Do you think I could have a promising career in CGI, computer animation, photoshop...

[FutureBumbleBee]

I was thinking about studying for a few years all those advanced programs like photoshop and autodesk maya etc and becoming really good at those programs. If I do, is it possible to get a career in saying a movie studio doing stuff for transformers 5, or the next big movie that uses special effects and computer generated animation etc?

[1320junkie]

You can do anything you put your mind to my friend..

[PQ]

I'd look into a school. You're gonna get there alot faster that way. newest stuff, more ideas of what it intails, and a foot in the door of the places you need.

[TaylorRyanSS]

I got to an art school for graphic design... you are gonna need a degree to get a good job

[cstproductions]

I was able to create all of this in just a few months. Self taught and im only 16. Now the vfx in transformers are produced by ILM and that is a very hard company to get into. Last time I checked they had a job opening but you have to have decades of experience to get into that from what ive heard. But anything is possible if you set your mind to it.

[cstproductions]

Originally Posted by TaylorRyan74

I got to an art school for graphic design... you are gonna need a degree to get a good job

You do not need a degree. Andrew Kramer (www.videocopilot.net) did not go to college.

[Hemlawk]

cstproductions, your vid is pretty good. I recently just got After Effects and I've watched some youtube and Kramer tutorials. I don't think its something I will do for a living (especially since Im 32 & a newbie at it) but its definitely something I will enjoy learning as a hobbie.

As for FutureBumblebee. Start practicing asap, learn as much as ya can and study

[cstproductions]

Thanks! The kramer tutorials are the best but go to aetuts.com for more of a challenge if you havent heard about it already. Also you can still make some cash being a freelancer and have fun while still having your current job! Ive made about 800 dollars all together for a couple small companies. Now im getting into vfx though, matchmoveing etc. Also, futurebumblebee once you get your hands on maya go to cg.tutsplus.com The website just opened up and already has some quality tutorials.

[Hemlawk]

Its sounds goofy, but my 10 year old nephew wants to be a pro athlete. He's actually pretty good at baseball and football. Anyway, he wants me to record his games, make highlight vid for him and post em on youtube. I thought it would be cool to make him a semi-pro intro so I got after effects.

I want to make a vectorized video of him throwing a ball (like the ipod commercials). Do you know if there is a tut out for that?

[nUcLeArEnVoY]

I do a lot of graphic design, but it's one of those things where a natural talent is what will really dictate whether or not you should make a living off it. I am a good artist but honestly I do not want to make a living off of it since I really don't take it that seriously, not to mention I do not want to draw crap other people want at their schedule since it'll make me grow to hate it.

Half of these kids you see that have never even gone to a college do that kinda stuff 10x better than a college graduate just because they learned it on their own. That's why I think 'art school' is just some stupid ploy to lure pretentious 'starvin artists' to blow 40K on a watered-down education that they could've gotten by spending 20 bucks on some prisma colored pencils, tech pens, a bristol sketch pad and some freakin' anatomy tutorial books with a little helping of motivation. 3D Animation? Same exact thing - half of the tutorials you see online are from 20 year old kids who never even went to college.

Sometimes what they say about college is true, man - why spend 40-50K on an education you could get with 5 bucks in library late fees? Now don't think I'm an advocate of not going to college, but really, when you go there it's unlikely you'll walk those "sacred halls of academic virtue" and see a bunch of intelligent scholars (they're there, yeah, but not the commodity)... you'll see guys drinking and girls doing the same shit they did in highschool. I'm still going since if you don't go, it's risky living, but either way, the pressure they put on you that if you don't go you'll end up jaded and homeless is kind of extreme.

But in the end, the rule of society is... experience and talent in a field gets you nowhere, look at Megan Fox (face it guys, she's no Meryl Streep). Person A with the utmost skill in 3D animation and graphics who is a freakin' mastermind won't get the job because Person B with his 'college degree' yet not nearly as much talent has the credentials. It's really a stupid system.

Overall, my advice is, if you want to get into the field, download the programs and try it for yourself and see if you catch onto something before throwing money out the window for stuff that you can teach yourself. This isn't law or med school - art can be totally self taught.

[Xanthos]

Originally Posted by nUcLeArEnVoY

I do a lot of graphic design, but it's one of those things where a natural talent is what will really dictate whether or not you should make a living off it. I am a good artist but honestly I do not want to make a living off of it since I really don't take it that seriously, not to mention I do not want to draw crap other people want at their schedule since it'll make me grow to hate it.

Half of these kids you see that have never even gone to a college do that kinda stuff 10x better than a college graduate just because they learned it on their own. That's why I think 'art school' is just some stupid ploy to lure pretentious 'starvin artists' to blow 40K on a watered-down education that they could've gotten by spending 20 bucks on some prisma colored pencils, tech pens, a bristol sketch pad and some freakin' anatomy tutorial books with a little helping of motivation. 3D Animation? Same exact thing - half of the tutorials you see online are from 20 year old kids who never even went to college.

Sometimes what they say about college is true, man - why spend 40-50K on an education you could get with 5 bucks in library late fees? Now don't think I'm an advocate of not going to college, but really, when you go there it's unlikely you'll walk those "sacred halls of academic virtue" and see a bunch of intelligent scholars (they're there, yeah, but not the commodity)... you'll see guys drinking and girls doing the same shit they did in highschool. I'm still going since if you don't go, it's risky living, but either way, the pressure they put on you that if you don't go you'll end up jaded and homeless is kind of extreme.

But in the end, the rule of society is... experience and talent in a field gets you nowhere, look at Megan Fox (face it guys, she's no Meryl Streep). Person A with the utmost skill in 3D animation and graphics who is a freakin' mastermind won't get the job because Person B with his 'college degree' yet not nearly as much talent has the credentials. It's really a stupid system.

Overall, my advice is, if you want to get into the field, download the programs and try it for yourself and see if you catch onto something before throwing money out the window for stuff that you can teach yourself. This isn't law or med school - art can be totally self taught.

I thought about doing graphics design before I realized I have no artistic talent whatsoever. I can edit something that already exists, but anything I make from scratch always turns out horrible looking.
- X

[Hemlawk]

Also, from what I herd, gfx artists dont make a great living. Atleast at one place of employment. Ya def need to freelance and do side work.

I want to learn After effects, photography and photoshop. But its just a hobbie for me. No rush, I just need to stop playing video games. which will never happen...

[Number 3]

You will always find someone great in any field that didn't go to college. That doesn't mean you don't need to go to college. Natural talent, TRUE natural talent will win out. The problem is that is so very rare.

So to compete in any field, get the best degree you can that allows you some flexiblity in your career. And get good grades.

I don't look at this as any different than you wanting to be an Automotive Engineer. You might be able to develop and design components and subsystems and integrate them as well as anyone. But without a degree in Engineering, you aren't going to ever have your resume considered.

Besides, most of the folks out there with that Natural Talent................they went to college and got a degree.

All that being said, go for your dream. Just take the right steps to make it happen for you.

[Vash]

Here is a site for you.

www.cgsociety.org

Good Luck.