By Dan Grushkin
You're almost done with animation school. You have the animating skills now to hook the animation job of your dreams, but no employer is biting the line.
It's not easy finding any job, but it can be especially hard to find a highly specialized animation job if you're not constantly working to improve your skills. Consider this when you're out there looking for an animation job.
You don't ever have to step into a classroom again. Westwood College's online bachelor's and associate's degree programs allow students to learn without the hassle of scheduling class times and traveling to campuses.
Animation School
You've spent countless hours at the computer and in the classroom learning the principles of animation. You've studied modeling - though if modeling wasn't your strongpoint, it might be worthwhile to buy models or download free models from the web and work with those.
You understand the concepts that go into 3D animation. While animation school teaches you the necessary skills, it doesn't guarantee a job after you've completed your studies.
Your Professors
Many animation schools have a career office, but the people to seek with the best knowledge of jobs in the industry are your animation professors. Be sure to build strong and lasting relationships with your teachers.
Ask your animation professors if they know anyone else in the industry you can speak with. Chances are they'll want to help you (otherwise they wouldn't be teaching at animation school).
Practice
If you've graduated and haven't yet found the right animation job, consider taking on pro-bono work. As long as you keep on working at your skills, the better you're going to get.
If you're really into animating robots, spend time putting together a robot short. Or if you love movies and want to animate a clip from one of them, go for it. The more you practice the more you'll learn about the tools and animation, and the more attractive you'll become as a candidate for an animation job.
About the Author
Dan Grushkin is freelance writer in Brooklyn, New York. He has written about world affairs for Agence France-Presse news wire, various international publications and has contributed to a book on the Middle East crisis. Dan holds a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University.
Monday, May 9, 2005
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