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Tips for New Students

  • March 24, 2011 12:07 AM PDT

    I was wondering what tips you current and past students might have for us new students in order for us to prepare for the CalArts curriculum. I want to make the most of these next few months before school starts so any suggestions you might have will be helpful. Thanks!


    This post was edited by Deleted Member at March 24, 2011 12:08 AM PDT
    • 44 posts
    March 24, 2011 2:51 AM PDT

    Think of a film idea as soon as you can, and get to work on it. You're going to go through several film ideas, so you better start thinking of them now before it gets too late.

     

    Try to animate or learn Maya over the summer if you haven't already. It's better to be ahead of the game.

     

    Don't stop figure drawing, but also learn cartooning.

     

    SLEEP. (you need to save it up for all the all-nighters you're going to be pulling.)


    This post was edited by Elyse Filigheri at March 24, 2011 2:52 AM PDT
    • 91 posts
    March 24, 2011 4:02 AM PDT
    I agree with absolutely EVERYTHING Elyse said!
  • March 24, 2011 12:16 PM PDT
    Great! I am going to try to do all those
  • March 24, 2011 2:13 PM PDT
    Thanks for all your help you guys--just curious, when do students typically start actually working on their films?
    • 91 posts
    March 24, 2011 4:21 PM PDT
    As I can only speak for the freshmen, I know that most of us did not start animating until after Winter Break. Some of us were still nailing down our stories in MARCH! So it varies GREATLY! Basically, the sooner you get your story nailed down and the sooner you feel ready to start- you just start!
  • March 24, 2011 4:48 PM PDT
    Thanks for the tips Elyse and Amanda. Keep 'em coming if you have more.
  • March 24, 2011 4:50 PM PDT
    yes! thanks you two. I need to learn Maya :/
  • March 24, 2011 11:14 PM PDT
    Are students able to view previous student films?
    • 91 posts
    March 24, 2011 11:16 PM PDT
    YouTube is your friend.
  • March 24, 2011 11:22 PM PDT
    I'm asking about those student films that aren't up on the web.
    • 91 posts
    March 24, 2011 11:28 PM PDT
    Yes- when you get here not only do we have them playing in our hallway, you can go to the Film Library and watch to your heart's delight!
  • March 24, 2011 11:29 PM PDT
    Sweet! There are so many films I've been wanting to watch for the longest time.
    • 11 posts
    March 25, 2011 10:51 AM PDT
    Definitely interested in this thread.
  • March 31, 2011 6:04 PM PDT

    What kind of digital tools do students use at CalArts? Do most students have an Intuous4 tablet? Or do some even have Wacom Cintiqs? Or is there something else?

    What do you newly accepted students use?


    This post was edited by Deleted Member at March 31, 2011 6:14 PM PDT
    • 8 posts
    April 12, 2011 9:04 PM PDT
    I have few questions as well
    What things would we need to buy in first year?
    for example, would we need to buy our own animation disks? o_O
    • 8 posts
    April 12, 2011 9:04 PM PDT
    I have few questions as well
    What things would we need to buy in first year?
    for example, would we need to buy our own animation disks? o_O
    • 91 posts
    April 12, 2011 9:19 PM PDT
    Oh god, let's see...

    I don't know what tablets everyone has... It's a preference thing. I have an Intuos. I know a bunch of people have Cintiqs. There are Bamboos, etc. The school has a tablet at almost every station (Intuos) but there are a handful of Cintiqs too. There is always a rush for those, obviously.
    We all get to use the same thing.

    I believe when you put your deposit down for your cube, you get a disk for "free". If you don't return your disk at the end of the year, you lose your deposit- so basically, you get a disk for $35 or something.... I will be keeping mine, thank-you-very-much! I love the friggin' thing!
    • 8 posts
    April 12, 2011 9:45 PM PDT
    oh cool! thanks a bunch! :)
    • 8 posts
    April 12, 2011 9:45 PM PDT
    oh cool! thanks a bunch! :)
    This post was edited by Jeeyoon Park at April 12, 2011 9:49 PM PDT
  • April 19, 2011 12:31 PM PDT
    Just curious, what percentage of students animate their first films digitally as opposed to traditional pencil and paper? And do most students have an intuos4 tablet? or do they use anything else? do some students even have a 12 or 21 Cintiq? I've heard there are a couple in the labs but do any students have their own?
    • 91 posts
    April 19, 2011 12:43 PM PDT
    Robert-

    I have already answered the tablet question, I believe. As for traditional/digital- I would say it is half and half.
  • April 19, 2011 1:36 PM PDT
    haha, sorry about that. I haven't written here for so long I must have forgotten. Thanks.
    • 5 posts
    April 20, 2011 9:43 PM PDT
    wow pretty informative stuff. I started with Maya first but wanna try animating on a 2d medium
  • April 25, 2011 9:15 PM PDT
    I was wondering if calarts offers any language classes?

    I really want to take french but I'm not sure if they have it I can call the school tomorrow but I was just wondering if any of the current students knew?