D is interested in studying animation.
UNCSA has an animation concentration in their film school, and offers a foundation year with requirements in cinema studies, cinematography, direction, screenwriting, production, sound design and picture editing. After foundation year, students must apply and be invited to return as an animation concentrator in sophomore year, where students take animation, storyboarding, etc.
Other schools have fine art based foundation years which offer a survey of media (sculpture, printmaking, drawing, etc.).
Which provides the best preparation for future job prospects? Is a film degree too narrowly focused?
Is she interested in film making in addition to animation?
The program is in the film school and very much centered on film, not animation from what I can tell.
While animation does have all the components of film, art is very important (especially figure drawing showing action and quick sketch of action) to produce a good product.
Is the student animation work the caliber she wants to eventually be capable of? Your final reel is your resume for the industry and competition is tough.
Is the program more 2D or 3D oriented?
How many students apply to the animation major at the end of foundation year? How big is the department?
Doing a portfolio to get into a major after a year is stressful. It’s like re-applying all over again with almost higher stakes unless you have an equally good fall back option. And there are probably a lot of students applying.
Would she be happy to continue in another major/concentration if she doesn’t get in?
@gouf78 From what I’ve seen, the caliber of the student animation reels are excellent. The school is small, they usually have about 11 in the animation concentration. They seem to be more 3D oriented, but do require figure drawing. I asked her how she felt about having to go into a second choice concentration, which would probably be production design, and she is still grappling with that question. The film school has highly successful alumni that are contributing to the increasingly rising reputation of the school. https://www.uncsa.edu/filmmaking/alumni/index.aspx
Just wondering if there are more jobs for those with film skills vs. fine arts/illustration skills.
Looking at the website I think it’s 2 D. I only saw one or two animation reels.
Most all alumni mentioned are film and not animation.
I still feel this is primarily a film school. If she wants mainly animation/illustration etc she should look elsewhere.
Just my opinion. Contact the animation faculty (one is a Ringling grad)
Did your D explore the other majors at Ringling? Many have animation as a component of study.
I agree with @gouf78 about art based being better during foundations year. My daughter will be an animation major in the fall and all of the BFA majors for animation we looked into had art based foundation years.
Piggy backing a little off of @bjkmom but there’s an easier way - calling an animation company cold may not get you very far. However, have your student get on twitter or instagram & follow a ton of animators. They talk shop all the time. My youngest (who’s a HS junior) has been following professionals in various fields for years as he’s refined what he wants to do. He’s interested in ‘concept art’ (which is a narrow field) and learned alot about both the field and the schools working artists attended.
Also FYI to @gouf78 & previous convos…he’s visiting Ringling in a few weeks so I take back my hesitation on that school geographically - it has a great rep & program.
D was accepted to Ringling to all majors except computer animation. She chose illustration, and she was offered some scholarship. She was also accepted to VCU Arts and SCAD. Still waiting on MICA. @ArtAngst, like your son, she is interested in concept art as well. We are not sure about how the finances will work out, so we are looking at in-state options as well, hence UNCSA.
@ready2launch , may I ask u when did your D receive the acceptance letter from Ringling? My S applied to Ringling for CA but have not get his acceptance/rejection letter yet…he got accepted to KCAI, SCAD and OTIS. Any one has any opinions about these 3 schools? S really wants to go to Ringling in CA. Otherwise he is thinking of going to state school for 1 yr and then reapply the following yr
@ready2launch …did she get her acceptance letter from early decision for a CA major from Ringling? What made her change her mind to illustrations? Is she still at Ringling or she graduated? Thank you so much for your response.
@Killerbees18 Sadly, there is too much of a gap between cost of attendance and scholarship/financial aid package, so we won’t be making the trip. So disappointing for D.
