Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/225858
I take that experience to my students and say, 'Look, there are fundamental skills you need that go beyond knowing how to write Maya scripts. You need to know basics, fundamental aspects of the creative process. You need to know how to think about different formulas for creating new media. And, you must have the flexibility to adapt. That will allow them to survive in the volatile job market. " To this end, CalArts continues to incorporate new technol ogy into the curriculum. According to Leeser, a lot of the faculty members work in their respective fields, so they are current in what is going on today, as opposed to yesterday. And that is not just from conversations, but also from actually using the technology. A good deal of innovation occurs at Cal Arts' Center for Integrated Media, a multidisciplinary labora tory where students combine art, science, and technology. If offers specialized integrated media classes, workshops, and seminars, and supports a wide range of projects involving performance and environmental installations, video, sound, music, robotics, gaming, programming, interactivity, com puter graphics, and the Internet. CalArts also has visiting artists who help in career build ing through lectures and reviews of student portfolios. "We have working artists who come visit, and students likewise do studio visits, Leeser says. There is also a yearly international " outreach, during which time Leeser and a grad student visit Asia and participate in student workshops. Coast-to-Coast Attention Raymond Yan, senior administrator at DigiPen Institute of Technology (Redmond, Washington), acknowledges that the job market for digital artists is challenging, especially for new graduates. So, the school works with soontobegrads on a number of fronts, such as providing access to the student resource center to prepare job search strategies. This includes understanding employment options, knowing where to look, preparing resumes, polishing interview skills, and so forth. Art students at DigiPen can also participate in portfolio re views conducted by faculty and industry art leads. "Our goal is to ensure that students are properly telling their 'story,' mean ing that they not only showcase their best work, but also show their creative process – in other words, the steps they are taking to get to the final image. For entrylevel artists, many art directors are looking beyond just the skills and want to see the thought process, says Yan. " Y ou're HIRED! What schools are doing to help their graduates land that precious job By Karen Moltenbrey ■ ANIMATION MENTOR invests in its community of students, whose work (left and on opposite page) is often noticed by studios around the world. C G W N ove mb e r / D e c e mb e r 2 013 ■ 33