As many of you may know, Sheridan has updated its Classical Animation program to a four year degree, as opposed to its previously well-known three year diploma program. Since Sheridan is now an “Institute”, rather than just a College, it is eligible to offer such degree programs. The advantage of having a degree is the option of being able to get your Masters after graduation, as well as it being a greater credential than a diploma alone. Of course, being in a creative industry means credentials alone do not land you the job, but your experience and outstanding portfolio work does.
Collecting The Ingredients…Let The Magic Begin
I have completed the four year Bachelor of Applied Arts in Animation Program (BAAA) program. My graduate year (2008) was the third group of graduates to complete the newly enforced degree program. Within the Animation department, you feel as though you are in your own community. It is a place where you are surrounded by others who like the same movies as you, or know the names Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, or know that not every animated film has been made solely by the Walt Disney Studios. There is a real understanding of animation and its process.
Feeling like Harry Potter walking through Hogwarts for the first time, I walked the halls and paid close attention to the film posters of past graduates.
There I was in year one, already a dream come true for me, since the course is very difficult to get into in the first place. Thousands apply, and about three-hundred were accepted in my first year. Feeling like Harry Potter walking through Hogwarts for the first time, I walked the halls and paid close attention to the film posters of past graduates. Those who went on to create Oscar award-winning films and shorts, as well as those working for studios like Disney, Pixar, and DreamWorks all made the “wall of fame” in the Sheridan halls. I thought to myself, “I made it in, now I have to make something of my time here.” By the end of year one, my hard work paid off. I was nominated for John M. McNeill Memorial Animation Award.
Preparing The Recipe…Mix Up Your Ingredients
If anyone tells you that Animation must be a simple job because you are drawing all day, think again. Before even applying to the program, my advice is to really make sure you have a desire and passion to create animated films. Learn all there is to know about the process and pick an area of the pipeline which you can really focus on, even if you may love the entire process. Read books, such as The Illusion of Life (Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston). My peers and I spent countless nights working on assignments, drawings, storyboards, layouts, and animations. Many got to know the janitorial staff better than some of the instructors. Many would sleep at their light tables, while others just wouldn’t sleep at all. Many of us wanted to master everything we did, from storyboards to animations. Unfortunately, many faced physical limitations due to poor health. The lack of a proper sleep schedule over the course of even a few months is severely dangerous to your health. I faced my own health concerns by year three. I was not paying attention to the signs my body was giving me. I assumed my fatigue was due to lack of sleep, so I dismissed it. My iron level had dropped to a point that even concerned my doctor. Of course, as soon as it was medically brought to my attention, I controlled the situation and concentrated on not “overdoing it”, but maintaining manageable work habits. Time management is top priority, but sometimes there just didn’t seem like enough time in a day. Slowly, some peers dropped out while others held on to their dreams.
The magic of animation comes to life after all the hard work reveals an awe-inspiring finished film. Believe me, there is a lot of hard work involved. Being a creative industry, it is not as simple as writing a paper, editing it, and handing it in. The craft of animation demands that you think of an idea, storyboard it, test the animatic (also known as a leica reel), then go back to the storyboard to make changes. Until you are satisfied with the story, then you can move on to step two, which is actually creating the animation. If you have ever watched any of the “Special Features” sections of animated DVDs, then you know that animations are created by drawing after drawing, making a character come to life with the sequential drawings. There are 24 frames in a second of animation, which generally is comprised of 12 drawings, since we shoot our drawings in two-frame increments. Just imagine how many drawings it takes to get one minute of screen time….that’s right about 720 drawings (1440 frames)! Once the animation is complete, you must edit the final film, add sound, and any special effects. Only then will the magic be completed. At Sheridan, however, we do not complete a final film in first or second year, but rather in years three and four.
Being a Classical Animation program, do not expect to be fully taught any 3D computer-generated techniques.
In year three, you are grouped with others to complete a collaborative film. In year four, you are given the freedom to complete your own film. By the time you graduate, you can potentially have two films which you may showcase in your portfolio. Being a Classical Animation program, do not expect to be fully taught any 3D computer-generated techniques. Those who learned how to professionally use Maya at our school were mostly self-taught, aside from the general Maya classes that are mandatory for us to take. In years three and four, we were taught how to create a model, complete with rigging capabilities, as well as how to animate 3D characters. The rest is up to you whether you would like to tackle a 3D short film or not. The actual 3D program, however, is a post-graduate one, meant to be taken after completing your degree in Calssical Animation. You are of course never fully alone in your choices, since at Sheridan many of the instructors are so knowledgeable in the field, that it is only natural to want to “pick their brains”. I encourage you to do so! Our 3D instructor Doug Smith, for instance, was definitely a huge help in supporting and advising those who pursued a fully 3D animated short film. Outside of classes, many of the instructors, including the lab technicians, were readily available for you to ask questions about the industry.
