What to do with my life!!!

[XmikeyX]

hello there! It is finally time for me to begin a career to settle with for the rest of my life. I have narrowed down the choices to what i believe will be the most interesting and fun to me.

I need some opinions and thoughts about these choices.

here are my choices:
1. computer animation at iadt
2. sound technology because i love music aswell - iadt - www.iadt.ca
3. classic animation at max the mut animation school - www.maxthemutt.com

now, i want your opinions on best future, most fun...etc..
i having a hard time deciding between classic animation and computer animation.

[photogwannabe]

hello there,

i know nothing about animation or the school you have listed, but i do know that i would be much happier today if i had started off in the field i really wanted instead of doing what i thought would make me more money, would be easier to find, and what others told me i should do.

what are you most drawn to? which field do you find yourself thinking about the most?

good luck!

laura


:)

[XmikeyX]

well, i think at this point im leading mostly towards computer animation just because it seems like it would be ALOT of fun...

the sound tech, is probably least appealing to me.

[DeusExMachina]

Whoever said that a career was something you do for the rest of your life?

It seems you have a pretty luxurious position, being able to choose your education. Later on in life you might want to switch and I trust you will find the resources to do that.

Don't worry too much about how you plan your life. It always turns out differently anyway.

[photogwannabe]

most people do change careers about 7 times, or so its been said.

go for the animation, have FUN, keep at it if you like it and if not then cross that bridge when you come to it.

:)

[davideo]

Hello there. Yours is my first PM that is not on cwg.org. I was gonna offer you the brilliant observation that you needn't select a career 'for the rest of my life', but I see that I've been beaten to it, and not just once. On the aforementioned site where I tend to hang out, you'd find a discussion bulletin board concerning books called "Conversations with God"* x Neale d. Walsch. I mention this because without doing so, you might think I am a church-type person, and that 'God' , to me, Is of that (church) ilk. Not so, however, and I thought that , if you were to address God re: your future that Same might be of substantial help. "There are no obligations [in life] only opportunities." I do not mean to suggest, though that such help is not already taking place. Choose with love. Davideo. :) * repeated best sellers,NY Times list
Oops- I was thinking this was a PM. But I will leave it as is.D.

[Keith Russell]

When you say 'sound technology', what exactly do you mean? Are you a musician (I am), or are you simply interested in producing music, or being a sound engineer...?

Also, why do you feel you must choose between 'analog' and 'digital' animation? There are advantages to both types (and they can be combined, too!); it would be more advantageous for you to have experience with both, as well.

If you are a musician, then having studio experience (performing, editing, producing, and engineering) will help you to be even more in control of your work; you'll be able to create the visual, as well as the aural, moods for your films.

Best wishes, I'd recommend that you don't narrow things down too quickly...

K

[Dallen]

Computer animation is a dying industry in the US, so unless you want to live and work in Korea, India, Canada, or other emerging Animation countries forget it.

Los Angeles is full of highly skilled, experienced unemployed animation artists.

Dallen

[Taxguy]

Although.I do believe that you need to do what attracts you the most, you do need to evaluate the field so that you won't starve.

The hottest field for artistic jobs are in grapic design and its offshoot, "New media design," " which is graphic design plus some video and music. A good web site designer that can add animation and music is in BIG demand,but you must be very competant.

Animation is also in demand especially with all the hit movies,but there are a lot of other good animators that you need to compete against.

Computer design is somewhat in demand if you focus on the "graphic design or web site" design area.

Printing is always in demand especially if you have some good printing skills. You might want to check out in the US, Rochester Institute of Technology ( in Rochester NY). They have a strong Graphic Design/new media design program and have a strong printing media major as well. In fact, RIT is very job oriented since they provide co-ops for all students. If they have it as a major, chances are that there is a demand for that major since that is what employers will give co-ops for.

All other areas are up to you, your skills, your ability to interview and hussle etc.. Frankly, you can even make money in pure fine art if you are really good, work hard, hussle at all the art shows etc.

[Quiet]

If you had all the money that you could ever need, and you wanted to choose an activity to do for fun, what would you pick?

I suggest spending as much time trying all three of your chosen activities before choosing the route of your education. Also consider that a career in computers will involve many hours in front of computers, dealing with computers, getting no sunlight, etc. Also, consider that a training in classic animation skills will translate into computer animation skills with the addition of learning the proper programs. (But learning to animate on the computer will not give you drawing skills.)

Be aware that you are in for a *lot* of hard work if you want to be an animator. You’ll probably be in for a lot of hard work if you go into the movie industry, too, and either career will require lots of luck.

But also keep in mind that plenty of law-school grads out there right now are also struggling to find work. (Three of my friends are in this boat.) All jobs have an element of risk. The important thing is to find the job whose risks you are willing to take.

[Cherub]

What the heck is wrong with living in Canada?

[luvlorn]

Those techie schools tend to be more concerned with selling you a degree than actually educating you. Can I suggest searching around for a more reputable program? I also say this because I know iadt is very pricey and they can't even make a commercial for themselves that hints of any kind of design sense. I think you'll learn to push buttons there and that is all (and you could learn that from a book!) If you're gonna spend tons of money you might as well go to an art school (I know Ringling has a very competitive 3-d animation program).

As far as finding a job, I graduate in a few months and know it will be difficult but I've also learned that 85% of everything in the world is crap with an attitude that it is good so don't worry about competitors. You might as well try at what you love. Just give yourself the gift of a decent education so your work stands on its own (educate yourself if you have to.)

[saintperez]

Laura, I could not agree with you more about starting off with what your true love is.I too made the mistake of choosing a career for admiration from my peers and family and for the money. I wanted to become graphic artist back in the early 90s but instead chose a high paying career (Compuer Programming) which I now hate and count the days till I get out of which leads me to my next point.


DeusExMachina, obviously you've never heard of a little something we have in America called child support. Basically what it means is when yo get divorced the husband has to sustain the lifestyle the children have had at the time of divorce until they are adults (18 yrs old). Well when you have a high paying career as I do you are stuck. You cannot change careers unless you make the same amount of money or more. As we all know our passion for the most part is not a high paying career unless you really work at promoting yourself. In any case if you try changing careers and fall behind on child support you risk going to jail. I know, it happened to me. I left a Fortune 100 company to persue my passion, Art. Lasted 8 months before the judge locked me away.

Mikey, you have only one life and x amount of hours go after what you love and life will be wonderful. GO after money solely and you will hate life.

[bliblob]

why not do both computer and traditional animation? you'd always be in demand that way. the traditional animation would also give you the skills needed for things like comic art.