Having An Animation Degree Can Make A Big Difference
One of the most successful ways of getting into the animation industry is to get an animation degree from a major university. Not only will the degree help you in obtaining a job that can eventually lead to a position as an animator, but it may also help in securing your place in a related industry such as computer game design, video production or special effects. Graduates of major animation schools and colleges continue to be in great demand by companies that produce film, TV and video games.
Whichever degree course you follow, you should ensure that it will cover current techniques and also older techniques that are no longer used as much as they once were. There is no substitute for a good understanding of basic animation and drawing. Several universities pride themselves on building drawing and painting skills and then transferring those to the computer. These courses are usually marketed as paintbrush to pixel courses. Despite the animation industry being fast paced and in a state of constant evolution, everything is built on basic principles that were developed by trial and error in the early part of the last century.
One of the most important aspects of your degree course will be the construction of your demo reel. This is the film and animation industries version of a Cirriculum Vitae or CV, and like a CV it should be short while still packing in as much information as possible. You should make it no more than 4 -5 minutes long, and you should be constantly reviewing and updating it. The reel should contain details of what you have done and how people can contact you. Make sure your contact details are easy to find and easy to read. The key to a good demo reel is to have your best work at the beginning so as to capture the attention of the person reviewing it. There is no need to spend too much time on a music background as the sound is often turned down while they are being watched. While you are in the process of attaining your degree, the university and your tutors should be helping you to create and refine your demo reel. It may prove to be more important than your actual degree.
With an animation degree costing many thousands of dollars to complete, you need to make the most of the time spent taking the course. This means taking as many related modules as possible and spending your spare time practicing your skills. The more time you dedicate to animation, the easier it is going to be to turn your degree into a career, and in the end, that's what it's all about.
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