computer animation question

[+ venture]

i am currnetly an art student at the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO. (not something to be proud of as far as art is concerned) i'm looking to get to an art school (maybe before, maybe after i graduate) for computer animation. U of MO just started to offer an animation degree but it's through the computer science department and you need higher level math courses and programing courses in order to take the actual animation courses. my question is do i need calc and programing courses to be able to take animation courses at art schools? i don't know much about programing so any info on that is going to be a great help...all i know is that animation seems pretty f-in sweet (especially as a career). i haven't taken any calc ever in my life and at my school right now that seems to be what i need to get started at Mizzou until i can transfer to an art school, but i'm getting ready to start my junior year and some how i feel like i'm s.o.l. on the math and animation here. if it means putting in extra hours over the summer to get where i need to be i'm more than willing to put the time in (this is my pasion). but this site is really the only source i have on the art community i'm interested in joining. (no one really gets excited about concept art and animation in this town like i do...oh you gotta love the mid west lol). anyways, anyone with even one answer to my many questions is going to be a huge help! just help me get moving in the right direction here! thanks a lot guys.

[PHL]

Hey, as far as I know, no higher level math courses are needed for character animation .

have you started animating on your own yet?

[Red_Rook]

have you started animating on your own yet?

VERY important question. It takes a special mindset to animate, certain people love it the rest are NOT cut out for it. try it on your won before you decide. You might hate, it. For some people modelling a character with polys is the awesomest thing ever, other hate it etc

[dguy]

If a Computer Animation program requires high level math, then it is geared toward the technology aspect of Computer Animation, and not art, AT ALL. What they teach you there is how to develop 3-D software, etc. You probably needs to study Computer Science to enter that program, I'm guessing. So beware as I think you are referring to character animation as the field you want to enter, not Computer Science.

Second, I was in your boat as far as getting a degree in a state school, then going to an art school to study Computer Animation. The benefit obviously is that I have a Computer Science degree to fall back on, which is great because the 3-D industry is not the most stable career wise. But there are draw backs that you need to be aware of. For one thing, if you are serious about Computer Animation and have no prior experience then you probably have to get another Bachelor. So that's 4 more years of schooling. Secondly, if you have a degree already going back to school for Computer Animation means that you won't be eligible for financial aid. Meaning you will have to take out loans for tuition entirely. And let me tell you it is not cheap. Expect to pay 35k for tuition and housing a year at any reputable art school.

If you have any question just ask, because I was in your shoes a while ago and my experience might help you with your decision.

[+ venture]

thank you for posting guys. all your advise is already helping me out.

truth be told, what i'm interested in as far as art is concerned is preproduction, concept art. i've always liked the design process of movies/video games and watching the designs come to life. i've taken a auto cadd course, and thought that was pretty cool which surprised me cuz having been a "traditional artists" i never thought drawing on a computer would be fun, cool or interesting. come to find out i loved it just as much as pencil/paper drawing. so i started to wonder if animation was something worth looking into. well as i tried to answer some simple questions i found some...thing (i don't remember where i read it) that computer animation (the artsy kind) had the most job posibilities and i thought, well that's gotta help me out. more job option = better chance of making a good amount of money doing what (i think) i like. so as of yet, i haven't every animated but auto cadd had my attention and i think that animation might as well. i see what you guys are saying about some people loving animation and other hating it so i'll need to give it a try.

dguy ~ here's another question for you: were you talking about having a second degree/bachelors and not being able to get financial aid, or do you mean after one degree if i were to go to an art school i couldn't get aid? i'm trying to figure out whether i should just graduate from mizzou with a BFA and then attend an art school or try to transfer to an art school.

again, thanks for the help and advice, i can't tell you how much it helps.

[dguy]

To answer your question first, getting a 2nd bachelor degree disqualify you from receiving federal grants (the kind of financial aid that you don't have to pay back) but you will still get federal loans (the kind where you have to pay back). From my experience, even the amount of federal loans you get is significantly less than what they give you during your 1st bachelor. Some places I applied to give me like 1000 in loans for a 25000 tuition. It doesn't matter what how low your income is, you will not get grants. And you will be lucky if they offer you even 1/3 of the tuition in loans. So you will definitely need to get outsider loans that has higher interest.

If I was you, I would apply to transfer to some artschools if only to see how much financial aid you would receive as a 1st bachelor degree. And if they give you a substantial amount in grants (I'm talking 10000 a year or something) I would definitely drop UMizz and transfer, because you will save 40000 dollars over the next four years. And if things don't work out, you can always go back to your state school, and still saved 10000 from tuition.

Second, I don't want you to get the impression that the Computer Animation industry "has alot of jobs" and therefore is a sound financial investment. You will never have the job security of a business degree. People enter this profession because it is their passion, in the expense of financial gain. And like all art profession you will be "freelancing" more often than not. The avaibility of work depends on what kind of movies Hollywood is producing this season, what kind of ad is popular, etc. You can be working on a movie, but once the movie is done, you might be out of a job.

Finally, unlike a Business degree, where you are guarantee a job in an office somewhere. An Animation degree is meaningless if you don't have the "talent". It is like being a singer, you can graduate from Juliard, but if you can't sing then no one can change that and no one will hire you. So take that into consideration.

All in all, I would suggest you to give animation a try. There's nothing wrong with trying. And you might be a happier person for it.

[+ venture]

thanks a lot man...nothing but help. if i come up with any more questions, then i'll email you or something.

cheers venture