Vancouver Film School

#1428

I’ll take any advice thrown my way :slight_smile: Do you know which path you want to go down yet? (As far as modeling, animation, vfx)

#1429

About the scholarship, I’m not quite sure. I believe they give students who have outstanding art skills fresh from high school in Vancouver, a look first. Don’t quote me on that though.

You can apply for a scholarship during term 6 of your program year, in which you will be eligible for an extra term or few months to polish your demo reel. This is really a post-scholarship.

#1430

you get a scholarship after 1 year, an extra two months to work on your demoreel. (if you’re work is good enough and you want to continue)

vfs doesn’t offer any scholarships for the entire course (it did in 2008 and that was heavily covered on youtube). i knew someone who was at vfs through a scholarship but that was provided by their own country, not by the school

#1431

ahh good to know, thanks! I guess those 2 months would be good for rendering, but probably unnesessary if planned out properly, but then again that depends on the person and type or reel being done.

So who’s going next year?? Lets chat :stuck_out_tongue:

#1432

Nevermind…

#1433

:scream: good luck planning properly - the scholarship is a very good bonus that definitely helps you polish your reel in peace and hunt for a job while you’re there

#1434

Thanks magda, is that what you did while u were there?

#1435

Don’t know if things have changed now. But when I was still at VFS, you are not allowed to plan for pushing all the rendering to the 2 scholarship months. You are still required to have a reel rendered by your normal graduation date, and the extra 2 scholarship months are for improving what you had.

#1436

Anyone joined DCA for Jan 2011 entry ?

#1437

You probably would dig a hole for yourself. Since scholarships (when I went) are based on who is best in the Class. If you came to the end of your year with no renders, you probably wouldn’t get the scholarship, and have no reel. Unless you have access to a render farm Good luck.

Be smart and plan out your time. It’s easy to lose track of it, and suddenly your demo reel is due.

Btw you guy’s are lucky. LCD’s, Inu’4’s. We had huge honking CRT’s and a handfull of Inu2’s back in 07’

#1438

So i read that Fundation visual art and design = 1 year
Vissual effects and animation = 1 year

So 2 years to get the professional lvl? why in other schools like SCAD or AAU… is 4-5 years… and people from VFS get better prepared in 2 years?, 3 if they continue with the 6 months advance program.

Now, i know Gnomon does something similar, but if we add the Fundations program to the CG program, its 3 years for Gnomon, more understandable than 2 years, i mean 1 year basics, and 1 year CG? isnt that like, i dont know, i mean, how much can someone learn in 1 year?

My question is, will the 2 years of education at VFS will be enough to get good enough no get into the industry? or is it expected to have a former education before going to VFS?

#1439

I only took up the VFS Digital Design Program (one year, multidisciplinary course for Motion, Interactive, Print, and Branding.), I skipped Foundation. From what I’ve heard from my classmates, Foundation is more for if you have little to no experience in the industry you want to specialize in. Or in case you’re not sure what career path would be right for you. You could liken it to the first two or three years of an art college.
From my experience, the one year you spend can get you industry-ready. A lot of the instructors have affiliations with the industry, or work in it themselves, so they can focus teaching more of what’s currently in demand. Here’s the catch. You have to give at least 200% effort to what’s expected of you. Never stop asking your instructors and colleagues how you can one-up your own work. If you’ve seen something cool, see if you can do better. There’s a reason why the campuses are open 24 hours a day, you know.
In Digital Design, our classes are usually from 9am to 9pm for the first four terms, then we get to choose our electives after that. Most of the free time we have, we use for homework and projects. Some of us actually stay awake and work for 48+hours at a time, me included. So if you count the hours you spend in VFS, it’s at least two years’ worth compared to the other schools.
We had several guys who started in Print and suddenly went into Interactive with practically zero experience in that field. And they’re doing pretty well now. It’s all a matter of you pushing yourself to make something better than what’s already been done before. (This sounds like a generic answer I know, but it’s really what has to be done if you expect to get industry-ready within one year.)

Cheers,
-gene

#1440

So, I talked to this Advisor from VFS, and she says that they are going to make something, i dont know how its called, but it enables international students to stay in canada, for a year, to look for a job, and if you find a job, you get your work visa for 3 years or something like that, maybe she was just trying to " sell the product" you know, but, lets say this is true, and lets say i graduate and i manage to find a job somewhere in canada, so thats it? i mean, i made it? now what i need to do is after the 3 years of working experience apply for some kind of permanent resident visa or extend my work visa? so i wouldnt need a degree after all to obtain a work visa…

#1441

You can skip the Foundation if you already have a 2D or 3D portfolio to submit -> gets approved.

VFS is what you make it to be. They teach you the tools, but the hard work and level of detail is dependant on the student. Usually if you already have a strong 2D background you’ll come out with a better modelling reel that most of the class your in. I cannot speak for Animation or VFX, although if your more the brainy type, you usually do better in either rigging or VFX I’ve noticed.

If you want to stay in Canada, you pretty much need to find a job ASAP that can help you with a work Visa.

#1442

There have been some changes to the Work Permit process this past year and rumours of more changes coming next year. I have heard that there is discussion or lobbying underway to allow students in PRIVATE career training colleges, such as VFS and others, to access the Post-Graduate Work Permit (currently only for PUBLIC universities), which allows for students to apply for an open work permit equal to the length of their studies. If you study for one-year, you get a one-year permit.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-postgrad.asp

There has been no publicly released information about this and we will not know for sure until spring, I would think. Keep an eye on the government website for updates:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work.asp

#1443

Hey Thanks for the response gbenard, i hope they make it happen. :slight_smile:

#1444

Anyone has some feedback on the Foundation Art and Design program ?

#1445

Thanks for that info Gillian, it would be great if this indeed came through!

#1446

nevermind this post.
sorry

#1447

This thread is full of useful information! Thank you all … I will be in VFS for June intake this year … :wink: