VanArts
Type | Open |
---|---|
Established | 1995 |
President | Alan Phillips |
Location | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
Campus | 600 - 570 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver, BC Canada, V6B 1Y1 |
Nickname | VanArts |
Affiliations | PCTIA, BCCCA |
Website | vanarts.com |
Vancouver Institute of Media Arts (VanArts) is a private post-secondary school in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada founded in 1995. VanArts has a campus on Dunsmuir street in Downtown Vancouver consisting of four floors of the building at 600 - 570 Dunsmuir Street. Originally focusing only on classical animation, VanArts started with veteran animator/director Lee Mishkin, winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1970 with Is It Always Right to Be Right?, as its founding program director.
Animation Career Review ranked VanArts as #1 in Western Canada and #11 in the world for animation training in 2012. The strength of VanArts' one-year diploma programs was highly regarded alongside prestigious universities and 4-year degree programs.[1] This list was compiled through a mixture of school reviews, industry-reviewed lists like The Princeton Review, and survey of animation industry professionals from companies such as Pixar and Dreamworks.
VanArts is accredited through the Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA).[2]
History
VanArts was founded in 1995 with Academy-Award winning animator/director Lee Mishkin as its founding program director.[3] VanArts has a variety of highly focused diploma programs designed to prepare students to be a skilled and specialized workforce in specific areas of the media arts including Visual Effects Production, Game Asset Design, Character Animation, Digital Photography, Acting for Film & Television, Web Development and Broadcasting.
The first campus for VanArts was on West Broadway street in Vancouver, and by 1998 it had moved downtown to 837 Beatty Street. Originally offering programs for classical and computer animation, the school expanded to offer Game Art & Design in 2003 and Visual Effects in 2004. Upon adding the first Digital Photography program in North America in 2006, VanArts needed to expand and moved to a new campus at 626 West Pender Street. In 2008, the William Davis Centre for Actors Study joined up with VanArts and became its Acting department. Another move happened in 2010 to its current location at 570 Dunsmuir Street. 2011 brought new departments for Web Development & Interactive Design, and the addition of Broadcasting for Radio & Television from the esteemed faculty of Columbia Academy School of Broadcast Arts.
2011 also marked VanArts’ first degree pathway agreement with Woodbury University[4] in Burbank, CA, soon to be followed by further pathways with Deakin University[5] in Melbourne, Australia, Bond University[6] and Griffith University[7] in Queensland, Australia, Media Design School[8] in Auckland, New Zealand, University of Gloucestershire[9] in the United Kingdom. In 2013, VanArts signed an agreement for its first local degree pathway with the Vancouver campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University.[10]
The William Davis Centre for Actors Study
The William Davis Centre for Actors Study was opened in 1989 by William B. Davis, best known for his role as the Cigarette Smoking Man on The X-Files. In 2008 the William Davis Centre for Actors Study became the acting department of VanArts[11] and Davis is still a teacher there.
Original classes focused on theatre training only. However, as Vancouver's reputation as "Hollywood North" grew and more film and television productions came to the city, the school quickly expanded into teaching acting for film and television as well. The school has a full-time program running during the day which starts in September of each year, and part-time classes running throughout the year, primarily during the evening. There are also weekend workshops and a two-week summer intensive program.
Many of the William Davis Centre's students have careers in the film and television industry and some of the most easily recognized are Lucy Lawless (Xena from Xena: Warrior Princess, also guest-starred on The X-Files) and Aaron Douglas, who played Galen Tyrol on Battlestar Galactica.
Due to the success of William Davis' role as the Cigarette Smoking Man on The X-Files, the school became a stop on the X-Tour, a Vancouver area tour designed for X-Files fans. The tour continued to operate after the television show ended.
Columbia Academy Broadcasting School
Originally part of an American company, the Columbia School of Broadcasting, in 1967, founder, George McNeill, took control of the Vancouver school and established the Columbia Academy.[12]
The courses offered at that time were dedicated to Broadcast Announcing and Commercial Copywriting for Radio & Television. In the late 1970s, McNeill created Water Street Film & Sound Works, a state-of-the-art recording facility boasting both 24-track and 48-track studios, and added Recording Engineering career training to the courses offered. As a result, in 1981, the school's name was changed to Columbia Academy of Radio, Television and Recording Arts.
In 1986, Columbia Academy moved from Vancouver's historic Gastown district into its current 20,000 square foot location on West Broadway.[13] That year also marked the school's expansion into Video, Film and Television Production training. In 2002, Columbia Academy opened Sky Wing, a state-of-the-art Broadcast facility and in 2003, the Recording division became fully digital.[14] In 2011 Columbia Academy's broadcasting department became a part of VanArts and it remains at the pinnacle of Broadcasting, Recording & Sound Design.
