Vancouver Film School

#1228

I’m grabbing that last seat for the August 31st class this year in the 3D Animation and Visual Effects program. Anybody here currently attending it and can give me some suggestions or tips? Also your experience with the move from your home country/state/region to vancouver would be awesome.

Oh, and I’m still looking to see if anybody knows a way other than Sallie Mae to get loans if you’re a US citizen? Their interest rates are pretty high, but if it’s the only option like the VFS representative said, then I really have no choice :confused:

#1229

Thanks! I did some fundamental courses back home in Denmark at Truemax.com, other than that I have just done modeling and a bit of VFX the past 2 1/2 years. Check my blog on wednesday, I am uploading my full term 1 presentation, if you are interrested.

You at VFS too?

#1230

Interesting to know a bit about your background. I’m not in VFS yet. I have enrolled but my session haven’t started yet. I stumbled upon this forum while I was researching the right school for me to attend and decided to stay awhile and listen :wink:

#1231

I was commuting from Surrey for the whole year, about 50 min each way!
Don’t do it !!! :slight_smile: Get a place closer. Doing work at home is a bad option as well!

#1232

So you are recommending to get the shared bedroom downtown? Is that a good choice?

#1233

I’m sure I sound like a broken record if you read the last couple of years of this thread. But get a place as close to school as possible. The west end is ideal. I lived 10 mins walk from VFS when I went there and it made life so much easier. If you have a long commute home you will find your work hours are much more constrained. Staying that extra hour to see something through becomes much harder if you have to catch the last bus / skytrain etc. Being closer to school means more time working on your reel and less time commuting.

There are usually tons of ads on craigslist for rooms to rent in the west end. Or you could look at sharing an apartment with a classmate or two.

#1234

It is so incredibly expensive to live out in downtown though… I plan to bring lunch/dinner boxes so I can stay at the school and the vicinity the entire day.

#1235

I’m considering going to VFS after I finish my animation degree at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. I’ll be done in September.
My concentration is 2D right now and I can’t decide whether to apply for the 2D or 3D program at VFS.
I enjoy 3D, but traditional is what I love most. All the work out there is 3D, so I’m considering taking that.
One of the reasons I want to go there is the length of the program. I want a fairly short, but intensive, program.
Any thoughts or recommendations on which direction I should go - 2D or 3D?
You can check out my demo (keep in mind it’s a work in progress) at http://www.youtube.com/user/LolaToonHead#play/all/uploads-all/0/VEnuVTS28n8

#1236

I would strongly recommend 3d. we have 2 in my class who took the 2d course and then went on to 3d. The fact is that there isn’t any or hardly any 2d work out there unless you want to do flash.

The 3d program does have intense 2d classes the first 2 terms. They want the 3d animators to have a strong background in 2d animation principles which apply directly to 3d.

#1237

They have a 6 month program called Digital Character Animation that is intended for people with traditional experience wanting to transfer their skills to 3D. It might be worth a look.

#1238

That’s precisely the program I was looking at, but I was torn between the 1 year traditional animation and the 3D character animation.
I’m pretty sure I’m applying for the 3D one. I’m not interested in their 1 year 3D program. The shorter program seems to fit my needs better.

#1239

I don’t know. If you want to go into and commit to 3D, I think the 3D animation & vfx is the way to go. I think if you are fairly new to 3D, having a full year to familiarize yourself with all the software will be beneficial to getting your creative juice going.

#1240

I’ve never used Maya, but I’m pretty familiar with 3DS Max. I also know some ZBrush.
My concentration is 2D, but we’re required to take at least four 3D classes at the Art Institute.
I’m comfortable modeling and texturing, but I’m not great at character rigging.
I’m applying to start in July of 2010, which gives me almost a year after I graduate to get acquainted with Maya.

#1241

Anybody attending August 31st for 3D Animation and VSFX?

#1242

If you’re not spending $800-1000/month on your portion of the rent, you’ll be living in a pretty crappy place. I just moved to Vancouver, and live in the downtown core (10-15 minute walk from VFS) and I’m at about $875/month (CDN, obviously)… nice place too. The real shift is between $1400 and $1700 a month (two bedroom). That $300 difference is the difference between having an elevator that might stop at your floor or having a concierge at the front desk downstairs.

The VFS courses are intense and attendance makes up part of your grade. Living farther away might be a bit cheaper, but you’ll pay for it in other ways (burned out, missing deadlines, $$ spent on bus/skytrain passes, etc…). Also, parking near the school is crazy expensive, so driving to school and parking all day is going to cost you more in the long run than paying the extra in rent to live near the school. VFS can help you with placement (but you’re better off coming a month early and finding a place yourself), and they can place a roommate with you if you need one (which can be a good or bad thing…).

And don’t plan on getting a job while taking VFS courses… there simply isn’t time to split your focus.

They say the course is 4 years of education crammed into 1… and from the people I know, they say it feels like it.

#1243

That’s rough.
I’m not sure I can afford that.
But then again, I just applied and don’t even know if I got in yet.
Has anyone here gone through the advanced character animation course?
If so, what did you think of it?

#1244

I don’t know of anyone who can :smiley:

#1245

Yeah pretty much nobody pays for colleges themselves these days, unless their parents are loaded or they’re 30+ and already have a load of money saved up. Or their school is very generous and/or cheap with scholarships and grants.

I’m planning on going to VFS pretty much completely funded by loans because I wasn’t fortunate enough to be able to save money, or have a college fund, like most students my age were. :confused:

#1246

i think there are a lot of people still going to colleges like AAU,SCAD,Ringling etc…it all depends on their criteria and goals and of course some are loaded with a lot of money. VFS isn’t cheap either and for a 1-year program, its pretty darn expensive… but its more or less the fast track to the industry cut the general education modules n summer school holidays from your standard university education. When are you planning to go VFS?

#1247

The way I justified the cost of VFS, was that it’s actually cheaper than spending 3 years in a longer program. The cost of supporting yourself over that time really adds up, especially if your plan is to focus on your studies and not have to worry about holding down a part time job while you go to school. When I was weighing my options I found VFS to be a much better deal for what you’re getting (study materials and art supplies provided, full 24h access to labs, etc), provided you can keep up with the fast pace and produce a piece of work that will actually get you a job when you graduate (many do not, unfortunately).

Though like you said, it all depends on what your priorities and goals are. If you can work your way through a traditional college or longer program, it may ultimately be cheaper because you have an income that helps support you and you’re not necessarily living off of a student loan. If you’re going to live off a student loan anyway, better to get it over with quick imo.