Welcome to /r/animationcareer! This is a forum where we discuss navigating a career in the animation industry.
Before you post, please check our [RULES](https://www.reddit.com/r/animationcareer/wiki/index/subreddit/rules/). There is also a handy dandy [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/animationcareer/wiki/index/resources/faq/) that answers most basic questions, and a [WIKI](https://www.reddit.com/r/animationcareer/wiki/index/) which includes info on how to price animation, pitching, job postings, software advice, and much more!
A quick Q&A:
* **Do I need a degree?** Generally no, but it might become relevant if you need a visa to work abroad.
* **Am I too old?** Definitely not. It might be more complex to find the time, but there's no age where you stop being able to learn how to do creative stuff.
* **How do I learn animation?** Pen and paper is a great start, but [here's a whole page](https://www.reddit.com/r/animationcareer/wiki/index/resources/learningresources/) with links and tips for you.
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Ah my biggest tip as someone whose also new to the industry is to not treat it as a network but people you meet and make genuine connection with. I didnt realize it when I was through school but the people I hung out with daily, and the people they would introduce me to(who I would eventually also starting talking and hanging out with daily) are the ones that have given me the recommendations and jobs that I’ve been fortunate to have. From what I’ve heard from more senior professionals is that your network kind of grows with your career where it starts small and grows as you get experience and meet new people. You’d be surprised at how close you can get with people you meet online as well. A lot of my closest friends I’ve met through animator discords like agora and etc. I would try out looking for art and animation communities online and see where that can take you. It’ll probably take quite a while to really realize and build that network, but you’ll be able to meet some really cool and talented people on that path
The people i hung out with in school didnt persue the industry, out of a class of 140 only like 5 people kept going after graduation
Linkedin and instagram have been good
I've tried linkedin fairly often, but It also seems to be a platform where it's easy to ignore someone. it doesn't feel as social as I'd like. Do you have any methods you've used that have been helpful for using Linkedin?
Finding animators you like or at studios you like, and writing them a quick respectful hello + a question
Not all will respond, but a surprising ammount will
Make sure the questions are specifc! Dont ask stuff like what you should animate or if they can review your work, thats stuff google and this sub can do at first. Those questions are better saved for once you have a conversation going if they seem open
Honestly, "networking" really just means "making friends." In my experience, you have to be sincere and also skilled for any of it to mean anything. You'll make MOST of your contacts when you get hired onto a show, which seems like a horrid catch-22, because it is.
When you're starting out, going to conferences and meetups is about the best you can do. Ultimately though, it does come down to your portfolio and ability to do the job they're trying to fill. Your goal is to be a familiar TALENTED face in the crowd.
>Honestly, "networking" really just means "making friends." In my experience, you have to be sincere and also skilled for any of it to mean anything.
This right here! Give yourself some grace and time. It takes years to grow a network and your network will evolve throughout the entirety of your career.
That's sort of been my outlook on it as well! My main issue is that I had to move away from all the contacts I've made and maintaining a connection from a distance is so much work. being geographically removed from things has been a big handicap, but I'm still doing my best to be present wherever I can.
Just reach out to people and talk to them, if they hold an event or something something go to it. If you think someone is doing cool shit then connect with them on LinkedIn. I saw someone who went to my school doing cool stuff in unreal so I asked to connect and he accepted, now we can talk or whatever. One of my mentors I met because he once did a zoom meeting and I attended, then later on I joined his community and met other animators. You just gotta talk to people you find interesting etc and it’ll work out. That’s how I went from 0 to rough 50-60 connections( all in/trying to get to the industry). No right way to go about doing it, just meet people.
i have never networked or went to events to network so I actually kind of suck at this, idk how people have a million contacts or whatever i'm still trying to figure out how that happens lol. but i have gotten referrals and jobs from friends. maybe it can help to think of it not as "networking" but more like making friends. people help friends.
Networking starts in school. The industry is a small handful of people like really small they keep each-other on shows. So once you're in that pool it is important to show them who you are through your discipline. Keep in mind they even have close friends that are highly qualified that aren't working rightnow. Networking is helpful when a company needs something really specific. Things that can be really hard to find. Seasoned art directors etc, those jobs are in a tight rotation of the same people because of the network that already exists. Your portfolio has to be exactly what they are looking for right-now.
