1. Where should I start with classes?
There are 6 classes which are divided into two sections. 3 intro classes and 3 advanced classes. We advise you to take the intro classes if you have an experience in drawing, designing, and painting and have basic knowledge of using tablets and 2D software like Photoshop. Intro classes mainly focus on fundamental skills. And if you are seeking to kickstart with confidence all the skills which are necessary in the industry.
We advise you to sign up for advanced classes if you have several years of experience in drawing, designing, and painting but still need the upper edge to compete in the entertainment industry. These classes are recommended for aspiring/junior concept artists to professional individuals. During the advanced classes, we not only go deep with the knowledge of fundamentals but all the other skills necessary (3D skills, photobashing, etc.) in order to stand out and catch up with our demanding industry.
2. Do I need to register, make an account, and/or subscribe to sign up for a class/term?
The less clicks you are away from your learning experience at Focal Point, the better for you and us! We will aim to keep the process of signing up as streamlined as it can be. It is mandatory to register with your basic details upon signing up. We need student data to keep the organizational aspect in order to run our school as smoothly as we can.
3. Can I share my signed-up seat with more people?
We strictly prohibit students to share classes. Each student must sign up for their own seat. This is due to the structure of our program, fairness for both students and the school, and to avoid of any legal issues.
4. Can companies sign up their employees for Focal Point Classes?
Yes, Companies and Studios can sign up their employees. Sharing classes is not possible due to our lecture program we also care highly for the individual interaction aspect with each of our students.5. When is payment due and what are the refund options?
At the beginning of 2019, we set up a new payment system in order to achieve the best results by offering our students the most common and accessible forms of payment. The moment you sign up for a class is the moment you pay and secure your course(s) seat. Pre-orders and payment through installments are not possible at that moment.
The following states our refund policy which we adhere to:
- 100% refund deadline: 31 days prior to class start date
- 50% refund deadline: 10 days prior to class start date
- 0% refund within 9 days of class start date
Focal Point School is not responsible for covering, transactional fees, administration fees, currency exchange fees, and other fees for which we are not responsible for.
6. What can I expect from each course?
Please refer to the class tabs on the website as details per class differ, such as length, price, and class structure. However, in general, what you can expect from each class (but not limited to) are: lectures, presentations, weekly assignments, live demos, portfolio reviews, paint and sketch overs, guest lecturers, critique, and feedback sessions.
7. Do I need to present a portfolio prior to starting a class?
It is not mandatory to present your portfolio; however, we highly recommend sending in your portfolio (links to websites only). This is to calibrate the students’ needs so that the instructors can know what to focus on to help you in your professional career.
8. How many classes should I take each semester?
We recommend signing up for 1 of the full terms, ‘’Intro’’ or ‘’Advanced’’. The learning curve increases with huge leaps, as it allows the student to absorb more knowledge when three classes are taken versus one class. The classes are structured in a way where knowledge obtained in one can be used in the other and the other way around.
We advise that you assess your workload and make sure you will be able to complete the homework for all classes you sign up for in order to benefit the most from each class the most.
9. What if I am unable to attend one of the classes?
We completely understand that unexpected things can happen during the course time. If you are not able to make it to one of your classes, you will receive all the materials we covered during that class. We also offer 1 time individual online feedback sessions from the class instructor.
10. Will I be able to master the skill of a given class?
Each class at Focal Point School is packed with knowledge for you to absorb. The instructor of the class is responsible for delivering to you the best learning experience possible. Every individual absorbs knowledge at his or her own pace. Retaking classes, for this reason, is common and sometimes necessary to fully learn and understand the content taught in class. The term ‘’mastering a skill’’ is dependent on practicing long-term, which is something that usually every industry professional has to continually do. At Focal Point School, we help you get better faster by integrating you into a disciplined environment with industry-experienced professionals where you will be motivated and challenged to deliver your best work.
11. Do you offer international student visas?
We do not offer any visas. We recommend students coming from abroad to apply for the tourist visa. Students coming from the EU and the USA do not require a VISA application when traveling to Poland. We do offer letters of approval, reference letters to smoothen the process of certain visa applications which require such letters.
12. Do you offer help on finding accommodation for students coming from abroad/ further away than the Gdansk Area?
On our Discord Server, we have "housing-and-roommates" channel where you can ask our community about accommodation or look for roommates. We do not cover the cost of students’ accommodation while they are taking classes.
Disclaimer: Please note that Focal Point School is not responsible for housing choices and quality of accommodation.
13. Do I increase my chance of getting hired after I sign up for a class/classes?
At Focal Point School, it is our mission to provide you with as much knowledge as we can to give a boost in your learning curve, which is guaranteed by our instructors; you will therefore by default increase your chances. The second important thing to do is network. You will be put in an environment where you are surrounded by industry veterans and fellow students, and we advise that you use that community to forge friendships, network, and hopefully increase your chances of landing a job in the industry field with the more people you know. So far our students are being hired by a significant array of well-established studios in the video game industry.
14. What is a hybrid term?
A Hybrid term is when a term is run physically and online at the same time. When Focal Point School was founded, it strictly adhered to the physical aspect. We believe that the physical aspect is an important feature to work as a group, keep the morale in class high with your peers and get the best knowledge channeling from our instructors.
However, in light of the current global situation, we were forced to adjust to the new realities. Not all students are able to learn with us on-site. That is why we have the option open for students to not only join the live stream of our class but also can count on the interaction as if they are with us to the best extent we can realize.
Please note: For online students, please remember to have a microphone and camera for the best experience.
15. Does Focal Point School provide certificates?
We provide certificates for students who attend and complete the course fully.
Please find below how we structure the handouts of certificates to our students.
1) Certificate of attendance (Silver) with Instructor’s signatures - for those who attended classes (both physical and online)
2) Certificate of completion (Gold) with Instructor’s signatures - for those who attended classes (both physical and online) and completed 100% homework(s) including final task(s)
Final tasks have a deadline after the course ends so that students have a good amount of time to work on their final task. This is always announced during the course as tasks differ from term to term as we keep updating our class structure frequently.
Please also note that ‘’Focal Point Certificates’’ are no diplomas that are approved by any government and/or institution. We are a private school mainly focusing on getting our students the best we can in terms of obtaining concept design and illustration skills for the entertainment industry in order to be successful in their careers.