<p>My daughter is senior, she want to study animation in college. We just attended National Portfolio Day in New York, every college like her work, even Ringling said she is a strong candidate, until she visited Calarts, she was crashed, Calarts think her portfolio was too Fine Art. After we took a look at the other Calarts accepted Portfolio, we have some ideas what go wrong. The question is: one of her top choice is USC animation, the deadline is coming, we cannot find any accepted portfolio from internet, USC does not attend any National Portfolio Day, we are from New York, too far away to visit, anybody can tell us more what USC want in portfolio? Thanks.</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about the program in person but you can see what sort of kids go there for animation assuming they are telling truth. Usually they do, in livejournal school specific communities. I searched USC animation and there are piles.
<a href=“LJ search”>LJ search;
the last person on the first page has some of his(I think he)works posted in it.
[esdafable</a> - Poppin’ Cherries](<a href=“Error”>Error)
if you read more, you will get better idea. This is how I started on researching about Cooper Union long time ago.
sometimes you have to join as a member to use other links.
good luck</p>
<p>may I ask
why USC for animation? is it location, or university experience, or money?</p>
<p>My son was adamant that he didn’t want to do animation so no ringling or california for him. It may have been a mistake when you see that a lot of the internships require that you be local (disney picks up ringling kids) and the california animators say you need to be local and intern all year…etc. While S still says no animation…well he is still doing animation and doing it well. His portfolio did have some computer animation but he got a lot of attention from faculty at the art schools not because of this but his more “fine arts” portfolio …they said he had a clear style and sense of self which is helpful so you don’t just end up copying…I was surprised that someone’s portfolio could be “too fine arts” for animation. On the other hand, a portfolio review should probably be an opportunity to explain how a student with no animation experience has become interested in animation and how does she know that this is her preferred field…</p>
<p>When we first search the college, we look into the ranking of 3D world magazine, USC is one of the top college in animation, also it is the only university on this ranking. Then we start to look into the program, USC has some benefits that other Art college cannot compare to. Well, depend how much you like to study core education in university, you know some kids may not like it, my daughter love animation but also like writing. I think this is a good program for her.</p>
<p>Cal Arts requires a portfolio that is very strong in figure drawing! They are the most selective animation school in the country and many of their students have post high school training in figure drawing before applying. My D attends USC animation program, she’s interested in character animation and wishes USC was stronger in that field (they’re great for experimental). USC’s pluses are many including location and the Trojan Family Network. Also, the pres of Dreamworks donated 50 million to the animation school and identified the students there as his “future worker bees.”</p>
<p>that article worried me a little, I know it is none of my business.
Is the guy dead serious saying that?
what if the student likes and wants to work for Pixar?
s/he shouldn’t go to USC?</p>
<p>USC has done an amazing job getting the biggest movers & shakers in the entertainment industry to invest in their School of Cinematic Arts. Their involvement often brings with it more opportunities for students. But, like so many art fields, the strength of a student’s portfolio will merit her/him a first job. Afterwards, a career and all future success will depend on work ethic, good breaks, making the right friends/contacts, and such intangibles as leadership, vision, creativity and LUCK. :)</p>
<p>To answer bears and dogs, just wait a few months and they may announce that Pixar is donating big $$ to USC, too. I don’t know how they do it!</p>
<p>owwwwhowwww
A Bug’s life VS Antz all over again!!
whose worker ant do you wanna bee?</p>
<p>Not sure, b&d, but I’m kinda surprised they are not looking overseas to hire cheaper beez (or antz).</p>
<p>That is a good question, madbean. Is it possible that outsourcing artistic creativity will be the last skill to be sent to asia? I’ve often thought one strength of American education is support for creativity and imagination. However, as a high school science teacher I do get irritated by so many creative ways students can do arithmetic incorrectly.</p>
<p>Hi marthajp59</p>
<p>Can you tell me why you think USC is good at experimental? How good their 2D compare to 3D?</p>
<p>chanj3 - I believe they have profs who are known for their experimental work and the school is also much more focused on 3D. They do have Tom Sito who is one of the original animators from Disney and Dreamworks and is very much respected. Here’s a link to the description of the faculty. [USC</a> Division of Animation & Digital Arts - Faculty Gallery](<a href=“http://anim.usc.edu/old_site/gallery/facultygallery.html]USC”>http://anim.usc.edu/old_site/gallery/facultygallery.html)</p>
<p>marthajp59</p>
<p>Tom Sito seems very good, did he teach your daughter any course? Calarts is very difficult to get in, do you or your daughter know about LCAD or CCA animation program?</p>
<p>Even Dreamworks is outsourcing some animation work. See the recent LA Times article at link below. My son has applied for fall admissions and it worried me to read it, though they swear they are not cutting back on staff in the US. The creative work is different than the technical work, but very few people actually work the creative end.
