Question about Education in Vancouver
Hey guys. My name is Richard. I live in Vancouver BC. I just graduated highschool and want to get into the film/game industry. The courses im taking is the Foundation Visual&Designs and after the 3D animation and maybe Visual Effects at VFS. but the the thing is its sooo expensive. Do you guys know any other school that would give me the same experience but at a cheaper price? (ei. Think Tank, etc..) VFS talks about how their education simulates being at workplace. Would other school give you the same expeirience? I(My parents) dont want to spend a fortune on a one year program(3D Animation & Visual Effects is just under 40k). But if you guys think that the VFS program is really good then i would consider it more. Do you think that 2 year program will build me from the ground up to be able to land a job in the inudstry? I might take the foundation class and see from there where I should study. But i would love to read some feedbacks!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
Replies
Do some searching on these forums and you will see many opinions, most of which are echoed over the years.
All schools could potentially simulate the 'workplace.' That's a load of bullshit. All schools will give you projects that you need to complete by a certain time and, hopefully, to a certain quality bar - potentially - with a structured team or conversing with other disciplines...it's not like this is unique to VFS.
I'm not in Vancouver anymore, though lived there for about 8 years. I met a lot of guys from Think Tank, AI, VFS and VanArts...all have their pros and cons...though Think Tank seemed pretty cool. My old art lead used to teach there and I know they had relevant staff - or at least did.
Not to burst your bubble, BUT, don't expect to be amazing right out of school. Don't expect that any school will guarantee you a job, because they won't. In the end, no matter how much money you pay, it all comes down to you and the amount of effort your are going to put into it - and even then, a job still isn't guaranteed. There are plenty of people in the industry, way more talented than you, that do not have a job. Chances are, you are going to spend a lot of time after this school working on your own, creating a portfolio that is good enough for a junior level job.
So, to me, they're all evil but can be beneficial - especially if you have NO idea what to do and need some documentation to work in other countries. VFS has a decent reputation, but I've hgonestly heard bad things about it too...likewise, Ai generally has a bad rep there, but I've met successful people from there. You should set up meetings with all 3 and have them show you around, ask some of the students there what they honestly think...
Gav
Video games are real time, you're strictly limited by the platform.
Movies, its mostly vfx work, combining realistic renders with actually footage
I say you send sometime learning maya or 3DS max and doing some tutorials and seeing if you actually like this stuff. Also, a strong background in art would really help.
Gav really hit the nail on the head, check everything out and make a decision, you can always go the self taught route too and save a ton of cash but you need to be super dedicated.
From the small class sizes, atmosphere of the school, helpful teachers and students I couldn't have asked for a better school (the animation program at my highschool was extremely dry and consisted of me self teaching most things).
What sold me on this school initially was the fact that all the teachers are currently working in the videogame/film industry so they know what is expected. Also third semester students get a mentor, somebody currently working in the industry, to help tailor your portfolio/demo reel on getting your first job.
If you're passionate about your work you should be fine at most places. However if you're serious about it, you should definitely give Think Tank a call or drop by for a tour or open house, and decide from there.
Oh also the tuition for Think Tank is only 28K (was 25k for me as I got a $3000 entrance scholarship), if that factors in at all.
Nowadays their vfx/3d programs cost over $50,000. Outrageous. Compare their tuitions to this VFS alumni salary survey: http://www.payscale.com/research/CA/School=Vancouver_Film_School/Salary That dosen't even indicate how competitive the marketplace is for new grads.
Unless you or your family is rich or you're 100% sure you can deal with loans after graduation, then go for it. But if you're blinded by the hype and clueless about the consequences regarding loans or how to support yourself while in school, I recommend that you think hard about it.
VFS doesn't grant degrees that you could use for U.S. visa application too.
Good luck. Shop smart.
@Zac
Im more interested in film. Animation and such. I jsut heard that in some occasions that games would earn more than movies. And if your (lets say) an animator, you can work in both fields right?
I have been playing around Maya/Zbrush since highschool. Learned basics(I would say more than the basics) of modeling/animating. I love seeing how something so lifeless can be full of life once the finish product is done. Im 100% sure this is where i wanna go.
@Ryswick
Wow that sounds awesome. Especially the Mentor section. and 28k is atleast 10k cheaper than VFS' program. Though I feel like Think Tank's course is more general. How is the breakdown of each semester and waht do you plan on specializing on? If you want to specialize in lets say modeling. Would they teach you the right amount to specialize in it?
@Rwolf
What program did you take? And how is the school life at VFS? I mean how much did they teach you there. And how much of it you are using in real life right now?
I'm also studying at Think Tank and also studied at VFS in foundation program a year before.
I would recommend you to go to art college for four year to strengthen your foundation in arts, but looking at my friends who have never touched animation or art before, they accel after two term and are pretty good now.
Just go to the website, google think tank training center
then give Scott a call then take a tour of the school to see how you like it.
For me, I would prefer Think Tank over VFS anyday.
I'm also taking their Foundation program as I start in late Aug. I was planning to take their 3D Animation & Visual Effects after but decided to slow down and carefully re-look at my choices. (possible cheaper ones). Now I'm hearing all these good things about Think Tank. Since it's way cheaper, i'm gonna spend some time researching about the school. And yes I would like to take a tour of the school. Since you went to the same program Im going to, can you tell me about the program? Pros Cons. How did u manage yourself financialy? Was there any complication with the student loan after switching from one school to another? (Given you applied for student loan for both VFS and Think Tank)
I'm not too sure what I'm going to specialize in yet, my animation abilities are pretty good since I've taught myself a bit over the years, but I also really enjoy modeling so it's still up in the air.
That place is the best! Joe and Scott (The two owners) are such great teachers. And the Mentor program, while I feel like it's over hyped, is very useful. Scott and Joe know everyone and will really help you find a job afterward. I'd definitely recommend going down there for an open house, or just going for a tour.
Just be prepared to work_your_ass_off. All of these schools are going to be a grind, but TTTC is a much more personal experience.
If you're not in the top of your class, more driven, dedicated, and talented than everyone else, chances are you won't get a job and will fail, and be shitloads in debt.
Heck even if you ARE top of the class, with shitloads of talent, there's still a good chance you might not make it. So you need to be VERY confident in your drive and ability. You have to want this more than everyone else.
Yeah, sorry about that. I just noticed my mistake when i was working lol.
Think Tank for the win! You'll never find a better place to call home for a school...honestly. Mentors are great, the pase of learning is great, people you work with are phenomenal and you can always get help and critique from alumni and other teachers as well. AND you have your personal computer...I don't think other schools offer you that...
They also offer what they call "mentorship" for your 3rd semester (final sem) and a guy from the industry works with you PERSONALLY to help you with your demo reel assets. NO other school offers that. This is how their students get the jobs.
The school offers a real job placement opportunity. I know a guy who came in the school with no 3D background whatsoever and wanted a career change. Now he is working for EA and Blur. The school is not like...there are 30 students and 1 guy/girl will get a job right out of school and the rest....well...you don't really hear from them. The job placement for students in that school is pretty high. Having said that, its not just the school that matters, but it is always up to the student whether to do great or not.
You should look into it
- My name is Herald by the way. If you decide to check out the school, ask for me.