Education: Seneca vs. George Brown?

yukonwanderer

I'm thinking of enrolling in one next year. I think it could help me understand the "why's" and give me a more theoretical basis for this stuff. Has anyone here gone to either and which would you recommend?  I'm only interested in game art and level design, not animation. 

I know a million school questions have been asked but I did a search and couldn't find anything about these two schools specifically.

Brian "Panda" Choi

I'm mum on the topic, but feel free to broaden the questions if you want.  I personally attended the University of Southern California's Interactive Media and Design School.

yukonwanderer

It's almost free to attend university/college in Ontario now if you make under a certain amount (which I do since I quit my job) so it's gotta be a school in Ontario. I'm still paying off my undergrad degree and don't want to add to it.  From my research I've narrowed it down to these two. They seem to be the best in the province. I don't want to gett into a debate about whether school is worth it...too many threads on that. I do hope it can provide a theoretical basis or at least more of a general technical overview so that I have the knowledge to solve my own problems and try new things. 

MagicSugar

Pick the school Ubisoft TO has recruited or hired interns the most.

yukonwanderer

MagicSugar said:

Pick the school Ubisoft TO has recruited or hired interns the most.

I believe they pretty much take students from both.  I guess no one on here went to those schools?

slipsius

I went to Durham, but focused on animation. All three schools are good when it comes to modeling.  The key will come down to you and how much you`re willing to put into it. They all teach you the tools. They all have some pretty great show reels. Each year tends to be better then the year before it, because students continue to push themselves. And it honestly varies from year to year of which of the schools has the best reels. 

For this past year, if I remember correctly, 3 of the top 6 in the NXT competition were from George Brown when it comes to modelling. I could be off, but I'm pretty sure they had the highest number of finalists this year.

 No matter what school you go to in the area, you`ll get a decent education. You`ll have students in your class that are amazing. you`ll have students in your class that are less so. How much work you personally put in, how good you are at staying out of drama and staying focused on your own work, and how much you care for your craft will determine if you get a job or not after school finishes. And don't think Ubisoft is the only place to get work in the area, either. There are plenty of other studios, both in games and in tv/film that hire modelers straight out of school. 

yukonwanderer

@slipsius - what's this "NXT competiton" you speak of?  I know that the internship program/challenge that Ubisoft runs - latest winner was from Seneca, the runner up was George Brown.  What are some of the other game studios in the area?  

slipsius

NXT is the new name for the student competition we host. Used to be called UbiGallery. Winners get a summer internship. The top 3 from both the modeling and animation got offers this year because they were all so strong. UbiTO seems to also prefer students through that competition. You can still get hired after school without it, but, going through that competition will increase your odds.   

Other game studios. Mark Media, Gameloft, Torn Banner, Digital Leisure, Reptoid Games,  Pala Interactive, SHG Studios/Snakehead Games, Hard Circle. Just to name a few. Im sure there's more. Those are just off the top of my head. 



 

yukonwanderer

@slipsius - awesome, thanks.  Off to research those studios.  Didn't know you work at Ubisoft.    

slipsius

Also, checking out funding lists will help you discover the smaller studios. http://www.omdc.on.ca/about_us/Funding_Recipients/Interactive.htm

yukonwanderer

@JoshuaG  - yep I have a previous bachelor degree in landscape architecture, am a licensed L. Arch working for 5 years now...burned out completely and looking for a change of career - have always loved video games and not sure why I didn't think of this career before.  I suppose if I don't succeed I always have architecture to fall back on.  I've looked into Gnomon, but I'm thinking that college here in Ontario might be a better bet money-wise.  Ubisoft Toronto has hired grads from the colleges I've mentioned, so I'm hoping they're more than half-decent.  

Still surprised that no one has replied who's been to either.

almighty_gir

want my opinion on what will make you improve?

start posting work.

Brian "Panda" Choi

@yukonwanderer
Have you tried reaching out to their individual departments and asking for contact information of previous notable, hard-working alumni?

yukonwanderer

almighty_gir said:

want my opinion on what will make you improve?

start posting work.

Hah!  I will in the future but at this point I literally am just learning my way through the programs, a baby learning to walk.  Literally have nothing to post.  Thinking school will help speed up that learning curve.

yukonwanderer

Brian "Panda" Choi said:

@yukonwanderer
Have you tried reaching out to their individual departments and asking for contact information of previous notable, hard-working alumni?

That's a good idea.  I'll try that. 

javi

I ended up going to Seneca, I took their gaming program there.  That was... 8 years ago.  I believe the program was still in the early years, we were taught 3DS Max, and used Unreal Engine 2.  Out of the 12 of us in the program, 3 got jobs.  I was hired by Radical Ent. and ended up moving out to Vancouver.  In the end, it's really what your portfolio looks like, what you put into it, etc.