The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Where to study 3d art for gaming in North America?
Jekht
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Was hoping the PA forums could help me with this one as I'm drawing a blank.
I'm currently studying for a BA in animation in the UK and it's my final year. Unfortunately the course wasn't all I had hoped it would be, or perhaps my interests had changed too much for the course. In anycase I've been working pretty dedicatedly towards a 3d portfolio taking into account that those things then need to move, but I really want to study for 1 year longer, in a more specific course and in either Canada or the US.
Any decent suggestions?
I've looked so far at Vancouver Film School and Guildhall in SMU. Vancouver is a beautiful place, and the course is 1 year, but the course is obviously more film orientated than game orientated. Guildhall in SMU looks like a good course, but I'm not sure I want to spend a year in Texas and the course details are slightly unclear. Nothing against Texas, but I prefer large overpopulated cities like NY, London, etc.
Here's hoping someone here knows there stuff!
I'm currently studying for a BA in animation in the UK and it's my final year. Unfortunately the course wasn't all I had hoped it would be, or perhaps my interests had changed too much for the course. In anycase I've been working pretty dedicatedly towards a 3d portfolio taking into account that those things then need to move, but I really want to study for 1 year longer, in a more specific course and in either Canada or the US.
Any decent suggestions?
I've looked so far at Vancouver Film School and Guildhall in SMU. Vancouver is a beautiful place, and the course is 1 year, but the course is obviously more film orientated than game orientated. Guildhall in SMU looks like a good course, but I'm not sure I want to spend a year in Texas and the course details are slightly unclear. Nothing against Texas, but I prefer large overpopulated cities like NY, London, etc.
Here's hoping someone here knows there stuff!
Jekht on
0
Posts
Side note, I'm looking for a quite advanced course considering that I'm just finishing a BA (3 year university degree in the UK if it's different in the US)
Also yeah, I wasn't sure about alot of these "game-specific" programs. Alot of them looked like money traps.
edit: also, Cap's 3d program is very gaming oriented whereas VFS is film-tv-games.
Vancouver, LA, San Francisco, a few good East coast schools. Honestly, it's more dependent on where you want to end up.
One thing you need to know is what part of the game industry you want to get into specifically. Animation? Rigging? Surfacing? Lighting? Environments?
Those each have different answers.
Yeah I'm kinda looking for a course that will streamline me into the industry. I already have 'art skills', so like you say Rye, I guess an institute near some decent studios would be good. I've yet to really choose what to specialize in, right now I'm a Jack of all trades, doing design, animation, rigging, modelling, etc. I suppose I want to eventually end up in a position where I can flex my creative muscles, but to start I'd be happy with a job modelling and/or texturing. I presume it would be quite difficult moving from workforce to creative control though.
Kochikens:
I was looking at http://www.vfs.com/fulltime.php?id=7#/alumni/0/ which is a 1 year course. Not sure whether it would be a step backwards though. Clearly I need something that pushes me into the industry and wears my fingers to the bone. Personal question, ignore it if you like, but how has employment after university been for you?
I'l look into Cap, you caught my interest at the end when you said it was more game orientated.
Anyone know any universities that have final projects similar to Guildhall SMU where you work in a team to make a game or mod (so art folk get to design, model, animate everything)?
Also I've noticed the Art Institute is a bit of a chain across America. Is it bad/good? I had also been looking at the Art Institute of Californa. Sent them an email though asking some questions and they ignored the questions and sent me a cookie cutter email about the course back.
Thanks everyone for the help!
hanging out on polycount.com would probably be better for you than any school though
Employment after Cap went great for me, and most of my classmates are working in the game industry in their respective fields right now too. But, if you want to do Animation in particular, I really recommend doing the 2D animation course, or any 2D animation course first. The big difference between Cap is honestly that one is a public school and one is a private school, which means cap is way cheaper. BUT ALSO, as far as demo reels go, at VFS you only do one section of a demo reel. "3D Animation, Modeling, or Visual Effects." So you need to select one of those 3, and thats all you do for the reel, you share it with other people. At cap, you have 4 months to do everything in your own demo reel. This may not seem important, but it really makes a difference. At VFS you specialize really fast and only have to do what you want to do (As long as its one of those 3) and at cap you gotta do everything, which means your shitty animation might distract from your awesome modeling. But, its solo, not a group project. VFS generally has better reels though.
Art institute is not so great, I have friends who went there and are now flipping burgers and in debt. I went there to check it out and they don't even care about portfolios, it's just if your parents can pay for it. I had to block their phone number because they wouldn't fuck off.
Anyways if you want to ask more about cap/vfs feel free to IM me, or just email the two schools, Craig, who is caps head-guy, is really friendly and responds to them fast.
To get "streamlined" into the industry, you need to pick one thing and do it better than the 60-100 other candidates that made it past the initial screening. When it comes down to the last 5-10 people they'll hire you for your charisma, resume, team spirit etc.
Even in modeling and texturing: you probably won't do both in a big studio. Within texturing, you need to differentiate between next gen and current gen textures, High or Low detail maps (making a game for PS3 is way different from the DS in terms of textures)
If you're modeling, you might want to do either environmental or character modeling, and within those you could specify more in terms of leaning towards hard surface or organic modeling.
They want to hire the guy who will hit the ground running. They won't see a wide range of skills and be impressed; not unless you are equal or above skill in the specific area you're applying. The industry has had a RECORD number of studios close down in the last few years, so there are professional dudes with years of experience competing for the jobs you want. You need to hone your craft SO much more than "I took 2 years of dicking around the Uni and got a degree." Hell, even another 1-2 years at VFS won't properly train you to the level of a professional game artist. 1 year of work experience is worth ~6 years of college.
And you won't be in a creative position to start, guaranteed.
I'm not trying to discourage you, but it's some stuff I wish someone told me when I started on my career path.
COLD HARD TRUTH: You won't get a job unless you're highly skilled and/or happen to know someone in the right place at the right time. That's why location/industry ties are waaaaay more important in a university than any credentials or other fluff. This isn't marketing; there isn't a job waiting for you once you get a degree.
Cheers for all the help guys.
Just looked at the Full Sail prices, and despite being blessed with a modest budget, that's wayyyyy too expensive
I'l look into AI in Vancouver midori, slightly sceptical though after hearing the negative comments from above, but it would be nice if they were wrong!
Final exams at 4AM, etc etc
The school you go to is not as important as, well, how good you are at art.
So, if you have confidence in your abilities, go to a school with a gaming slant and trust that your portfolio will win you a job over what classroom you've been sitting in.
we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
Expect to work, very very hard. You get out what you put into these courses.
And Bournemouth is a fucking boring place. Although it might get nicer in summer when the beach is warmer.
Agree'd on all of this.
I've heard a lot about Full Sail - while the instruction may be good, the class times are absolutely ridiculous, and I've heard that that aspect alone can make things incredibly difficult for the students.
It's not as if you would be out in the country with the tumble weeds.