Sesi Internship

[Nerox]

i am sure there will be no way for her to resist your newly gained node deploying skills when you are back

Ghaha, I'm breading proceduralism already, I can't even imagine how this will be in 6 months. ;-)

Talking about node deployment, have you noticed that The Pixel Farm is going node based? Usually match-moving isn't that exiting but imagine doing this wile moving nodes around, 'hit me with that unsolvable shot!' ;-).

Pixel Farm goes node based

Edited August 5, 2010 by Nerox

[Nerox]

Everybody knows that as a kid there are things you deeply wish for, but it's unlikely you'll ever get them. Once you're able to buy those kind of things for your own kids, you should have figured out that you shouldn't...

Episode 3: Episode 3

http://vimeo.com/channels/nickgoestotoronto

I greet you with a :-),

Nick van Zutphen

[Erik_JE]

Just a quick half-related question. What kind of permit are you on in Canada? Was it hard to get?

[Nerox]

Just a quick half-related question. What kind of permit are you on in Canada? Was it hard to get?

Hi Erik,

I'm sorry for my delayed reply I hadn't noticed your post.

I have a so called 'extended holiday work permit', which means that I'm allowed to work in Canada for a maximum period of 12 months, for any company which is not in childcare, a hospital, schools etc. Because The Netherlands and Canada have an exchange program it was fairly easy to get a visa. Though I must note that you have to go through a lot of paperwork, there are a limited amount of visa's per year available and if you have a criminal record of any kind it's a 'no go'.

If you think of applying for the SESI internship and if you can afford it in money and time, I would say that it's a no brainer. For me personally it's the best thing I've ever done. For instance one of my ex-colleague/interns walked straight in to a london based effects company, he left 2 weeks before his internship ended, because 'they were in need'. Of course it's not a guaranty, it's totally based on your own character and how you develop your skills, but if you have a talent and your ambitious, this internship can give you a couple of big steps ahead.

Use it in your advantage,

Nick van Zutphen

ps

Last year I've visited Sundsvall and I loved it. When you walk around in Sweden it's totally clear that back in the day's the vikings pulled all the beautiful woman by there long blond hair back to Sweden, damn it's unfair! After a few day's you even start to take it for granted. ;-)

[Nerox]

From the top of the world I present to you the episode were a farmer enjoy's his first baseball game.

Episode 4: The World is Yours

http://vimeo.com/channels/nickgoestotoronto

I salute you with a :-),

Nick van Zutphen

[Erik_JE]

Hi Erik,

I'm sorry for my delayed reply I hadn't noticed your post.

I have a so called 'extended holiday work permit', which means that I'm allowed to work in Canada for a maximum period of 12 months, for any company which is not in childcare, a hospital, schools etc. Because The Netherlands and Canada have an exchange program it was fairly easy to get a visa. Though I must note that you have to go through a lot of paperwork, there are a limited amount of visa's per year available and if you have a criminal record of any kind it's a 'no go'.

If you think of applying for the SESI internship and if you can afford it in money and time, I would say that it's a no brainer. For me personally it's the best thing I've ever done. For instance one of my ex-colleague/interns walked straight in to a london based effects company, he left 2 weeks before his internship ended, because 'they were in need'. Of course it's not a guaranty, it's totally based on your own character and how you develop your skills, but if you have a talent and your ambitious, this internship can give you a couple of big steps ahead.

Use it in your advantage,

Nick van Zutphen

ps

Last year I've visited Sundsvall and I loved it. When you walk around in Sweden it's totally clear that back in the day's the vikings pulled all the beautiful woman by there long blond hair back to Sweden, damn it's unfair! After a few day's you even start to take it for granted. ;-)

Yeah we do have nice girls in Sweden and it seems swedes can also apply for that permit and all my childhood murdering have been wiped from my record so it should be ok.

I am thinking of applying and think i can afford it but guess i need todo some calculations. I read on their page that you get 800$ a month. With that and saved money it should not be a problem.

Are you there on Artist or Technical internship or is there no difference when you actually get there? At the webpage it appears to be different positions. If i apply it would be for technical.

I am a little torn LA vs Toronto. SideFX main office is in Toronto through what i have understood and one would guess most people are positioned there.

Getting into USA is another problem if going for LA but it appears possible to apply for a special internship/trainee permit.

Do you have any information if the internships are different in any way that matters. The requirements of houdini knowledge are set higher for Toronto position at the webpage.

[Nerox]

Yeah we do have nice girls in Sweden and it seems swedes can also apply for that permit and all my childhood murdering have been wiped from my record so it should be ok.

I am thinking of applying and think i can afford it but guess i need todo some calculations. I read on their page that you get 800$ a month. With that and saved money it should not be a problem.

Are you there on Artist or Technical internship or is there no difference when you actually get there? At the webpage it appears to be different positions. If i apply it would be for technical.

I am a little torn LA vs Toronto. SideFX main office is in Toronto through what i have understood and one would guess most people are positioned there.

Getting into USA is another problem if going for LA but it appears possible to apply for a special internship/trainee permit.

Do you have any information if the internships are different in any way that matters. The requirements of houdini knowledge are set higher for Toronto position at the webpage.

There are two types of internships: administrative or technical/animation. Administration is writing help documentation, technical/animation is basically learning/extending your knowledge of Houdini.

For me it was totally clear, because Toronto is the place where most of the developers are. The reason that I applied was that I want to get an in-depth understanding of DOP's, and to me it appeared that if there's one group of people in the world who know how DOP's works, than it should be the guys who created it. (it seems that it's guys but than without the 's' ;-)).

Though someone mentioned (I believe it was Peter Claes) that the advantage of LA is that you're really close to the studios and networking wise it might be more interesting. I already have a job after I finish the internship so for me that's not important. It totally depends on what you're aiming for. But technically wise I would say Toronto.

Financially spoken you should make sure that you got it all figured out properly,because 800 Canadian Dollars is by far not enough to live from, though there are guy's who do it, but I think it's crazy. For instance I'll pay 825 for rent only, I must say I have a nice place which I share with some else but still. Though you can find some dark closet in a shabby neighborhood for 400. Beforehand I figured that Canada was cheap, well I can't speak for the entire area but I can tell that Toronto isn't cheap at all. I do not want to scare you but it's more something to be aware of.

[rbowden]

$800 bucks a month is not alot of money to get a month but, at least you are getting paid. Plus, the experience that you get from the internship is worth it.

[Nerox]

Whohoo!,

Today is a very special day, one I've craved for ever since the homesickness dropped by to say hi. Simply because I've just paid my last rent! I used this moment as a milestone to look forward to, when times where rough. Though I enjoy my presence in Canada more and more every single day, I slowly start to realise that it just takes some time to really find your way around...

This story continues on my website, www.nickvanzutphen.com

P.s.

I would like to note that on my website you'll also find a VFX Blog, currently it doesn't contain topics that are insanely interesting. Nevertheless, in time I'm making an attempt to a 101 on DOP's microsolvers, in case this area remains a mystery for you and never stopped wondering, you might want to keep an eye on the blog. ;-)