Does Anyone Like the Minneapolis Art Institute?

# 1 01-03-2004 , 03:56 PM

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Location: Minneapolis, MN

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Does Anyone Like the Minneapolis Art Institute?

I'm considering going to the Minneapolis Art Institute, though I've heard a number of complaints about the Art Institutes chain. Has anyone had a good experience at one of these schools?

I already have an undergraduate degree in Film, but I'm going back to school for 3d animation.

I didn't get accepted to MCAD, so I'm looking for other options in the Minneapolis area. Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!

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# 2 01-03-2004 , 07:07 PM

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Location: Minnesota, USA

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Are you looking for a Maya-specific school here in Mpls.?

If so, you are out of luck.

MCAD only teaches Lightwave at the moment, tho rumor has it Maya is going to be adopted there.
(the rumor has been around for more than 5 years tho...)

I think the closest thing you'll get to actual Maya-specific study here would be either at:

AII - https://www.aim.artinstitutes.edu/index.asp?ref=1

They have 2 different BA's you could go for, however only the Animation program includes Maya studies, but DOES NOT focus on Maya specificly on a course-by-course basis.

The second would be:

Brown Institute www.brown.edu

They only have ONE class in their WHOLE computer science
degree program that touches upon Maya....or animation for that matter:
https://www.cs.brown.edu/courses/cs195-9/

Then there is:
https://www.msbcollege.edu/msci/msciintro2.html

Its ironic that BOTH of thier graphics-related programs do not even mention 3d animation at all.

So, are you SURE that Minneapolis is where you want your animation education dollar to go?

If you are moving from Chicago to Mpls, I would HIGHLY suggest you look at going to a pro animation school such as:

https://mmd.uoregon.edu/main.html

or

https://www.fullsail.edu/index.cfm/fa...uter_Animation

....then of course there is Gnomon.

Sorry to burst your bubble man, but Minneaplis is NOT the place to go for jobs and/or education for animation/3d graphic/vfx.

Hope I helped you aviod a costly mistake.

Israel "Izzy" Long
Motion and Title Design for Broadcast-Film-DS
izzylong.com

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# 3 01-03-2004 , 07:43 PM

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Ragecgi,

Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate the info. I have a couple of follow up questions.

1) Did you attend any of the schools you mentioned?

2) I do want a program that concentrates on Maya, but I also want a program that will give me a solid fine art and traditional animation background. Do you think MCAD or Art Inst. is good for those kinds of courses?

I am going to be stuck in Minneapolis for the next year or two. After that, I'm hoping to move out to the west coast. I was hoping to begin my animation education in MN, but maybe I should hold off. Hmmm....

Thanks again!

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# 4 01-03-2004 , 11:27 PM

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1) Nope. Too expensive for me at the time, so I learned on the job... I got lucky I guess.

2) Neither. I have too many AWESOME artist multiple-degree-holding friends from both of those places that STILL cannot find work here.... however they DID find work in LA and NY user added image

Mcad is best (here) for fine art, and "possibly" traditional animation, but since it is not thier degree focus, (contrary to what the ads and addmissions people say) you will end up learning less, and wasting your money.

If you are going to be stuck in Minneapolis, look me up, I might need a roomate user added image

Sorry I couldn't be of more help man user added image

Israel "Izzy" Long
Motion and Title Design for Broadcast-Film-DS
izzylong.com

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# 5 01-03-2004 , 11:40 PM

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I think I may try to take a couple of classes, but mainly spend the time working on Maya at home with books while I'm in MN.

Appreciate the offer, but I'll already have a roommate when I move there, my fiance. user added image

Are you working at a post house in Minneapolis?

Thanks again for all the info.

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# 6 02-03-2004 , 09:45 PM

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Ok, I have a similar delima. I was accepted to the Art Institute of Atlanta. For the LONGEST time I had been planning to go there and am actually getting ready to find an apartment to live in a few months from now. This guy came to our high school today however, and is from Spencerian College which is from the Sulivan University System. His entire speach was basically about everything I had always wanted to do: computer animation, making video games, graphic designs for advertising, etc... so I became hooked very quickly. The only reason I had picked the Art Institute is b/c the Art Institute of Atlanta seemed to be the only decent 3D animation college even remotely close to me. Even though Spencerian College is good in my opinion and is a whole lot closer, I don't really know how it compares to the AIA.

I plan to take a visit to both Spencerian and AIA soon, so I'll get more info later, but I just wanted to have some other input should any of you have a particular opinion on this matter. Money and location is not a problem for me, however my preference would be to stay here in Kentucky because it's simply easier that way.

any input would be extremely appreciated b/c I don't have much time at all.

www.Darkware3D.com

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