etsuko my senior

BA (Multimedia) - school starts on Feb
Role: Character TD, Character Animator, Designer, Programmer (I would love to work as a Character TD/Animator)
Software taught at school: Photoshop, Illustrator, QuarkXpress, Dreamweaver, Flash, After Effects, Premiere, LightWave, etc etc

I use Maya, XSI, Photoshop, Fusion, Premiere to do my job.

Why is everybody focusing on software?

IMO, it's not a will-they-hire-you-or-not question. If you have the confidence that you are able to handle the job, go ahead and apply, does no harm anyway

I'm sorry but it's about the art, not so much about the software.

It's like, anyone can use Flash to build webs, but how many can really design a well-designed one? Animation wise, anyone can set keys using his/her 3D software, but how come some are award-winning quality animation and some are just a piece of crap? Do you think Disney would want a software guy or an animation guy if both are applying for the same animator job? Heck Pixar even employs traditional animator that has no 3D experience as a 3D character animator.

No offence but why do some commercial work, say a printed advertisement look like sh*t? Well, the work is still created using Photoshop or Illustrator or others right? Another thing is character design, some people's character designs just s*ck.

The market is now very short of real talents. Art schools these days are just producing graduates that know software but don't know art, and these schools also allow really bad student to graduate. This is bad, this is not contributing to the industry.

If you are going to get a job in the creative industry, concentrate on the art.

Students have to change their mindset! Yes, knowing many software does no harm, but knowing alot also means you do not know any software in detail. Of all the software you know, how many do you know them inside out? I am confident that your answer would be "none". Would you like to be a jack of all trades but a master of none? Well that depends on how you think.

Just my opinion.

This post has been edited by zhenyang: Jan 7 2006, 08:41 PM

Well, that's what ART schools should do right? hehe, if not, why are they called ART school?

I think it depends on each individual's idea...

Randy Hancock of Disney said in the previous Siggraph, "... it's a mistake to think of our work as a special effect...", "... to think of our work as an artform will allow us greater creative freedom, more open mind...."

What d'ya think? hmm

Wow, everyone wants to be a boss! Work hard to realise your dreams, you guys

As for me, I'd like to go to US, I've always dreamt of working in Pixar or Disney *fantasising* , that is IF i get to apply working visa to US (which I hear from many CG people from US, it is very hard to get in there after 911). Or I'll stay here and wait for one of you guys to open an animation house that has a very creative working environment (yea, like Pixar) (no offence but I think not even one studio in Malaysia (or even Asia i might say) has that kind of environment)

For me, money doesn't matter very much. I do this all because I love to do it. Passion drives me. (childish and naive thought, but that's me) I personally think that you won't go far if you going for the money.

BTW, nice to "meet" all of you

This post has been edited by zhenyang: Jan 9 2006, 12:39 AM

You mean Lucasfilm Animation... no Lucasart in Singapore

This post has been edited by zhenyang: Jan 9 2006, 01:03 PM

Weren't many of the most fantastic artists in the history poor?

No wonder Pixar is so successful

Yea, it's Lucasfim Animation Singapore, officially opened in last December. They are working on Star Wars Clone Wars series now...

Just like any other houses out there, send in your demo reel

And not to be discouraging (I've learnt this from people (mostly from US, UK) in the industry) but if your work can't match up or even come close to what people in the industry are doing/have done, don't bother sending in, it'll just end up in the trash.

So, work hard and put your best works in your reel

This post has been edited by zhenyang: Jan 11 2006, 01:22 AM

I don't know much about how studios in Malaysia operate and what are their employment requirements, I can't comment on that, but I'm guessing they also play with the same rules as every other studios in the world. From what I've read/heard/talk to some guys from US, what I do know is big studios like Pixar, Blue Sky, Dreamworks, SPI, ILM, etc etc will require your art/creativity. These studios actually do throw away over hundreds of reels because they weren't good enough in the sense of art. Most of these studios don't want jack of all trade. IMO, the size of the companies also differenciates the requirements. Small boutique houses would normally accept jack of all trades. Check out CGTalk (this is a great site, visit it!) and do a search of "demo reel" and you'll know what I mean.

Really? For the courses in my school that require internship, the school will place students to the studio/house best suit their ability...