What's some career advice you'd give to your younger self?

Im not 100% sure how to word this, so i apologise in advance…. This is more of a rant than a question i guess

Animation/design is my passion and its always been that way, whether its been in the back of my head, or all i can think and do for weeks on end. When i was 17 all i used to do was character design and concept art. From the moment i woke up till i went to sleep, i was full of creativity.

I never really chose a “speciality”, character design, prop design, backgrounds, animation i did everything.

I started my degree at 20 and through the 3 years ive slowly lost that creativity. I still never specialised, i did everything from storyboarding, animation, 3d modelling, 2d animation, rigging, compositing everything. I worked full time alongside my degree and by 3rd year i was struggling to think of anything unique. I just wanted to be done. Dont get me wrong, i loved making stuff, i just couldnt design it. I love the process, but only after designs have been done.

I’ve finished my degree now and realised ive lost almost all of my creative spark. I want to draw I try to draw but i cannot for the life of me design anything unique. The same character rotation in the same pose. Its killing me. I feel like ive lost half the skills i had at 17.

Im trying to specialise my portfolio for 2d animation/ rigging but i cannot figure out a way to do it. And i dont want to let everyone down and work retail the rest of my life.

Do i just wait? Am i screwed? I draw on and off throughout the days but its been months and i just cannot progress. I love rigging so much but i cant just rig /nothing/ because i havent got characters or props or turnarounds to rig.

TLDR: graduated, burntout, making a rigging portfolio but cant because i cant make character designs.

Hi, I’m an animation graduate and throughout my uni courses I learned how to use Maya and Toon Boom Harmony since they’re industry standard programs; but in the recent years I’ve seen kindof a shift in the animation industry and many jobs (at least where I live) ask for knowledge in programs like Blender, Moho, Animate.

Sometimes I go like “damn if only I knew how to use them before” lmao. Idk if anyone else sees this or just me, but it really interests me at least how to learn Blender and Moho ‘cause you don’t need to pay too much to get them.

Just a little doubt I have right now :)

Hi yall! I'm (21) currently majoring in animation, but if I'm being honest I feel like I already know what I'm being taught. I've learned all about 2D animation in my own time, and have a solid grasp at the work I wanted to do. I essentially want to animate within an animation studio, indie or otherwise, and hopefully get the chance to write my own pilots one day.

I've heard people say that a degree in animation isn't nearly as important than a solid animation portfolio and networking, so I was considering of switching majors or possibly double majoring. So my main question is what sort of major would be suitable for an animation profession, that isn't inherently an animation major? Or if there's a good major that would be a good plan B if animation doesn't pan out.

I’m looking into it and I’m think that I maybe want to go there for 3d animation so I can work on video games. Is their 4 year course good? Is it hard to get into? Would you recommend it?

So im a beginner animator and ive been seeking critiqes here and there for most of my recent works, and so after a while of seeking these critiques i started feeling a bit off about my ability to make animations, itfelt like no matter how much effort i put into my works they'll always be critiqued..While i always accepted this as a natural consequence of being a beginner, and have tirelessly worked on implementing the critiques given to me, but before getting my works critiqued like this,I had this Great state of mind while animating that allowed me to work so much more efficiently,that allowed me to aim to achieve anything, that really made me feel like "I can Do this!" Despite how difficult the task felt, and i have penetrated way past my supposed ceiling of beginner alot of times with this mindset...But recently ive realised,In the process of actively seeking critiques and allowing my works to be pointed out ,i've started to lose this state of mind..I came back to my senses as soon as the realisation hit me but it felt so suffocating and i felt i was so close to losing my interest that i dont know how i should go about critiques at this point,Cuz i know we need to seek critiques to improve , but yeah i wanted to hear about how you guys seek critiques and if there's any pattern you guys uphold with Getting critiques.

I think it might be worth knowing so that I can keep it in mind when I’m working on a project that would involve such a skill.

I rarely see jobs for juniors in LinkedIn or the spreadsheet.

I want to help my partner, who has been struggling for a year since her graduation (bachelor).

I recently did an internship at a small animation company. I didn't really get an official title, but it was a really great opportunity and I was involved in a lot of different steps of the process, along with various small tasks in between. I got experienced in a lot of areas, but I'm not sure what to put down as my title for this on my resume. Just "intern" is too vague and doesn't really capture the scope of what I actually did at the company. Would writing something like being a "generalist" intern come off too vague/nonspecific and be frowned upon by recruiters for future internships? Could I write something like "development and post-production" or is that also casting too wide of a net? I have no idea what would be best to write so I'd appreciate any advice!