Programs
VanArts offers 12 month intensive and highly specialized programs, as well as part-time courses[15] in Acting (which includes beginners courses, scene study and audition preparation as well as Voice and Speech), Art & Animation (which includes Stop Motion, Comic Book Design) and Digital Photography (which includes Photography 101 and Video for DSLR).
2D & 3D Character Animation
Head of 2D/3D Character Animation: Wayne Gilbert
2D and 3D animators at VanArts animation school learn their craft while developing meaningful industry relationships. Focusing exclusively on the skills you need to break into the animation sector you desire, either 2D or 3D, students get the same assignments in their different formats. Students graduate as a specialist in character animation.[16]
Broadcasting for Radio & TV
Head of Broadcasting for Radio & Television: A.J. Junop
Columbia Academy at VanArts is the Broadcasting for Radio & Television program at The Vancouver Institute of Media Arts and is older than VanArts itself. Students start on-air while studying at VanArts, by filling some of the 800 available hours of on-air time at the broadcasting school’s campus radio station. Instructors are well-respected radio veterans with decades of experience in both broadcasting and production. Hands-on practice teaches students how to handle themselves on and off the air, along with important skills like copywriting, commercial production, copywriting, programming, music direction and promotions.[17]
Game Art & Design
Head of Game Art & Design: Wade Howie
Students learn how to visualize, create and move 3D assets on the screen and discover everything about character modeling, rigging, lighting and texturing. The teachers of the Game Art & Design program are creators currently working in the industry in Vancouver. Students develop their skills in traditional drawing, sculpting and concept art to a higher level by developing game design abilities in advanced 3D techniques and production methods.[18]
Web Development & Interactive Design
Head of Web Development & Interactive Design: Ali Efe
Project management leaders work with students to create on-trend and leading-edge live site projects as part of the VanArts web design courses. Involvement goes beyond the classroom, students attend real planning and development meetings where they must meet client expectations. Industry experts teach comprehensive web design courses, from creating visual elements to database development, through to managing a business site.[19]
Acting for Film & Television
Head of Acting for Film & Television: Chilton Crane
William Davis Centre for Actors Study at VanArts is a practical, professional and intense program taught by Canada's greatest screen-actors as well as several stage and voice actors, with special classes in stunt performance and dance.[20]
Digital Photography
Head of Digital Photography: Ian McGuffie
The digital photography program at VanArts, North America's first ever one-year diploma program in digital photography, makes students ready for an independent career as a digital photographer. Students learn the basics of digital photography and continue to finesse their skills to the highest level with workshops in the field, working with light, lighting and models. The program boasts a fully equipped studio and students take part in actual commercial photo shoots to help hone their craft. The teachers are all industry and working professionals. The program also has classes involving the business side as well as the artistic side, showing students how to effectively run their own photography business.[21]
Visual Effects
Head of Visual Effects for Film & Television: Wade Howie
In the VFX program at VanArts students will learn and use all the current VFX production tools like 3D Stereoscopy, green screen and 2D/3D content creation using Autodesk Maya, Nuke and Houdini. Operating within a studio production paradigm, students learn advanced techniques for compositing, modeling, lighting and texturing.[22]
Notable faculty
- Don Adams, Instructor - stage engagements with Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Second City, Tarragon Theatre, Bard on the Beach, and Touchstone Theatre.
- Hallis Blaney, Instructor - During his career he has worked for Hasbro, Nelvana, Fox, and DreamWorks, and was one of the first animators to be working with Toon Boom Harmony in Vancouver. He has worked on Ruby Gloom, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Transformers: Rescue Bots.
- Chilton Crane, Head of Acting for Film & Television - a professional actor for over 20 years, with lead, recurring and guest star credits including The X-Files, Supernatural, The Outer Limits, The L Word, Cold Squad and Beggars and Choosers. Through the William Davis Centre at VanArts, Chilton has the longest-running film & television part-time course in Vancouver.
- William B. Davis, Instructor – Legendary Canadian actor best known as ‘Cigarette Smoking Man’ on The X-Files.
- Bruce Dawson, Instructor - reoccurring role as Donald in The L Word and as Dr. Lawrence Gordon in Flash Gordon.
- Jenny Duffy, Instructor - a dancer and performer, her international credits include shows in New York City, Los Angeles, Hong Kong. Her experience includes working with major names such as the Vancouver Giants & BC Lions Dance Team, and with musical artists like The Black Eyed Peas, Michael Bublé and Young MC.[23]
- David Ellingsen, Instructor - award winning photographer with commissions from well-known publications such as The New York Times, Marie Claire, Men's Health, and People and he has partnered with clients such as DDB Worldwide, MTV, Nickelodeon, BC Place Stadium, Translink, BC Hydro and the David Suzuki Foundation.[24]
- Janeen Elliott, Instructor - has worked in several VFX studios including ESC Entertainment, Image Engine and Industrial Light & Magic.
