How important is a 'relevant' degree?

#1

Hey, not sure if I’m posting this in the right area, but here goes…

I did a degree in a more general computing/multimedia subject. I got a decent grade (a high 2.1) and was exposed through 3 modules, to 3d modelling, texture, lighting, and some animation and fell in love. I had been playing around with 3ds max since high school but those modules provided me with my first real opportunity to produce something and learn how to use the program to a higher level.

Now I’ve for a variety of reasons I’ve had to work doing whatever I could to stay where I currently live, and have been trying to use what little spare time I had to keep improving and learning 3ds max, and photoshop…but have also been working in maya and a few other programs to try to keep improving my knowledge. I have also spent a short period with a small VFX company in a ‘runner’ type role, but was lucky enough to do some texturing, lighting and some compositing work during my time there. I am now in a position to be able to actually start seriously working towards what I want to do, and that is work in the VFX industry.

Now my question is (and sorry for not getting to the point sooner), do I need to go and get more qualifications that provide a more focused education in this area? For example returning to university to do an masters. Or would it be possible for me to continue to work and attempt to produce a reel and get in based on that + the prositives of having my current degree? Does it matter that it isn’t one

I’ve tried to read up on this as much as possible and so far it seems that everyone has a slightly different opinion, but I don’t want to invest even further in education that might not make my chances of entering the industry any better.

Thanks for any info and advice!

If this is in the wrong place then please let me know where I can maybe repost it!

#2

Personally I would do a master course at Bournemouth, which many consider one of the best for vfx . If you can cut it there and get a good reel there’s no reason why you wont get picked up by one of the bigger and better studios.

b

#3

It seems like you’ve already broken into the industry! Congratulations.

In my opinion,

Experience < Education

Portfolio < Reel

#4

Here’s a good read :slight_smile:

http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=102315

#5

This doesn’t make sense O_o

#6

Thank you for the replies!

Hobbleslake, that thread is great, thank you! It seems so obvious now I’ve read through it, but I was focusing so much on certain aspects of what I wanted that I wasn’t really open on how I could get there…that thread has so much good advice :smiley:

I don’t understand your other post though! I kind of agree with leigh about that!

#7

I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear. But what I meant to say was “Experience is greater than Education”

And by that I mean actual experience in the industry is more important than a degree.

And by “portfolio < degree” I mean the same thing as well. Your portfolio is more important than your degree. (However this is debatable since Human resources will be looking at your resume) Like the link says, there are a lot of students and graduates that just “do the work” and don’t really have much to show in their reels/portfolios.

This is just my opinion of course, so don’t hold me to it. :3

I wish you the best of luck :slight_smile:

#8

But you didn’t say that. You flipped your bracket the wrong way around :wink:

If you want to say that experience is more important than education, then you write it as:

Experience > Education

But it was actually this one that I thought didn’t make sense:

Portfolio < Reel

Because a portfolio and reel are essentially the same thing. I’m guessing therefore that it was a typo… ? It happens to us all! :slight_smile:

#9

Oh my goodness!! You guys are totally right! Please forgive me for the embarrassing typo 0:-)

#10

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