We often receive inquiries from students interested in knowing more about the visual effects industry. Unfortunately, we tend to be too swamped by the daily demands of production to answer each letter individually, so we’ve put together a list of resources which we hope will help.

There is no exact science to constucting a career in the entertainment industry—at Manex Entertainment alone we come from backgrounds as diverse as Broadway theater, fine art, architecture, software development, Web production, the military, and the simulator ride industry. Some of us were hired straight out of college or graduate school as well.

If you are interested in becoming an animator, for example, computer graphics, programming, anatomy, sculpture, and drawing classes, to name a few, can all contribute to preparing you for that specialization. Modelmakers may have experience in carpentry, painting, building architectural models, and so on.

An internship (through one’s school) or an entry-level job as a Production Assistant can lead to more specialized work on future productions. When you’re starting out, it’s often more important to “get your foot in the door” than it is to land the exact dream job you’d hoped for. The following Web resources may give you more ideas and information. Good Luck!

 

WEB RESOURCE CENTERS

Cyber Film School Filmmaking Website
Cyber Film School features an exhaustive list of summaries of sites related to screenwriting, production, and sound and editing.

The Visual Effects Resource Center
Visualfx.com was created for professionals and for the merely curious. The Library features a list of helpful books related to the industry, while Starting Your Career features a few essays with tips on the subject.

eXposure: The Internet Resource For Young Filmmakers
A great site for filmmakers of all ages.

INDUSTRY MAGAZINES

Cinefex
Variety
The Hollywood Reporter
Keep up-to-date on entertainment and effects news and information by reading industry trade papers and magazines regularly.

 

Interested in an internship at Manex Entertainment? Send your resume and cover letter to:

Manex Entertainment
Human Resources—Internship
1040 West Midway Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501-5012 USA

No phone calls or email please.