When asked to write this review about my experience in the Bachelors of Media Animation program at Emily Carr University of Art and Design (‘09), I agreed because I thought my information would be particularly useful due to my unique position of additionally graduating from two other art programs, Camosun College’s Visual Arts 2-year program (‘04) and Capilano University’s Digital Animation 8-month program (‘05). Though I believe success in art can be achieved without schooling, experiences, motivation and contacts gained through studies are invaluable. Before I go into my Emily Carr experience, I will summarize my journey through my previous education and my two years prior to returning to school.
Camosun College Visual Arts
Upon high school graduation, Camosun College seemed like the right fit at that point – the proximity to my parent’s home in Victoria, the transferability to the UVIC Visual Arts degree program and the relatively low tuition so that my scholarships could cover the costs. The courses mirror the ones at the UVIC Bachelors of Visual Arts program, but not only are they less expensive but they have a lower student to teacher ratio, two groups of approx. 15 students each. This program is not for those who would like to polish a certain craft or commercial art but rather a starting point and a place to experience a wide range of different types of art production such as pottery, sculpture, installation art, printmaking, traditional photography, experimental animation, film and painting. Classes and required studio time run 9 – 4, 5 days a week, and the workload is quite intensive, I pulled many all-nighters to complete the projects that were often all due in the same week and given with a short time to produce them. Overall, I gained a lot of skills at an accelerated rate through this program and I met some talented artists from different disciplines and gained a strong base of understanding of the Visual Arts world.
In the third and fourth semester there are animation classes in which I produced a 2D cell-painted animation short. Emphasis for the animation class was put on experimentation; basically we were introduced to various techniques such as stop-motion, cut-out and hand-drawn 2D animation and then provided a room with a line tester to record work. The instructor was decidedly not encouraging towards the Disney method of animation but rather on developing a unique personal style. Certainly there were a few stories of students gaining critical success in animation following their graduation from this program such as Stephen McCallum and David Bowes, but I personally felt like my animation needed more polish and training in a commercial style so I went on to apply for more specialized instruction.
After I told [the VFS Salesman] I was no longer interested, he proceeded to phone back and try to convince my mother that I made the wrong decision.
Debate Between VFS And Capilano
Of the schools that accepted me, my top two choices were VFS and Capilano’s Digital Animation program. A couple of my peers from Camosun went to VFS and have since had successful careers in television and games respectively, but there were several reasons why I chose Capilano over VFS. First of all, Capilano is very competitive to get in – that means they are quite selective of whom they allow in and even conduct entrance interviews. Somehow the fact that Capilano revealed they were hesitant to allow me in compared to the VFS representative being overly excited to have me made the aforementioned more appealing. Secondly, VFS being a private school compared to a public made it far more expensive, and difficult to justify. Thirdly, VFS is not in the best area of town, surrounded by concrete and at the cusp of East Hastings. So although Capilano is remote from the conveniences of Vancouver it won me over for being surrounded by a lush forest and beautifully maintained campus. Lastly, what solidified my decision was that I was bothered how pushy the VFS salesman was, for after I told him I was no longer interested, he proceeded to phone back and try to convince my mother that I made the wrong decision and had to take the program. A little too eager for his commission cheque, I thought.
There have been a few previous reviews about Capilano on this site so I will not go in depth, but I can definitely agree with the others in that I have nothing but praise for the excellent instruction and how it is an immersive crash-course in obtaining the most up-to-date knowledge of the 3D programs and industry practices. Although the Digital Animation program then was relatively new, the two-year Commercial Animation course already had a great industry reputation and therefore although it was not advertised as heavily as VFS or the Arts Institute, it attracted quite a lot of talent to my class. Many classmates had previously gone through 2d animation training and had already been employed in the industry but wanted to diversify their skills into 3D. To summarize, in four months we covered all three major 3D programs and created a short group animation, and the next three months were set aside for us to individually prepare a demo reel in preparation for their graduation show.
