A very happy day at AMC is also one in which a student/mentee of ours becomes our colleague. It’s a great feeling of achievement when you’re shaping a new talent and empowering them with all that’s necessary to be able to make quality 3D art for AAA games – skills, confidence, inspiration and a safe and heartfelt environment where they can do what they love.
And witnessing them living their dream alongside us. But equally happy days are when we “lose” them for other arts in which gaming tools are used.
In 2019, we started teaching 3D modeling to students at CINETic, the International Center for Research and Education in Innovative and Creative Technologies, the research department of the National University of Theatre and Film “I.L. Caragiale” in Bucharest, Romania.
Then they launched the first local master’s program related to our industry – Art of Game Design.
In this context we discovered a perfect synergy with another type of art – animation. So, students in this discipline joined our classes as well.
We’ll tell you a story of the successful debut of an alumni in Animation at UNATC, Alina Gheorghe. Our student, mentee and last year’s summer intern in the Environment department. And also a friend, to the “Enviro” girls.
Her recent animation short film – Glass Fingers – is nominated for a couple of prizes including Annecy Festival – the world’s largest event dedicated to animation at the Graduation Films/Films de fin d’etudes category, and for the Romanian “Oscars” – the Gopo Awards, for the short animated film category. (Glass) fingers crossed for both of the contests!
Her thoughts regarding this recognition and of her experience at AMC, in a brief interview below:
What was helpful to you with interacting in school with a 3D artist and doing an internship in a gaming company?
It was definitely a big help, and still is. For me, it opened a lot of possibilities in terms of what can be done in a movie and what I can do in the future career-wise. I’ve been passionate about sculpture ever since I was in high school and I was so happy to see there is a continuity in it, even if I’m an animation student now. The 3D courses, the mentorship and internship shaped a better perspective on what I can do in an artistic field and on where I can build my career. The internship, especially, encouraged me and gave me motivation, it confirmed that I can make a living doing what I love.
What do you dream about for the future of your career in animation?
I think one of my biggest aspirations is to have the possibility to continue doing this. To be able to create animation movies and not contribute to projects that say nothing to me. I very much wish to work in projects where I can make decisions, especially for the visuals of it. Another aspiration would definitely be to have my movies seen, even if not by such a big audience that is currently viewing “Glass Fingers.”
Sketches from Alina’s film
What are the obstacles you see in your ongoing development? What about the opportunities?
I think one of the biggest obstacles is the one sort of mentioned above, the lack of attractive projects. But the opportunities are there – the more people I know, colleagues, but also people already working in the industry, the more I realise that, even though really desirable projects are few, we can create other projects ourselves and people will still be pleased.
Tell us about the movie and when/how it can be seen by everyone.
My bachelor’s movie is about the condition of the artist and the way in which they become consumed by their own creation. The idea somehow sprung from the way I view my works and it’s somewhat ironic that, as soon as I finished it, I was unable to see its value. I thought they were just some takes glued together and the meaning was lost somewhere along the way. But now there are so many people praising me for this film, and this makes me very happy. While the movie is screened at festivals, it will only be available there. But afterwards, it will be posted online for everyone who is still curious about it.
This blogpost is also dedicated to Alina’s allies in AMC – Valeriu Carmaliga, our Enviro trainer at CINETic, Madalina Gheorghe, her mentor, and Mircea Constaninescu, her buddy during the internship at AMC.