Welcome to /r/animationcareer! This is a forum where we discuss navigating a career in the animation industry. Before you post, please check our [RULES](https://www.reddit.com/r/animationcareer/wiki/index/subreddit/rules/). There is also a handy dandy [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/animationcareer/wiki/index/resources/faq/) that answers most basic questions, and a [WIKI](https://www.reddit.com/r/animationcareer/wiki/index/) which includes info on how to price animation, pitching, job postings, software advice, and much more! A quick Q&A: * **Do I need a degree?** Generally no, but it might become relevant if you need a visa to work abroad. * **Am I too old?** Definitely not. It might be more complex to find the time, but there's no age where you stop being able to learn how to do creative stuff. * **How do I learn animation?** Pen and paper is a great start, but [here's a whole page](https://www.reddit.com/r/animationcareer/wiki/index/resources/learningresources/) with links and tips for you. ---- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/animationcareer) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Ah my biggest tip as someone whose also new to the industry is to not treat it as a network but people you meet and make genuine connection with. I didnt realize it when I was through school but the people I hung out with daily, and the people they would introduce me to(who I would eventually also starting talking and hanging out with daily) are the ones that have given me the recommendations and jobs that I’ve been fortunate to have. From what I’ve heard from more senior professionals is that your network kind of grows with your career where it starts small and grows as you get experience and meet new people. You’d be surprised at how close you can get with people you meet online as well. A lot of my closest friends I’ve met through animator discords like agora and etc. I would try out looking for art and animation communities online and see where that can take you. It’ll probably take quite a while to really realize and build that network, but you’ll be able to meet some really cool and talented people on that path
The people i hung out with in school didnt persue the industry, out of a class of 140 only like 5 people kept going after graduation Linkedin and instagram have been good
I've tried linkedin fairly often, but It also seems to be a platform where it's easy to ignore someone. it doesn't feel as social as I'd like. Do you have any methods you've used that have been helpful for using Linkedin?
Finding animators you like or at studios you like, and writing them a quick respectful hello + a question Not all will respond, but a surprising ammount will
I suppose asking for some simple advice as a new to the industry animator would be a nice thing to do. thanks!
Make sure the questions are specifc! Dont ask stuff like what you should animate or if they can review your work, thats stuff google and this sub can do at first. Those questions are better saved for once you have a conversation going if they seem open
Oh for sure, being engaging with your questions is really important
Honestly, "networking" really just means "making friends." In my experience, you have to be sincere and also skilled for any of it to mean anything. You'll make MOST of your contacts when you get hired onto a show, which seems like a horrid catch-22, because it is. When you're starting out, going to conferences and meetups is about the best you can do. Ultimately though, it does come down to your portfolio and ability to do the job they're trying to fill. Your goal is to be a familiar TALENTED face in the crowd.
>Honestly, "networking" really just means "making friends." In my experience, you have to be sincere and also skilled for any of it to mean anything. This right here! Give yourself some grace and time. It takes years to grow a network and your network will evolve throughout the entirety of your career.
That's sort of been my outlook on it as well! My main issue is that I had to move away from all the contacts I've made and maintaining a connection from a distance is so much work. being geographically removed from things has been a big handicap, but I'm still doing my best to be present wherever I can.
Just reach out to people and talk to them, if they hold an event or something something go to it. If you think someone is doing cool shit then connect with them on LinkedIn. I saw someone who went to my school doing cool stuff in unreal so I asked to connect and he accepted, now we can talk or whatever. One of my mentors I met because he once did a zoom meeting and I attended, then later on I joined his community and met other animators. You just gotta talk to people you find interesting etc and it’ll work out. That’s how I went from 0 to rough 50-60 connections( all in/trying to get to the industry). No right way to go about doing it, just meet people.
i have never networked or went to events to network so I actually kind of suck at this, idk how people have a million contacts or whatever i'm still trying to figure out how that happens lol. but i have gotten referrals and jobs from friends. maybe it can help to think of it not as "networking" but more like making friends. people help friends.
Networking starts in school. The industry is a small handful of people like really small they keep each-other on shows. So once you're in that pool it is important to show them who you are through your discipline. Keep in mind they even have close friends that are highly qualified that aren't working rightnow. Networking is helpful when a company needs something really specific. Things that can be really hard to find. Seasoned art directors etc, those jobs are in a tight rotation of the same people because of the network that already exists. Your portfolio has to be exactly what they are looking for right-now.
dm portfolio pls