We’re pleased to announce that we’re running a ‘3D for Visual Effects’ classroom course, which runs for 12 weeks and includes hands-on practical training using the latest industry standard software and techniques.
With 70% of the course fee funded by Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the UK creative media industries, the course is aimed at anyone in the film industry and will give sufficient training to become immediately employable in roles such as Junior 3D Artist or Camera Tracking professional.
The Skillset 3D for Visual Effects course will offer practical training in the integration of CG in to live action covering areas such as 3D creation, animation, camera tracking, advanced lighting and compositing. Studio training will be supported by interactive tutorials and additional e-learning materials to help students revisit topics where necessary.
The course starts on May 24th and runs for 12 weeks. Potential applicants need to be already working in the film industry in order to qualify. Details on how to apply can be found here.
Games tutor Simon Fenton has made his media debut for Escape Studios on the Guardian’s Career Talk podcast. You can hear Simon talk about getting into the industry, his role as a tutor at Escape, his background and much more, alongside Tom Baskaya of Framestore, an Escapee and most recently a compositor on Avatar. Tom also talks about his time at Escape, as well as what it was like working on James Cameron’s masterpiece.
You can have a listen on the Guardian’s site here. Simon and Tom are on from around 06 minutes 55 seconds into the podcast.
Regular readers of the blog will know that last week we had the awards ceremony of the CG Whiz competition. We managed to grab the three winners and some of the judges, including Steve Venning from The Mill, to film their views on the competition. We think everyone had a great time, and over the next few months we’re hoping to have blog posts from Adam Droy, the overall winner, and runners up Ronan McMeel and Marco Barrato, to see how the competition prizes have helped them break into the CG industry.
Well done to all who entered – we were astounded by the standard of the entries. For all those of you inspired by the entries keep an eye out for next year’s competition, and the chance to win another potentially career transforming prize.
You might have read a couple of weeks ago about the winners of a prize draw we held for those who completed our survey. We wanted to see what people in and around the CG industry thought about their jobs and the world in which they work. We had a fantastic response, with over 2,800 professionals, hobbyists and students answering questions for us, and the results make for interesting reading.
One of the great things we found was that, if you’re a professional working in the CG industry in some form, you love your job. 80 per cent of you are happy working in the industry, and 59 per cent would recommend the career to others. How many other careers have that sort of approval rating?
However, despite the obvious enthusiasm people have for their work, there are some anxieties out there. 42 per cent of respondents said they are worried about job security, while a massive 62 per cent agreed they have had to do more training to refine their skills. Just a quarter of professionals agreed with the statement ‘I get enough training in my job’, with over half disagreeing with it.
For those of you that didn’t get a chance to answer the survey, what are your thoughts on the industry? Do you love it, but don’t get enough training? Or do you dislike the work, but could render a 3D feature with your eyes closed?
The summer is upon us, and school leavers across the land are wondering what next year will bring. Will I go to University? Will I go to College? Should I pursue my dreams or compromise because I have little chance to succeed?
I remember that time very well, and can still feel the slight headiness at making that life changing decision.
Pursuing a dream doesn’t necessarily mean taking risks but young people are too often discouraged because they just simply don’t know what help is available to them. Adam Dewhirst, an Escapee who graduated with us only a few years ago, is a case in point. Adam knew he wanted to work in films but didn’t know how to go about it. So, he started looking into Computer Graphics course and Escape kept popping up everywhere. Adam came to one of our Open Days, and we helped him figure out what he needed to do to get his dream job. The rest is history…He is now a very successful 3D artist and has worked on films such as The Golden Compass and The Dark Knight.
A recent article in The Independent – Visualise your future – retells Adam’s story and provides sound advice about the industry.
Thanks Adam! Your testimonial in The Independent will no doubt inspire many future artists.
