GanzChroma 0303
A few months back, our team met with The Rookies, and they mentioned that our school wouldn't qualify for their rankings due to only having four entries - they require a minimum of 12.
The truth is, I don’t want 12 students. As someone who's taught everything from one-on-one sessions to auditoriums filled with students, I know 12 is too many for the type of quality we are aiming for at Alpha Chromatica.
These metrics favor schools with multiple programs and campuses. They can easily exceed the requirements by pooling student numbers, but Alpha Chromatica Education (ACE) is laser-focused on teaching Photoreal Compositing for Feature Films and Television to people who want to work in the Visual Effects Industry.
Been there and done that. In a room of 12 to 14 students, I’ve seen it happen hundreds of times: students zone out, sit back in comfy chairs, and mentally check out. Not everyone is wired to stay fully engaged in a group setting, especially for extended periods. Some can’t even keep their eyes open for 5 minutes. That’s why I’ve decided to stick to teaching around 8 students per year. Yes, you heard that right - per year.
I really want to make sure everyone who takes our program gets the most out of it.
Now, don’t get me wrong - winning awards or seeing our school ranked will feel good, but those things rarely convert to jobs for students.
I know that by chasing rankings, we will compromise our quality and do things that appeal to the masses instead of preparing students for a career in compositing.
So, we’re opting out of this game. You won’t see us in the rankings, but you’ll definitely see our students' work out there, and that’s what matters to me. That, and the fact that they get jobs as compositors.
Also, how do you even rank a school that teaches photorealistic compositing against schools that teach general visual effects, character modeling, FX, or environment design? Even after 23 years of doing this, I can’t say my students’ comp shots are better than someone else’s FX simulation or character models. These are totally different disciplines.
I honestly don’t know much about the judges or their process. Like any awards this is highly subjective too. I’ve already communicated with The Rookies about having subcategories similar to the VES Awards.
On a personal note, it does feels like someone just decided they’re are going to be the authority on how schools and students get ranked, and now we’re following their rules.
But why do we need to play by their rules?
That rarely leads to anything exceptional.
So yeah, we are opting out for now.
Because we are planning on being Great.
P.S. If you are interested in learning compositing, do you care which is the best school or which is the best program or who is the better instructor? What matters to you more?