Hi everyone...this is my first post :)
Im just curious to know how many of the recent college grads out there actually got an animation/ or animation-related jobs....
And if there are any professionals out there ( some post here, I hope ), I'd like to know what they did and how they got their first animation gigs...
Thanks.
I think it's contagious.
Hi Doodlebuggy, and welcome to the AWN Forums :)
Right now it is fairly tough getting animation related jobs, (animator, director, storyboarder, animation assitants, clean-up, BG artist, character designer, concept artist, etc.) At least it is in traditional animaton, due to the large layoffs recently at Disney and Dreamworks. So now there is a flood of experienced animation people job hunting as well. I'm not trying to scare you, just giving you the truth. A good side is that there are a lot of 3D studios around now, as well as Disney and Dreamworks going fully CG now, so if you are in that field, you might have better luck.
I get my jobs by what I know, but I'm often put in contact with people hiring by current, and ex-co-workers and class mates. Places are a lot more willing to hire someone if they come recomended. So get to know your fellow artists, co-workers, classmates and teachers.
You can check out my demo reel that got me on "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends" at www.animatedape.com. It's out of date now, as is the rest of my poor website. :( gotta re-work it soon.
Aloha,
the Ape
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."
Ape, I understand theres a few small groups of Flash character animators that float around from show to show. What do you think is more valuble, having those creative connections or simply having a decent reel? I understand being reccommended by someone goes along way in this town.
-motionmilitia
motionmilitia, I think it's almost equal, but I'll lean toward having connections as being better. Keep in mind, if your work isn't up to snuff, people aren't going to risk THEIR reputation on recomending you. Let me put it this way. If I had to choose between two demo reels that are exactly the same, and I know one and not the other, I would hire the person I know. I know how this person works, that they can do the work, are a team player, and what they are capable of, and all the stuff. Where as there are so many unknowns with the other person, and production moves so fast that there isn't much time to: hire someone, find out they can't do the work, fire them, then hunt down more people to interview and hire.
It can also work the opposite as well. I've seen it happen where people we've know have applied and they put our amazing work, but have a very bad attitude and no one wants to work with them, and we've hired someone that we've never heard of. So the knife cuts both ways.
Also, with contacts, you find out about job openings quicker. If there are rumblings around that we might need a person for some position, we all tell our contacts to send their resumes in.
Motion, the good news about Flash animation, is that there is such a small group of us that do broadcast Flash character animation that if more projects spring up, we've run out of animators we know. So more people will get in based on what they can do and not who they know.
Aloha,
the Ape
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."
Ape, thanks for the inside peek at the LA Flash scene. Are you still on Foster's these days?
Yep, still here. :D
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."
traditional or cg?
you're going to laugh, but i got my first break in animation....while looking for a non animation job!
lol
P.
Depends on what you mean by "animation job". Generally speaking, the wider you cast your net, the better chance you have of finding a paying job.
Some people target only companies like Pixar or ILM. Those folks are duking it out with thousands of other hopefuls for a handful of jobs. True, some get them, but only some.
Others have their hearts set on a TV animation gig. Same result.
If getting paid to do animation is what you're interested in, then look at EVERY possibility. People get paid these days to animate for video games, cell phones, location-based entertainment, websites (yes, those jobs still exist).
I've managed to stay employed consistently for over 10 years in animation by not limiting my search to my "dream" job. As a result, I've worked on independant film projects, TV spots, games, web, and location-based entertainment. And every job I take teaches me something new that makes me that much more valuable to my next employer.
In fact, I have an job interview next week, and they tell me my *work history* was one of the factors that popped me up above the 300+ other applicants for the gig.
I'm not saying don't have a goal or not to go for your dream job - quite the opposite. When you're looking for that first job though, you have to be a bit more flexible.
i was pretty lucky, i got my animation job in the US on the strength of my university showreel. there are lots of people applying to the household-name studios, particularly at the moment, but getting a good job at any one of these places can happen.
good luck
Any clips from that reel, that all might see the calibre they select?
ooo dear, i think i might be a bit self-conscious.