Tim Nikias v2.0 wrote:
>> I was introduced to POV-ray last month through a course I took and have
>> become relatively familiar with it. (I spent quite a lot of time on a project I
>> was assigned than was needed). I was wondering if someone could tell me how you can
enter
>> this field professionally? What kind of training is necessary? Is it
>> absolutely necessary to have an MS degree in graphics? I have faced a
>> tremendous amount of adversity (which I won't get into lengthy explanation
>> of) at the university that I took the course at and would prefer *not* to
>> continue to pursue studies there.
>
>>
>> Thanks for your suggestions/ideas for me. Really need any insights.
>
>Hi incognito!
>
>I'm slightly confused what you're actually asking for when asking about
>"entering this field professionally". For one, you could mean the
>professional field of *programming* graphics, e.g. writing a ray-tracer,
>doing research for new lighting models or different approaches to the
>calculations - or you could mean the *art* of making images, with the
>different aspects of modelling, texturing, animation or "rigging" - or the
>*scripting* of things like particle-systems, water- and cloth-simulations,
>phyisics etc, which is essentially writing a small programm in itself, but
>making use of other's work, e.g. using POV-Ray as the raytracer.
>
>There are various graphics courses at universities these day, and a wide
>variety of computer engineering approaches. The path I've chosen is entitled
>"Media & Computer Engineering" (or something similiar after the translation)
>and tries to teach me to be a mediator between programming guys and artists,
>by telling me a lot about both. Hence I can write programms (theoretically,
>but I need more practice :-) and understand some of the difficulties of an
>artist's perspective (in my case, mostly concerned with movies and/or
>animations).
>
>Aside of that, you really need to be more precise in what your actual
>interest is for others to give you useful advice.
>
>Regards,
>Tim
>
>"Tim Nikias v2.0"
>Homepage: <http://www.nolights.de>
>Email: tim.nikias (@) nolights.de
>

Thanks everyone for your responses.

From your (Tim) description above, I would say I am most interested in the
art or scripting options and not so much in writing a ray tracer. My
problem is I face a lot of adversity at the school I took the course at and
cannot afford to continue on that route. Specifically, I am a non degree
student (i.e. am not eligible for aid for courses that cost $1800/course)
and was told I will never be accepted in the graduate program at this
school. However, I do already have a BS in computer science from an
engineering college and have worked in an unrelated field professionally as
a software engineer for 2.5 years. So, I would like to hope I can locate at
least some internship opportunity w/o having an MS degree. Do you think
that is possible? (That being said, I would aim to relocate only within the
U.S.)

Thanks very much.

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