Episode 2 - Things We Wish We Knew in School
In episode 2, We discuss the top ten things that we wish we knew when we were in animation school. Topics covered include: specialization, on-campus recruiting, personal finance, CTN Animation Expo, and more.
1) working in animation doesn’t necessarily mean being an animator!
There are many different disciplines within animation that one can specialize in. We recommend students and folks considering a career in animation take the time to check out and familiarize themselves with the different disciplines so you can get an early idea of what departments most interest you. Below are some great ways to familiarize yourself with the various facets of the industry:
Our own Resources Page! Scroll down to check out example portfolios and demo reels and see if something peaks your interest.
2) Demo Reels/Portfolios are the most important thing that companies care about when hiring
Your demo reel or portfolio is the most important part of your job application. GPA, school recognition, networking connections, and personality can help you during a job search but will never be enough to score you a job on their own. While you are in school, do your best to graduate with the strongest portfolio you can. This might mean strategically prioritizing your time for some classes over others, or adjusting your curriculum. These are case by case calls which we discuss more in the podcast.
Check out the example demo reels and portfolios on our Resources page to get an idea of what companies look for in applicants.
Ben’s shot from his independent study during his last quarter at SCAD:
Ben’s First Demo Reel
3) Don’t only compare yourself to other students in your school/claSS
When you are at the top of your class or even the middle of your class, it’s easy to develop false expectations about your job prospects upon graduation. Do your best to research the competition to give yourself a more accurate idea of your skillset and how it compares to your peers. Look up the people who are getting the jobs you want and check out their work to see where the bar is. Check out the work of students graduating from the top schools around the country. If you’re not there yet, don’t beat yourself up or give up. Keep going, work hard, get feedback, and try to get yourself up to the bar that’s getting hired.
4) when you’re starting, there is a disconnect between the amount of hours you are putting in, and the quality of your work
All disciplines in animation take years to master. When you’re beginning your studies, odds are that you are spending more time on your assignments than you’ve ever spent on anything in your life. It’s understandable that you’d fully expect anything you’ve pulled all nighters for and put your heart and soul into to be high quality work. This is a hard bubble to burst but the reality of it is that all disciplines in animation take years to master, and your school assignments are likely not going to be high quality enough to get you hired or noticed. Don’t despair, again, just keep going. Check out Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers and internalize his 10,000 hours rule: AKA the idea that it takes 10,000 hours or roughly 10 years of a full time job to master a skill. The more work you put in early on, the faster you’ll cross that threshold from student to professional.
5) school is the beginning of your career!
Set good habits, show your work early and often (more often than you have class!), be a good team player on group projects, show up to class consistently, be engaged, etc.! It’s important to set good habits early so that you can transition to a full time job later. Focus on being a good student so that you can ask professors for your first referrals and so that your career counselors are happy to introduce you to visiting recruiters as one of their top students.
6) how to succeed with on-campus recruiting
If you have an on-campus interview with a studio, come prepared to give an introduction about yourself, a printed copy of your resume, and have your work available to display. The recruiters are likely considering hundreds or thousands of candidates, and it’s possible that they will not be familiar with who you are, what you do, or your work. Tamper your expectations and treat the interview as an opportunity to develop a relationship with a recruiter more so than as a job interview. Many on-campus recruiters are simply trying to get a gauge on upcoming talent, rather than trying to fill an existing job opening. Don’t despair if your school doesn’t have on-campus recruiting events, there are many ways around that (including number 7!)
7) go to ctn or lightbox if you can
CTN and Lightbox are animation conventions in Southern California which include panels, demonstrations, screenings, and tables/booths for major studios and independent artists. They are great places to network with recruiters and other artists, and get inspired by industry artists, upcoming films/tv shows/shorts/games, and new technological advances in animation. These conventions are targeted towards students and job-seekers, and are great places to figure out next steps as you embark on a career in animation.
8) How will your chosen career support the life you want?
It’s important to weigh your dream career vs. your dream lifestyle and heavily assess your priorities when it comes to financial stability, location and distance from friends/family, etc. Some disciplines in animation are more unstable than others, and it’s important that you weigh that instability against your passion for a specific discipline. It’s not unusual for people to compromise on their passions or switch disciplines in order to support a more stable lifestyle. Other folks stick with a niche discipline and are able to make it work. It’s up to you and your risk tolerance!
9) Personal Finance!
It’s very important and beneficial to be knowledgeable about student loans, credit cards, budgeting, and investing early on. Many of us make our worst financial mistakes when we are young and brand new to finance. Do yourself a favor and set good habits now and avoid mistakes which can land you in a ton of debt. Do your research when selecting student loans, bank accounts, and credit cards. Some great places to start:
1) Read Broke Millenial by Erin Lowry. This book is targeted towards young people and covers the basics of budgeting, credit cards, student loan debt, and saving for retirement.
2) Research credit cards and check your credit score using sites like Credit Karma. Research bank accounts on sites like Nerd Wallet.
Way more to come on personal finance in a future episode!!
10) Take it easy!
We realize that the other nine points are pretty stressful and intense so we also want to take a beat to say that you should still try to enjoy yourself in school. School is a time to explore, make friends, and make mistakes. It’s never too late to get into animation (Ben and Katie didn’t start studying animation until after college), so it’s okay if you’re feeling behind. There is time to catch up and achieve your dreams!
TIP JAR TIP OF THE MONTH:
When animating a character of the opposite sex, try to get someone of the opposite sex to shoot reference for you. (Disclaimer that we realize this is very gender binary and we everyone regardless of how you identify!)
