Need help deciding!!!

#1

Hi there!!! I am having a very hard time deciding what to do next for my career, I don’t know what to do…please I need some advice.

I’m about to finish my bachelor in animation and digital arts… I really need to specialize in something and I’m currently inspired in animation, so here are my two possible routes:

1.- Start studying a master in animation, I have some good referenced schools in mind, but if you know about any worth the try, please let me know so I can cheek it out :slight_smile:

2.- Animation Mentor and Online personal training

The thing is that I always wanted to work at a great studio for all my life, and also I now have the opportunity to start my own business here at my country (it’s Mexico btw) so I have a very tough decition to make… Thanks a lot for taking the time of reading this… sorry if my english is not that good, but I hope you got my situation clear enough :slight_smile:

#2

The thing is that I always wanted to work at a great studio for all my life, and also I now have the opportunity to start my own business here at my country (it’s Mexico btw) so I have a very tough decition to make…

If you’ve wanted to work in a great studio all your life and you now have the opportunity to start one yourself, you kan kill two birds with one stone. Start a great company and learn animation by doing and earning money. Complement that maybe with some online training from CMI VFX or FXPhd or other animschools that doesn’t require you to lock-in your time for 18 months at a time.

That’s my advice at least. It’s a hard decision, I agree :slight_smile:

Good luck!

#3

I think that you should consider doing animation mentor while starting your own studio. It’ll be very hard work but if you are good and passionate then you can succeed I believe. I also think you should start to brand yourself now.

As an animator you sell yourself and skills as a service, make sure to show how valuable they are.

If you don’t already I recommend getting a website and creating at least a small online presence. If people hear about you or your work and google you they want to find your work online. :slight_smile:

#4

Hey thanks for your advice! What would u suggest if i was to decide between a school for a master degree or animation mentor, or ianimate? In the case that i a, mot goong to start my own business?

#5

I find very useful creatimg my website, but the thimg really is that im not that good yet, thats why im asking what to do next! If i had to pick between attemding to a school or animation mentor? Without considering startimg a business, what would u do?

#6

I had attended full sail (btw that’s a seriously great school, it’s expensive but you learn about everything you could ever need to know) but it wasn’t my style of learning. I have since been at the local university getting classes done just to get classes done while I study on my own time on Digital Tutors.

The reason I study on my own is because I learn really fast. I sit down and just soak in knowledge then I apply it.

My advice would be to find out 2 things. How do you learn best and what type of animation do you like best. In my case I learn fast and I love what I see at the Gnomon school (online) so I would go through that if I had the money for it or lived near in person training.

Pick a set of training where you’ll learn to apply what you already know and where you’ll learn to head in the direction you want. In example, would you rather animate for a film like lord of the rings which has big monstrous characters or for pixar which has cute small kids? Think about that then go find the right school

Hope this helped :slight_smile: haha it certainly cleared my mind up a bit.

Good luck and let me know what you choose :wink:

#7

Well I really like animation like Pixar’s but I also would love doing some VFX or animating creatures like the one you mentioned from lord of the rings… :S I also love personal online training… I’m suscribed at Digital Tutors and I just bought some fundamental series at Jason Ryan’s site they are pretty good btw. Right now I’m working at a studio, Rigging characters because that was the only open spot but Im not willing to stay there, and also I’m working on a personal project so I can start my own business… I just have to finish it. I think It will be done in about 1 month and a half. It is my first serious project and my choice is tough because if I study at a school doing my master it would represent leaving my business or my chance to start it behind…on the other hand I have the oportunity to get a scholarship and attend to almost any school I want that offers a Master degree in animation… I have like 1 week or so to decide!! :S

Staying here and improve my skills while starting my own business sounds like a good choice, and one over good thing I see is that… saying my business doesn’t work the way i expect I always have the chance to apply for a job in the States or over country… but my opportunity of getting a scholarship will be gone fur sure… :frowning:

I’m very frustrated :S

#8

I’d say stay there where you are for a while… Impress them with your skills and move up in the line. You don’t have to stay but if you have a sturdy job right now I wouldn’t jump in and start a brand new business just yet. Not unless you want to give up all free time and live a very stressful life for a while until it takes off (considering it takes off).

I’d say apply to schools for a masters. You don’t have to go if you’re accepted, but it gives you the option. And learn how you learn best if you want to continue learning.

#9

Hey whats up! After a hard time deciding I’ve finally decided what the next step will be…here’s the thing, IF my scholarship is accepted (I will have this solved by he end of he month hopefully) I will have to apply fo a master degree course, as Character Animation and VFX are the ones I like the most. I was now wondering what would be best…
1.- Character Animation course and maybe at the same time Jason Ryan’s school
2. VFX degree with the same Jason’s course.
3.- Only one ot the above (without Jason’s) because I really don’t know how tough for me would be LOL

Maybe by the time I finish my education I could work in a big studio or come back to start my business a lot better prepared. :slight_smile:

what’s your opinion?

#10

If you want to be very successful and work for a big studio you need to work your tail off. If his class is too hard for you then maybe you should do it if you’re serious about working for a studio. Do hard things and you’ll get more accomplished. I think you should do what you like most.

I do VFX and Character modeling in my spare time right now and I’m moving to rigging then animating to learn that too. After I can do at least a little of EVERYTHING in 3D I’ll pick what I really like most and focus heavily on that. I love fluid dynamics and effects but I lean more towards character animation and creation because I just happen to like creating emotions and expressions in the characters. It’s harder to give a giant smoke fume a smile or some emotion :wink:

All in all do what you enjoy and pick the underlying meaning for it. Ask yourself why you are in this industry and why you started and where you want to be. Then follow the path that will get you that. And make sure you find a way to be happy cause there’s no reason to live life miserably.

#11

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