Which study route should i take in the media industry?

[Kepller]

What if im not interested in becoming a programmer nor a visual effects artist and im more targeting mainstream media like video editor, graphic design etc? Do i still stay in my current games course? I have interest in vfx but not as career, more like a Hobbie. Do not want to face financial difficulties in the vfx industry

 

[bugmenot45]

im more targeting mainstream media like video editor, graphic design etc? Do i still stay in my current games course?

then just stay in your current course and build up your skills and portfolio in your free time / holidays. borrow books from library or go on the internet and learn new skills (or if you have money, go sign up for courses). take up freelance/part-time/contract jobs, internships or even volunteer for non-profits to gain more experience.
Creatives For Causes
The Kind Exchange
Advertising | Production Resource Central - Singapore and Beyond

You can also take up courses at NAFA/Lasalle/Singapore Poly to build up your skills -
Part-Time Certificate Course
LASALLE College of the Arts
http://www.sp.edu.sg/wps/portal/vp-...iploma+(conversion)+in+digital+media+creation

 

[reccacomic]

I didn't do a visual comm course in SG. But did design related stuff. I don't think Visual Comm requires a lot of hand drawings. Sure, there are the basic drawing classes. Unless you are doing classical animation then there's plenty of drawings. Even for courses like architecture, interior design, industrial design, there's a lot of drawings, but digital. And these are pretty much line drawings.

Mmm, I was from NYP, and we really did a lot on drawing. Esp human anatomy. Or initial idea sketch. You be at real disadvantage if you cannot draw.

just FYI: I still sucks in drawing.

I'm sure that I'm interest in graphical based staff than back-end stuff, but I'm not certain if I would excel in the course. I had a friend in that VFX course and he told me he dropped out after 1.5 years into the course because it was not what he wanted, he wanted to do video editing, filming etc. He said he enjoyed the first year of the course but hated the math as well. He also said that the 2nd year was too much he could bear as they weren't to his interest. In his 2nd year he had to script, use maya, use nuke, and use houdini.

I'm sure that the software and scripting he face would not really bother me that much, but it's the physics and maths that may infect my interest again like what i'm facing in this games course.

I spoke to the course manager in charge of the visual effects course and he said that there will be math in 1st year, but it is a highly toned down maths than what the past graduates in that course had faced. As for physics he said there were none.

Not sure is he simply trying to pull me in to the course or those are his honest words.. If there are no physics involve in VFX than how does the software render smoke, wind or water and even fire? I don't think they will NOT ask us to render those elements during project work or assignments.. Should i trust the course manager? Oh he also said there are no trigonometry and geometry math questions nor test and even modules that would test this area. It just seems too good to be true (although I'm really happy that there are none)

Also looking at past graduate works, those private diploma with WSQ certification produce more exceptional work than the ones i saw in the 4 polys.. Maybe i should just suck it up like what dilp has adviced and endure plus force myself through this 2 years for my current course diploma cert, than decide if i want to go for a WSQ private dip cert or SIM which would accept gpa 2.0 graduates like me.

Oh and to answer you question, I'm interested in VFX staffs but i'm not really looking forward to join the VFX industry since the industry as I've research would not be a good path financially.

I'm more aiming to mainstreams jobs like Video Editor, Videographer, Graphic Designer (Posters, Banners, Prints, Flyers etc) yeah those media jobs that are actually much more known and stable.
As I'm from a not so well off family, my main priority in a job is money

Also if i do not change course do you thing i have the same or at least some chance of getting into graphical base jobs?

SIDM VFX focus more on ascetics than physical based, so I guess in a way the manager was not wrong to say that they had very little programming stuff. Don't just see the end results. Talk to the students to know about the processes and time involved. We always present our best work you know.

If you are aiming for jobs like graphical based, switch course entirely. Passion without hard work or effort is going to make you feel very disgruntled and your passion will burn off before you knew it.

No media job is call stable job, so as to know, no job in the world is a stable one. Everyone hold on to their job by putting in effort. If you are into 9-5 job, forget about design.

IMPT: Design is a very niche skills set. Once you have this Diploma, if you want to switch career to other field (maybe business/engineering/hospitality), you have to go back to school again.

 

[Kepller]

then just stay in your current course and build up your skills and portfolio in your free time / holidays. borrow books from library or go on the internet and learn new skills (or if you have money, go sign up for courses). take up freelance/part-time/contract jobs, internships or even volunteer for non-profits to gain more experience.
Creatives For Causes
The Kind Exchange
Advertising | Production Resource Central - Singapore and Beyond

You can also take up courses at NAFA/Lasalle/Singapore Poly to build up your skills -
Part-Time Certificate Course
LASALLE College of the Arts
Course Details | PACE | Singapore Polytechnic

Mmm, I was from NYP, and we really did a lot on drawing. Esp human anatomy. Or initial idea sketch. You be at real disadvantage if you cannot draw.

just FYI: I still sucks in drawing.



SIDM VFX focus more on ascetics than physical based, so I guess in a way the manager was not wrong to say that they had very little programming stuff. Don't just see the end results. Talk to the students to know about the processes and time involved. We always present our best work you know.

If you are aiming for jobs like graphical based, switch course entirely. Passion without hard work or effort is going to make you feel very disgruntled and your passion will burn off before you knew it.

No media job is call stable job, so as to know, no job in the world is a stable one. Everyone hold on to their job by putting in effort. If you are into 9-5 job, forget about design.

IMPT: Design is a very niche skills set. Once you have this Diploma, if you want to switch career to other field (maybe business/engineering/hospitality), you have to go back to school again.

Ok so if I combine the main points you guys highlighted, both your posts are in away pointing to me staying in my games course and tank/suck it up and force through the leftover 2 years right? It hints that having a games cert is much more worth than a design cert as I have backup IT industry route..

 

[popdod]

I didn't do a visual comm course in SG. But did design related stuff. I don't think Visual Comm requires a lot of hand drawings. Sure, there are the basic drawing classes. Unless you are doing classical animation then there's plenty of drawings. Even for courses like architecture, interior design, industrial design, there's a lot of drawings, but digital. And these are pretty much line drawings.

Yesh you r right. Visual comm doesnt require much drawings.
Even in the real job, you dun really draw... Art Directors just sketch.

Even we do storyboarding for TVC..it just 6 frames of sketching.
unless we wanna present to the big clients, then we hire an illustrator to "beautify" it....
otherwise...most sketches wif abit of photoshop colouring can pull thru the presentation.

Of coz...able to DRAW is a big bonus.
but
not a critical skill to have.

Able to sell the eyedeer is more critical in our industry.