[Three]

I know undoubtedly, some of you are functioning animators in a profitable position. Specifically, I have questions about the cartooning side of animation and how to get into it. I am an artist still in college trying to make it into the biz, I have an ongoing project that is somewhat relevant to this question here. My current 'plot' to make it into animation is to make a animation demo that lays down the bases of my overall skills to show to studios/executives, but I wondered if there is more I could do? I understand I will most likely have to start off in a lowly position, I would like to do inbetween drawings for keyframe artists if it were at all possible as an entry level job. Possibly backgrounds, really either/or.

I live near Chicago, is there a specific location more suited for my desire to become a full-time animator? Any general input about your experiences with developing your own career or of friends, or hell, second hand information from others would be appreciated.

[math]

hm i think this goes for all jobs: the more cleverer u approach and the more thought u make urself about "how to do it" the better it will be. For example i mean some companies might like it if u send ur application in a self created envelope (like with ur drawings). some companies might think this sux...and prefer the classic way but i know theres also companies who love such stuff. sadly i cant tell u which ones, cuz im not an artist myself. im more like a hobby painter best is imho to visit the firms in person, or call them at least and try to have a nice talk with the boss. often getting a job is more about ur personality than ur skills. most important is ....try to get attention. ur an artist...u have a vivid creative mind..u gotta show them!

thats just my noob outsider thoughts i think artists (especially since ur gonna work in the artist scene) are more open minded for stuff beside old boring application styles. even the hairdresser store i worked at prefered such "Crazy" things like i wrote above

well maybe dont care so much about my words...just my thought.
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quit pro quo

[Three]

You reminded me of something I thought of doing a while back, which was to do a little fanservice with the characters owned by a couple recognizable companies I wanted to apply to. A few 15 minute doodles with their characters sitting on their logo, maybe. I'll have to think about that one, it's not copyright infringement if the copyright holders are the only audience, right?

You made a good point: personality. That was a self-esteem boost, I've got a likeable character (atleast, I hope), otherwise I wouldn't have the friends that I have.

This inspires another question, are there places where highly talented artists might populate in a big city like Chicago? I've met several at college but they're all the same age as me and all equally in the same boat as I am, as far as wanting jobs. They're less friends than they are competition, if you know what I mean. If I can meet more established artists that will atleast give me contacts and overall knowledge of sudden job openings probably.[/i]

[Mikko K]

Some advice that might help you.

The companies DO NOT hire you because you're a nice guy, they still need to see the good work first. I've seen people who don't speak proper english get hired by UK companies. It's 90 percent down to your skill. The rest is office politics and so on, but unless you're a well known troublemaker, there is no problem. The old phrase "it's not what you know, it's who you know" doesn't really apply here.

Another point. If you're an animator, you need a proper demo reel. No fancy packaging will save you or attract interest, since the people viewing the reels are numbed by the amount of sub standard work. Many students dress their reels/portfolios nicely, so that's not something that will set you apart from your "competitors". If your reel/portfolio is good enough, just posting over the forums may get you job offers. If the work itself isn't interesting, you're highly unlikely to land a job by bombarding the companies with phone calls.

The requirements written in job postings are meant to weed out the crap, so even if you have no industry experience, you may get an entry level job if your work is up to the standard. That's all they really care about, since it's their money at risk.

There's a lot of urban legends going on about who you need to sleep with to get a job, but you should take those with a grain of salt.

Hope this helps!

PS. Don't consider fellow artists as your competitors. They're the ones that will help you get jobs later on. That's where knowing people can help immensely. Your real enemies are gravity and your landlord or the bank where your mortgage is.

[Three]

[Drew]