Olianti Kovac and Escape Studios' La Salle Exchange

Oliantai Kovac talks about the La Salle Exchange

We asked Escapee Oliantai Kovac to tell us a little about the Escape Studios' La Salle Exchange, and what his experience was like studying in Barcelona.  

In October 2023 Oliantai Kovac took up the opportunity to study for six months as part of Escape Studios’ Student Exchange Programme with La Salle University in Barcelona.  Scroll down to find out more. 

La Salle Exchange

La Salle University

“When the opportunity for the La Salle Exchange arose, I immediately thought of the Spanish sun, delicious food and stunning architecture that Barcelona has to offer. I also thought of what a great opportunity it would be to savour another university system outside of the UK and gain diverse knowledge from different sources. 

Course Content

La Salle University is a great place to learn because of how broad their offering is when it comes to subject selection.  As a result it is a great place to try out new things and strengthen those fields which we often don't have time to in our own time as students, given how long it takes to create VFX and Animation - as well as the time that we have left after work and study, which was my case in London.

Taught by Industry Professionals

At La Salle, students learn the same industry level techniques as at Escaped Studios, just thought by different industry professionals. The advantage of doing an exchange like this in my opinion, is that because of La Salle's class structure, you get to choose more subjects to try and learn. I see this as an advantage. Apart from the Houdini classes which is what I was specializing in here at Escape, I also chose Lighting, that allowed me to work specifically on this one discipline for an animated still scene, VFX Production - this was a project group class in which I did compositing for a scene which we filmed with professional cameras, Virtual Production which gave me a foundation in Unreal Engine, and Project 2 which was a collaboration between artists in which we created an animated short film and presented it at the end of year showcase in La Salle's own theatre. When I came back into the third year at Escape, I was perfectly able to work with my classmates on our team projects.

 

Life and Culture in Barcelona  
Barcelona is a beautiful city for an artist to live in.  Antoni Gaudi’s architectural legacy, the modernism all around you, and the colours and beauty that the Spanish put into their arts, are all a great form of inspiration. 

Free Weekends

Cosmo Caixa Science Museum

On the weekends, you can visit the Picasso Museum, the Moco Museum, and my favourite - of all - the Cosmo Caixa Science Museum, which is just a short walk from La Salle campus. (Pro tip: Book your museum tickets in advance for the first Sunday of the month, and you will see them free of charge as museums in Barcelona are free every first Sunday of the month.  

Just make sure to book well in advance, as the tickets get sold out quickly.  Not to mention the proximity of the sea, the beautiful sandy beaches and the Gracia neighbourhood with its stunning modernist architecture.

University Life

National Museum of Art

University life in Europe is different as that in the UK, and this is just something that you’ll have to adapt to when you come here, but given the number of credits that you need to pass the year and the comfort of a “small-enough” city that does not tire you and the warmth of the Spanish sun, this will be easily bearable.  

As a student, you will choose your classes and subjects before going to Spain, and they will be placed at various times throughout the week. It usually works out as one subject per day, but this will depend on your choices too. While there is a slight need for adjustment coming from a course that has modules running for months at a time, I found there are many benefits to this way of learning. You acquire a more dynamic mindset and learn how to be nimble while you work. A valuable skill when you’re going into the film industry that has tight deadlines.

Student Resources

La Salle University also has everything that you need to work on your projects, and even some extra labs like a colour grading suite and a virtual production studio that you can make us of if you want to explore some new grounds in Animation and VFX.  La Salle University also has a basketball court, a volleyball net, a swimming pool and a football court, if you enjoy sports in your free time.   

Pros and Cons

Barcelona medieval citywalls

It might sound daunting making a big move like this, especially if you have to leave your current home that you rent or a part time job that is helping you with the cost of living, but in my opinion, it is definitely worth the move. The experiences that you gain when traveling and living in the midst of a different culture are invaluable.” 

--- Oliantai Kovac

The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To apply for one of our courses, follow this link.