What Do Professionals Say About Giving Up On Animation
Fun Fact: Before Kevin was an animator he was a doctor and a neuroscientist! Since becoming an animator, he'south spent more than 20 years working on a wide diversity of blithe films, games, Television shows, and even theme park projects. Currently he's the Senior Cinematics Animator at Guerrilla Games and before that he animated for The Third Floor, Sony Pictures ImageWorks, Reel FX, and more. With so many experiences at dissimilar studios, Kevin is perfect person to share some hard truths well-nigh what Not to do at the studio when you lot're a new animator. Memorize these!
So you're about to offset an animation job at a new studio? That'due south crawly! Congratulations.
What'south that, you say? Y'all're worried nigh performing every bit an animator? Only relax, the blitheness part of the job is the least of your worries. Yous've gotten practiced training hither at AM, and the studio is going to give you some leeway early. No one expects you to be Bill Tytla correct away.
But you lot're right to be a picayune apprehensive about starting a new animation job. At that place are some pitfalls to watch out for. While the animation office of the job should take care of itself with hard work, in that location's more than to succeeding at a new studio than getting your shots approved.
Here are some things NOT to do as a new animator:
Don't talk.
In general, keep your rima oris shut when you're dealing with the studio hierarchy or even with senior animators. Seriously, no ane wants to hear your opinions in meetings, and no 1 wants your critiques. And especially never interrupt or defend yourself when yous're getting notes.
Directors practice not care what your intentions were, or what you did merely changed earlier they saw it, or what you lot were going to practise if yous had more time, or what your mother thought of your shot. They honestly practice non intendance, and you only sound defensive when you lot effort to explicate your piece of work. Recollect, you will never talk someone into existence impressed by your blitheness. So, keep your mouth shut in general, especially when you lot're getting feedback and notes.
Never interrupt or defend yourself when you're getting notes.
Author's Note: I was intentionally edgeless in making this list — I took what could be nuanced points and painted them every bit blackness and white. I did this because I've seen many a new animator come into a studio with so much excitement that they're like bulls in a china shop, committing inadvertent faux pas and stomping on sensitive toes in their enthusiasm. Sadly, in a studio situation, people will rarely cut you much slack for being naive or overzealous.
In particular, the "don't talk" rule has startled some people. I thought it might, and I'chiliad glad if information technology gets people thinking.
Yes, AM encourages peer-to-peer critiques. Yeah, in a school situation like AM, nosotros want to hear your thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Yep, animation is collaborative. And yes, as a new animator you need to communicate with others.
But there's a huge difference betwixt the warm, nurturing environment of AM, and the reality of the working globe. I'thou not doing you any favors if I carbohydrate coat it.
As a new animator, y'all only haven't earned your stripes. You oasis't learned the politics of the environment yous now live in. You lot don't sympathize the personalities and histories of the people y'all're working with and working for. When you speak up to offer unsolicited suggestions, ideas, or critiques, yous will at best be seen every bit annoying and be politely ignored. At worst you'll create hard feelings and harm your career at that studio.
True story: I was in one case almost fired for speaking up at a meeting with what I thought was a slap-up thought. And you know what — it was a good idea, because it was ultimately implemented. Only at the fourth dimension I made that suggestion, I was the most junior person in that departmental coming together, and the producer running the meeting, who didn't know me, took my proposition as an attack. I only constitute out later that a supervising animator I'd worked with vouched for me, calmed the producer downward, and saved my job. It took a couple of years for that producer to forgive me.
When yous starting time come into a studio, you're at the lesser of the food chain. Enjoy that you've made it to the beginning rung of the ladder, that you're at present a professional. Talk all you want to your friends and family (Non on social media), but at the studio, continue a low profile.
I can't say information technology more plainly: let your work speak for you lot, not your oral fissure. Unless yous're specifically asked, that is, and even then have some caution. Trust me, after you've been in the manufacture a few years, you lot'll sympathise.
Let your piece of work speak for you.
And if y'all have whatsoever questions about whatever of the other points, put them in the comments and I'll try to respond to them there.
Don't rush your work.
You will get pressure to work faster. Everyone does. But at the end of the project (when decisions are being fabricated about staffing for the next project), the quality of your shots is what will be remembered. Within reason, never sacrifice quality for quantity.
Within reason, never cede quality for quantity.
If you can't withal be "fast and proficient," so don't settle for "fast and mediocre." It's better to exist "slow but skilful," and to progressively improve your workflow and speed.
Don't complain. Don't be negative.
In your individual conversations, don't badmouth coworkers or studio life in full general. Animators tin can be a catty bunch, and some are world-class complainers. Don't autumn into the trap of gossiping, judging, whining, and moaning. Every bit a new animator, your job is precarious enough — you don't need to brand enemies, and you definitely don't want to be seen equally negative.
