I'm a 19yr old animation student in the Philippines and I'm graduating this year and this really helped me with planning on how to get a job in the animation industry thank you
Glad to see that you are following your passion. You are young and you are already planning. Thats great! Have ambitions and strive for it. You are in the right path. God bless.
Age ain't nothing but a number!We're 31yrs going on 32 and we're still trying to get into a studio or make our own creator owned comic and short animations.Never give up,always strive to outdo yesterday's "you" #learning #eternalstudent #progressnotperfection #ihavetoupmysocialmediapresence #makestuff
@@elijahbarrow6656 my wife and i got assistant jobs at shueisha (shonen jump) when we were 23/24 but i suffered from a brain hemorrhage, got sick (neurological - pneumonia sarcoidosis) and couldn’t make the move because of the implications of my health conditions. And if you cannot be there , at that time, it was a big issue. So now we are just working on our own projects/products. Edit: And we both were solely visual artists so we had to study up on writing a visual storytelling and the whole narrative process. Writing (and writing for comics at that) was surprisingly hard and we didn’t know were to look for good resources on it. We currently have three stories in the works , were one of them is at the point that, we’re making volume 1 at the moment. We also need to grow our audience way more😅 No worries, i didn’t mind your question at all, God bless and have a good day. Greetings from the Netherlands 🙋🏾♂️👍🏾
@@karakuri100p oh wow I’m sorry to hear that man but it’s amazing that you worked with them! I’m 21 and all I’ve been doing since a kid is sketching and making movie scenes in my head. I’ve been addicted to anime and anything remotely close ever since. But I’m now an adult and wanna materialize my dreams as fast as possible..that’s why I was curious to hear perspective from a person slightly older.
As someone who is trying to switch their career from graphic design to animation, I found this video super insightful. Finding a place to get started always seems like the hardest part, so having someone layout out not just the technical steps, but great life advice is more than appreciated.
I should have watched this video over a year ago. I'm 22, fresh out of college with an art studio degree and a film studies minor (I'm really good at figure drawing and a bit at painting and have gotten better at character design) but I want to work in animation as either a storyboard artist, character designer, clean-up artist, or an actual animator in the field. Thank you very much for the video.
This is exactly what I'm doing and going through right now. I just spent about 6 months working on my portfolio and I'm beginning to go for openings and I've been feeling really discouraged. Thanks so much for this video, it came at a perfect time.
I want to be an animator when I grow up! And I was super happy when I saw you uploaded this video! It Was lots of help. And it has my two favorite things, Jake Parker, and animation. Thanks Again!
Love the video! I'll be honest most of these things are harsh for artists and they want to ignore it in an assessment of what they do wrong because it falls under things outside just skill. Familiarity or the ability to market yourself is something that I would like to hear more, its something I face currently. But thank you for the video and insight 😀
+Stephan Bezuidenhout thanks. the most successful artists I know are great with people, pretty organized, and are open to all kinds of opportunities. So I had to share what I know.
Dear Jake, could you offer some advice for young artists fresh out of high school or college in terms of getting jobs that will pay the bills while still being able to work on the aspects you talk about in this video. This is something of a hurdle I think for students that are self taught or did not study art in school.
+black_dragoon you've got 24 hours in a day, so get whatever job you can, even if it's stocking shelves at the grocery store, and with the other 15-16 hours in your day sleep and work on your portfolio. You might have to put off a social life, and entertainment most weeks for a year or so, but you're after something exceptional and hard, so it's not going to come without some sacrifices.
It can be really intimidating trying to figure out what it takes to break into these kinds of industries, and this video does a great job of being realistic and helpful. There's a lot of stuff here that schools simply don't teach you. Thank you so much for uploading this video. It has been a great help in motivating me to really push myself.
I'm 17 and i'm french, next year is my last in traditional school and after that I plan to go on an animation school. Your videos are really helpful I like to draw but I want to level up and focus myself on character and environement design so I ordered an artbook yesterday ! I watched a lot of videos and this on is the most helpful and motivating. After my fives years of animation school my dream is to work on my favorite studio : Pixar. So your advices are super great for me ! Thank you so much and have a great day !!
Thanks so much for these tips! I'm going to study 2d animation in september (hopefully I'll get approved of loans first haha) Listening to your advice as I'm drawing really made me feel like this is it. This is going to be my life, and I'm very excited for it. I can imagine myself drawing for 8hrs and still enjoy what I'm doing. I'm so ready to hone my crafts and explore new techniques, but obviously I still have small doubts. Hopefully I'll be ok.
alee hey there! How has it been so far? Do you like the decision you made or consider it worth it? I’m a 15 year old high school student from a foreign country who’s going to leave EVERYTHING behind for this... do you think I should? I really like animation a lot, and even if medicine is “the Easy path for me”, are you still consider animation my first option. Please help me decide face.
"Jake Parker video time" while cooking dinner adds to the spice of life :) I'm not pursuing animation but this felt so applicable to Ripples, not just the art part of Ripples but even the off-grid journey: big picture mentality, timelines changing, making a website (ours is solar-hosted) and social media presence, build solid relationships, taking time to master skills gradually, sharing our journey and being real with our followers...dang this is applicable to so many things! Thanks Jake. Fantastic food for thought.
There are also other ways to be an ANIMATOR or anyone else, like 2d/3d game artist and so on. From my expierience meeting up with creative people, not only artist, who wants to do the same thing, like movie, animation or game might be great for your carieer, you can learn alot about their job, and what's more important, do something together... and if audience is happy about what you've all made, your team might find someone, who'll pay you for next products.
Thank you for this video! I just got into animation this year and I'm constantly looking for new things to study and work on my craft! This was a great video and if you ever need me to do any ground work like in-betweens or any entry level activities please let me know cause I want to animate really badly.
Great video! Thanks so much for this, especially the section on making connections. I'm 28 so I feel like I'm starting really late but your videos always help me feel like I still have plenty of time.
m a student going to study in animation related degree in my uni, and keen for working in the animation industry as a future career. Jake's video is really helpful for people like me who don't know where to begin. Absolutely appreciate your perspective and advice, letting me know how to start to prepare myself and ready for coming possibilities.
Feel like I'm really behind, (27 and just starting on career ambitions), should I be adjusting my expectations as far as landing a job at a major studio?
If you're really good then you'll get a job. A friend of mine didn't start drawing until his twenties, but he learned fast, and got really good from some intense practicing over a few years. He ended up working for Lucasfilm then at BlueSky Studios, where I met him.
Luck plays a huge part in this. Tbh I am kinda behind in drawing skills compared to my peers but since I was able to pass drawing exams and do well in the animation training (provided by the studio), I was able to become an animator. I started in the animation industry when I was 27 y.o. and I'm an IT graduate :) Although, I dont think my studio is considered well known though we have very well known clients also most of my target studios are abroad (in the US) *sigh*
Matthew Brown Lauren Zuke of the Steven Universe crew got her big start in animation at the age of 28. As long as you're good, and are capable, then you'll land a job in animation.
Thank you Jake. I like to add: This is true for all kinds of jobs and even for being a freelancer in any discipline or business. Furthermore I eventually realized, it's 3 values, that get you to be the best on any job: A) Your skills, your know-how, your knowledge (not only concerning your profession but in general). B) Your methods, the way you ask questions and come up with answers and C) You yourself with your set of mind, with your character, your world view and your concept/view of human nature, that underlines your choices. Your highest value for the job is, if all three agree with it. If you only bring in 1 or 2 - you are battling price or allways do not seem "good enough". But if all 3 fit, you can make it. Good success everyone. Really enjoyed this video. Thank you for sharing.
I have all of these 3 but I sometimes get shy at number 2 because I know the answers but I can't get it into words properly. Also I am still far away for an animation job because I am still 12 but I can already understand the basics of animation and the rules of it. I already know how to make animatics but to lack of equipment I can't make it properly :/.
This whole video was really helpful. Gonna be on top of the rewatch list for a while. When you broke down what to aim for with a portfolio, it really gives a nice guide and acts as a call to get to work. I lack many finished pieces for example, but have my own IP for practice like you mentioned. Balancing this out is my top priority. And about having all social media connected, that's something I have a hard time with. I've used my gaming name for things like twitter, youtube, and Twitch for years...but then made separate art accounts on Instagram and Artstation to get away and be more professional. It's probably confusing, but I'm torn since most people already know me as the the gaming version.
This was super helpful! It's kind of scary when you're trying to enter the art industry since it's difficult to know where to start. I will definitely take your words to heart and try these techniques, nice job!
