[Sponsored Article] “Our programmes are not about which computer button to push,’’ says Bryan Bentley, animation and visual effects professor from one of the world’s most notable art and design schools, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). The university will hold a campus open day in Hong Kong on May 7 . The event will provide prospective students with insights into the professions of animation and visual effects, two of the most popular undergraduate programs at SCAD. Prior registration is recommended. Bentley says the open day will show parents how the SCAD curriculum equips students with the inspiration, creativity and career tools to help them find success in their chosen fields. For example, 10 SCAD graduates worked on Pixar Animation’s Inside Out, a Disney release which won the Oscar for best animated feature. Another SCAD graduate, Nick Bartone, the lighting technical director at Pixar Animation Studios, worked on Brave, Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Partly Cloudy and Inside Out. Our open day is informative and fun, and takes place in an informal atmosphere Bryan Bentley, SCAD’s Hong Kong-based animation and visual effects professor “Our open day is informative and fun, and takes place in an informal atmosphere,’’ says Bentley. Bentley adds that prospective students with an interest in animation and visual effects will be able to speak to professors about courses, find out about the admission process, learn about different career opportunities, and look at some of the creative work made by students on the Hong Kong campus. SCAD campuses are located in Hong Kong, the US, and France, and there are also e-learning programmes. Graduates work for some of the biggest film companies and influential visual effects studios in the industry. Alumni have also founded creative businesses, and followed careers in advertising and design, industrial design, and the games industry. “Our programmes are closely related to the real world, so they translate to the job market,’’ says Bentley. He adds that SCAD ensures students graduate with a body of work that sets them on the path to a creative career. During their four-year study period, animation students can freely transfer between SCAD’s four global campuses. The film, interactive, and digital media industries are all growing, and Bentley believes the future for SCAD graduates looks very promising. Bentley says there are also many opportunities for talented visual effects professionals to work in other industries. “Companies are looking for ways to use digital channels to connect with their customers, to create unified experience on mobile, web, and tablet devices,” notes the professor. “People are consuming media everywhere, and the skills our students develop can help companies to achieve their goals in multimedia,’’ adds Bentley. A request by a garment manufacturer for work which pre-visualised garments before they were made into physical prototypes shows how visual effects skills are in demand outside of the film industry. The project was a collaboration between students of animation, visual effects, fashion, marketing, and design. “As different technologies become more accessible, creative lines between industries blur, leading to new opportunities,’’ says Bentley. Bentley says that prospective students should have strong problem solving skills, be self-motivated and inquisitive, and have a passion for learning. ‘’I often tell my students they are their own best teachers, and their own harshest critics,’’ says Bentley, who formerly worked for Star Wars legend George Lucas’s film studio in Singapore. Bentley says mathematics and computer skills, coupled with good writing and grammar, are necessary to succeed in the world of animation and visual effects. ‘’We should never forget that both maths and art can be used to describe the natural world,’’ he notes. Kinson Cheung Kin-chung, an animation professor at SCAD, says students have opportunities to collaborate with students in other areas. These include visual effects, interactive design, game development, motion media, production design, sound design, and film. Animation students can also select from a range of electives to develop skills in specialised areas. Last year, four teams of SCAD animation and motion media design students were invited by beauty brand FANCL to create short animated films for the company’s flagship store at Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong. “FANCL benefited from fresh design ideas, while our students gained valuable hands-on experience working on a real-world project that resulted in tangible outcomes,’’ says Cheung. The public voted for their favourite film, and the winners received HK$50,000 scholarship funding. “The FANCL project shows how companies need animated motion graphics and title sequences to engage with their customers,’’ says Cheung, who believes Hong Kong is a good launch pad for graduates seeking successful careers in the industry. Experience SCAD Hong Kong’s student life at SCAD Day Saturday, May 7 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. SCAD Hong Kong Hong Kong, 292 Tai Po Road