The right attitude for the right animation job
The right attitude for the right animation job
The last couple of decades have seen a transformation in the animation world. It used to be that cartoonists and animators were a rare and exotic sect; if you saw one you were surprised and awed. The industry today has expanded in an astounding way, fed in part by the worldwide appreciation shown of animated films like Disney’s Lion King. When the big studios first sat up and took notice that animated films could really be turned into a legitimate film business, they threw their weight behind the idea. Soon enough, there were not enough animation schools in the world to put enough animators and artists into the pipeline. Not only were animation jobs hiring large numbers of artists, there were new jobs to do with animation too that gave people jobs: jobs that no one even imagined before ever existed. What are the skills then that will get you employed in today’s animation market? While 3D computer animation appears to have come out on top in the toss-up in today’s market, it is certainly not true that traditional 2D drawing skills are no longer necessary. 3D or 2D, the understanding of images that such traditional drawing skills bring to an artist, are still invaluable. Maybe 2D animation is rather specialized today, and is set aside for certain select animation niches; but the skills to be found in traditional 2D drawing training still give an animator an excellent understanding of how images work. Today, anyone who knows how to draw well is in demand in the animation business. It used to be that the only way any animation company would employ a budding animator would be if he came in with a degree from the California Institute of the Arts. While this school is still as prestigious as ever, it is no longer the only hope for young animators with dreams. Wih the competition heating up, so many possible options come up that it becomes difficult point out one single leader or superstar. There is no longer an Ivy League in animation. There are in fact only a general clutch of very capable schools with no clear leader. The Animation World Network offers a fairly complete rundown of industry news, informative articles, tutorials, animation jobs listings and schools databases. The animation jobs listings are frequently updated and show current information on jobs; there are part-time summer jobs and also full-time ones. The AWN jobs listings are so well updated that it is often recreational reading just to see what is on offer. There educational listings are particularly valuable. There are the traditional colleges listed, the availability of small part-time courses listed, and openings for informal learning situations working as an apprentice. You could sign up for an informative newsletter to. The old mainstay, about.com’s animation site and Webmonkey.com bring you excellent animation tutorials and articles with tips and video instruction. Getting a job in animation is all about learning and experience. To get a foot in the door in this great industry is all about committing yourself; even if it so happens that you do not have a degree, you could still make it somewhere high if you have time to dedicate yourself to practice on your own. With enough belief in your abilities and labor to back it up, there is just no telling the kind of exciting animation jobs you could land.