Things look a little different, don’t they? Alongside our new website, our team has been hard at work making sure Think Tank is more capable than ever to foster artistic growth, teach industry-ready skills, and connect with the wider CG community. From reimagined programs, a brand new website, to a podcast hosted by Think Tank Cofounder, Scott Thompson, there’s lots to check out. Read on to learn more about all the changes we’ve made so far.

Standing on the shoulders of giants

We need to start with a serious shout out. Since Scott and Joe opened Think Tank’s doors in 2005, we have always sought to keep pace with two ever-evolving things. The first is the industry itself, which consistently resets the benchmark of what’s possible in VFX, animation, and game art. To this, we need to thank the incredible folks at Will who helped us find our voice, and the creatives at Astral for designing the stunning graphics on our new homepage. The second thing, is the amazing artwork being  produced by our students and graduates. What was possible over the course of an entire program 10 years ago, these artists are making in a single term. We cannot believe where the bar is at. Well we can, but we’re going to celebrate it like we don’t.

As we edge towards our 20th anniversary, a fact that is becoming more and more clear is that we definitely have the best students. We will always strive to make Think Tank the best it can be, but these brilliant people make it a whole lot easier. Indeed, this shift we’re making as a top school is entirely due to these amazing artists that we proudly now call our peers. Their work is good (really good) and we’ve decorated our new website with it.

 

 

Reimagined programs

Change is good…but also…If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

At Think Tank, our bread and butter has long been two signature full-time programs: our classic Campus program and a 64 week Online program. Aimed at turning students with little-to-no experience into industry-ready professionals, these programs have not only defined the careers of many young artists, but also who we are as educators. But we found that this curriculum wasn’t doing enough for those who might want just a taste of what learning VFX, game art, and animation is like; or those who have the basics down, but are still an intermediate; or even those who need to study mostly at home, but want in-person mentoring while producing their portfolio. Basically, we realized that Think Tank could be doing more to elevate artists from a wider variety of backgrounds, locations, interests, and experience levels. 

Instead of scrapping the curriculum, we’ve taken what was awesome from our two original programs, and reimagined them into nine new-ish programs. There are now four Online, three Campus, plus two Hybrid programs.

A note about words
You may have heard the word ‘Foundations’ to describe our entry-level terms, but now we call this kind of study ‘Fundamentals’. Similarly, ‘Mentorship” has seamlessly changed to ‘Portfolio Production’. Neat, eh?  Here’s a breakdown of our entire reimagined curriculum:

Online 

CG Asset Creation for Film or Games (Formerly Specialized CG Training)
64 weeks / Diploma / No experience required
Gain an advanced understanding of the skills and tools necessary for developing strong, competitive CG assets. You’ll develop a highly competitive, and industry-ready portfolio.
Learn more

CG Fundamentals
16 weeks / Certificate / No experience required
This program will teach the basic technical and conceptual skills necessary to design and create a finished asset. You’ll leave with a firm understanding of what emerging career opportunities exist in the industry.
Learn more

CG Asset Portfolio Pre-Production & Production
48 weeks / Diploma / Foundational skills required
Perfect for those who’ve done CG Fundamentals (or equivalent), this program will help you elevate your existing skills, identify your specialization, and create your portfolio.
Learn more 

CG Asset Portfolio Production
16 weeks / Diploma / Very advanced skills required
Guided by supervisors and mentors, undergo job readiness training, and produce a professional portfolio in your area of specialization. Finish with the confidence and readiness needed to take the next step.
Learn more

Campus 

3D Animation, Visual Effects & Game Art (Formerly Computer Animation, VFX  and Game Design)
64 weeks / Diploma / No experience required
Specializing in either Environments and Props or Characters and Creatures, develop a highly competitive portfolio that goes beyond building assets, and dives into the world of VFX or 3D Animation.
Learn more

3D Portfolio Pre-Production & Production
32 weeks / Diploma /Advanced skills required
Build off your foundational skills and develop a professional portfolio. Get connected to a burgeoning community or artists, creators, friends, and the wider, local entertainment industry.
Learn more

3D Portfolio Production
16 weeks / Diploma / Very advanced skills required
Fine-tune your skills, undergo job readiness training, and produce an industry-ready portfolio. Gain the confidence and readiness to take the next step in TV, Film, or Games.
Learn more

Hybrid (NEW for Think Tank!)

CG + 3D Asset Creation for Film or Games
48 weeks online + 16 weeks on campus / Diploma / No experience required
Crush the first 3 terms online via our interactive teaching platform, Portal, before preparing for a future in the creative industry with a killer portfolio right here in North Vancouver .
Learn more

CG + 3D Asset Portfolio Pre-Production & Production
32 weeks online + 16 weeks on campus / Diploma / Foundational skills required
Building off your existing experience, gain advanced skills in CG Assets, VFX, and 3D Animation. Working with us at the Think Tank HQ, your portfolio will be a pivotal step in landing your dream job.
Learn more

Did you have your heart set on a program from the old Think Tank website? No worries! It’s still there, we promise. Check out our Programs Page to find the best course of action for you, or reach out to our Admissions Team here (they are standing by to help you out). 

A hub for our community

Whether down the hall at the Think Tank Campus, an Uber ride away to a nearby studio, or on the other side of the world…what we are all about is building a community that will elevate, connect, and inspire other artists. This has always been at the core of what we are, but as we enter this new shift we are stepping it up.

We call it The Cortex

From inspirational articles, artist spotlights, exclusive events, helpful resources and industry news…The Cortex is an epicenter for our global creative community. It’s a place to learn, share, and teach what interests you about TV, Film, and Games, and the wider entertainment industry. Also, headlining the launch of this hub is Who’s Flying This Thing?, a brand new podcast that will dive even deeper into all things CG.

#ThisIsThinkTank

The brand new PODCAST!

Not gonna lie, we're really excited about this one. Taking you even further into the VFX, Animation, and Game industries is the brand new podcast, Who’s Flying This Thing?. Hosted by Think Tank Cofounder, Scott Thompson, this podcast serves as crash course (mostly crash) into the inner workings of some of the world’s biggest studios, and the brilliant humans within them that continually push the boundaries of CG Art. 

 

 

Guaranteed to be a turbulent ride, join Scott as he chats with Executive Producers, 3D Artists, CEOs, Marvel nerds, first-person shooter masters (and more!) as they jump in-and-out of the Multiverse, Spider-Verse, Jurassic-sized parks, personal failures, team successes, and hot studio gossip. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You might throw up.

Episodes are already up on your favorite streaming platforms.

Listen Now

 

Join our newsletter

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Work with us

On the hunt for a new challenge where you can add to your skillset, meet new people, and make some extra cash? We're always on the lookout for experienced senior artists and designers to help teach and mentor the next generation of CG artists. Let this gig come to you...work for as little as a couple of hours a week from anywhere in the world.

Join our ranks

 

A note from the writers and designers

Hello! We’ve put a lot of blood, sweat, tears and hand cramps into building Think Tank 2.0. But at the end of the day, we are still human, and thus susceptible to making mistakes. So, if you catch anything- whether it be a typo, a buggy page, a dead link etc.- please reach out to me, Corey, at corey@tttc.ca with the subject line “I caught something”. Catch ya later!