Work in Animation

Professional animators work to produce art that moves through hand-drawing, clay modeling and computer software. Animators are well-trained in both computer technology and fine art, and can work in fields as varied as the video game industry, mobile media, and television film. To work in animation, you will need to gain the necessary skills, create a portfolio and demo reel, network in the industry, and apply for jobs and freelance positions.

Steps

Acquiring the Necessary Skills

1. Learn to draw. Although animators today work predominantly on computers, it is still important that you understand the basic foundations of visual art. This includes drawing. This artistic background will benefit you in the design process and in staging shots for animation.
   • To learn to draw you can start taking art classes in high school, or begin courses through community programming.
   • Alternatively, you can practice sketching from real-life situations.
2. Earn a bachelor's degree in fine art or animation. Whichever degree you choose, you should be sure the school has respected animation classes that will teach you about 2D and 3D animation. A degree is not necessary to find work in animation; however, it will help teach you about the industry and some of the necessary skills. It can also help you build your portfolio and gain important feedback on your work.
   • A degree in animation will teach you how to create a storyboard, characters, and will give you the opportunity to learn different software programs.
3. Choose a specialty field. If you choose to study animation through formal schooling, you may be able to try your hand at gaming, mobile media, special effects, website animation, TV animation, and more. Think about which style of animation you enjoy the most and then focus your education specifically on that field.
   • For example, you may really enjoy stop motion animation. As a result, you should take courses in post-production and editing software.
   • People who focus more on a fine art path than computer animation will want to look for work as storyboard artists, painters, and modelers.
4. Get certified in different animation software programs. Instead of earning a four-year bachelor's degree in fine art or animation, you can build your skills by learning to use a variety of computer software programs. These programs can be self-taught, or you can take online certification courses. Animation relies heavily on computer software programs and many employers will require some form of expertise in the following programs:
   • Flipbook (DigiCell)
   • Flash (Adobe)
   • Blender (The Blender Foundation)
   • 3Ds Max (Autodesk)
   • Maya (Autodesk)
5. Keep abreast of new technology. As 3D computer animation grows more popular, you may need to take additional training courses so that your experience stays relevant in the job market. For example, employers often outsource 2D animation to other countries, but there are many opportunities for mobile and website animators.

Building Your Portfolio and Demo Reel

1. Compile a portfolio. In most creative and artistic fields your portfolio is more important to potential employers than a formal education. Prospective employers will want to evaluate your past work before hiring you. As a result, you should compile a portfolio that includes a brief bio to explain your training and experience. You should also include some animation stills and storyboards that you have created..
   • A useful portfolio will also provide contact information and links to various social media platforms and blogs as well as a link to watch your demo reel.
2. Create a demo reel. Enhance your portfolio with a demo reel that highlights your successful animation projects. Most people use either a DVD format or a website that links to Youtube or Vimeo. Your demo reel should be unique and stand out to potential employers.
3. Keep your demo reel under two minutes in length. A demo reel should not be more than two minutes in length and should only include excellent content. When you are just starting out in the industry it is unlikely that you will have a lot of stand out footage to show anyways. Do not include average work just to add length to your reel. A potential employer will put more weight on 30 seconds of amazing footage than two minutes of standard content.
4. Include your best work first. When you are creating your demo reel be sure to put your best content and animation at the beginning of the film. Employers will look through hundreds of reels and will only continue watching if the content is unique and technically sound. As a result, you want to catch their attention with your most impressive work.
   • If you have created a strong animated character, begin your reel with this. It will highlight your creativity and ability to create dynamic and unique characters.
   • Alternatively, you could showcase a particular technique, such as stop motion. If this is something you excel at.
5. Keep music to a minimum. Music can be distracting and may even detract from your work. If you choose to include music in your reel, it should be light and in the background. Similarly, if your reel includes any dialogue between characters, cut the music altogether and let the dialogue speak for itself.

Gaining Industry Experience

1. Network with people in the field. A great way to gain work experience and find work in the animation industry is by networking. For example, you could join a professional organization for animators, such as the Animation World Network or The Professional Association for Design (AIGA). Similarly, you may want to attend yearly industry conferences.
   • Networking can help you find mentors, learn about job postings, and will provide you with connections in the industry.
2. Apply for animation internships. It will be hard to get work in the animation field without experience. Many colleges help their students gain experience and will make an internship part of the program. If you did not attend a college, you can still get an internship. Search online for animation internships and apply to as many as possible.
   • For example, if you met someone at a networking event, ask if there are any internships available at their company. You can even offer to intern for free just to get your foot in the door.
3. Volunteer to enhance your skills. In order to build a portfolio and demo reel you need to create animation. One way to do this is to volunteer your services to companies and friends. If you don't know of anyone who needs animation services, reach out to businesses, such as television programs, film producers, and websites. Offer to create animation content for free.
   • This gives you an opportunity to be creative and gain feedback on your work. Eventually this approach can lead to a paid position.
4. Look for contract work. Although some work is available on an ongoing basis, most animation work is based on contracts for projects. Apply for projects individually, and after two to five years of successful work, you may have a large enough client base to get referrals and steady projects.
   • Search online job boards for animation contracts. Alternatively, you may hear about contracts through your networking connections.
5. Create a freelance business. You can create a sole proprietorship and work under your own name, or start an animation business. It is a good idea to seek business and tax advice so that you can keep track of the expenses required to run your own animation business.
6. Update your portfolio after you complete each project. Once you have started working in animation, you should continue to keep your portfolio and demo reel up-to-date with your best and latest work. Regular updates will highlight your versatility and will demonstrate that you are in demand.

Tips

• Many animators work long hours on contracts and are always trying to meet deadlines. It is a fast pace and at times stressful environment.
• Someone working in animation can expect to make around $60,000 USD/year.

References

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