guarenteed a job) and not a student one. Actually, I've only seen profs come and go from the low-level foundations courses. Most of the major profs stick around (unless they find an interesting project in their field).

I've heard good things about the 2D dept at the Vancouver school, now that it's been mentioned. Two of my friends went there.

[WutDaHeckMan]

if new york city is an option i definatel suggest SVA. I m actually a current traditional animation major there. Their faculty is awsome, you get lots of experience too. You will live in the heart of the world, and if you play your cards right theres enough oppurtunity for you until you make it out to Cali for jobs (post college). The 3d animation is a different department though then the "animation major" thats in i think "computer art." but i transferred here after 1 year at skidmore ( didnt know if i wanted a liberal art backround) alas i needed animation in my life and now im here!!

soo good. kinda expensive

[Vishaka]

I'm pretty sure CalArts has the best program for Animation in the US. Lots of the big names attended: Brad Bird (Incredibles), Peter Chung (Aeon Flux), Craig McCracken (tons of Cartoon Network stuffs...), Tim Burton. It's really competitive, but you might want to look into it.

[alxcote]

I go to Sheridan in Canada and it's a decent program but not the best in my opinion. CalArts and Gobelins would be the top choice but one's in France and the other may be your best bet. Yet CalArts may be hard to get in (what Vishaka said)and may be expensive.

Good luck.

alx

[alxcote]

I go to Sheridan in Canada and it's a decent program but not the best in my opinion. CalArts and Gobelins would be the top choice but one's in France and the other may be your best bet. Yet CalArts may be hard to get in (what Vishaka said)and may be expensive.

Good luck.

alx