csssasydney

[csssasydney]

hello! i am a new yorker who is super interested in attending csssa 2017! i only just found out that 20 people are accepted into cssa from out of state, which makes me extremely nervous about my chances of getting in... i was wondering if you were out of state at the time you were accepted into csssa? thank you!

I was out of state when I was accepted as I lived in New Hampshire at the time! I completely recommend applying even if you are out of state! 

[csssasydney]

Hey! I'm applying for film next year, and I have a question about rec letters. So far I could ask my art teacher at school, and a film student who I've acted for, and who knows I'm more interested in film. I was wondering if you think that would be fair to ask. Especially since the art teacher doesn't know much about film experience, and even if me and the film student have talked about films, she knows me more from an acting perspective? Thanks :)

Hi! Anyone who knows you in any artistic capacity would be fine for a recommendation letter. It is of course best if this person has firsthand experience with your film work since that is what you are applying for, but it is not necessary. When I applied for animation, I had my art teacher and my graphic design teacher write my letters. They both were familiar with some of my work, but they were not specifically related to the department I was applying for. It was more important that they could speak about my character as well as my work. 

Good luck with your application! 

[csssasydney]

Did people get to dorm in the famous Tim Burton room?

Yes! Some lucky ducks do get to dorm in that room.

[csssasydney]

Hi! I'm just curious, what art supplies did they give you in the animation program because when I see everyone's art journals at CSSSA they all look so cool! Also, what would you say helped you improve art-wise so quickly during your one month stay there? Thank you!

Hi! So it might change a bit from year to year, but the supplies they typically give you include things like:

1. Sketchbook

2. Watercolor pencils (Sargent Art)

3. Graphite pencils

4. Pentel marker set (12 pack)

5. Micron pens

6. various erasers

Most people also brought quite a bit of art supplies from home as well! I brought along paints, colored pencils, markers, and lots of pens! 

What helped me improve so much art-wise was drawing almost every hour of every day. Figure drawing class in particular helped me improve, as I had never taken one before! Like everyone always says, practice makes perfect, and at CSSSA, you practice like crazy! 

[csssasydney]

Hi! I was accepted to CSSSA and was wondering exactly what projects are made other than the final film? I'm considering other pre college programs like MICA because I want to create work for my portfolio this summer and I'm not sure if CSSSA is mainly animation practices (like the flour animation) or if you do visual development and character design as well? If you could maybe list out the projects or something that would be amazing help!! Thank you so much!!!

Hi there! So each year the curriculum changes a bit, but I can tell you about some of the projects I did during my year! In addition to all these things, we were also required to fill up an entire sketchbook by the end of the month.

1. Zoetrope animations - this was done as a warmup exercise 

2. Flip Books- Our first big assignment!

3. Paper Cutout animation - everyone made aprox. 3-5 seconds of animation

4. Paper cutout puppets

5. Stop-motion puppets

6. Character design sheet - and the character was used for the next project,

7. Dance animation - using your character and 3 different 2D mediums

8. Hand drawn animation - both practice (bouncing ball type stuff) and our own short things we storyboarded!

9. Lots of storyboarding practice!

10. In addition to the sketchbook, daily projects, and animations, you also have figure drawing class almost every day! 

There was a lot more stuff we did, but those are some of the bigger assignments! 

[csssasydney]

can people that aren't my roommates come into my room? like if i have friends down the hall can they come into my room and chill? or vice versa. thx!

Yes they can! However, boys cannot cross into the girls hall, and vice versa (I know, not my favorite rule either). Also, there is a curfew for when you are supposed to be in your hallway, and when you’re supposed to be in your room. Your RAs will tell you all about curfew once you get to CSSSA! 

[csssasydney]

I'm in visual arts and was wondering if there's any clothing requirements for painting? I usually paint in clothing I can ruin, like yoga pants & Tshirts, but I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb by not wearing cute artsy clothes when working. Would teachers expect students to dress nicely or would they not care if I showed up in 'paint-y' clothing? (I would dress normally outside of class ofc) thanks!

I recommend that if you know you’re going to be doing something messy like painting, or will be moving around a lot, wear clothes you feel comfortable in and are okay with getting a little paint on for classes! You’ll have time after class and on the weekends to dress up a bit, if you want. When I was at CSSSA I found it better to dress down for classes. You don’t want to get pastel on your new white pants during figure drawing class! Also if you find yourself figure drawing, I recommend not wearing a skirt. Most of the times we either sat on the ground or on the benches, which is not the most comfortable thing to do in a skirt, especially a tight one. 

