I got this email about 4 days ago from one of my star students in my old ROP program. Just got around to answering it because of all of the Comic Con and end of term stuff I am buried under.

Hi Mr. Loc,

I was a student in your ROP animation class many times several years ago, while I was still going to school. (Remember I made that "Retired Rabbit" animation, the evolution cell-worm-fish-amphibian animation, and the one with animals living in an underground city?) Now I've graduated from UCI with a degree in art, and my daughter is going to school, so I'm finally able to start working. I was wondering if you knew of anyone hiring in the field
of 2D animation?

-L_ _ _ _ _ _

Thought I would share my reply here because lots of students ask me how to break in to animation and also because I have lots of Comic Con related deadlines and this way I can post something I have taken time to write and cover two bases at once.

L_ _,

Great to hear from you. Sorry about slow response time, it is my busy time of the year, Comic Con, last week of classes at one of my schools and all the grading attached to that.

There are lots of jobs in animation and even lots of jobs in 2-D animation. Disney is ramping up to get back into 2-D. The problem is that there are also a lot of people already in the industry in line for those jobs.

It is Catch 22 time always in animation. Have you been doing your own animations? Do you have anything to put in the festivals? What is your demo reel like? Got any credits to your name? Have you been active in animation societies? Do you know people in the field? And better yet do they know you? Do they know that they can depend on you to do what you say when you say and to a professional level?

Animation is a small community. Everybody knows everybody else. If you are on the outside you don`t have much chance of getting through the door. If and when you are on the inside
there is a giant support network, an extended family, that looks after you.

There are proven roadways through the walls into the inner sanctum. Tried and true paths that will get you there but not it a week or a month or in most cases even in a year.

Animate and submit to festivals. Don`t wait around on the sidelines waiting for someone to give you a job in animation before you animate. Prove you are worth hiring by animation your own ideas. Many careers have started on the festival circuit. Some people have made a career of independent animation.

Internships, get into an animation program somewhere or an entertainment business class so that you will have the opportunity to get an internship. (You need to be a student in most cases to work for free - Quid Pro Quo - this for that - work for grade) Get more than one internship. Get as many as you can. More internships more chances to prove your worth and make them want to hire you.

Network, network, and network some more. Join ASIFA, Women in Animation, SIGGRAPH, the Visual Effects Society. And go to all their events. Get your face seen. Take classes at the Animation Guild. Volunteer with these groups. Prove that you are a person who can be trusted to do what you say you will and get the job done on time. With deadlines and budgets what they are no one is going to risk hiring you for a real job until they are pretty sure you won`t let them down. But volunteering is another story. They don`t risk as much but you do. You risk your reputation. Don`t let them down or you are leting yourself down. Everybody knows everybody else.

You will slowly become part of the animation community and once you are part of the community you will be tied in and have a better chance of hearing about the available jobs. You will also stand a better chance of getting one.

Build your reputation and good luck. There are easier jobs to get but none are as much fun.

Larry

  ¶ 6:23 AM