Bringing the Gap Between Animation Education and Animation Industry

For most of their academic life, students strive to excel with high grade scores. However, the animation student must rely on their demo reel in order to obtain a job in the animation industry. What are some of the strategies higher education is providing students who have high grades but weak portfolios? Students often lack direction because of their focus. The term animation is a huge problem because of its lack of focus in education. In industry, it typically refers to an animator, someone who animates characters or props. In education, it defines the entire animation pipeline from storyboarding, illustration, character design, 3D modeling, texturing, lighting, rigging and others. Are there specific principles that are absolutely essential when developing students who want a focus in lighting to a student who wants to be a storyboard artist? This presentation will look at different ways educators are bringing the industry to students to help them realize the work required of the industry based on the specific roles in the animation pipeline. Topics such as creating courses to visit animation studios, principle specific assignments, working with experts remotely, individual portfolio reviews by industry and teaching at a studio are strategies professors are using to help springboard students into the field of animation.

Peter Chanthanakone
Assistant Professor, School of Art and Art History, University of Iowa
USA