Computer Graphics World

EDUCATIONAL SPECIAL

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Education Supplement Atypical Education Today’s educational institutions are pushing the boundaries of tradition, going above and beyond typical, lecture-based classes. A number of schools are compressing a comprehen- sive education into an abbreviated timeline spanning one or two years. “Vancouver Film School’s one-year Game Design program goes well beyond traditional educational models,” says Dave Warfi eld, head of Game Design at Vancouver Film School (VFS) in Vancouver, British Columbia. “Over six terms, students are immersed in a learning environment that mirrors a professional studio, learning everything they need to hit the ground running after graduation.” In one year, Warfi eld maintains, VFS Game Design delivers a results-focused curriculum that outpaces most three- or four-year programs and ensures students’ skills are industry- relevant. An advisory board and faculty of highly respected professionals help match the demands of the curriculum with those of the real world, he adds. Gnomon School of Visual Eff ects in Hollywood, Califor- nia, also off ers programs engi- neered to meet the needs of aspiring CG artists in little time. “Our signature program is the two-year Digital Production for Entertainment Program, which is designed to create well- rounded, production-ready artists who are versed in digital and traditional skills,” explains Brian Bradford, Gnomon’s di- rector of admissions. “Unlike conventional curriculums, this is not a diluted program with courses that simply fi ll a pro- gram’s roster; these are specifi c courses that develop students into professionals and ready each student to work in the fi eld of their choice.” For experienced artists wishing to hone their skills further, schools such as VFS and Gnomon off er specialized courses. Whereas VFS boasts summer programs, Gnomon delivers an advanced nine-week crash course in Autodesk’s Maya. Studio Similarities Graduates, as well as the studios that hire them, understand the benefi ts of learning in an environment that closely mim- ics that of a real-world studio. Students gain real-world expe- rience, become better equipped and prepared, and increase their chances for rapid placement at a reputable studio— fresh out of college. Studios also benefi t, as new graduates’ familiarity with production tools and processes often reduces the learning curve upon entering the workforce and trans- lates to a smooth workfl ow, fast time to market with quality results, and a mutually benefi cial experience. For these and other reasons, modern educators increasingly are infusing 4 • Education Supplement • July 2010 school curriculums with tools and techniques common of today’s production studios. “At VFS, we provide a simulated production environment,” says Alastair Macleod, head of Animation & Visual Eff ects at Vancouver Film School. “With students working closely alongside instructors and mentors from the industry, they are able to learn and become well-versed in the language of the industry.” VFS Animation & Visual Eff ects students take part in regu- lar screenings, called “weeklies” and “rounds,” in an immersive curriculum of one year or less. Experiences such as these ease a student’s transition to a professional production environ- ment, Macleod explains. Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, has embarked on a unique program of study for students in Game Devel- opment, Game Art, and Game Production, according to Rob Catto, director of Game Studies. “In an eff ort to provide the students with an environment that enables them to apply Full Sail aims to provide students with an experience that closely resembles what they will encounter in the real world. To this end, students learn to use state-of- the-art tools and techniques, including working with motion-capture setups. their education in a realistic atmosphere, we have combined the fi nal project courses in these three programs, allowing them to take on the roles of producer, artist, and programmer in the development of a computer video game,” he says. The fi nal project is a fi ve-month game cycle designed to provide each student with the experience of working in a team-cen- tered studio. This summer, Full Sail is opening a new building that will include a game studio designed to replicate the environment an employee would encounter in an actual game studio. As a result, Catto reveals, students in the last three months of their program will be able to work on their fi nal projects in a profes- sional work environment. Students in the Computer Animation and Game Art de- gree program at Full Sail also follow an industry pipeline that is common of industry studios and which takes students

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