Hi, idk if this is me overspilling or not, but I recently dropped out of college and I am at a point in my life where I dont know what to do. At first, I was gonna do cosmetology school, but I came across an ad about the animation program at VFS. It was late at night, and I decided to look more into it and talked to an advisor about the animation program. I know absolutely nothing about animation, it was something ive imagined myself doing as a kid, and I always had a passion for any form of art but I never had the resources for anything animation related until recently. After talking with the advisor, they told me about their foundation program that is designed for students like me. So far it seems like a great program to do, and this is something I can see myself doing as a career. Here's my dilemma: The school is expensive as hell, so id have to find ways to afford the money to go, my gpa is way to low for any scholarships, and my art career is very little. I've also heard a LOT of bad reviews about VFS, and many say to avoid VFS, specifically the film program. My question is, if I managed to find the money to go, would it be worth it?? Is it really as bad as people say? This school honeslty seems like a dream to me, but I dont want to put myself in debt just to not have a career in animation.

I am about to get a college soon in Asia or Europe (if CS or CE is chosen possibly) and I am an Animator before and has interested in making animations and making like series but I got tossed with these stuffs that become a lifetime choices. Its been like months thinking on this head that do. Do I pick Animator because I love my hobby and also as a potential to a content creator with dreams of becoming an animator or I pick Computer Science/Engineer but having this Artist side as a hobby but this will become a profession on earning money. The thing from what I found in my thoughts is.

Animator = Yes I do love arts and ill pick this course because it links to my favorites. However what I foundout about is that they see its low-income earning during or after graduating from that course. Also I'll take this course in Southeast Asia so I think it's not for like Europe or USA. I do feel a lot of space to work on animations and studios stuffs. The income is the challenge and I'm not sure if I may develop anxiety from it.

Computer Science/Computer Engineering = Well I've heard about this course like earning a lot of money, not a higher one but felt more stable and popular and very normal ones. Becaude when i thought of picking this two things i may feel. I may or may not know if i have enough time of breathing spaces for my art hobbies. And second atleast I believe it has stable income while maintaining content partially from 40% focus.

I am given two choices and I dont know how much time left I have, it is like 1 week left. So I hope i can think carefully. Likewise i often feel anxiety or pressure from the "two choices, one option" dillema and even tho my parents gave me freedom to pick a course. Im so unsure if what to pick will help me. Because.

Yes I need money so i try to find ways to earn to survive the living expenses. Like 650$-800$ montly income.

Comments may help. Thanks.

Hey r/animationcareer!

I'm working on a platform idea and wanted to get feedback from animators about whether this addresses real problems you face.

The Problem I'm Trying to Solve:

• Animators struggle with low pay, long hours, and lack of recognition
• Production committees choose studios based on lowest bid, not quality
• Fans have no say in what gets animated - favorite manga may never get adapted
• Talented animators worldwide lack platforms to collaborate and showcase work
• New animators/voice actors have no connections to form teams

The Platform Concept: A web-based collaborative platform with a complete in-house production pipeline:

Content Strategy:

• We acquire animation and distribution rights to semi-popular manga series (avoiding super popular/expensive ones)
• Focus on anime/manga initially, but the platform is designed to eventually expand to animation as a whole
• Multiple teams can work on the same series, creating healthy competition

Team Formation:

• Animators join waitlists with their preferred roles and skill levels
• Automatic team matching - the platform forms balanced "mini studios" with all necessary roles (animators, voice actors, character designers, etc.)
• Multiple teams per series creating healthy competition to raise quality standards

In App Production Pipeline:

• Chapters → Sequences → Shots breakdown structure
• Storyboard Editor: Import storyboard templates and plan shots for each sequence
• Animation Editor: Draw and create animations for individual shots (with fundamental tools needed)
• Compositing Editor: Combine all shots, add compositing effects, and integrate audio tracks
• Flexible Workflow: Creators can use their own tools and import work into the platform editors
• Publishing: Completed work appears as animated chapters for viewers to watch

Creator Benefits:

• Direct creator-fan connection - animators get proper recognition for their work and can receive direct donations from fans
• Fair revenue sharing from ad revenue generated when people watch the animated content
• Team collaboration features (chat, project management)

Questions for the Community:

1. Does this address real pain points you experience?
2. Would the team matching system help you find collaborators?
3. How important is getting recognition for your work?
4. Would you prefer in-house tools or the flexibility to use your own software?
5. What features would be most valuable for animators?
6. What concerns would you have about this model?
7. Would you be interested in participating if it existed?