You'll see this behavior sometimes from grizzled veterans, and joining in tin can feel a footling cathartic at times. Just realize that behaving this fashion as a new animator is terrible for your reputation. When these kinds of conversations come up up around you, don't accept part. In fact, avert negative, whiny people equally much as possible. They're contagious. And this negative mindset does bad things to your piece of work efficiency.
Don't lobby for good shots.
You're the new child, no matter your age and skill level. You may accept the thought that you deserve juicy shots, not the background walk cycles you keep getting stuck with. You may hear about others badgering the lead or the director for skillful shots, sometimes successfully. Don't do it yourself.
You lot may hear virtually others badgering the lead or the director for expert shots, sometimes successfully. Don't do it yourself.
They will give y'all better shots when you're fix, and yous're probably non ready. That are few things as annoying for a atomic number 82 animator than juniors whining almost that shots y'all're assigning them. And recall, there are no small shots, only modest animators.
Don't hang out on the internet.
When I run into an animator with multiple chat windows open, and a podcast playing, and funny gifs cycling, and a news feed going, I know I'm looking at someone who is working to about 20% of their potential. Sometimes I don't see it, but I hear it — the constant clatter of keyboards as people are typing out conversation messages going dorsum and forth.
Don't get a reputation for this kind of time wasting. It really does impale your productivity. And the same goes for your phone — don't accept personal calls or texts during work time. Store your letters, and deal with them at lunch or during a break.
Don't take critiques personally.
We pour our heart and souls into our piece of work, but nosotros are non our work. When someone critiques your work, they're not judging you personally. An honest, no-holds-barred critique is a precious souvenir. Treat it equally such.
When someone critiques your piece of work, they're not judging y'all personally. An honest, no-holds-barred critique is a precious gift.
Endeavor to never exist defensive. The proper response to a blunt critique is "Cheers, may I have another." Be open up during critiques or you volition stagnate equally an animator.
Don't work unpaid hours to go alee.
You're a professional at present, which means y'all should be paid for your work. If everyone is crunching, and then of course you do it. Only don't be that new child who works late into the night, and comes in on weekends, so you tin become yourself noticed by the boss. Other junior animators will see just what you lot're doing — you're trying to make yourself look meliorate at their expense. They will resent you for it, equally they should. And all you signal to the vets is that you lot don't know how to become your work washed. This is not a pathway to being respected.
Don't butt in.
Don't try to rush connecting socially at the studio. It can exist lonely solitary at first, being a new animator. It can be frustrating seeing people around y'all who seem to have so much in common with y'all, who play the aforementioned games, like the same movies and comics, who love animation only similar you.
I come across young animators often trying too hard to to force friendships, to wedge into established social groups. Don't push button likewise hard to get one of the gang. You volition make friends, though at some studios information technology takes some time. Let it happen naturally, or else you lot might get tagged equally pushy and abrasive.
Don't isolate yourself.
This is not a contradiction to the notation to a higher place. Don't form a chimera of solitude around yourself. Seek out feedback well-nigh your work, in a respectful way. Be friendly and open socially. And if you find yourself struggling, with an animation trouble, or with a technical problem, reach out sooner rather than later. Ask for help if y'all demand it, earlier it becomes a festering problem.
Don't show your work 'cold' to the managing director.
Cultivate some coworkers who are willing to give y'all good, honest critiques, and listen to them. Try to only show your piece of work to the manager, or in dailies, afterwards you've addressed this private feedback. I tin promise you almost of the all-time animators in the studio are doing this, and have been for years. That'south part of why they're among the best.
Cultivate some coworkers who are willing to give you skilful, honest critiques, and heed to them.
Call back, none of us are as good at judging our own animation as our peers are. Never forget this fact, and always get 2 or three extra sets of eyes on your shots. (And recollect this when you're updating your demo reel!)
Don't assume no one knows who you lot are.
It might feel similar no 1 cares almost you, and that you're unnoticed in general. In fact, lots of people are paying much more attention to you than you think. And they're forming opinions. And those early impressions will stick. Then do yourself a favor and be an upbeat, high energy, hard-working team player. Imagine you're existence noticed all the time, and behave accordingly.
Don't be a jerk to PAs or product staff, ever.
Realize that some of those people who are at the bottom of the production staff hierarchy now will one day be producers, with the ability to hire and burn down you. And they take long memories.
The friends and enemies you lot brand early on in your career will often proceed to exist a office of your working life for decades to come. This is a small-scale, highly connected industry. Treat everyone respectfully, even if some people don't actually seem to deserve it. In the long run yous'll be glad you did.
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Source: https://blog.animationmentor.com/what-not-to-do-as-a-new-animator/
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