Hatrack River Forum: Career crossroads

This is topic Career crossroads in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Earendil18 (Member # 3180) on :

For the record, this is not my landmark...it's just kinda long. [Wink]

So, I'm at one of these "crossroads" people speak of, and I was hoping to get some input from the Hatrack collective (resistance is futile!).

I'm not sure where to begin.

I started out in college wanting to get into special effects and CG creature animation, so I started taking the art classes. But at the time, I thought they were just interested in "tin can on a stick" kind of art (for example, an entire canvas composed of nothing but what appeared to be ramen noodles), and not the things I was interested in (landscapes, symmetry, ordinary but beautiful things). I also thought I'd be staring at a wireframe model 24/7, and I preferred working with COLOR.

So I changed majors to computer programming, because golly, I loved working with computers. That lasted a year before I realized the constant "following the rabbit" debugging, logical (logic aiee!) thought processing was not inline with my strengths (intuition, perception, imagination).

So I changed majors to music, because by gum, I loved music! That didn't work, I hated the over analyzation, theory, and apparently people don't compose epic works on violins, they compose on pianos, which was never my joy in life.

So, I took a break, got out with my AA, worked for a few years, and on the side learned editing programs, motion graphics software, and continued drawing things with my mouse in Photoshop.

After that, I realized that two industries employed artistic minded, visual/spatial/aural thinkers...film/TV and videogames. There was a cheap (1500per quarter) film program at my local university in Eastern Washington. I enrolled in Fall 2006, and at the end of Winter Quarter 07, I'm thinking even film (directing) isn't for me either.

I'm interested in creating, very high quality, almost painterly, 2d/3d animated films. Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence quality, but with a story and characters. So, I'm realizing this film program may not be the right place for me, especially since my professor says I treat my actors like "puppets". Well gee...that's reminiscent of a certain field, neh? [Smile]

Said professor also pulls no punches when it comes to critiques, and while that may be usual in a learning environment (you want to get better right?), there's a viciousness therein that I find to be repulsive for a "teacher" who I'll have to spend an entire year with. I'm told that he's testing us to see if we can "take the heat" but he just appears low to me.

Ok, so that went on a bit. Bottom line:

-I like the immediate feedback of the 2d stroke/line, which to me indicates a future in concept art, matte painting/compositing, and 2d animation. 3D helped me understand 2D and vis-a-versa, but 3D I'm not too patience with. (setting up lights, constructing objects, yadada). Maybe I just need more knowledge of 3d softwares, but the absence of color....brr..

-I like to tell stories with pictures, moving or otherwise, which to me indicates a future in illustration and 2d animation.

-I walk around looking at how light bounces off objects, and how trees retain a fractal structure. I imagine massive buildings and structures where there are none. I see snippets of scenes in my head, of characters, interesting places that make me wonder what story is going on?

-I don't mind being a cog, but someday I want to spin the wheel.

-I'm 23, and freaking out about lost time.

So here I am again, at this same crossroad. Seems like I keep looping back here...

I think my future lies somewhere in the videogame or animation industry.

Your guys' views?

[ March 26, 2007, 10:00 PM: Message edited by: Earendil18 ]

Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :

Go with your heart. And have fun.

Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :

I have no idea, but when you figure something out, let me know cause I'm in the same boat.

Posted by Launchywiggin (Member # 9116) on :

same boat. 22 with a music degree (in may!) and no future in music.

Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :

I do believe there are "design" courses, which are perhaps more in line with your interests. There are also specifically computer design/animation courses out there.

I think that if your ideas for film are not "taught" so much in college or places like that, maybe you should simply make your own films and start submitting to small film festivals. You maybe already have a portfolio from getting into the film program?

It sounds to me that its more of the learning environment that is turning you away rather than the subject area. University/college isn't the most productive place for everyone...

Posted by CaySedai (Member # 6459) on :

The only thing I can come up with is someone else's story. I play the Sims 2 and download from free sites like Parsimonious.org. One of the people who designed items for Parsimonious.org was HappyMoonBelly. I really liked her stuff - it was good quality.

Apparently I wasn't the only one to think so - HappyMoonBelly was hired to work at EA. She went from making Sims2 items for a free site to being a paid designer.

Her Sims2 page is here. She's now known as MaxoidMoonBelly.

I know that hers is an unusual story. But maybe designing things for games - even for free - can give you an idea if this is where you think your career should be heading.