Animation school recommendations

[Lost Marble]

I've got a friend whose kid wants to get into animation and is asking about schools for animation. I think they're looking for recommendations on a budget, not elite schools. Did anyone study animation and have a really good experience? (This family lives in California, but another of their kids went far away to school, so is doesn't necessarily have to be in CA.)

[synthsin75]

I'd be hard-pressed to suggest anything but a free, or cheap, animation education online. Tons of solid resources. As long as you've built a demo reel, I'm not sure a degree counts for much in animation.

[Lost Marble]

Yeah, I've heard multiple artists say that school is not necessarily a good value. It might not help you get a job at a studio (and could get you saddled with debt), but it might have other benefits. A rounded-out education, a group of peers and maybe some contacts once you go out into the working world. But I don't know. I'm old. School helped me make contacts, but those contacts motivated me to get out of school and start doing stuff!

[SimplSam]

You did not mention the age of the child nor whether the target is 2D or 3D?

Personally - I would tend towards class based animation focussed learning for 3D, and more arts + animation for 2D. Even if these are short-courses. Note: I have no formal training in either but wish I did - way back when.

From previous discussions on Social forums - most seemed to suggest pure online learning, but that is equally not surprising given the online nature of Social platforms.

[rafael]

I wouldn't recommend they go to college for animation unless it's something like SCAD maybe: https://www.scad.edu/
There have been some AMAZING portfolios to come out of that school. That said...

I'd recommend they start with School of Motion's Animation Bootcamp:
https://www.schoolofmotion.com/animation-bootcamp

It's not a massive investment, and they'd come out of it with the ability to do some really fun animation. I actually think this is preferable to diving into a traditional animation course, as you can get to a satisfying result MUCH faster, while still learning the fundamentals. Heck, if they do a really good job in the class, they might even be able to just get a job or internship at that point. Then they'll be learning at light-speed and possibly even getting paid for it.

Oh, and for what it's worth: I didn't go to school for animation and have been a motion/animation professional for around 7 years now, the last 4.5 of which has been self-employed.

TLDR; Get a little knowledge + get your foot in the door. Don't waste money on college.

[Lukas]

I've heard multiple artists say that school is not necessarily a good value. It might not help you get a job at a studio (and could get you saddled with debt), but it might have other benefits. A rounded-out education, a group of peers and maybe some contacts once you go out into the working world.

I don't know much about education in the US. But my experience in the Netherlands definitely was like this (and school was still cheap back then...). School was good to immediately be surrounded by peers, and an internship at a studio was a valuable experience too (also great for contacts and opportunities after graduating). Online learning wasn't as big of a deal back then though. With all the free software and information easily available nowadays I'm sure you can be successful without school, but only if you're motivated enough to not give up and keep on making and finishing projects.

[bestazy]

Here are a few I’ve heard are good: Ringling College of Art and Design, Savannah College of Art and Design, Rhode Island School of Design and Pratt Institute,
Also Sheridan in Canada is amazing, it used to be called “the Harvard of Animation”