Peter Ratner - James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Professor: Peter Ratner

Department: Fine Arts

College: James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ART448
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Ratner is at best not bad, and at worst a little behind on the times. Unfortunately, even though the software packages and computers have been updated at this point, the techniques he teaches have not. He's able to give a good grounding in the foundations of animation, however, when it comes to fine tuning your work, he's largely unhelpful.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ART449
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Let's clear a few things up here. About the 10 year old package: that would make Maya 7 new when I was 12. It came out a year ago. People make demo reels on animation alone so there ARE niche jobs out there. Stop exaggerating and tell it like it is. If you go into these classes to learn, you will. He's not perfect, but deal with it like an adult.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ART449
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I'd like the name of, say, 2 people who've made anything big out of an animation career in the last 5 yrs. He IS old school and that's a BAD thing. No firms care about animation projects that are (a) poorly constructed, (b) too long, and (c) lack well-rounded skill sets. His books get horrible reviews and so goes it with what you leave learning.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ANU300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

At the time I thought I was really learning the latest techniques in animation. I graduated from JMU last year and have not been able to find animation work. I've discovered that the rendering techniques are 5 years or more past where Hollywood is at. Prof Ratner is really up to date and teaching off a decade old software package.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ART349
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

great class, the people there make it worthwhile, the teacher's a little quiet, but knows his stuff. he's a little old school, but it gets the job done. take it if you want to be an animator, or not, but if not, don't expect to be that great.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: 348349448
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Take this class only if you like computers. One of the best classes at JMU if you do. Lots of outside work but a great teacher. Lets you redo any project if your not happy with the grade. Easy A if you put alittle time into the class.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ART348
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Ratner is not bad. If he can see you putting the work in outside of class then he will be more helpful when you go to him, it is possible to get an A in the class, but you need to put lots of time into modeling to get good results, that would be true regardless of the teacher, it is the nature of the field of animation, definitely worth taking

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ART348
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Ratner is a very understanding and approachable professor. If you like sculpting, are good with computers, and like movies like Shrek and Finding Nemo, this is a really good class. I agree that it takes a lot of outside class time but if you like modeling and animating, this is a great class.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ART248
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

I liked the class but Ratner is boring. You can hardly hear him speak if you sit towards the back. He is vague and he's hard to follow. I never fell behind but I spent 6 nights in a row to finish the final project. It is possible to get an A. I did.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: COMPUTERANIMAT
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

i thought there was something missing

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ART248
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Animation is a tedious, but fun, thing to do and takes time. If you show up to class every day, show interest, and genuinely want to pursue animation, then take the class. Ratner is not much of a people person and could be more helpful. The more you get to know him, though the better he treats you.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ART248
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

do NOT take this as one of your art studio classes if you are not interested in taking this as a concentration. It requires alot of time and effort (20 hours a week outside of class) take one of the other studios or suffer the consequenses. You have been warned.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ANIMATION
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

not all that helpful. AVOID if you're not a major, or super with computers. A LOT OF TIME. prepare for about 20-40 hours a week on projects. doesnt follow syllabus. take final project VERY seriously. not a lot of money.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ANIMATION
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This class is not hard... anyone who thought it was is just lazy. Don't expect this to be an easy A course.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ART248
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

You CAN pass if you spend hours in the lab relying on the tutors. He doesn't know the software. Do not take this if you enjoy animation. ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ART248
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great class for anyone interested in animation, provides plenty of opportunity for extra credit, GO to class, otherwise you'll fall behind, and struggle to catch up

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ART248
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Bring a pillow and sleeping bag to the lab if you start to fall behind, because you will spend many, many nights in there working on things he did not explain well. He also says that the book is useless, yet makes everyone buy it...oh wait, he wrote it..

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: INTROANIM
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Urgh... I wish there were other teachers for this. Only take if you're thinking of it as your concentration b/c at times you'll be living in the lab. He's not too great, the student tutors are better at the program and more helpful than him.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ART248
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This is a terrible class, I learned nothing and feel like we went through everything waaay too fast. The professor grades very unfairly, it depends on how much he likes you and how hard you work, but not the quality of work. I suggest another class.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ART248
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Wrote on a grade report to me "..should have seen me about this problem before turning it in..." - yet the fact remains he DOESN'T help you. Just claims a bug in the program and advises you to see the tutors that night. Prepare to learn everythi