HOW GNOMON SCHOOL OF VISUAL EFFECTS, GAMES AND ANIMATION IS HELPING SHAPE FUTURE ARTISTS

If you’ve been following along with the Press Play Podcast, you know that we’ve talked with various marketing experts about using video within a broad spectrum of marketing topics. We’ve covered video’s role in influencer and content marketing, how video fits into advertising with PGA Tour events, and how you can pair AI with your video content to streamline your sales process.

In our episodes so far, one aspect of the video marketing industry we are yet to cover is arguably the most important: animation and visual FX creation. How are animated videos made? Who is creating them? How do artists end up in this industry? Is there formal training for this field?

To answer many of these questions, we invited Adam Hartel, a Freelance Concept Artist and Recruiter at Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Games, and Animation, to join Derek Gerber on an episode of the Press Play Podcast.

Gnomon is creating a space for young, aspiring artists to complete a formal education in their desired field and set themselves up to get a job in the industry right out of college. Through the jobs crisis of 2020, Gnomon saw 94% of its graduates land a job in their industry within a year of graduation. This rate would be considered astonishing in a year that wasn’t plagued by a pandemic and record-setting shortage of jobs.

One factor that contributes to the alumni’s success is the faculty that students are learning from. Gnomon requires each member of its faculty to hold a position as an industry artist, ensuring that students learn from professionals with accurate, up-to-date knowledge of what it will take to maintain a job in animation and visual FX.

“What we’re looking for is those artists with the drive to do the work and to follow through in the training they’re going to need that’s going to augment their personal goals and artists in the style and area that they want to work in.” (22:27)

The school also encourages its students to work collaboratively and be inspired by other students. While many see the animation and visual FX industry as highly competitive with limited jobs, Gnomon sees that streaming and video marketing trends have created a high demand for qualified artists.

“There really is a high demand for artists in the industry, and everybody kind of can look at it sometimes with a scarcity mentality…but that’s not the way it is, because we know that our students, our graduates are in high demand.” (14:42)

In his job promoting the school and recruiting new students, Adam utilizes the school’s industry connections and event spaces to attract individuals who may not know that a school like this exists. He hosts keynote speakers, Q&A sessions, and other events with the industry’s top artists to promote this path towards a career in animation and visual FX. His main goal with each event is to provide value for each attendee.

“I think one of the ways we market the school is we create a community around ourselves that is accessible to everyone…My goal whenever I’m presenting about the school is always to add value right then and there to the listener.” (3:11)

Many aspiring artists don’t see a path towards a career in animation and visual effects in gaming, movies, and marketing. Gnomon is doing everything in its power to provide an attainable avenue.