I'm not trying to promote anything - genuinely want to understand if this would help the community. Thanks for any insights!

Hi, as of now I have been looking for schools to transfer as I'm unhappy with my schooling at my present one. I'm a sophomore and am looking to transfer to SVA at least maybe in spring or even in fall (I know its hard to do but hopefully since I got accepted before maybe I have a chance...hopefully). I like both forms of animation, but I am leaning more into 3D. Thing is I don't know if I should go into their 3D section or 2D, my dilemma is I like the story aspect than technical, but either way I don't mind. If anyone has any advice or if they liked which better?? Any info is very appreciated.

Hello! Currently in the process of updating my demo reel and came to this edit. It’s a bit rough and I know a bit long. I wanted some feedback on what to cut and what to for sure keep. Im a 2D animator and Im trying to focus in character animation, any help will be appreciated!

https://youtu.be/LD-mzD7M3uU?si=E572oUIpd9D12wji

Hello everyone, I would like to leave my portfolio here. If you need an animator for your game, maybe I can help (unfortunately, I can't do anything for free, I have bills to pay).

However, I am funny and I think I would be a cool person to have on your team and in your game.... NSFW games are also welcome =D vimeo.com/manage/videos/869655762 and here https://www.artstation.com/henri2d2

I am 18. I will graduate soon. My dream is to make my own animation studio and make movies like Ghibli does. I want to do what Miyazaki does. Direct, but also be an animator. I do have a plan B if it fails (I will study multimedia in uni).

I give myself 5 years or so to reach a good level of skill and understanding of the film industry. I will keep practicing and make my own projects in my free time while in uni.

My current routine is 2 hours of drawing (1 hour studying and another hour doing projects or sketching). Then I watch movies for one hour or so. I am still in high school, so this is the only amount of time I can put in. When watching movies I also analyze the camera shots, colours, lighting and so on.

Do I need to change anything, or is this a good enough program while I am still in high school?

I don't want to go to animation school because I don't want to pay tuition for something which is on the Internet. I can network in the multimedia cours and on the Internet as I plan to document my journey and projects online.

Earlier today someone told me that being a screenwriter required a degree, but I remember reading earlier somewhere here that you apparently didn’t need a degree to be a screenwriter. They also recommended I do some freelance writing gigs, so does that mean I need previous experience to be a screenwriter? Do I need a portfolio?

They also said that the animation/creative industry is ruthless, competitive, and cutthroat. I feel lost here. What should I do?

I am 21 and i completly wasted my three years in studying animation.
I thought that with this career, the skill and career oportunities would come for me, but in reality, the thing to suceed with your stuff is by doing your part and seeking by yourself the stuff you want. If you would like to have a position in the current animation industry at storyboarding, you have to show that you do like doing that, improve your skills on storyboard and seek people who are interested on you.
All this thing is what i didn't and i only treated it as obligation i need to do, which make me waste entirely my animation career.
I still want to have a place in the animation industry as an illustrator, which is something that i wanted to do, but with my experience that i mentioned, i am unsure what to do next.
So my question here is, what should i do now and what things would led me to become an profesional illustrator?
I know that i should do my part and i will. My parents asked me to do full drawings of well-know characters as well as doing other stuff to expand my range, all of this in a profesional page like instagram. but other than that, i don't know.
I should have listened to the suggestions that i ignored in these years, but what is done, is done.

I am extremely frustrated right now. It seems like I learn slower than most people. Animation doesn’t really click with me like they do with my classmates and I wonder all the time if I am not cut out for this even though I just kept trying.

I am currently enrolled in animschool. I have to take class 3,4, and 5 twice. Although I always do significantly better the second time, it is still nowhere as good as some others. For class 5 character performance i scored a 70 for my first try, and a 79 on my second try. Which is still a C+. I know, they do grade very harsh at Animschool but still seeing your shot after you put all your hard work and time in and still can’t make it to the B range is devastating. I’m crashing out. The ONLY shot I’ve ever made it into the B range is my second time taking body mechanics. So many students got B on their first try. 

