I selected Fanshawe College because I was living in London at the time and decided to go to a community college nearby. Prior to Fanshawe, I had never attended any post secondary studies, so this was a whole new venture for me. I never did well in high school and was always afraid to continue my studies at the post secondary level. I became tired of working dead end jobs and really wanted to make something of my talents and abilities. I worked in many different jobs from being a pastry chef, cook, supervisor, stock clerk, fast food, but nothing that would help me to significantly make a contribution to my family. Not being in the arts which I love, really took its toll on my self esteem and how I saw myself as a person.
I have a learning disability and spoke to a representative from the Student Life Centre (for students with disabilities) to get a better idea of the services offered, which were really out of this world. They taught me how to study effectively by using my strengths as a visual learner to my advantage. I attended the Human Services Foundation program at first because it had been 11 years since I was in high school. I had to take this pre-requisite program to prove to the college that I could handle the course load.
I really enjoyed attending my HSF studies at this school, so I decided to continue at Fanshawe. I attended a program session about the Multimedia Design and Production Program and felt that it was exactly what I was looking for.
Program Outline
In the Multimedia Design and Production program you can expect to learn some of technologies that are currently being used in the multimedia world.
You will get your feet wet in a variety of subjects from learning about markup language, light computer programming, design, layout, graphics, video, special effects, web design, animation, art theory, 3D and more. It is a fairly fast program and staying caught up can be quite challenging at times.
If someone is looking to get more into the graphic design aspect, I wouldn’t recommend it because it’s more focused on web, video and online media.
Some of the software that you can expect to work on includes Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Illustrator, 3D Studio Max, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, MySQL, and Flash. There isn’t a very heavy graphic design element in this program, so if someone is looking to get more into the graphic design aspect I wouldn’t recommend it because it’s more focused on web, video and online media.
Each term was very different from each other and in the beginning you are wondering why you are learning particular aspects of the program because they teach you some out dated methods of web design; however in the end it comes together so efficiently that you begin to understand. You become a better web specialist that is able to read and write your own code.
Breakdown
Term 1
In term 1 you can expect to learn the basics, but don’t be fooled, it is a very tough program that is fast paced and filled with lots of assignments. The deadlines are pretty tight but this only prepares you for real world expectations by your future employer, so use your time wisely in this program. A lot of people did not make it to the end because of how demanding it is.
You will learn art theory, history of the computer, some light programming and markup, web design, project management, visual communication, and become familiar with Photoshop, Illustrator and Flash.
Term 2
In term 2 you will continue in the above theories but will also be introduced to motion design. The teachers make the assignments fun for the most part and it almost doesn’t feel like work at all if you are passionate about this field.
Term 3
Again you will continue in the above theories however this term is when things begin to get really tough. You will expect to learn more advanced concepts and techniques in web design and development, as well as being introduced to 3D Studio Max where you will learn how to model, skin, and animate objects.
Term 4
This term is where it all comes together and everything you have learned will be put to the test. This is by far the hardest part of the program… and to make it worse, it is also the term where you are expected to complete an internship as part of the course requirement. The programming gets even tougher when you learn how to create databases, learn MySQL, and PHP.
Term 4 is where you will be finalizing your portfolio website according to program specifications which must contain elements that you’ve learned throughout the program. You will also be learning how to prepare for an interview, get your resume ready, and learn how to market yourself in the industry. Resumes from designers are expected to be a lot more interesting, so employers expect a more unique and creative design so be prepared to really stand out. You will be graded on your creative resume.
Professors, Personality, & Teaching Styles
My favourite teacher Rob H.often went out of his way and went above and beyond the call of duty by staying late and helping those who ‘genuinely’ fell behind get caught up. He was easy to talk to if you didn’t understand something, he would guide you to the answers. He really cared about his students. At the end of my studies at Fanshawe, I managed to get Rob H. elected for the most distinguished teacher award and I am pleased to announce that he won. I collected stories from other very satisfied students and we submitted them to the Dean for authorization and then to the President of the college.
My other favourite teacher was Ramon D. who made a very hard program like Flash seem fun. He has an excellent sense of humour which often took the load off of students who were completely stressed. He can be serious though, and doesn’t like students arriving to his classes late, or if your cell goes off in class… big no no!
Another teacher who is cool too is Rob R. and he can be very fast, intense, and teaches like a bolt of lightning. He is a teacher who grades fairly, is easy to talk to when problems arise, and his courses I found that I had the hardest time to keep up in.