Great tips, but the entire social media thing is much easier said than done - at least for me and I've been using social media for a while now. I'm starting art school (again) this fall so I hope to make some new contacts and I'll keep the advice you brought up in mind, I'm just hoping things to work out better this time around
Thank you Jake Parker, I really love your videos. Could you do a video on the animation industry's pipeline and the difference between 2D and 3D animation? I feel like the fact that there are so many different jobs in animation can be confusing for people who want to work in animation, but may not know what position they want to specialize as. I know it starts with fundamentals and that one job can lead to another, but it would be nice to have clear knowledge of all the steps involved.
I made the suggestion because I think digging deeper into the topic could potentially be helpful for me and others. It seems that 2D isn't always cel animation like it used to be. Computers are now part of the traditional process. Additionally, there are hand-drawn aspects involved with the 3D process from what I gather and some 3D is made to look 2D. The lines just seem blurry to me in some cases. I know other sources for info exists, but would love to hear what Jake Parker says if it's something he decides to cover.
@Jake Parker Thank you so much for the advice ! I love how you even took luck into account and how it's related to showcasing our skills and the importance of making meaningful connections. Many things you mentioned we often take for granted because they seem obvious, but I think its always helpful to keep them in mind! I even took some notes as reminders, just to keep them visible :) thanks for taking the time to share this!
Sorry these are notes for me, you can use them if you want HOW TO GET A JOB IN ANIMATION - Ability - Learn fundamentals, draw well - Perspective - Shadows - Proportion - Composition - Color Theory - How to draw your characters from different angles, and poses - Understand Anatomy (Human and Animal) - How to simplify anatomy - Design Principles and how to design appealing characters, locations, environments - Apply design theory to plants, buildings, props and vehicles - Master your crafts, be sure your art can compete with others, your work needs to be at a professional level - Find a focus - Character Designer - Environment Designer - Storyboard Artist - Visual Development Artist - Spend a year building your portfolio - Study "Art of" books, from the studios you want to work for - 20~25 pages of art needed for your portfolio - 9 fully rendered images - 9 pages of concept exploration - 2~6 pages of art that can show your range - Create your own property (Examples) - Animals - Medieval Environment - Forest Environment - Buildings - Human Characters - Redesign an established property (Examples) - Redesign of Pinocchio - "What if it was a caveman Pinocchio?" - Redesign the Little Mermaid - "Flip things, maybe the Little Mermaid is a human who wants to be a mermaid" - Your portfolio needs to show - Creativity - Your ability to work - Familiarity (Friendships in the Industry) - Website - Use your name, yourname.com - MrJakeParker.com - Social Media presence - Use your name - Share your journey - Share your personality - Make a PDF of your portfolio - Make friends in the industry - If you live in animation cities, go to meet ups - Be genuine, don't just be friends for a better chance at landing an animation job - Follow people in the industry - Leave genuine and thoughtful comments - Ask them questions, or for advice - Contact Studio Recruiters - Timing (Luck) - Remember things rarely go according to the timeline you set for yourself - Be open to chance and serendipity - Look out for jobs that might help you grow as an artist - Have a "big picture" mentality - Use time to your advantage - Use it to improve your portfolio - Use it to build friendships
So glad to have seen this. Did a little math and was able to make a smaller version of the amount of art pieces I'll need to include for my portfolio for college. Thanks!
Hey Jake Parker, thank you very much for this video. A lot of things that you said I already knew in theory, but it's so much better and reassuring when you hear it from someone who's been there. I think the hardest part is going to be when you already feel like you're ready for the job but the luck just isn't coming and you just have to wait. But anyways I have so much time until then and so much to learn. Thank you again, it was very informative and in a weird way inspiring.
I’ve wanted to be an animator since forever my animation teacher in high school said the best way to get into animation is cal arts but with how tough it is to get in (and student debt) I think I’ll just settle for a normal job and drawing on my free time (sucks too because I actually live in LA)
+jakeparker thank you for your advice. not just in this vid but for most of the ones you make. Im grateful to know the direction i should take toward my dream.
I've been looking for so many videos to talk like a real person and you gave me the tips I really meeded, thank you so very much... I am 27 and it is so hard to start at this point of age but, am set up in my mind towards this goal.
