Two Lesser Known Benefits of Animation School
By Joe Cooper
joe.cooper@animationschoolreview.com
Animation School Review Columnist
Most animation career enthusiasts know that in order to land a job at any animation studio, you need to go to animation school. But what are the specific benefits of getting an animation degree? Opportunities such as mentorships and contests can be instrumental in launching a career in animation.
Starting a career in animation, like most other careers, requires education. Here are two lesser known benefits of animation school that give you all the more reason to go.
Animation Mentorship
Brett Coderre, an animation industry expert, is a Pixar veteran. In addition to working for the most famous animation studio in the world and having a stellar list of credits (including Cars and A Bug’s Life), he won The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Character Animation for his work on Finding Nemo.
Mr. Coderre is also an animation mentor. In his blog, animation school student Hugo Garcia writes, “WOW, I can’t believe it. This great animator will be my mentor for the next 6 month[s]. I love this school.”
Having an animation mentor may be the best thing about animation school. Or maybe it’s learning real skills for your career in animation. Or maybe it’s the network you establish at school.
Animation Contests
Every animation school student produces work. As you learn new skills, putting them into practice is the best way to prepare for a career in animation. So how does $20,000 toward tuition sound as a reward for the work you’re already doing?
That’s the grand prize for the Electronic Arts contest, currently going on for Canadian animation school students. There are also cash prizes for runners up. Keeping an eye out for animation contests while applying to and attending animation school is a great way to help pay for tuition, not to mention establishing good animation connections in the process.
Animation school is all about developing skills and contacts, and showing what you can do. By the time you graduate, you’ll already be part of the animation world.
Sources
Animation Mentor Blog
Mediacaster
About the Author
Joe Cooper is a freelance education and technology writer and edits medical literature. He holds a bachelor’s in American Literature from UCLA.
Posted on February 8, 2007 at 11:39 AM
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