- Wayne Gilbert, Head of 2D/3D Character Animation and Head of Faculty - Senior Animation Director for EA Blackbox.
- Gideon Hay, Instructor - a sculptor of creatures, props, prosthetic, maquette and other projects and has worked for Lindala Makeup FX, Mainframe Entertainment, Propaganda Games (Disney Interactive Studios) and many other schools, studios and clients for private art commissions.
- Jim Hebb, Instructor - one of the founders of The Embassy which has been responsible for on Iron Man, District 9, Cowboys & Aliens, Battle: Los Angeles and Battleship.
- Jeffery Higgens, Instructor - worked in visual effects for studios such as Industrial Light & Magic, Moving Picture Company, Image Engine, Rising Sun Pictures and Animal Logic.
- Caleb Howard, Instructor - has done VFX for Armageddon, Apollo 13, Star Trek: Insurrection, Blade, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Daredevil and Superman Returns.
- Julie Howgate, Student Services Representative - her credits include Brookside, Halloween: Resurrection, and was featured in the US national Got Milk? campaign commercials.[25]
- Wade Howie, Head of Visual Effects and Head of Game Art & Design - Pioneering artist in digital visual effects, 12 years with George Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic as VFX Supervisor, Head of Modelling and Animation, and Creative Director for animated TV and commercials. Other roles include Art Director for Electronic Arts and on-set supervisor for various CG/live action hybrid productions.
- Tom Johnson, Instructors - has worked as a digital 3D artist, texture artist, matte painter, and concept artist and his film credits include Batman Forever, The Fifth Element, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, The Animatrix, and The Thing.
- A.J. Junop, Co-Head of Broadcasting for Radio & Television - an On-Air Personality at stations in St. Catharines, Brantford, Niagara Falls, Midland, and Barrie. A.J. has also served as a Music Director, Program Supervisor, Promotions Director, and Creative Director, and Senior Creative Writer.[26]
- Patrick Koslo, Instructor - first published work was of science fiction author William Gibson for the 1991 cover of West Magazine. His work has since appeared in Vancouver Magazine, B.C. Business, City Food, Common Ground, NUVO and The Georgia Straight.
- Jaeson Lee, Instructor - has done stunts for film & television such as Arrow, Continuum, Supernatural and The A-Team. He also assisted in training the national Olympic Taekwondo team in 2009.
- Ian McGuffie, Head of Digital Photography - director/curator of Exposure Gallery and President of the Vancouver Association for Photographic Arts.[27]
- Christopher Morris, Instructor - worked on assignments for Maclean's, Time, Newsweek, Hello, The New York Times, The Times of London, The Observer, Der Spiegel, Stern, currently a contributor to Corbis and Redux Pictures.
- Dylan Neal, Instructor - regular roles on Arrow, Cedar Cove, Wild Roses, Dawson's Creek and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.
- Ken A. Priebe, Director of Communications & Student Services – Author of ‘The Art of Stop-Motion Animation’ and ‘The ADVANCED Art of Stop-Motion Animation’
- Mark Pudleiner, Head of Story & Visual Language - His film credit list includes Ewoks, An American Tail, The Land Before Time, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Mulan, Tarzan, Fantasia 2000, The Emperor's New Groove, Shrek 2 and Meet the Robinsons.
- David Rose, Instructor - worked as a Compositor on many blockbuster films including The Incredible Hulk, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Percy Jackson, Battleship, and many more at studios such as MPC, Soho VFX, Prime Focus, and Intelligent Creatures.
- Izmeth Siddeek, Instructor - worked on Fifa 07 at EA Canada, Mass Effect at BioWare, and on Dead Rising 2, Dead Rising: Case Zero and The Bigs at 2K Sports.[28]
- Kevin Shi, Instructor - an Environment Modeler with Capcom Games Studio and Blue Castle Games. He has had experience with games such as The Bigs 2, Dead Rising 2 and Dead Rising 2: Off the Record. He is also a past graduate of VanArts Game Art & Design program in 2008.[29]
- Tom Sirdevan, Instructor - has worked at ATI Technologies, Electronic Arts, Rainmaker Entertainment and Pixar Canada.
- Dave Smith, Co-Head of Broadcasting for Radio & Television - Music Director/Announcer for Victoria's JACK FM. Prior to that, Dave was Music Director/Announcer for Victoria's Hot 103, Owen Sound's Mix 106, and started his career at CKPR-FM in Thunder Bay, Ontario.[30]
- Brent Strait, Instructor - roles in The X-Files, Mystery, Alaska, Stargate SG-1, Due South, Andromeda, Smallville and Fringe.