[csssasydney]

CSSSA @ COLLEGE FEATURE: Kai Lynn Jiang (CSSSA 2014) College: California Institute of the Arts Major: Character Animation Kai just finished up her first year at Calarts for character animation! Here's what she thought of the experience, how CSSSA helped prepare her, and advice she has for other alumni! The reality of college: You won't improve by simply attending college. You'll improve by practicing, getting feedback, and practicing more. It's definitely easy to track the improvement in my art, but for the most part I've grown significantly as a person. The way I view art and art making, the world, and myself has shifted so drastically. I think I've just gotten more positive in my outlook in general. There's always more to learn though! Advice on the college selection/application process: I wish I'd narrowed my focus more. At the time I tried to juggle far too many projects and assignments for college applications. On top of the high school workload I was just about ready to burn out. It's great to try your best in everything, but prioritizing what's most important to you personally will save you some sleepless nights of anxiety. Scheduling and time management are invaluable skills to have. Also, research the schools that you feel will foster your own creativity! One thing to keep in mind is, whether you're applying to an art college or not, whatever school you end up at does not determine your worth. You alone are responsible for your own education, as well as your personal and artistic growth. How CSSSA helped prepare you: Up until I attended CSSSA the thought of going to an art school didn't seem like a viable option for me. I viewed CSSSA as a fun program for the summer, but it ended up being a major tipping point for me. I have never come across a better environment that nurtures artistic exploration and growth. It's what got me excited about art again, and what I could bring to animation as an art form. As an artist I grew exponentially during my time there, and I would not have had the confidence to apply to the animation programs that I did without it. Favorite part about college: What I love most about my school are the people here! Being a part of this amazing atmosphere of passionate, talented, and driven individuals can really motivate you to push your own work to the limits and go beyond what you expected of yourself. There's a real community that forms within a small program, and I've never felt more at home. What's exciting for me is the amount of possibilities that have opened up for me in just being here. I have a couple of really cool projects coming up with some good friends of mine and I can't wait to share what we've been doing. For now all I can say is stay tuned! To see more from Kai, follow her on social media: kailynnjiangart.tumblr.com instagram.com/fisheye.kai vimeo.com/kailynnjiang

[csssasydney]

I was accepted to CSSSA and sent in all my forms. How will I know when they've received it? Is it safe to book airplane tickets now?

if you have sent in all your forms it is fine to book your travel! 

[csssasydney]

Do people bring laptops? Is it helpful to have one? And if one does bring one, is it safe in the dorm room?

Most people do bring laptops (I own a desktop computer, so I brought an iPad instead). People mostly use them for fun (unless you’re in creative writing. My roommate did most of her work on there). I, for the most part, just used my iPad to update my tumblr (back during the early years of CSSSA Sydney!) and mooched off my friends to watch TV and do other things on their computers. Your computer should be safe if you leave it in your locked dorm room when not using it. 

[csssasydney]

Hey! I'm attending the 2016 session and I was wondering if I can bring those little 3m hooks that you can peel off of the walls? Thanks!

Sure! 

[csssasydney]

Are we allowed to bring snacks and store them in our dorm room? And can I bring a case of water bottles and store that in the dorm room? (Or is there a better way to have easy access to water after curfew or when you don't feel like going to the water fountain?)

Yes! I kept protein bars and lots of chip bags in my room. I wouldn’t bother spending the money on water bottles because the CalArts cafeteria will have waters you can take at any time. I know I ended up hoarding them in my room! Its good to keep a few in there for after curfew, but CSSSA students are notorious for keeping stacks of empty water bottles under their desks. 

[csssasydney]

Hi, so I'm attending CSSSA 2016 and payment is already a little rough for me. For the optional trips like Disneyland and stuff, does that include a separate fee aside from the original tuition or is it included?

Yes, the three weekend trips, as well as the photo and CSSSA t-shirt, are all extra fees you will pay on the first day if you decide to purchase these things. 

[csssasydney]

Hello! Thanks so much for this blog! I just got into theater and im super hyped. You said your roommate was in theater right? They say in the letter that theater kids have to dress in sweats and t-shirts since they "want to see us fully" and cause it's really physical. This is kind of an odd question but do you know if they were allowed to wear makeup?

No makeup or pierces during class (not even the clear studs. My roommate tried that!). After classes you can wear what you want though! 

[csssasydney]

Hi. I heard that CalArts students who were former CSSSA alumni are the RA's. Is that true? Follow up question, what are the RA's like?

All the RAs are current CalArts students, and some of them may have attended CSSSA too! I can only speak about my RA (Ferdinand <3 ), but overall it seemed that people in general loved their RAs. I know my RA was fantastic! Their jobs were mostly to make sure you were where you were supposed to be at night, and to help you out with any dorm or roommate related problems. All the RAs are very kind and helpful and are a staple of the CSSSA experience!

[csssasydney]

I've heard that the theatre people aren't allowed to wear makeup- can you confirm this? And do you know if we can wear sweatpants instead of yoga pants/leggings? How much time outside of classes will I have to wear makeup and dress the way I usually would dress? Thanks!

Neither makeup nor piercings are allowed in theater classes. Once classes end (around 3 typically) you will be able to wear what you like, unless there are extra classes or events happening for your department. For the most part however, you’re probably going to be wearing whatever you wear to class, as that is where you’ll spend the majority of your time. 

[csssasydney]

Do you know if CSSSA supplies all of the art supplies? Am I going to need to bring some of my own (like pens, colored pencils, paints, etc.)? (For visual arts)

There should be information on that in your acceptance material!