New Student FAQs

Your Q&A session time and Zoom link will be in your Slack class channel. Please only use that link at the time of the meeting.

The session time will be listed in your own time zone (based on the time zone you set in your Slack). 

Note: There are no live sessions until after your start date. 

Slack is the awesome online community where all our students, mentors and alumni hang out.

You'll be added to a private class channel with your mentor. It will have your Q&A details and your Box link to upload assignments to. Please ensure your Box account uses the same email address we have on file. 

Learn how to Slack in this video:

Once you’re in Slack, you can explore and join additional channels on a range of film and game topics! 

Canvas is your student portal where you'll head to each week for tutorials and class materials. 

Look out for your invitation to Canvas in your inbox, where you'll be prompted to make your account. Once done, you'll be automatically added to your courses and ready to go!

Box is your free storage service where you'll store your work and upload to our account.

Create your free individual 10GB account here.

Glad you asked! 

Here's a quick video we made to show you how your week will look:

While it can be daunting starting any new course, we're sure you'll find your groove quickly, and enjoy the fun learning environment!

For more information, check out the How it Works page. 

As for specific deadlines/submission dates, your mentor will fill you in once you start class!

The software required will be listed in Canvas (you’ll receive login details soon, if you haven't already). 

Please download software from the links in Canvas. You will be sent an email for ‘Proof of enrollment’ (check all folders in email or search for that). That proof will be required for some programs.

If you have queries about purchasing and reimbursement, please email help@cgspectrum.com. 

No worries! First, check that you are logging into cgspectrum.instructure.com (instead of  'canvas.instructure.com').

If you're still having trouble, just email help@cgspectrum.com or lodge a ticket in Slack (type /support to create an online assist ticket in Slack) and we'll get on the case!

Your Mentor: For coursework, your mentor is your first point of call. They'll introduce themselves once you’ve started!

If it's not urgent, but you want to include questions or comments along with your submissions, upload a text file with your thoughts to Box for your mentor to review along with your work file.

Be sure to include your name and intake, and if you're asking about a particular week or video, include that too.

Your Technical Assistants: Each department also has Technical Assistants ready and willing to help. They're very active on Slack and have been in your shoes. Just post your questions in the relevant topic channel and someone will assist. Your set-up email will also include a link to the names of all active TAs and Department Heads.

Our Online Assist team can help you out with any school or admin-related queries, or point you in the right direction!

Please include a description of the issue, illness or deferrals needed.

Email: help@cgspectrum.com

We understand students can't always attend every meeting due to work or other circumstances.

In this case, you should still submit work, and your mentor will critique it in your Q&A session. Then you can just watch the session later!

If you miss more than one session, you'll need to contact our Help Desk team so we can offer options. Repeated absences can lead to dismissal.

You'll find recordings in Box after the current week folder.

This is even if you are ahead or behind, so ensure you're checking the proper week folder.

The video file can sometimes be pixelated in the browser, so just download it to view at full resolution.

These videos are created by industry professionals such as our Department Heads to ensure they are the highest quality of education provided. 

Your Slack channel will tell you what week you're in. (If not, contact your mentor.)

There's also a calendar with all your class dates in Box.

9-month course students get a two-week break between study periods.

Your mentor and Help Desk are available for email help during this time, and if you're super keen, you can make a start on the next period early!

You'll get reminders for any holidays via email.

Once you enroll, you'll be invited to the supportive and active CG Spectrum online community on Slack.

You'll have a dedicated Slack channel for your specific class PLUS access to a range of topic channels.

This community is for you to:

• Ask questions and get feedback from peers and mentors
• Share your work and collaborate with others on projects
• Share what inspires you, or tutorials you've found
• Find out about upcoming webinars and job opportunities
• Network with fellow students, mentors and alumni now working in the industry!

The beauty of having such a responsive and supportive online community on Slack is that you can start building your professional network while you learn.

Join conversations and start them. Share your work, and offer constructive feedback with others. There's even a collaboration channel for students who want to team up on projects. 

Another great way to connect is on social media.

Share your work and tag #cgspectrum so we can all see what you're working on. 

Instagram: @cgspectrum

Facebook: @CGSpectrum.Film.and.Game.School 

LinkedIn: CG Spectrum

Twitter: @cgspectrum 

Love your attitude! 🙌

Your course is your top priority, but if you have some downtime, here's what to do:

CGS YouTube

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to catch live streams, tutorials, and more.

The CGS blog

Read film and game expert interviews, student success stories, get career and demo reel tips, and see cool art on our blog. 

Free resources

If you want to challenge yourself with a new tool or technique, check out the mini-courses on our resources page.

Webinars, tutorials and more

As a student, you'll get invited to a range of webinars to help you prepare for your career in the industry. Look out for emails and Slack messages to catch the next one!

When you are certified, you will have access to Canvas for an extra three months.