- Paul Sundher, Instructor - worked in radio as a producer and on-air personality/announcer, as well as in television as a weather anchor, lifestyles reporter and sports reporter for Global TV.[31]
Guest instructors and speakers
- Bill Matthews – Retired Manager of Artists’ Development at Walt Disney Animation Studios, co-founder of animation program at Sheridan College.[32]
- Bob Godfrey – Academy-award winning animator and filmmaker from the United Kingdom.
- Bonita Versh – Animation Director for Klasky Csupo
- Ken Southworth – Veteran Animator from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, Warner Bros. Animation, MGM, Walter Lantz Productions and Clokey Productions.
- George Stroumboulopoulos - a Canadian television and radio personality, best known as the host of the CBC Television talk show George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight.
- Greg Gorman - an American portrait photographer of Hollywood celebrities.
- Joe McNally - an American photographer who has been shooting for the National Geographic Society since 1987.
- James Baxter - a British character animator. He is known for his work on several Walt Disney Animation Studios films, including Rafiki in The Lion King, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, and Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Notable alumni
- Andrew Beall - Fix Animation Lead at Pixar Animation Studios.
- Bill Braden - author of "On Good Ice: Lifeline to Gold, Diamonds and the Future. The Evolution of Canada's Arctic Ice Road", photographer and former MLA of Northwest Territories.[33]
- Rahul Dabholkar - an Animation Supervisor at DreamWorks Animation India.
- Aaron Douglas - actor known for his roles as Chief Galen Tyrol on Battlestar Galactica
- Andrew Gordon – Directing Animator at Pixar Animation Studios.
- Stephanie Mahoney - Layout Supervisor at DHX Media, worked on Ruby Gloom, Pound Puppies and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.[34]
- Nina Matsumoto - an Eisner Award-winning and Web Cartoonists' Choice Award-winning comic artist and penciler known as "space coyote" who has worked on several Simpsons comics and The Last Airbender: Prequel: Zuko's Story graphic novel and her own original manga series, Yōkaiden and web comic, Saturnalia. Nina studied 2D animation at VanArts.[35]
- Agata Matuszak - an animator at Sony Pictures Imageworks, who has worked at Digital Domain, Prime Focus & Rainmaker Entertainment.[36]
- Giles Panton - actor known for his roles in Voltron Force, Flash Gordon, V and Human Target
- Milan & Seema Schere - a husband/wife digital matte artist and graphic arts technician team. Between the two of them they have worked on Tron: Legacy, Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Resident Evil, Wonders of the Solar System and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.[37]
- Dan Schoening - worked as a storyboard artist, comic book artist, illustrator and animator for several clients including DC Comics, IDW, Club Penguin.
- Blaine Toderian - a character animator at Moving Picture Company.
- Mike Venturini – Directing Animator at Pixar Animation Studios.
References
- ↑ Animation Career Review Top 100 Schools for Animation, Gaming & Design
- ↑ PCTIA - VanArts Registration & Accreditation
- ↑ VanArts About Us Page
- ↑ Woodbury University/VanArts - Degree Pathway
- ↑ Deakin/VanArts Degree Pathway
- ↑ Bond/VanArts Degree Pathway
- ↑ Griffith/VanArt Degree Pathway
- ↑ Media Design School/VanArt Degree Pathway
- ↑ Glocestershire/VanArts Degree Pathway
- ↑ Fairleigh Dickinson/VanArts Degree Pathway
- ↑ VanArts blog post
- ↑ Columbia Academy Broadcasting School (cache)
- ↑ Columbia Academy Broadcasting School History (cached)
- ↑ Study Magazine
- ↑ Part-Time Courses at VanArts
- ↑ 2D/3D Character Animation at VanArts
- ↑ Broadcasting for TV & Film at VanArts
- ↑ Game Art & Design
- ↑ Web Development & Interactive Design
- ↑ Acting for Film & Television
- ↑ Digital Photography at VanArts
- ↑ VFX at VanArts
- ↑ Jenny Duffy's Website
- ↑ David Ellingsen CV
- ↑ Julie Howgate at VanArts
- ↑ A.J. Junop About.me
- ↑ Ian Mcguffie
- ↑ Izmeth Siddeek
- ↑ Kevin Shi's website
- ↑ Dave Smith at vanArts
- ↑ Paul Sundher
- ↑ Bill Matthews at VanArts
- ↑ Bill Braden's Website
- ↑ Stephanie Mahoney at VanArts
- ↑ Nina Matsumoto at VanArts
- ↑ Agata Matuszak's Website
- ↑ Milan Schere's website
External links
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