I have read a number of similar threads, but many of them are either a few years old, or slightly different courses.
I have applied to 2D animation course at Herts and Computer Animation Arts at Bournemouth. I have gotten a conditional offer from Herts and unconditional offer from Bournemouth, but now I need to decide which is my firm and insurance choices...There are a few things that I need advice upon:
1. The course at Herts teaches 2D animation only, whereas Bournemouth teaches both 2D and 3D(and seems like to be a bit more towards 3D). I think it's good to know both 2D and 3D skills, but then you cannot focus and specialise in one area - but then again, I find that 2D animation is getting not as popular nowadays (even Disney is moving towards 3D animation from its traditional handdrawn animation).
2. I think I would end up working as an animator(artist), so I am interested more on the skill side of making animations. I think Hertfordshire teaches more skills, whereas the lecturer from Bournemouth told me that the actual making of animation is only 1/3 of the course there, the other 2/3 is the theories&stuff. Does this mean that Bournemouth produces graduates that end up working more as animation directors?
3. My older sister has been telling me that, if I receive an offer from Bournemouth I should 100% go there, and she even said 'I've never heard of hertfordshire, I asked many people and no one knows'(yes I'm directly quoting this). I know that Bournemouth is definitely more well know especially with its NCCA, but Hertfordshire as a new uni has recently won many awards and I'm really impressed by the quality of their showreel. This is what I found:
Bournemouth's 2015 showreel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTBtWdJQ9BMHertfordshire's 2015(2D) showreel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqccA2DWswMAny advice would be appreciated
I only have a month until the UCAS reply deadline...!