The Advanced Acting term (Class 5) finished a few weeks ago and since then I’ve been taking a complete break from everything AM-related. I’ve reached a point now where spending every available hour on AM has become a bit of a slog, rather than something fun and challenging. I’m getting kind of tired being stressed, working 7 days a week and paying for the privilege. As such, I’m taking another Leave of Absence (3 month break) and I’ll be trying to decide if I want to come back to do the final term.
I’ll be uploading and backdating my work from the last few weeks as soon as I remember where I put the the files ;)
Of course, the other reason I want to take a break is because I’ll be starting at Rockstar North next week! It seems foolish to spend the first 3 months of a new job, in a new city, being locked away in a new apartment when I should be out socialising, learning my way around, making friends and throwing my all into the new job!
I’ll do another post about the move up to Edinburgh, but for up-to-minute news you can just follow my Twitter feed or search for the hashtag #operationEdinburgh ;)
Congrats on the successful move to Scotland, and again on the new and awesome job! =)
Thanks a lot Kai!
As a recent graduate of AM yourself (congratulations to you too btw!), what are your thoughts on Class 6? Worth it? Did you learn enough to warrant the price tag? Is it likely to be worth it it you already have a reasonable amount of industry experience as an animator? Are you glad to be finished?
Anyway, congrats again, it’s a tough 18 months!
Well, speaking as a guy that went into AM with basically no experience at all class 6 was pretty sweet. Most of the lectures were good, and I got lucky and got a fantastic mentor.
On the other hand, working on all those old shots from class 3 through 5 got quite tedious. Mostly due to me not being happy with most of them, and thanks to stupid little mistakes I made along the way.
You obviously have a lot more experience than I have, so I’m honestly not sure how much you would get out of it. Depends on how comfortable you are with the polishing part of animation, I guess.
Dude, put like that it makes total sense- esp, the part about being in a new city and stuck in the house, im on an LOA too but im just gonna flesh out the quad side of my reel which is currently non-existent. Ive heard varying reports about term 6 but on balance overall its actually positive, trust me ive asked around!
Just get stuck into the new job- it was funny as i was in edinburgh the other week with john and said to him “i think rockstar is somewhere near here”, i was basically looking right into the building as i said it.
Just have a great time- ive had 4 interviews myslef in the last 5 or so weeks but hearing back is very very slow. Ah well, theres always horses to animate