Almost no field is immune these days. Young people have to be adept, flexible and adaptable in the new world market, I suppose. </p>
<p>[‘Puss</a> in Boots’ shows work by Indian animators for DreamWorks - Los Angeles Times](<a href=“http://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/29/business/la-fi-ct-dwa-india-20111029]'Puss”>'Puss in Boots' showcases work by India animators for DreamWorks)</p>
<p>chanj3 my daughter has not had a class with Sito yet, although she did ask him to “mentor” her. He’s very available and very eager to work with students in and out of the classes he teaches. I don’t know about LCAD but I do know about CCA. Their animation department is very new but very good. Several of the Pixar animators teach there since Pixar is literally right down the road. My D was accepted there but unfortunately the aide was not enough to make it affordable.</p>
<p>marthajp59</p>
<p>so you mean if you have enough aid, you will chose CCA rather than USC? I did not see a lot of student work from CCA, like you said this is a new program. My situation is not the same, I don’t think we qualify any aid from college except merit scholarship, My D only get 3.5 gpa, 1950 combined SAT score, for USC, I don’t think she will get scholarship, I will be glad if she can get in, do you mind telling me what is your daughter GPA and SAT? On the other hand, CCA approve her portfolio, and state that she can apply merit scholarship, good chance she will get 10000 per year.</p>
<p>my D had a 2050 on SAT, 30 on ACT. GPA was 3.9… while I think this help, I believe it was her portfolio and recommendations that really sealed the deal. She went to CCA for their precollege program and did some amazing work (she was given a small scholarship at the end of the program and basically accepted into the program on the spot). The reason she probably would have chosen CCA is because they have the Pixar connection and are therefore more focused on character animation which is what she really wants to do (and for Pixar ) so the hope would have been that the profs took a liking to her and increased her chances to get an internship there. I think she will do just as well at USC and since they have such a strong connection to the industry (Dreamworks in particular), and such a strong Alumni assoc. If the 10k from CCA comes through, it will be a help I’m sure. Both schools end up at 50k+ so any help is great. I wouldnt necessarily count USC out for grants though… the school has a humongous endowment and may be able to help some. </p>
<p>I dont know if you have toured CCA at all… its a very very small campus and certainly doesnt have anywhere near the amenities or extracurricular activities that USC has. If you daughter is interested in learning anything outside of animation, there are also many many possibilities at USC and she would graduate with a BA vs a BFA. Lots to think about…</p>
<p>I think in term of facilities, no one can compare with USC. We did not visit college in the west, we live in New York, it is too far away from us, plan to visit in April after we know the result. My daughter also want to focus on Character animation,CCA sound good, you say the campus is very small, how about the facilities and equipment, is there enough computer to use and update software?</p>
<p>They are just beginning to build there animation labs… D called the program the ■■■■■■■ child of the school since they were located in a basement room (I think they have a new facility now). It really is a good school and the fact that Pixar animators teach there makes it better than most. From my research, CCA, CalArts, USC, and Ringling are prob the best. USC and Loyola Marymount are the only BA programs.</p>
<p>bahaha, the ■■■■■■■ child of the school- awesome.</p>
<p>I’m a junior animation major here at the school and as far as your questions go regarding CCA:</p>
<p>the program is only four years old, but it’s getting to be awesome every year. For a ■■■■■■■ program, it’s doing really well. It’s the fastest growing program in the school and the number of applications coming in is pretty staggering.</p>
<p>As marthajp59 said, most of our professors work at pixar, if they don’t they either work at tippett studios, or they’re retired disney artists. Our head of animation is trying to bring in more diverse people from different ares of animation so this year we got people who worked on shows like Robot Chicken, Celebrity Deathmatch, PJs, and more.</p>
<p>Our facilities, I’ll be the first to admit, are pretty bad. To the school’s credit, it has come along way in these short few years, but if you want good facilities, SCAD, Calarts, Ringling beat out CCA by a mile. We do have a general computer lab with up to date software (maya2011, cs5 suite, toonboom harmony, storyboard pro2, etc), but nothing really fancy.</p>
<p>Most of the computers do have wacom tablets attached and if you need a pen, you can check them out of the media center. If you’re a senior or junior with lots of credits, you can get into the senior animation room. This place is really nice and cozy and have huge cintiqs to work on.</p>
<p>They also installed some light tables (about seven) last year, so that’s pretty cool. I will say though, if you’re coming to this school for facilities, you are going to be SEVERELY disappointed. The biggest reason to come to this school is for the knowledge. The stuff these professionals have to teach us, is GREAT. The relatively small class sized (ranges from 8 max to 16 max) is awesome.</p>
<p>The program is also very very very loose. That can be good or bad, depending on how disciplined you are. Like everything else in life, you get out what you put in. If you just coast by and do the assignments and nothing else, you might get an “A”, but…that’s useless in the real world.</p>
<p>The school is ripe with opportunity, but only if you’re really committed to your work. We have a guy who graduated from here about a year ago? who went on to pixar and is now working at disney as an animator.</p>
<p>As far as professors taking a liking to you and all that jazz: don’t count on it. In the end, it’s all about your work. Yeah, you do get familiar with your professors seeing them twice a week, etc. and yeah, when you go to conventions such as APE down in SF by the CCA SF campus, and you see your teachers there, you do greet each other and exchange pleasantries. However, that alone will not get you an internship, it’s about your work, not your ability to chat them up. In fact, even if they wanted to, they wouldn’t be able to get you an internship since it’s probably out of their power.</p>
<p>That all being said, CCA is great, but you have to be very disciplined to really take advantage of what the school has to offer. The program needs a lot of work, facilities are nothing notable, but we got great teachers who have really good knowledge to pass on. The school also adds new classes every semester. This semester we got a new Acting for Animators class, and this coming one they added Sculpting for Animators as well as a Junior Seminar class to help you get ready for internship applications as well as senior project.</p>
<p>Also, our extracurriculars are probably not as great as USC, but the students here are trying to do something about that. Last year, the Animation Study Group was founded to try and start some community building among animation majors and this year we got three new student organizations as well: Cinescene (film watching/discussion club), the Anime Club, and the Improv Student Group.</p>
<p>Also, the school has the best scholarships out there. I applied to many schools, about…eleven? CCA gave out the best aid. I would definitely, at the very least, consider CCA.</p>
<p>One more thing, we might have one of the best storyboarding geared animation programs out there. Our professor for that class is directing Pixar’s next new movie “Brave”. He’s also worked on a bunch of other stuff like Quest for Camelot and Samurai Jack and his critiques are always spot on; brilliant teacher.</p>