Do I have to do cartoony animation at ringling?

[Jarklor]

I'm not intested in doing the typical pixar/cartoony art in computer animation. I really want to create art that is like the game final fantasy xiii. Ringling has such a great program, but will they allow me to do fantasy/realistic graphics? Do you have sugestions of a different university if you can't? Someday I want to be a cinimatic aninmator for video games. I would do the game art and design major at ringling, but it seems too focused on envirornments. Plus the technical detail of student's thesis projects aren't rendered well. Thank you! I appreciate your help.

[logitex]

I want the same thing, to do animation thats like Appleseed, anything more realistic than furry creatures talking.

[themegagod]

Well as one also looking into the GAD program, IDK. lol.
The way I figure it, mood and environments seem to be the main focus in GAD work, yet I could be in the year that breaks that mold. The GAD program is young, and still developing- every graduating class is another new 'experiment' in many ways. I know that the GAD program is an evolution from the CA program, since so many CA graduates went into the gaming industry. With this in mind, I'd imagine that in the foundation year(s) you will learn a lot about animation. It focuses on games, yet if you have an information booklet (i just looked at mine which I requested last year) it shows that basically for Freshman year, and half of sophomore year, we will be taking the same classes as the CA students.
Yet 3-d animation seems to be based literally on making the body move-you just move points within a rigg to make a frame, to make the body look as though it's moving. that's really what animation is! true CA, according to several of their blogs I've read does have a strong focus on film language and setting up a shot/ setting mood with a camera, but I'm hoping to just pick the brains of fellow students for anything I'm lacking knowledge on.
for me I want to do more than just making a body move, since I've already begun teaching myself traditional fbf animation with flash.
I want to learn to make masterful models like those amazing creature designs you see when you look up zbrush.
I want to be able to make concept art that takes the viewer away when they look into a games manual.
I personally am not a big fan of environments- to be honest, I hate making them- but I know that being a weak spot; if I can make that a strong suit I will be better for it.
And I figure, If after learning all of this, my animation skills still need work- I can attend animationmentor's programs. they specialize on simply making a character move- and after ringling's GAD program, I'd imagine that's really maybe the only area I'd be lacking.

So I'm not sure if you have to be cartoony pixarish- but that is the industry many of the CA students are trying to get into. If you want to create images like i think it was 2009's beowulf, or final fantasy the spirits within, you might want to look more into a visual effects school because that is mostly how those kinds of movies are done, with motion capture, and I think it's called texture wrapping. From what I understand if you want to get into the gaming industry, Ringling prepares you for that, but where you wind up I can't say. You could be a modeler, a texture painter, an animator, IDK. I guess technically that's up to you.

Why not try to contact an admissions counselor directly, and ask them. maybe try to ask an alumni, or someone with a regularly updated blog?

And just because people were saying what they were interested in becoming; I want to become an art director on a big named game, or become a full out game designer, seeing my own creations come to life. this is all before opening my own studio, where I create independent games and animations... Yeah, I have big goals for myself.

[Alice Herring]

I'm going to assume you mean an animator for the cinematics in games. (I misread it as something else the first time.)

Whether it's "cartoony" or more naturalistic animation, all the principles are the same. THAT is what you are going to learn. As for motion capture - keep in mind almost all of that data then has to go through an animator to clean up/fix any problems. If you don't understand animation, it will be difficult to do this.

(Also, animation is more than just making a character 'move'. It's about designing a believable performance.)

[themegagod]

(Also, animation is more than just making a character 'move'. It's about designing a believable performance.)

I'm sorry if I came across as a bit arrogant, or ignorant with that statement. I'm actually torn between the two programs, but I've settled on GAD. I'm actually a bit afraid because I do love creating performance and acting, yet I am more geared and passionate about game art and design. I've been designing games since I was a child, lol.
I am a bit troubled because GAD blogs and thesis do seem to be lacking in character work.
not to mention I'm not a huge fan of programing.
But having begun the self teaching myself animation, I do tend to find it too monotonous to imagine doing for 40+ hours a week if not 80 during crunch times.

[themegagod]

Maybe checking out
Bri Meyer / Class of 2011
thesis film Road's End
might make you feel better. IMO it looks a lot like a game cinematic.

[Alice Herring]

I'm sorry if I came across as a bit arrogant, or ignorant with that statement. I'm actually torn between the two programs, but I've settled on GAD. I'm actually a bit afraid because I do love creating performance and acting, yet I am more geared and passionate about game art and design. I've been designing games since I was a child, lol.
I am a bit troubled because GAD blogs and thesis do seem to be lacking in character work.
not to mention I'm not a huge fan of programing.
But having begun the self teaching myself animation, I do tend to find it too monotonous to imagine doing for 40+ hours a week if not 80 during crunch times.

You didn't come off as arrogant - just potentially a bit misguided. I'd be curious to hear about your experience in that sort of program, since I'm not at all familiar with how it would be structured. But that's probably a question for another thread.

And yeah, if you find animating monotonous it might not be for you.