Once I had dabbled in 2D as well as 3D mediums by year three, I wanted to try my hand at stop-motion. The school, at the time, had no stop-motion animation courses. With movie releases like The Corpse Bride, I was intrigued with this “hands-on” approach. After a request to make a stop-motion film in the summer, as part of our cooperative education criteria, myself and four peers were able to create a stop-motion animated short called Sheridonia: A Look at the Wild Animator. It was a spoof on the reality TV genre combined with a wildlife education show. We had our own “inside” jokes in it, matching the characteristics of our peers who voiced the characters. It was our only chance to try to make something just for our graduate year, as well as to gain experience in the skill of stop-motion. Thanks to Cuppa Coffee Studios as well as our stop-motion mentor, Chris Walsh, we were able to have a stop-motion lab set up for fourth year students immediately following our summer internship. The new lab was offered to us to create our final films with. Of course, I took advantage of this and decided to make my graduate film, Crema Suprema, in the medium of stop-motion.
To have a strong basis in classical animation before any other medium will prove to become an asset.
Voila! Your Recipe Is Complete
Whether you choose the medium of stop-motion, 2D, or 3D animation, there are many fundamentals that cross-over among these mediums. To have a strong basis in classical animation before any other medium will prove to become an asset. Once you have an understanding of anatomy (through life drawing), and have drawn and drawn and drawn…the repetition will eventually turn into experience. Before you know it, you are automatically becoming a better artist. Combine the results of what seems to be a “boot camp drawing experience” with a strong understanding in story, art direction, and animation, and your fourth year film will be strong no matter which medium you choose to apply it to.
This is why I advise you to take advantage of the facilities in your school. Ask as many questions as you can. If you have been to a university prior to Sheridan, then ask about acquiring an Advanced Standing so that you can focus more of your time on your practical courses, rather than your mandatory General Arts programs. Although I was among the few that actually enjoyed writing scripts or essays, I had already taken General Arts courses at a university level; therefore making me eligible for Advanced Standing positions in those courses. Take advantage of your guidance counselors and Career Centre. They can help you prepare your resume. Although your portfolio is extremely important in this artistic field, you still have to submit a professional resume with every application.
If you choose this program, remember to DRAW, DRAW, DRAW. Aside from school projects, work on your own personal drawings. This is advice that I have heard, but overlooked as the simplest rule. It seems basic enough, but when you get caught up in the stress and pressures of making your ideas in your mind become a reality on paper, it is easy to create a drawing block derived from frustration. Do not feel intimidated by the acceleration of your peers’ drawing skills. If you keep drawing, I assure you that your skills will simply improve as well. Everyone will eventually develop their own styles and talents. It will come naturally. Intimidation and fear are easy traits to obtain in a creative field like animation. Try to hold back those feelings and just work hard. By year four, you will look back on your first year work and say, “Wow! I can’t believe I have come this far.”
Most of all, communicate as much as possible with your peers and your instructors. They will support you and guide you in the right direction, but it is up to you to make a reputable school become as reputable to yourself. Most people expect to go to Sheridan and graduate with a huge line-up of jobs from the best studios in the world. This goal cannot become a reality without your own determination, passion, and discipline in the field. The school can provide you with the best tools they can offer, but it is up to the students to use them fully during their time at Sheridan.
After graduating, I was lucky enough to receive a job at Cuppa Coffee Studios in Toronto. I worked my way from the Sets Department to Animation on the following projects: The Warner Brothers’ television movie, The Miser Brothers Christmas Special; Rick and Steve; and Michael Eisner’s Glenn Martin DDS. Unfortunately, the industry is comprised mostly of contract work, so when a project ends, you are looking for another job unless you are able to renew your contract on the next project. In between contracts, I also suggest getting as much freelance work as possible, in order to pay the bills, while maybe taking some time to complete personal projects. Again, time management is the most important method to master, especially when facing all the challenges of the “real world” after graduating and leaving the comfort of your school community.
After having completed one independent film already, I am definitely interested in developing my career as a Director and Art Director. Although my first film was created in the medium of stop-motion, I would like to complete new projects in the medium of 3D (computer-generated), as well as another stop-motion project. I already have a few ideas brewing, so stay tuned…
Crema Suprema
Synopsis of my graduate film: Inspired by the feel of the old rubber hose animations up until the introduction of Technicolour, Crema Suprema (2008; 2 m. 50 s.), is a multiple award-winning stop motion animation about two bakers who are competing to win the World’s Greatest Cake Contest. As the bakers sabotage each others’ “masterpiece” cakes, it seems as though neither baker has a chance of winning. Only one cake can win.
It has won 3 awards: Best Animated Short at the LaFemme Film Festival (Beverly Hills), Best Animated Short (Jersey Shore Film Festival) and Audience Choice Award for Best Animation (Jersey Shore Film Festival).
It has been nominated for the following: Best of Festival and Best Animated Short (Miami Short Film Festival); Best Animated Short at the Action on Film Festival (Pasadena); Audience Choice of Best Animation (Sedona Int. Film Festival) and an Animation Semi-finalist (Angelus Student Film Festival). It has been screened internationally, including at the Cannes’ International Film Festival. It is listed on IMDB.
To watch Ellie’s award-winning film, Crema Suprema, visit youtube or you can visit the film’s blog at http://cremasuprema.blogspot.com
Online portfolio: http://eventuraportfolio.com/
Stay tuned: http://animationhotspot.com/
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