Would you like to be an Animator?

[simmedia]

Hi everyone,
My name is Simi. I have had a question on my mind for some time. I want to really prepare a great body of work for my demo reel and I was wondering what other animators suggest. My focus has been so far to focus on these options for an animator career path. (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2520721/how_an_animator_makes_a_living.html?cat=31) Would you all say that the some of the things in this article are a good way to start your career as an animator?

[Solium]

It depends on your location. If you are in Europe or Asia, chances are you may be able to find work as a 2D animator. If you are in North America it might be much harder to find animation work. In fact even if you did, it would probably be on a project by project basis. A commercial or independent film for instances.

I would most certainly push my skills in character development, character design, storyboards, production design and writing. All those skills could be applied to live action films if there are no 2D projects to be found.

[Rodney]

Hey Simi,

With apologies for the length, here is what I get out of the article you reference with which you've chosen to chart your career path. I think there is much there which we can agree with.

Create a Demo Reel (Two Ideas)
Illustrate a child hopping and skipping
Animate a mischievous lion sneaking up on his prey

Hone and Understand Your Skills (Marketable Skills)
Write a Script
Draw a Storyboard
Create a Soundtrack and Soundfx
Consider Post Production

Leverage Your Personal Strengths
Decide the strongest areas of skill you possess (consider at least two or three )
Don’t get type cast or accept a position that will keep you from gaining other skills. Having two to three strong skills keeps you in a versatile position.

Understand Potential Pitfalls of Specialization
Specialization often occurs within large corporations such as Disney and Warner Brothers. Working at smaller studios will likely hone all of your strongest skills, keep your skill level fresh and keep the job from becoming boring or mundane.

Who is Hiring
Filmmakers, TV broadcasters and websites will hire animators.
Feature films are hiring 3d animators and modelers.
Studios may be looking to hire traditional illustrators and character animators particularly after Disney's success with Princess and the Frog. (Note: This statement is perhaps the most controversial in the article and will likely be questioned by the animation cognocenti).

Outlook for the Future
The future looks bright for great Storyboard Artists with the skill of a traditional animator,
In Broadcast TV and the Internet, 2D animation and motion graphics will remain a dominant production factor.

The International Scene
Those willing to travel or work overseas (esp. to Europe and Australia?) will find Stop Motion or Claymation popular and the European market is open to traditional and experimental animation.

The Internet
The internet has introduced a new platform for multimedia animation and animators skilled with web page interactivity and online presentations may find success there. This market is geared toward business owners and corporate ecommerce with a focus on animated presentations as a visual aid to complement products or services.

In Summary
Be versatile. When one door closes another is always open.


So there you have my general thoughts on the matter.
I do think the article outlines a good trajectory toward success. :)

Note: This if filtered through my outlook on things with the intent to remain true to the articles underlying premises. Errors in interpretation are my own and not that of the article's author.

[simmedia]

Wow! Thanks so much for that very informative reply. I will definately have to digest all of that awesome information. Are you a character animator yourself. My focus is to hone character animation. I live in Canada right now and I am preparing to move to Burbank strictly for business, but ONLY when I have a solid reel.

[Rodney]

Are you a character animator yourself.

Right now I'm fairly content with just being a student of animation.
Ask me again in the year 2020! :)

I live in Canada right now and I am preparing to move to Burbank strictly for business, but ONLY when I have a solid reel.

You've definitely come to the right place to hone and perfect your Demo Reel!

[simmedia]

Awesome ! We are all students. I look forward to seeing your stuff when you are ready. I will keep you posted as things develop. Thanks again !:)

[jeremyhopkins]

I live in Canada right now and I am preparing to move to Burbank strictly for business, but ONLY when I have a solid reel.
If you want to work in the US, the other thing that would be very helpful would be a BA in something. It's more complicated to get a HB-1 visa without it nowadays. Canadian studios get provincial funding as well. To work at an Ontario studio, you'll have to be an Ontario resident. Other provinces are a bit more lenient and will allow you to move there but Ontario already has enough employable animation professionals. So if you're applying to the studio from out of province, it is almost just as challenging to get a job as it is in the US. For the most part, Canadian studios are service work studios and with the low American dollar, it makes competing for projects difficult.
Good luck, animation is a tough industry but if you're willing to adapt, I'm sure you can find work. The LA talent pool is extraordinary and over saturated so just keep that in mind when preparing your portfolio. You'll need to be the best of the best to get into a top studio and when you're there, it may not be the dream job you expected. If you have a wife and kids, be really careful about your decisions. If you're single, make your dream happen!

[macprofilms]

Would you like to be an Animator???

Yes, in fact I did want to be an animator.

In fact, I was so infatuated with the subject when I was in high school, that I could not think of anything else I wanted to do. So off to Animation Art school at Sheridan College I went.

Unfortunately, unless you are the draftsman of all draftsman, a virtuoso with a pencil. You are already behind the 8 ball. (Milt Kahl would be envious kind of draftsman) I was average, not absolutely awful, but not Milt Kahl. The first year, I should have known I was never going to be an animator, but the instructors need students, and students have dreams, so back I went for year two. My progress, did not catch up with my dreams (air castles), my characters kind of moved, not smoothly, but....back I went for a 3rd year. At this time I was struggling along with 89 percent of my fellow dreamers. There were a couple who were just natural talent. Mozart with a pencil. Milt would be proud kind of animators. We hated them!!!

Just kidding. No, not really we hated them.

This was back in 1981 or so. I never did graduate, as I was later told by a visiting instructor, I did not have the talent to become an animator. I was crushed, but I kind of guessed this already.

Zip to today. I still love animation. All kinds of animation from 2d to computer. I still love to draw (actually, I am much, much better now), I still have never been able to master the "Art of Animation", to actually bring a character to life like Pinochio. It truly is an ART form.

What I am trying to say, is, although it is nice to have a dream, is it practical. Do you have the talent. (and be VERY honest with yourself, if you struggle to draw...if you only like to draw a couple of pictures a day...if you can't draw from memory a character in every postion, withough reference....if you have no acting ability, feelings of that character....story ability....etc. etc. etc. After all that, you may never get an interview...always looking for your next gig. I would suggest a practical occupation. And keep animation and film making as a hobby. I am just trying to express to people what I put myself through for over 30 years. I am 47 now. I have a great job (not in the art field) that pays the bills, and I still love animation.

However, I know the power of a dream. And perhaps, just perhaps, you might make it. I hope so for all the not so talented lovers of animated films.

Mike

[Rodney]

Thanks for posting that Mike. Your personal insight is appreciated.
I'd say more (and will!) but it's best for now to just let your words sink in.

[danparkerstudios]

I have been thinking for a while now, yeah, I would like to be an animator myself. I do like to draw. But I would like to animate one day.

I'm not so big on creating Computer Generated Imagery, although I did create some a long time ago in a class. Haven't created anymore since then. Oh well. I'm not good at it anyway.