Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/371911
48 cgw j u ly . a u g u s t 2 0 1 4 E D U C A T I O N available is smart," he says. Allen further advises students to stay organized and limit their go-to location. "There are tons of ave- nues out there, so staying orga- nized and keeping your work on just one site can help cut down on keeping track of what work you are showing and where." Another Mentor, Sean Mc- Comber, also fi nds Vimeo a good location for posting demo reels, preferring its more profession- al-like overture to YouTube. Video-sharing sites further provide a source of inspiration and reference, says Animation Mentor student Nick Arbeiter, who also spends time listening to interviews and podcasts with animators, in addition to watch- ing demo reel tip videos. Fellow student Brock Boyts agrees, noting that staying connected to the ever changing industry of animation is important. "The more we connect and share this art form, the bigger the pie will be for all of us to enjoy," he says. "Animation is a process of creating through fellowship. You and the industry will benefi t from listening to each other." Mentor Dana Masson sees all these advantages but notes there can be drawbacks. "Words of warning are to be careful what you post, because if a recruiter is looking for back- ground about you and you've got something out there that's not so good, it can refl ect poorly on you as an animator," he says. Boyts acknowledges this danger: "The last thing you want to do is burn bridges before crossing them. The industry is small and you never know who is reading what you post." Keeping connected with companies on social media has helped Animation Men- tor student Gisel Calvo learn more about the industry. Most companies and studios are very active in social media and con- stantly update their feed with the most up-to-date industry news, such as new tools being used and tips and tricks. C O N N E C T I N G W I T H A L U M N I A N D M O R E Savannah School of Art and Design (SCAD) expects stu- dents to be visible – professors, too. To this end, it is important that they are seen as artists, that their work is out there, and that they share their passion with the creative world, says Tina O'Hailey, dean of SCAD's School of Digital Media. So, they use classroom Facebook pages, blogs to document the progress of the group projects, and tum- blr and deviantART accounts to begin networking. Students also are encour- aged by faculty to join SCAD Alumni and SCAD Visual Eff ects Facebook groups, and the SCAD VSFX Alumni group on LinkedIn. Gian Ignacio Lombari, a SCAD BFA student in Visual Eff ects, uses Facebook and Vimeo to connect with other artists, pro- fessionals, and students. "It's a great way of receiving feedback on my own work and learning from my peers. Establishing these connections now is great, as these will someday be the same people we will work with in the industry." DigiPen Institute of Tech- nology also encourages its students to use LinkedIn. Devin Jensen, a DigiPen student studying real-time interactive simulation, heeds that advice, and then some – he o en con- nects with anyone he meets from the industry person on LinkedIn or Twitter. LinkedIn and Facebook group pages provide an easy way for schools to stay connected with alumni. "Today's students are tomorrow's professionals. Hav- ing a good connection with my peers will help me (and them) when we enter the industry," says Jensen. While social media can be a panacea for students, it can also be damaging to their career, even before it starts, if students are careless about what they make public. DigiPen reminds students to be aware of blog posts, Tweets, and pictures they post. "Portraying a professional image on the Internet is incredi- bly important," says Weaver. S T U D E N T S M A K E C O N N E C T I O N S It's clear that schools and stu- dents value the edge that social media can bring to those on the cusp of transitioning to the pro- fessional world. And, students are certainly comfortable using these sites. But, do they see the advantage the tools bring to their professional self, or for them, is social media too much of a personal activity? Sheridan student Nicholas Kattis notes, "It's essential for the type of program we are in/ "WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE IS SO MUCH CONTENT TO CONSUME, AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH. IT'S EASY TO SPREAD ONESELF TOO THIN." GABRIEL DAVIS ANIMATION MENTOR "SOCIAL MEDIA HAS AN ASPECT OF MAKING THINGS SEEM MORE OBTAINABLE AND POSSIBLE. IT IS A PLACE WHERE DIVERSE GENERATIONS COME TO INTERACT AND HAS BECOME PART OF THEIR SOCIAL WORLD." IVAN ABDO AGUILAR UNESP (SAO PAULO STATE UNIVERSITY) "I THINK SOCIAL MEDIA IS SLOWLY BECOMING A NEW PATH TO A JOB INTERVIEW." NATHANIEL PETERS PENN STATE " K ping CURRENT WITH REELS IS ALWAYS AN ONGOING PROCESS, SO UTILIZING WHATEVER TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE IS SMART."