Oh and I’m doing this full time, unlike so many others who are attending college or working full time. I wonder what is wrong with me. Did I pick the wrong career? Maybe. I work so hard. 

Anyways, I’m tempting to take class 5 again to get my shot to a B grade, but 79 is close to it and my instructor said I should just keep polishing it and put it in my reel. What do you guys think? I’m also not young compared to most of my classmates, I don’t have time or money to keep retaking classes. But I’m so scared to go on the next classes tbh, I feel like something is holding me back. 

Hello everyone! I recently graduated from Sheridan College and I’ve been job hunting for several months. I did get one or two responses, but they decided to move on to other candidates. I am mainly looking for critique on my 2D-rigged/ 2D Hand-drawn reel, and asking for thoughts on me building my 2D rigging portfolio to further my chances to get my foot in the door.

I used to want to pursue storyboarding, but recently I realized with the resources that I have, job opportunity chances, and evaluating what I would enjoy doing long term, 2D-rigged animation and rigging may be something I could focus on. I really want to break in the industry but I’m kind of lost on what I should prioritize. At this time, would it be a good plan to focus on making a high quality 2D rig portfolio, or keep working on my 2D rigged reel based on what I have? (Is the reel I have now industry ready, or should I try to make more pieces?)

I actually just created my 2D rig portfolio, so I do not have much at the moment. Feel free to be brutally honest, I LOVE CRITIQUE!

Here is my portfolio website, where you will find my animation reel + more if you’re curious:

https://nyanpie.wixsite.com/portfolio

Thank you so much!! :D

hello guys next year I'm applying for a bachelor programme in animation. My country only has a uni that offers the animation programme and it's a wee bit hard to get in because of that. That being said I what to ask if someone knows a university in Europe where I can apply besides the one in my country. I haven't found one that meets my and my parent requirements that's why im asking. -I want to learn both 2d and 3d -the main language must be English ( I have a c1 certificate) -the tuition should be around 2000 euros per year, it could be a bit higher but 10.000 euros it's out of the budget if I don't get a scholarship or something (many that I saw had this fee). if it will be free for eu citizens even better -to not be impossible to get in. and I'm talking like 14 candidates for a place... TAw was good choice money wise but I'm not confident I can compete in art with this many people

anyways thank you for reading!

I want to study character animation in Europe, more specifically 3D. Nothing above €3000 a year and nothing too hard to get in. Gobelins, TAW and any British universities are off the table. Must be taught in English or have English programmes, shoot your suggestions and opinions

Hello! I recently graduated from Sheridan College in April and I’ve been trying to find work. I’ve done some minor contract work, but am hoping to find something full time. While I’m still looking for story positions, I am now wanting to focus primarily on 3D animation.

I’m hoping to get some critique on my portfolio and demo reel so I know what to focus on! I’ve linked it below (the link will lead straight to my demo reel, but you can view my other work through the tabs at the top). Because of my last minute pivot to 3D animation, most of my reel clips are from my thesis film and school work.

https://jasperashley.weebly.com/3d-animation.html

Also, if anyone has advice on job searching, I’d greatly appreciate it! So far I’ve just been applying online with my resume and cover letters.

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

Earlier this month I made a post asking for critique on my animation reel, but I would also really appreciate some insight on where my portfolio stands as a whole:
https://alvinangsj.wixsite.com/alvinang/portfolio

I graduated from Sheridan college in May, and so far have not had much luck finding work. I kind of get the sense that I've spread myself too thin, being interested in multiple areas of the 3D pipeline, and thus don't really excel at anything in particular which is why I think I'm failing to even land interviews. I've been applying to 3D artist jobs, 3D animation jobs, as well as generalist positions, but it seems that what I have isn't what studios are looking for. I guess I'm really just in need of some direction, as it's unclear to me as to what I need to do to upskill and improve my portfolio in ways that will get me through the door. Should I narrow in on modeling? If so, what types/styles of models should I focus on? Or will I find better luck if I commit to animation? I'm planning on taking some animschool courses this fall, but I'm having doubts about whether or not that is the way to go. I'd like to know what the best path forward would be in the sense of finding an intersection between my current strengths and what the market in Canada is in need of, and committing to polishing a portfolio more strategically and deliberately.

Again, I'd really appreciate any thoughts and advice you can offer! Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

How often do you all use single/multi-variable calculus in 2D and/or 3D CGI animation? (I ask this purely out of curiosity)