Upon graduating from High School in Edmonton, I was on the fence between art and film school. In the end, I chose art school as it had always been my first passion. I had won a summer art scholarship the summer before graduating to Red Deer College, so it seemed like the right thing to do. However, instead of taking my time, perhaps really figuring out what branch of art I wanted to get into, I plunged head first into the first art school I found on the web. I figured I like drawing cartoons, cartoons equals animation, an animation program it is!
If there is one thing AI is right about, it’s the fundamentals of being an artist.
The AI Experience
If there is one thing AI is right about, it’s the fundamentals of being an artist. No matter if you’re an animator or game designer, you need a foundation. This is why the first three quarters are so great. The first semester included drawing, color theory, and the fundamentals of design. In both the 2nd and 3rd semesters, only one 3D course was introduced, 3D modeling in the 2nd semester, and Hard Surface and Organic Modeling in the 3rd. The rest of the classes ranged from sculpture to 2D animation to acting. Throughout these first 3 semesters, we had life-drawing classes; a subject that many of our instructors believed should have been included in every quarter.
Looking back, the fact that they slowly introduced us to 3D was a wise choice. Eventually by the 4th and 5th quarter, the entire program consisted mainly of 3D based courses. It does seem overwhelming and to any traditional 2D animator it will be thoroughly frustrating. The instructors will advise students to keep working on their life drawing, and to continue to practice on a daily basis. Easier said than done however. When you’re looking at a full course load of 5 different computer courses with varying workloads and projects, finding time to draw becomes rather difficult.
Although you hear talk of portfolios from the very beginning, it isn’t until the 6th quarter that you will finally get a chance to start planning your demo reel within an actual class. Preproduction is an awesome class. You really aren’t taught anything new, but instead you take the class time to plan out your portfolio and demo reel where you’ll constantly hear feedback from your instructor. By the time the 7th quarter rolls around, among more production classes, you’re also looking at career advice, and a Professional Development course. For many, this class was quite tedious. You’re talking about paying almost $800 to learn how to create a good resume, dress nicely for an interview, and how to present yourself. Realistically, this course could have been summed up in a week or two.
When it comes to instructors at AI, it’s all up to chance. Some instructors at AI are very passionate about what they do. You can see that they enjoy teaching and they will go out of their way to make sure they teach it well, even put in extra hours outside of their class time not covered by their payroll. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. On several occasions, my peers and I were taught by people that were less than qualified in their subjects. Try learning Mo-cap when the instructor will constantly tell you it’s a tedious trade, not fun at all, and that he doesn’t like it overall. On the other hand, you could also be taught by people in the industry, teachers who are working at EA and Nerd Corp by day and teaching at AI at night. If this is the case, a word of advice. Get on their good graces, impress them, and learn as much as you can. With any luck, at the end of their course, they might just be handing you their business card and telling you to apply. I’ve seen it happen on more than one occasion.
A perk that most people find pretty cool is that the school is open 24/7, and you have access to all the computers at anytime. In the first semesters when you have pages and pages of 2D animation due and you don’t have a light board at home, this is a blessing, It’ll also be the case in your last semester when you’re scrambling to make your portfolio just right. Having a bunch of computers just to yourself is amazing. Overall, if you can look past the fact that you’re paying $800 per class…not semester…per class, you’ll most likely be happy. But some words of wisdom before you take that major pocket plunge…
AI is great if you’re a beginner, that is, you have no prior knowledge in 2D or 3D.
Some Advice
AI is great if you’re a beginner, that is, you have no prior knowledge in 2D or 3D. If that is the case, before you even step foot in the school, spend a good couple of months researching what branch of art you want to pursue. Nothing is more frustrating when you’re in the animation course, see what the gamers are doing, and then decide that you would rather be doing that. One peer started in animation, and ended off in the Film Program. Know what you want to do. Changing career paths half way through is not fun. It’s a waste of time and money spent on your previous courses. This hits close to home, because I came in thinking I was going to love 3D animation. Honestly, I’m a Matte Painter and a Character Designer. My artwork is mostly all in 2D and Photoshop.
It’s been said many times before, but only because it’s true: you get what you put in. All the best instructors have too many students, too much work, and too little time for somebody who isn’t giving it their all for the course. If you’re not ready to commit yourself to at least a half-year of nose-grinding hard work, take a vacation before you come to AI. Consider traveling or you could even work like a madman for a year to pay for this ridiculously expensive school.
And last but not least, plan your demo reel. Plan, plan, plan… and then start as early as possible. Even though none of the pre-production starts until the 6th quarter, you can get a head start and at least know what you might want to present. You don’t want to be the student in the last quarter, with nothing the instructors find worthy to put on a demo reel.
Remember to constantly practice, work on your portfolio, and keep it up-to-date.
The Verdict
What with the recession and all, many people may find it hard to find jobs. Even without a recession, it’s still the case in this line of work. It’s a very competitive field; you have to be one of the best to stand out in whatever branch of art you do pursue. If for whatever reason you can’t find work immediately, don’t lose touch of everything you’ve learned. Remember to constantly practice, work on your portfolio, and keep it up-to-date.
Life After AI, And Me Now
Upon graduating, the school will work one-on-one with you to find a job. They constantly e-mail you job leads and even sometimes send out your demo reel. This only lasts 6 months however, and after that, you’re on your own.
Two months after graduating and one month before moving back to Edmonton, AI helped me find a nice contract job. A director was looking for an artist to do some concept art. He needed some drawings done for his documentary. It was a freelance job so I was working from home, nevertheless it was quite an experience, and it was a great way to get started networking. Since moving back home, I’ve had 2 more freelance opportunities but nothing major. Edmonton really isn’t really the place for the art business. But until I get myself out of debt, living here is my only choice. Nevertheless, I do follow my own advice, and am constantly working on my portfolio, keeping it fresh and new, for when that big break rolls around.
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