Expert: Joseph Silver - 4/7/2007

Question
i would like to know which universities are the best for study animation in canada
thanks for your help  

Answer
hi - sorry, i'm US based and don't know specifically which universities in canada have the best reputation. in nyc, where i'm based, a lot of students go to sva and parsons.

i suggest that before you pick a university, you think about what type of animation you are interested in. some universities may be stronger at 3D animation, others may be better for cel and/or stop motion. if you're interested in digital animation, i would look for a university that has a specific program for that.

i was self-taught and did not attend university for animation. however, i do not think there is anything wrong with going to school, as long as you have a purpose and know what you want. often, before you have specific work experience, it is difficult to know which areas of animation you would like to focus on. have you considered doing an internship prior to going to school? this would be a good way to get experience that would help you determine what areas of animation you were most interested in. if the internship is in canada, you could use the opportunity to ask locals which universities have the best reputation.

i encourage you to go to a school where you can also get a good, broad-based liberal arts education. learn some psychology, history, sociology, fine arts, music...being a more diverse, interesting person will make your animation more interesting as well. some people prefer a "technical school" approach to their career - with art (and animation), i think it is important to get a broad based education so that the work you eventually create is distinctive and intelligent.

sorry, i wasn't able to answer your specific query, but hope this adds some perspective to your decision. joe

www.designomotion.com