The year following graduation from this program, I was one of the few who did not secure employment in the field of study. Instead I found a job in graphic design, worked several other odd jobs, and also joined a flamenco dance troupe with weekly shows. However, I would not be discouraged from my goals and decided to intern with a team of other recent graduates for a start-up 3D company. The company acquired rights to a movie deal and we were optimistic that the funding for it would come through, but after six months of us working on online 3d animation projects in waiting, I needed to move on and consider my options. At this point I was split between continuing my education at Capilano’s Commercial Animation or transfer into Emily Carr’s Bachelors of New Media. After being inspired by the quality of a recent graduate’s film, a tour of the facility by a mutual friend in the program and reviewing the curriculum, I decided to apply and the credits I had earned previously placed me in third year.
With my Visual Arts background I knew what to expect, it was a vast departure from the commercial-centric attitude at Capilano.
Emily Carr Animation Major
With my Visual Arts background I knew what to expect, it was a vast departure from the commercial-centric attitude at Capilano. This is how Emily Carr differs from other animation programs, although there are required core classes, students have the freedom to choose their schedule and hone certain skills as well as have access to a multitude of facilities. They include a green room, motion capture facility, film equipment, photography room, computer labs, in-house printing facility, 3D printer, printmaking room, wood and metal shop, ceramics facility, weekly life drawing and a library stocked with art books and a big selection of subscribed art magazines. This can be incredibly freeing and well-suited for the student who is self-motivated with a clear vision. If you need more guidance and a clear set of rules, this may not be the right choice, but like any school if you are proactive in your self-improvement you can learn a great deal here.
Additionally, this school is a challenge for those who have an aversion to academics and essay writing, which is a necessary aspect for a degree granting program. Juggling these many academic courses with an art course load can be quite difficult, but honing your critical thinking and writing skills is beneficial to open up opportunities in your professional career, and taking these courses over the summer can make them more manageable. The skills will also aid in promoting your short graduate film, which is the main focus of the program. Although they have recently accepted final projects to be show reels, Emily Carr has a long standing reputation of their student and graduates’ films being accepted in major film festivals around the world so thus cater their instruction towards film production. I would recommend this school if one of your main goals is to produce a short film, as it allows you the time to properly develop one, with a year and a half at the end dedicated to critiques and focused assignments.
Another great aspect of the program is COOP placements with companies which approach Emily Carr’s COOP placement office. Placements are competitive, but several students have found paid employment during their summer break or part-time during their studies and have continued on with the company upon graduation. Another great elective course is Collaborative Animation. When I took the course I had the opportunity to work for a non-for profit environmental restoration group to produce a minute of animation for an educational film, which was entirely coordinated by a team of fellow students with the resource of a faculty member for advice. The following year, students entered and won a competition to produce funded PSAs for Consumer Protection BC.
A testament to Emily Carr’s connections, within a couple weeks of graduation I was accepted to work as a 3D set modeler for a television show pilot.
The Verdict
I would recommend this program for those students who are self-motivated, for those who are open-minded to think outside the commercial field of animation, for those who enjoy expanding their analytical skills, and for those whose main goal is to produce a short film with the guidance and support of peers and knowledgeable teachers. The degree aspect of it may not specifically necessary for gaining employment within the field, but will open up opportunities that may have not been otherwise available. A testament to Emily Carr’s connections, within a couple weeks of graduation I was accepted to work as a 3D set modeler for a television show pilot produced by recent Doctorate recipient filmmaker Stan Douglas. He had an agreement to be able to use Emily Carr’s facilities over the summer, in exchange for hiring students or graduates of the school. After four months of working with a phenomenal team, production has come to a wrap and I am looking forward to utilize my skills and knowledge gained from these experiences for opportunities ahead.
I hope that my reviews will be useful to you, and that you are able to make the right decision about your schooling based on what your specific career goals are. If you truly believe this career path is for you, the best advice I can offer is – the road to success in art is never easy, but keep on persevering, and learn from both your set-backs and successes.
If you would like to see my work or have any further questions, please visit my website at KaraDesigns.ca. For further information about Emily Carr’s Animation Program, you can visit their website at www.ecuad.ca/programs/undergrad/bfa/animation.
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