Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/16269
Education Supplement cinematic 3D animation and motion capture, and even Stop Motion Pro to create handmade stop-mo aesthetic.” Students also want to work with software development kits (SDKs), “for technology that isn’t available to the public; we do this for a number of mobile and desktop devices.” Macleod and his colleagues in the Animation & Visual Eff ects program at VFS have been receiving increasing requests for matte-painting instruction. In response, the school is pro- viding more focused workshops in that area. “We are always looking to provide support for learning new skills and keep- ing our eyes on software that can help develop core, transfer- able skills,” Macleod says. “VFS’s curriculum is fl exible and fl uid enough to embrace and adapt to new and emerging areas. One of the ways we have achieved access to the latest tools and software is through our partnership with Pixologic, which provides us with its ZBrush digital sculpting software.” Gnomon works closely with relevant software developers, and it is something Bradford considers a “notable feature” of the school. “Pixologic, the makers of ZBrush, have offi ces right tion, and for illustration, says Blazer. Another development is the deployment of Vicon optical motion-capture systems to allow students to experience the performance and manipula- tion of motion-captured data for projects within the school’s Media Arts & Animation and Game Art & Design programs. Industry Involvement Today’s educators aren’t just partnering with top software and hardware vendors; they are also hosting and providing access to some of the top names in the industry. Experienced artists working on or having worked on some of the hottest fi lms and games are increasingly teaching at public and private universities—whether joining the staff , delivering a onetime instruction, or presenting at a special event. Located in Hollywood, home to hundreds of fi lm, game, and television studios, Gnomon’s curriculum is developed, tested, and taught by some of the most recognized CG profession- als working in the industry, says Bradford. “Our instructors and advisory board members work and consult for studios, such as DreamWorks, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Sony Interactive, Digital Domain, Electronic Arts, Activision, Rock Star Games, and Blizzard, to name a few.” “While we often leverage partnerships to arrange guest speakers from various indus- tries in our schools, it is our faculty that truly represents the professional industry to our students,” says Blazer of The Art Gnomon School of Visual Eff ects focuses on exposing its students to the latest software being used in the industry. next door to ours. Being this close to one of the most cut- ting-edge VFX software packages used today defi nitely has its advantages as we continue to revise our curriculum in an evolving industry,” he says. Blazer at The Art Institutes fi nds that the schools’ relation- ships with HP and Apple, in combination with its large in- stalled base, enables instructors to provide feedback on prod- ucts that benefi t students. “While we leverage many tools,” he says, “it is the Adobe and Autodesk suites of products that provide the core instructional tool kits for computer graphics- related programs. Participation on advisory councils with these hardware and software companies has been benefi cial to both The Art Institutes students and our partners.” This year, the staff at The Art Institutes is focusing on desk- top workstation upgrades, as well as embarking on new initia- tives. Among them is the installation of Wacom Cintiq labs in many of the schools to assist with animation, general graph- ics design, and illustration courses. The tool provides a unique drawing experience for creative professionals and has been particularly eff ective for interactive sculpting and painting of 3D models within the animation workfl ow, for 2D cell anima- 8 • Education Supplement • July 2010 Institutes. “The diversity and in- dustry experience of our faculty exemplifi es our strength and helps to provide our students with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue a career in a computer graphics fi eld.” Another school, Animation Mentor, today has 77 profes- sional animators from top animation studios instructing stu- dents. “What continues to be innovative and unique about AnimationMentor.com is our approach to mentorship in that we have been able to attract professional animators working at top studios to help us design our curriculum and teach our students,” explains Bobby Beck, school cofounder and CEO of Animation Mentor. “We created a model for passing on infor- mation from the top talent back to the people who are on their way to becoming the next superstars—real-world expe- rience and wisdom.” Animation Mentor created a proprietary tool, called the eCritiqueR, which enables mentors to critique each frame and draw directly on a student’s work to correct lines of action, blocking, and movement; it also provides visual direction for how to improve the animation. Students also participate in live, interactive, weekly Q&A sessions with their mentors and up to 15 other students. “Our assignments are structured like shot assignments animators would receive in the real world, with feedback and critiques, much as they would get on the