By Dan Grushkin
Career Training Review Columnist
Let's face it. If you're shooting for a job with Pixar, you're competing against the best animators and animation students in the country. You'd better be prepared to outshine the competition. You're probably going to have to develop your skills at an art school.
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Unless you're an animation prodigy, you're going to have to learn art skills and develop your unique vision at an art school, or an art program at your school or university. You'd be surprised to know that learning the myriad animation software packages out there will help develop your skills
Despite your best efforts to learn the newest programs, don't prepare for a job at Pixar. The reasons are twofold: First, by the time you're out of school those computer programs will be dated; Second, Pixar uses and develops its own in-house software package called Marionette. So instead of focusing on software, focus on the skills taught at art school.
A Job with Pixar Requires the Following Art School Skills:
A proper art school focuses both on traditional art skills and simultaneously prepares you to use computer tools. Traditional skills include cinematography, painting, drawing, and sculpture. In these traditional forms you'll learn lighting, coloring, and form - skills that transfer directly to animation.
Animation Follows a Long Line of Tradition Taught in Art School
It's no surprise that the Disney's animators studied the paintings of Goya for "Sleeping Beauty." The skills not only transfer, but the skills and tools in animation descend from a long tradition of art techniques learnt over the centuries.
When you've accumulated a proper portfolio, demonstrated the skills you've learnt, and you've put together a reel of your animation, it'll be time to apply for a job at Pixar, but until then: Buckle down and learn art's fundamentals.
About the Author
Dan Grushkin is freelance writer in Brooklyn, New York. He has written about world affairs for Agence France-Presse news wire, various international publications and has contributed to a book on the Middle East crisis. Dan holds a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University.
Monday, April 18, 2005
