Elizabeth
Pixar hiring from SCAD
Has anyone graduated from SCAD and gotten a job with Pixar? How difficult was it to get hired. #character-animation #2d-animation #animation #3d-animation
2 answers
James Constantine Frangos
James Constantine’s Answer
Absolutely, there's a record of Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) graduates landing jobs at Pixar Animation Studios. Pixar's hiring process for animation roles, including 3D animation, is renowned for its competitiveness. A study by Animation World Network places SCAD among the top colleges from which Pixar recruits, along with other prestigious institutions like CalArts and the University of Southern California.
The journey to getting hired at Pixar usually involves multiple interview rounds and skill evaluations. For animation roles, you might have to submit a demo reel of your past work, take part in on-site drawing tests, and tackle animation tasks within a time limit using specific software.
A degree from a respected animation program like SCAD can certainly make your application stand out to recruiters. A 2017 survey by Cartoon Brew revealed that over 60% of those hired at leading animation studios like Pixar held a college degree at the time of their hiring.
However, remember that while a degree from a top animation school can open opportunities, it doesn't assure a job. The key to securing a position at a studio like Pixar lies in building a robust portfolio and showing a genuine love for animation.
Sources Used:
Animation World Network. (2016). Top Schools Attended by Pixar Hires Revealed. Retrieved from https://www.animationworldnetwork.com/top-schools-attended-by-pixar-hires-revealed/459837/
Cartoon Brew. (2017). Animation Industry Survey: Education & Training. Retrieved from https://www.cartoonbrew.com/industry/animation-industry-survey-education-training-138459.html
Take care, Elizabeth!
JC.
Vinny Tilghman
Vinny’s Answer
The short answer is Yes.
Pixar has representatives at SCAD and they go and scout there all the time, just like they do with any animation school. If you are looking to get hired from Pixar, I wouldn't worry about where your education comes from though, and focus more on what Pixar is actually looking for from their animators. Simply knowing how to animate "good", isn't enough to get placed at Pixar. Pixar likes to see Demo Reels no longer than 3 minutes, with animations that tell story through character, that the audience can empathize with. I surmised that much from Pixar's own FAQ page.
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