Spring Break & Midterm Update

Hello boys and girls,

time for another update.

It's that time of the semester, the midterm showdown.

Unless you have received a separate email about your grade, you got a "C". What? Just a "C"? What's going on?

Well, here's how I grade:

"A" students would mean absolutely ready to start at a company right now, "B" showing creativity and doing more than asked, "C" understanding and applying the mechanics and animation principles but work being average, "D" for NOT being able to apply the animation principles and "F" for simply failing in all aspects.

For midterm and finals I will grade in full grades, no B+s or -s or whatever. So even if you got a "C" now, you might be really close to a "B". At the same time, you might be really close to a "D".

Take a look at the "Virgin Voyage", or the latest Animation Mentor Showreel. That is your competition, that is the standard that other students are setting. Anything below that and your chances of getting a job are small. The chances are still there (it's also about luck and timing, but the reel is still your ticket in), but it's really tough.

Again, look at the competition and be aware of the kind of work is needed in order to make it nowadays.

But it's all doable. Do the research, work hard and have fun with it! You can be the next Doug Sweetland or Maia Kayser, it's all in your hands.

I haven't see everybodies work for a while, due to the super-late-notice-retarded-teacher-failing-to-show-up-for-class incident and this weeks spring break. So please, EVERYBODY send me your latest and greatest this week.

Also, take a hard look at your schedule, be it the class schedule or your own. Are you on track? Are you falling behind? Are you keeping the deadlines? Be mindful of the goals that you set for yourself. If you are having problems with it, let me know and we will work something out.

Any questions? Complaints? Recommendations? Ideas? Don't be shy, let me know. It's your class, your money, make sure you get the most out of it.

Ok, that's it. Have fun during spring break, remember to drink a glass of water for every 2 or 3 cocktails so you don't have a hangover the next day, eat before you drink so you don't puke, girls, don't tease boys too hard, guys, "No" means "No".

Cheers
Jean-Denis