Computer Science vs 3d Animation
I'm so torn up between both, i don't know which one to pursue! i love and enjoy doing both. It's always been my dream to work for disney or pixar one day as an animator but i also like doing some problem solving and math from time to time. I'm currently in my senior year of highschool and i'm the top student in math class, and i should start working on my portfolio, which one do you think is best? computer programming or computer animation?
Can't make that decision for you, nor can anyone here. It's ultimately your own decision to make. just know this, do what you love to do most(yolo:p). In my opinion they're both great majors, both have decent career paths and are growing daily. If you like making movies then focus on animation, if you like writing programs then focus on programming. My cousin is studying 3d animation, modeling and visual effects and he keeps telling me how great it is. He studied computer science in uni for 2 years then he stopped because he couldn't take it anymore so he went with art and it sure seems like it's working just fine for him, his grades by the way as a CS student were very good, he was one of the top students in his class. He just lost interest i guess. Well programming could be very crucially frustrating at times, and animation requires soooo much patience. It really goes back to what i said earlier, do what you love to do most.
EDIT: I've seen people switching from CS to film production too by the way.
EDIT: I've seen people switching from CS to film production too by the way.
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Write programs that help you make 3d animation. In fact, if you do end up working for Pixar as an animator, your skills as a programmer will be very valuable.
What I mean is, find ways to program/automate any task that you find enjoyable ( or, at least the shitty parts of that task ).
What I mean is, find ways to program/automate any task that you find enjoyable ( or, at least the shitty parts of that task ).
You can always keep programming as a hobby you know... it's not the end of the world. My friend is a movie editor and he always programs apps and even 2d games in his free time, it's one of his favorite hobbies.
In addition to my previous reply, most indie developers don't even have CS degrees. Because computer science can easily be self-taught, as a matter of fact, programming is a matter of teaching yourself even in university. Why would someone pay £6,000+ a year to learn crap they can easily learn by themselves without spending a penny? I'd rather spend this amount of money to learn how to better my drawings, make cool hollywood-like effects and create fancy realistic 3d models than learn how to code a bloody machine. Don't take my word for it? fine, listen to Bucky Roberts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDvE72Y4ckU
| Uk Marine wrote: |
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| Because computer science can easily be self-taught |
Programming is easy to self teach. Computer science is not. Programming != Computer Science.
| Programming is easy to self teach. Computer science is not. Programming != Computer Science. |
http://chortle.ccsu.edu/CS151/cs151java.html
That's just one in a million.
My point is, no one should pay thousands of dollars for something they could easily learn for free. It's a scam. Go spend that money to enhance your drawings capabilities.
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Uk Marine,
What I think ResidentBiscuit is saying is that; Programming is a relatively small part of the very much larger field of Computer Science. You should not think that programming is equal to computer science.
What I think ResidentBiscuit is saying is that; Programming is a relatively small part of the very much larger field of Computer Science. You should not think that programming is equal to computer science.
Programming is a small part in the CS field but regardless, you can still learn everything CS students learn in their classes by your own. self-education is very important, take advantage of the internet and its free education. You're short on math? no problem just head to khanacademy, you have trouble in physics? again just head to khanacademy, you want to learn the world's most popular programming language? no problem go to the library as bucky suggested and read a book, or go to youtube and watch lessons or download free pdf books like a dork. I get what marine is saying, as well as that chick in the video. If you want to go to college, then do something 'artistic'. Nowadays degrees are nothing more than blueprints to be honest, especially when it comes to CS. If you think a CS degree will get you a job at microsoft or apple then think again, these companies don't really care about your educational accomplishments. What they really care about is your computing skills and capabilities, make a name for yourself and you're set. College is VERY IMPORTANT, don't misunderstand me! but if i have to choose between art and science, i'd choose art.
closed account (z05DSL3A)
| Uk Marine wrote: |
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| My point is, no one should pay thousands of dollars for something they could easily learn for free. |
| MultiMedia wrote: |
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| Programming is a small part in the CS field but regardless, you can still learn everything CS students learn in their classes by your own. |
You are are correct, to a degree if you can learn it at university you can learn it on your own (you just might not get the full range of practical experience that you would get at university...but I'm sure that just knowing the theory is just as good as actually having done the thing...)
But anyway the most important thing is to do what you are happy doing
Edit:
Meant to quote Uk Marine as well...
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There seems to be a consensus that programming and computer science can be easily self taught while animation can not. In my opinion, modeling and animation is much easier to learn "on your own".
If you change animator to technical director, then this could be true or possibly if you are writing shaders. Being able to program will not help one bit at animating.
I considered getting into modeling at a professional level at one point, but gave it up because I decided I preferred to do it more as a hobby. I never did very much animating. A good place to get a look at what is involved in working in the animation field is http://forums.cgsociety.org/. You can even talk to people that work at Pixar and ask them what you should know.
| In fact, if you do end up working for Pixar as an animator, your skills as a programmer will be very valuable. |
If you change animator to technical director, then this could be true or possibly if you are writing shaders. Being able to program will not help one bit at animating.
I considered getting into modeling at a professional level at one point, but gave it up because I decided I preferred to do it more as a hobby. I never did very much animating. A good place to get a look at what is involved in working in the animation field is http://forums.cgsociety.org/. You can even talk to people that work at Pixar and ask them what you should know.
| I considered getting into modeling at a professional level at one point |
Does it require a lot of geometry?
by the way guys, read this article http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2295956/lucasfilm-will-combine-video-games-and-movies-to-axe-post-production-process
really nice to see how the game industry is evolving, i bet this article got so many visual effect artists angry.
really nice to see how the game industry is evolving, i bet this article got so many visual effect artists angry.
| If you change animator to technical director, then this could be true or possibly if you are writing shaders. Being able to program will not help one bit at animating. |
Seems like most 3D animation jobs want one to be skilled in Max ( or maya or whatever ). In the tiny bit I've used such programs, my ability to program certainly helped me debug my way through a rendering script. In fact, the script eventually called functions from a C library which were not performing correctly.
I'm certain that the value of someone looking for a job goes up significantly if he/she is able to write code, no matter what the job is. ( and I do feel a challenge coming on, let me know :) ).
You can study computer science and become a programmer or researcher in computer graphics which is the foundation of computer animation, just like i did.
Animator is cool too, but revolutionary advances in computer animation are made by programmers.
Animator is cool too, but revolutionary advances in computer animation are made by programmers.
@Lowest0ne
Most shops do use Max or Maya although they have usually been customized to a point that they don't resemble either much as they are "out of the box". Unlike doing a scene on your own, you wouldn't be doing all that. The technical director is the one that handles the scripts. An animator is only going to be animating, if there is something wrong with the rig, it gets sent back to the rigger while you work on animating something else. It certainly doesn't hurt to know other things, but in a large shop like Pixar it won't help you do your assigned task.
@Uk Marine
If you mean geometry as in math then no, if you mean geometry as is a mesh, then that's what its all about. :-)
Most shops do use Max or Maya although they have usually been customized to a point that they don't resemble either much as they are "out of the box". Unlike doing a scene on your own, you wouldn't be doing all that. The technical director is the one that handles the scripts. An animator is only going to be animating, if there is something wrong with the rig, it gets sent back to the rigger while you work on animating something else. It certainly doesn't hurt to know other things, but in a large shop like Pixar it won't help you do your assigned task.
@Uk Marine
If you mean geometry as in math then no, if you mean geometry as is a mesh, then that's what its all about. :-)
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