Best schools for M:F:A in visual effects/3d animation

[eltopo]

Hello
I am looking to do a M:F:A in Vifual effects/3d… ect.

Is there a list fo the best schools for that in North America?

Also I found a place on SF called Academy of Art University, is it any good?

Thanks

[Scott]

Check out some of these…

Savannah College of Art and Design
http://www.scad.edu

School of Visual Arts
http://www.sva.edu

CalArts
http://www.calarts.edu

USC
http://www.usc.edu

Vancouver Film School
http://www.vfs.com

I’m not sure if they all have MFAs, but they all have great programs. Good Luck.

md

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I actually went through VFS’s Computer Animation and Visual Effects program. It’s a fantastic school, but it doesn’t offer an MFA. Although I am no expert on Canadian accreditation, VFS is categorized as a trade school, and therefore doesn’t offer degrees of any kind (at least not when i was there back in 1997). You get a certificate of completion, which is not of much use if you are looking to enter a graduate program somewhere, or even to teach at an American college. It really is a fantastic school, though, and Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

I am the Chair of Computer Animation and Visual Effects at Miami International University of Art & Design in Florida. We are SACS (regionally) accredited, and offer BFA’s and MFA’s in both Computer Animation and Film (we have 16 and 35mm cameras). I’d be more than happy to send you more information about our programs, or feel free to call or write me and I’ll do my best to answer any of your questions.

Thanks and good luck!
Tom Joule
Miami International University of Art & Design
http://www.aimiu.aii.edu
[email protected]
800.225.9023 ext. 5654

[Anonymous]

Wow, Scott, I’m sorry you had such a bad experience at an AI! Which one did you attend? Please email me or call if you have any recommendations for how we could improve any of our programs. I would never give anyone a sales pitch, but would describe what our programs offer, and if you would like, I can tell you where some of our graduates are working, but usually only if I am specifically asked to do so, as I feel the strength of our programs lies with our faculty, and the student work they produce while they are here with us. We do have some very successful graduates, and, like most colleges, some that probably aren’t doing what they really want to be doing. Have you not been able to find work since graduating? What region of the country are you currently living in? Please contact me, as I am honestly concerned you feel you have wasted your money.

“Specialized” degrees such as Visual Effects are used in our programs for digital artists who want to concetrate more on becoming compositors, lightingtexture artists, or entry level matte painters. Our Computer Animation programs concentrate much more on character work. Degrees in any production field, I don’t think are very important. It’s the work you produce, and your demo reel that gets you a job. It’s when you get a little further along in your career and you want to think about management positions and teaching that degrees become vital. Most people don’t like to return to school later in life, so it’s a good idea to secure a degree from a regionally accredited school, like MIU so you don’t get held back in these situations. I don’t recommend MFA programs to anyone that has not worked for several years already and is looking to move into a management position or educational field. Occasionally international students use advanced degrees to extend or obtain their visas, as it’s very difficult to do this in a post 9/11 world, and the entertainment industry in the U.S. is really second to none.

We do offer an online option to our MFA programs, as well, so you can continue working anywhere in the world, but still get your degree. If anyone is interested in obtaining information, I would be happy to provide it to you. I promise, no sales pitches 🙂 If you look around the school, and don’t like what you see, then don’t sign up! We can arrange for you to see students’ work, talk to current students, and even sit in on a couple of classes if you would like.

Thanks and good luck,

Tom Joule
Chair of Animation and Visual Effects
Miami International University of Art & Design

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your comments, Scott! You are a scholar and a gentleman 🙂 You have eloquently stated your position to me in the email I received, and this is going to be extremely helpful to us at all of the AI campuses. There’s nothing wrong with a good “public bashing” from time to time. Schools need to stay on top of their game more than any other service industry. I LOVE this site, and the articles I have found here are some of the first places I send my students to encourage them to read and discover what is happening in their chosen fields.

You are right about the infancy of the VFX field making it difficult to attract the most experienced and talented within the industry to teach, but it does happen. The biggest problem, I think, is the paychecks the most talented artists can make working on the latest blockbuster makes a “teacher’s salary” feel a bit awkward. We constantly encourage our faculty to stay active in the field, and supplement their income this way. Just to award a job well done, and exhibit what is possible outside of the really big production areas you pointed out, here’s a link to a site and product developed by a couple of our faculty members: http://www.radiantsquare.com They are just coming out with their new release for Final Rig, and will be presenting it at this year’s Siggraph, so go check it out if you’re going to be there! If you are there, I hope to run into you!

