Degrees: Are they worth it?

[ExtremeVFX]

Hey everyone,

 

Recently I have been a little unsure if the money I'm putting in my school is worth it in the end. I'm studying at the Art Institute majoring in Visual Effects and motion graphics. I landed a job now doing basic MEP CAD drawings for a small engineering company and I know I do not what to be doing this for the rest of my life. I'd love to work with video production teams, BUT also do freelance or settle with an arhictectural firm creating 3D renderings of buildings. So I'm wondering if my degree really matters to them or my images I show them. Because honestly, spacializing in Visual Effects is completely different than a degree in architecture/engineering. Thanks for your time and to those who post up their images on the gallery site, I lose track of time at work as I scroll through each image!

[frank1331]

In my opinion, if you are doing 3D rendering for an architect, they could care less what your degree is in as long as you are creating good renderings. In that case I would say skip the degree.

 

However its more up to you. You have to ask yourself "can I personally "live with" not having a degree, and will it would prevent me from progressing later on in your career?"

 

Good luck. I know there is no easy answer.

[Sawyer]

I think if you are a free lancer no one will care. I have only ever been asked by 1 potential client what kind of training I have had. It mattered to them, they were architects and had been "trained" on how to render. Most people like what they see or don't. Now if you work in a firm yes it will matter if you have a degree. Does it have to be in your career? No but a grad will make more than a non grad. A friend just got a new job and she makes more at her new position than a person who has been at this job for a while. Why? Because my friend has a masters degree which is counting more than experiance.

[edub]

Totally worth it.

 

 

 

 

I personally think Radians are not worth as much though.

 

I use degrees all the time, like when I rotate an object... say 90 degrees (and remember, always use snaps).

 

oh, what? you wanted cheese on that?... sorry, carry on...

[Devin Johnston]

A degree is going to open doors for you that you just won't be able to get to if you don't have one, especially if you ever think you might work for someone besides your self. It's true that your work is going to be the most important thing that an employer looks at, but many of them won't even consider you unless you have a degree.

[Adehus]

Another thing to think about might be the aspects of college that don't necessarily relate to your career. Having gone to an art school myself, I found that the liberal arts classes are valuable personally.

 

Beyond that, I do also find that art history has been useful in my career (more than I would have expected).

[JamesTaylor]

A Degree is most definately worth it.....

 

i studied multimedia design at degree level even tho i knew i wanted to be more towards the arch viz industry than multimedia area, and through out the course i never had the chance to follow arch viz type projects, they didn't see it as "proper" industry.

 

However, i still learnt an aweful lot of things which can be transferable to arch viz along with being exposed to other areas of multmedia and visual based projects that again can be pulled into working on arch viz images.

 

from studing multimedia i now have a firm understanding of whats involved in web design, 2D motion graphics, 3D games and animation etc. etc. as well as having the experience of working with the software packages associated to each area. All this information stands you in good sted for any type of work which may come along once you enter a professional environment.

 

If you don't study the degree the likely hood is that you won't be aware of what is achievable with a project if you were just steal that idea from that industry and another idea from this industry etc. etc.

 

working in an arch vis firm or where ever and just being trained by them to do the things they do may end up with you being able to produce good images but thats as far as you'll be able to take it.

 

Looking back at my degree, i'd say university is not about teaching you how to do something well, its about broadening your thoughts on subjects, being exposed to new opportunities with developing technologies (there are great new opportunities across all media as the use and speed of broadband grows for example) and developing the skill of being able to teach yourself skills thro research. Once these things are in place how well you can do something is simply down to the effort you are willing to put in.

 

I feel if you were simply to be taught in an office you may get to the stage of producing decent work quicker but you won't be able to take it further.

[jtiscareno]

Most defenetly YES! Now there might be a big diffrence in the type of degree and the path you might want to take but maybe at this point you dont know exactly what you may want 10 or 20 years from know (assuming you are like 20 years old). But a degree will not only open doors but it will also prepare you to position yourself for better paying jobs or better position.

 

And keep in mind that I am not talking about making money, I have seen in my life three types of people, the ones that born with the know how on how to make moeny no matter what they do, architect, viz, shoe salesman, etc, this type of people make money no matter what. The there are the ones that have a job with or with out a degree, then they fall into two basic type of people, the ones that like and are good at what they do and the ones that dont and just live by. And usually the ones that love and are good at what they do would end up making money, maybe not millinos but a good living but also loving what they do with there lives.

 

So back to a degree, in architecture it is worth a lot, but it also works if you first like architecture then you might want to specialize in a particualr area, viz, design, cd's, etc. then like the degree you are working at, you can have an array of options once you are done, arch viz, tv, web, vfx, etc. Plus have some friends that tell me that in the vfx world they like architect or somone with a degree beacuse they can later grow into a position of project managment not only 3d work. Plus also remember that when we are young it is OK to work long hours and do great 3d work but we all eventually grow older, new faster and smarter blod comes in so we either have to be a master at what we do or have a higher position of managment and experience.

 

I would love to here the side or the inner workings of a vfx studio, be it for hollywood or tv or web.

 

Good luck Shaun!

[ExtremeVFX]

Thank you for your input. I have been wanting a master's since I could remember, only b/c I wanted to teach later on in my future but I had these mixed feelings lately b/c of what my school has been doing. The only way to get there is finished off my BA and continue on. We'll see. Thanks again all!

[IUI Design]

Some interesting points have been raised above........

 

I've come to the following conclusions while recently looking for new employment in the U.K. and also abroad (Dudai).

 

1. For me to advance both professionally and fianancially in the architectural industry I'll have to go back to uni sometime in the future to finish my architectural training.

 

I don't want to be a 'CAD Monkey' all my life and hope to progress to Associate/Director level positions later in life, and therefore a degree is a MUST !!

 

2. To secure a well paid job in the middle east you need over 10 years experience (I have 7 years) and preferably have an undergrad. & post grad. degree in Architecture.

 

Sorry, as this is an 'architectural' perpective, but if you want to do a course focusing in 3D visualisation (specifically) within the architectural industry in the U.K. then I whole-heartedly recommend any of the following degrees:

 

MSc Architectural Computing - Strathclyde University (Glasgow)

MSc Virtual Environments - UCL (London)

MSc Digital Architecture - University of Newcastle Upon Tyne

 

Regards,

 

Ifty