VFX courses dont seem right for me, what do I do?

[c0rpse]

Hey everyone!

VFX from computer animation to make up effects has been an interest of mine since I was young. Iv been dabbling with filmmaking for the past few years but more recently I have been thinking longer term and looking at full time VFX courses. I am mainly interesting in compositing, which is good beucase there seems to be alot of space in the market for this.

My question is is that pretty much all programs I have seen encompass compositing with 3d animation, which just won't work for me. I feel as though I am artistic enough for compositing but I CANNOT draw. It just isnt in me. The thought of having to take courses on 3D animation basically makes me not want to even think about the courses anymore.

Am I missing the boat here? Do I HAVE to be skilled in drawing and such to do 3d animation. Do I NEED 3d animation to become a skilled compositor? Do I have any options? Do I need to completely rethink my career path? Are there jobs for compositors who don't do 3d animation?

Help!:)

-Mike
c0rpse

[quantum mechanic]

Working in special effects is like being a jack of all trades, the more skills you have the more options you have and with more options you are more likely to come up with a viable solution to the problem at hand. You don't need to do 3D to be a compositor but it makes you more attractive to prospective employers, even if you only know it alittle bit.

If you want to work in this buisness you should learn to draw, you don't need to become a master but you will need some basic skills. Also this is a buisness of constant innovation, if you are unable or unwilling to adapt and learn new things this is probably not the right carrer for you. You should give it a try, drawing is something that I think any one can do, it just takes some practise and some instruction will help greatly.

I used to be horrible at drawing, but after awhile I slowly got better. I'm still not great at it but I can do it well enough to express a shot or plan something. I also have very limited 3D skills, I cannot use any package to do more than make a simple shape, but I understand how the software works well enough to know what is wrong with the footage I get and talk to lighting or modelling about how to solve the problem.

Don't give up with out trying.

[c0rpse]

Well, I guess I may be selling myself a little short. Iv never been any good at drawing but maybe I should take a look into some kind of small course on the subject. I guess my fear is actually having to learn and produce 3d animation, which is something im really not all that interested in. Though with that said, I am completely open and somewhat intrigued with 3d applications and would love to know how they work etc.

The problem I face though is the programs I am looking at all have a MAJOR component of 3d animation. Not only do I think I would be horrible at it, I think its unnecessary to learn so much 3d stuff when my interests lay elsewhere.

hmmm.

:confused:

[quantum mechanic]

The course I took in Toronto at Seneca college (animation arts center) was a compositing course. There is a bit of 3D but only enough to give you an understanding (though I understand the class is getting better). There are also classes in motion graphics, storyboarding and VFX design.

When I took the course I had no idea how much I would enjoy some of the classes, in particular the motion graphics class was excellent and I had no interest in the subject before that. it's very possible you will become more interested as you learn more about the subject.

The course is eight months long and focuses on Combustion and Flame but the way it was taught I've had no problem jumping into Shake now that I'm working.

[scwatman]

hey

there are courses out there that just do compositing. I went to escape studios london and only opened a 3d package a few times. To be a compositor you dont need to know the ins and outs of a 3d package all u need 2 know is a bit of theory, such as the different layers a compositor may be give and learning a bit about lighting may be good. If you are wantin to work as part of a big studio u'll probably never go near a 3d package it will all be given to you ready to composite. with most top compositing packages however you have the ability to composite in 3d space so you may need to learn that, especailly for motion graphics.

dont worry about being able to draw either, obviously the more things you can do the better but there is a big difference between being able to draw with a pen and paper and being able to draw on a computer. in 3d animation the only real need for free hand drawings is for a starting point as a reference for what ur making. its good to be able to plan shots on paper but again in a studio most of the planning will be done for you and ull be told what they want, well until you move up the job ladder i suppose.

havin a creative flair is far more important most things can be learnt after.

scwatman

[kingki]

Hey scwatman am interested in taking the compositing course at Escape Studios but i don't know a thing about using 3ds max, maya, lightwave etc. but am good at Motion graphics using Adobe After Effects, Photoshop and Sony Vegas. I wanted to know if the course is designed for individuals with a 3d background or knowledge with maya or other 3d software before hand.

[Gentle Fury]

I used to draw when I was a kid...I went to school for 3D animation and compositing....now i don't touch a sketchpad and gladly. I work in compositing and editing. You have no need to be able to sketch a tree to comp a tree. While yes it is necessary to know color theory and how lighting works and the best way to learn it is on paper. Unfortunatly everyone in this industry basically starts with an art background then depending on what you do the actual drawing part can fade away. I don't do graphics....I don't do 3D modelling, therefore drawing is not something I really do.

Maybe you should check out FXPHD.com they have straight comp classes that are supposed to be excellent!

[donaldStrubler]

Fury, while your points are valid, I still would encourage anyone to have a sketchpad at all times. You may not need to draw a tree to comp it, but if you hadnt drawn the tree in the first place you may not have had the idea for the next best comp.

-ds

[elitevfx]

True Donald, but a lot of things come from other things than sketches. It's a complimentary tool to have a sketchbook (I don't though). I get lot's of ideas by just driving at night, looking at cars I meet, looking at their spotlights, how does the light behave in fog..this gives me ideas that I use in other cases, like taking what I saw, and apply it to a project or whatnot. Walk around downtown gives me ideas what to do aswell, like..Create a cam-mapped cityscene (just as an example). For this I don't need sketches, but then again, it's how well it's preserved in your mind I guess. I usually tend to go online and download reference images of what I just took notice of.

For a lot of things it's fairly easy to look up references online, but - if you have a whole new idea, and need to really keep it the way you were thinking, then, yes, put it on paper, but you don't really need to draw for this, just write words that go along, so you can actually make sense of what you were just drawing.

We had two years of sculpting where I studied, and I always used to draw, well, until i started doing CG. Never REALLY needed neither of these skills, but I use it sometimes. Looks like shit though, nowaydays!

[Gentle Fury]

Fury, while your points are valid, I still would encourage anyone to have a sketchpad at all times. You may not need to draw a tree to comp it, but if you hadnt drawn the tree in the first place you may not have had the idea for the next best comp.

-ds

Well I haven't been without work and I haven't owned a sketch pad in years.

[donaldStrubler]

Good points-

Truth is- I never sketch, I am a fan of elite's process.

-I just think its a good idea to encourage all avenues.

-ds

[Andreas.Jablonka]

whats a sketch pad ;)

[Seriphu]

I got a picture of one when I was hiking in the mountains!!

[elitevfx]

LOL 3000

[Andreas.Jablonka]

touche my friend!

[andjar]

i dare to say that you can even be a very good matte painter without being a good drawer.