By the way, all of the schools listed here, I have heard great things about, so always look around, and check out the campus, ask the faculty questions about their philosophies, and ask them about their professional experience. Randomly ask attending students what they think of the program they are paying for! A college education is far from inexpensive these days, but if you are really proactive and passionate about what you do, it can really pay off.

Thanks and take care,

Tom Joule
Chair of Animation and Visual Effects
Miami International University of Art & Design

[eric]

eltopo wrote:

Hello
I am looking to do a M:F:A in Vifual effects/3d… ect.

Hi,
If travel is an option and i have to say that is really good to do so (i’m currently working in China) you might consider a school called SUPINFOCOM in northern FRANCE.
I didn’t attend this one but most of there student find work without looking for it and a lot of them been getting award worldwide.
I’ts mainly 3D oriented but they do everything. And all student could do compositing, 3D and else.
The school insription fee is not too high and definitly its not a bogus to suck u off.
Check on any 3D festival or gfx, Motion design or else CG book or magazine for sure you’ll find their student work in many pages.

Of course I’m not saying “go there and you will be a killer” just saying the environment might be good and the pedagogy not too bad if they are so successfull.

I could only recommend french or European ones, i know only about those.
good luck

the website is all in french (sorry, that suck i know)
http://www.supinfocom.com

[Anonymous]

So out of all you guys that have knowledge about an animation school….. Which one is more hands one? Because I’ve heard that the schools that offers to many other courses like tons of electives are not good schools if you want hands on…… I currently have 4 schools in mind but I can’t make up my mind which one is more hands one and using the software required to work at a place like pixar, disney animation, dream works…etc. (Academy of Art University, Miami International University, Digital Media Arts College, and International Academy of Design and Technology) I heard bad things about the Academy of Art University (animation program), if you attended here please help give me your opinion about this school!!! or any of the others mentioned… ………..I want to be hired by the best of the best after graduation…………….thanks

[Mark Symons]

I’m currently heading into my final three months at the DAVE School in Orlando, taking a year off from game production for a sideways step and chance to learn from two friends, Ron Thornton and Lee Stringer. The school’s very fast paced, a one year program, and they don’t pull any punches from day 1. You are in front of a system from the first day to the last, it’s nothing but hands-on. It may be worth a look into for you. As for being hired by the best of the best, you’ll have to be a hell of a student and put together an amazing reel for that, any school can only help you so much there.

[Samuel Conlogue]

I graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design. It is a great school IF you are willing to push yourself. SCAD accepts anyone who can afford it. They do not require a portfolio, so needless to say there alot of rich people with no talent.

The ones that truly get the most out of it are those with a passion for what they do. If you work hard and push yourself beyond your limits and meet with professors outside of class, you will have have excellent work to show for it.

They have all the latest software, professors who have worked in the industry (one of which worked on Tron), and one of the biggest renderfarms on the east coast.

The school has alot of inner-office politics and the higher-ups are extremely interested in how the school looks in the eyes of the public.

If you can live and let live and let all of this not affect you, then it is a great school.

[Anonymous]

If you are looking for a university degree in Visual Effects, theres a new institute that has been set up by a well known visual effects company based in the UK. They worked on films like Enemy of the State and The Da Vinci code so I’m sure they know what they are talking about. Best bit is that they are setting it up in Pinewood Studios, where they make all the James Bond films, Harry Potter etc. Check out the website: http://www.thevfxacademy.com

[Anonymous]

Yes, You can find a list of best animation colleges at http://www.findyourartschool.com/ep/animation-colleges.php. At this link you found the America’s best colleges for animation.

[Anonymous]

Really great post

Thanks for providing good information.I have been looking information about best schools for MFA.This discussion has solve my concern to a great extent..

[Anonymous]

I would have to say the best Visual Effects school (especially in North America) is [URL=”http://www.lostboys-learning.com/”%5DLost
Boys Learning[/URL].
They provide focused training and there grad reel are the best I have seen. Check them out.

[Anonymous]

Hi. Can you please tell me how you did the rgb lights setup?
I am working on something similar but do not know how to set up RGB light pass.i hope you will be understand
Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Hi
While researching on web i found this video resourceful.
Have a look might help https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6OHJkbu0dM
@eltopo 20197 wrote:

Hello
I am looking to do a M:F:A in Vifual effects/3d… ect.

Is there a list fo the best schools for that in North America?

Also I found a place on SF called Academy of Art University, is it any good?

Thanks

[Author]

Posts