By Dan Grushkin
dan.grushkin@careertrainingreview.com
Career Training Review Columnist
As you may already know, any studio worth its salt isn't going to hire an animation job-seeker without a reel showcasing his or her work. So as an animation student, begin working on your reel the moment you enter animation school. With that in mind, perhaps the best thing about animation school is the community you can turn to in order to collaborate.
The Animation School Goals
As a student enrolled animation school, you probably have two goals in mind: One, to become the best animator possible, and two, to make yourself the best candidate out there for an animation job after school. You'll find as you go through school that you excel in certain of areas of animation and simply pass in others. Let potential employers see you at your best by collaborating.
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.
Turn to your friends. You'll all have honed separate skills. Why not pool them to make the most professional, spectacular reel possible. Find a friend who's good at sound effects and music and another who may specialize in digital imaging and painting.
Building a Team to Round Out Your Reel
Those offering animation jobs want to see how you animate, but if other aspects of the reel are less than professional, they may be distracted. If you can't find collaborators at animation school consider looking online.
There are plenty of animation bulletin boards to find people with complementary skills. By building a team, your reel will gain from other's expertise, plus you'll learn from your teammates. It will get you that much closer to finding that animation dream job.
Remember to credit the others for their work on the reel. You don't want to misrepresent yourself to potential employers. It's bad form, and if you get caught, you'll have a very, very hard time rebuilding your credibility, the most important element in any 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.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
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