Job: Computer animated Character modeller By Tom Burke

What does a modeller do?  A modeller creates models from vertices and polygons  A vertex is a point in space represented by an x, y, and z coordinate  A polygon is a simple shape created by connecting three vertices together  A model is made up of thousands, sometimes millions of polygons

The four major companies  Walt Disney Pictures  Dreamworks SKG  Pixar Animation Studios  Blue Sky Studios

 Founded in 1923 by Walt Disney  Responsible for much of the current state of the animation industry  Current project: Chicken Little

 Founded in 1994 by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen  Shrek 2: Highest grossing animated film of all time  Currently working on many projects

 Originally a division of Lucasfilms  Bought by Steve Jobs in 1986  Signed a $26,000,000 deal with Disney to create “Toy Story”

How to apply for a job as a modeller  A good demo reel is the most important part of an application  Applicants are judged based on observable skill, rather than qualifications, work history, or education  q.html

What one needs to create a good demo reel  A powerful computer  Thousands of dollars worth of software  A lot of free time  Patience

My conclusion  While I’ve found that computer animation really is not something that I could do for a living, were I interested in taking it beyond a hobby, Pixar would be the best choice for me  Unfortunately due to industry overcrowding, my chances are quite slim.