The worst teacher however taught Illustrator. I am not sure if he is still teaching the program, however he often made the students feel like little kids (including me who was in my 30′s). He often talked about himself more than teaching us about the program. Out of all the courses I learned at Fanshawe, I learned the least in his. It was one of the weakest skills I left with. Neither I nor anyone else had anything nice to say about him. He often talked down to people and never quite fully explained himself. He never made himself available for questioning, and was completely unapproachable.
The worst part of the program was when the college went on strike.
Best/Worst Part of the Program
The worst part of the program was when the college went on strike. I lost so many hours of learning which was not refundable. That really upset me to a great extent. Nothing was in place by the program coordinators on suggested readings while the strike was going on, so we were kind of left high and dry.
I also feel like this program should be expanded to a three year program instead of two years because it is so intense that quite often I felt like I didn’t have enough time to really grasp what I was being taught. The program moved so quickly that a lot of students often forgot what they learned the previous day and were not able to replicate what was just taught on their own without some assistance.
The best part of the program was learning the different aspects of how each piece of the puzzle fit together. I no longer look at the special effects on Television or the Internet in the same way. I came out from the program with an overall feeling that I obtained a general understanding of what I need to know in order to be successful in this industry.
Other Relevant Information
Cost
The cost of this program is not so bad; I believe it is somewhere in the way of $3,000 + per year. The cost of computer books can be high and very costly if you get them in the college bookstore. My suggestion is to order them through Chapters Indigo online where you can buy used books dirt cheap.
Quality of Teaching & Class Size
In the first two terms, classes are usually pretty jammed full. There is a lot of noise that will come from students that are not really there to learn, however the teacher normally puts an end to that quickly. The lights are usually turned off while the class is in session so that you can see the projector, however many students found that this made them sleepy.
Access to Equipment
I would have to rate this as good. The labs were always open to students who needed the lab to do their assignments. However I was told by many students that when it came closer to their due dates, getting a computer was extremely difficult. To avoid this I recommend getting a laptop for this program.
Career
If you are expecting to jump right into a studio after this program than you may be in for a long road of rejected resumes, criticism from employers who ‘think’ they’re designers, or companies that are not really legitimate. It was extremely difficult to find work. I was forced to relocate to Toronto where all the good jobs are in this field; however there is probably 10x the amount of competition here so you really need to know how to market yourself. You also cannot limit what you are willing to do or do work for. Sometimes getting your foot in the door anywhere to gain the experience you need will open more doors for you later on.
I graduated from this program with almost a 4.1 GPA and the first job I landed after school was a $10.00/hr job at a multimedia sweat shop.
I graduated from this program with almost a 4.1 GPA and the first job I landed after school was a $10.00/hr job at a multimedia sweat shop. I took on the job purely for the studio experience and nothing more. Unfortunately this is the case with many new graduates, however once you get your foot in the door with one place, it is easier to work your way up.
I later landed a job working downtown Toronto for another studio where my wage was substantially higher and I was treated with much more dignity and respect. Unfortunately due to the economic downfall the company I worked for was forced to downsize making me 1 of 10 designers and developers who were laid off. This is what someone in this field can expect because advertising and marketing are one of the first area’s that companies will trim when money becomes an issue, so jobs in these fields are not always safe.
I have also learned knew skills that were required by my employer such as learning DotNetNuke, Microsoft Silverlight & Expression Blend, and some Visual Studio. I was expected by my employer to continually improve my skills, and I wasn’t always able to leave when the clock struck 5. Meeting deadlines is critical in this field and Fanshawe College really prepared me well for that aspect of the working world. This industry is continually changing and you will be expected by employers to continually change with it. This often means learning new programs that are coming out, new technologies you’ve never been taught, new applications and/or techniques that the company wants to implement into their structure. If you are not ready for a lifelong road of continual learning and upgrading than this isn’t the program for you.
Honestly from my experience, employers didn’t care about my GPA. They just cared about how good of a designer I was, my skill-set, my turn around time, and my ability to get along with others.
I would recommend this program, but only as a starting point.
The Verdict
I would recommend this program, but only as a starting point. It is good in the sense that it will give you an idea of the different technologies that are currently being used. It will help students to be able to focus on one or two aspects of the program which they enjoy and continue learning about the subject at a University level. Again, if someone likes the 3D aspect of the program at Fanshawe, then they would know that dishing out the big bucks for Sheridan would be worth it. It will also improve your chances of getting into a college like Sheridan which is extremely tough if you have never had any experience with the program.
Again, I loved the program, but I wish I would have known that this program would be a starting point to a direction I want to go in, and not a finale that I thought it was. I thought that when I ended this program that I would have all the tools to land a great job right away if I worked hard and stayed driven to succeed. Little did I know that the gaps in my education would be the very thing that made it difficult for me to land a job.
My portfolio can be viewed at http://www.lindanisbett.com.
(8 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
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