I am constantly looking for advice on breaking into the industry and real tips on building a successful portfolio. This is one of the most informative and helpful videos I've found. Thank you for your advice and for taking the time to make this video!
Excellent video, man. I've been so busy with freelance work that I haven't really had the time to build my portfolio to send to the big dawgs. Born and raised in LA, attended the Animation Academy in Burbank but, kind of lost touch with everyone since I had kids. I'll make it a goal to attend CTN this year.
Thanks Jake, absolutely great video as per usual, as someone who dropped out of an animation course half way in, this is a great video to show people that University isn't necessary for that line of work.
Thank you for your advice. I’m really glad that you share your tips to get a job! I’m college student in korea and major in business. So sometimes I get scared to challenge for animator. But I really wanna do it! All I have to do now is... learn the basics😂😂 I will do my best!
Thanks for the great advice Jake! It's super helpful to have any sort of insider advice because one can feel completely aimless while pursuing an animation degree, even though we have an end goal in mind, the road is not always clear. I have a question I've been agonizing over which I have yet to find any answers to, maybe you can help with? If you can do a video on what the different jobs in the animation field actually consist of, like what a visual development artist actually does, what's the work/ work ethic consist of. That would be great because I can't find any solid info on what the various jobs actually consist of, thus it's hard to narrow one's focus while in school.
questions: For each page on a portfolio, how many pieces should we showcase? Are you thinking that each page should have multiple examples of animation? I would love to see an example that represents what you're describing. How does the number of pages reflect on someone who's going for more of a technical/rigging type of job? Is investing a lot of portfolio real estate into showing off illustration skill valuable to them? This is good information, but the page number is really throwing me off. Most importantly, how should someone go about continuing to grow while working at other jobs just to survive? Spending an entire year on a portfolio is a daunting task for someone who's recently graduated and needs to put food on the table. Thanks for putting together such a great video! Lots of great facts and advice.
Thank you Jake for this really informative video, I especially liked the focus on creating contacts and letting people know who you are. Those are some super helpful tips!
Thank you so much for this great advice. I didn't even think of following recruiters on linkedin. I'm planning on moving to Burbank Ca this august to persue a career in animation as a character designer. One of the studios on my list to apply to is Blu sky.
dude videos are awesome! as always. I was wondering if you could do one about freelance artists and maybe some tactics and things you do to be successful in landing jobs. I am currently trying to decide if I want to go for it. thanks my man.
Thanks Jake! I´m about to get my degree and this is really helpful in this stage of my life. In case you don´t know it this videos you and other artist make are really helpful. Have a great day!
Just enjoyed watching this with my oldest daughter, who is very interested in the animation industry and already has a fairly impressive amount of work for a 13-year-old. Really appreciate you doing this video she was glued to it the entire time. Thanks!
I'm 32 years old. I 'm from Switzerland. I did my graduation in 2D animation in 2018. My abilities are very mediocre, I know no one in the animation industry, I couldn't find a job since I got my diploma. Let's be honest. I will never find a job in this industry, right?
I disagree, you should keep working on your skills and try to improve as fast as possible. Maybe start posting your stuff on Instagram or other social media accounts, you can make some contacts on there. Dont give up!
Understand that you will be one of thousands. The competition will be tremendous. You will need to be THE best by far of all your classes and of all your peers... because if you can't even be THE best of your small group of peers, then you have no chance of being the best job applicant. If you have a class-mate that is noticeably better than you, then you may want to reconsider your career. It's like getting into the NBA... but it pays less, and you will most likely work on garbage content, like a forgettable kids show, or a garbage video game. Think about that. Also, don't be fooled when you see professionals in the industry who aren't as good as you, and say, "If they can get in, then I can get in for sure." Because the fact is, either (1)you are wrong and you aren't better than them, or (2)that artist got in through connections, or (3)that artist is having a hard time keeping work, and is actually failing over time and just got lucky to get published or hired.
That's a good point. That's why I stress getting good before you even think about gunning for a job. That said, 75% of creative jobs in animation don't involve drawing. You can be a poor drawer, but have a good eye and do great work as a lighter, or a texturer, modeler, or a 3d animator.
That’s why you need to be creative And see what you really love to do, because I know there it is a lot of competition, but when you are still motivated, inspired, you are still happy with your work and also that some por love what you do, there is when you should consider continue to do what you are working
"Once they find out you're not awkward in conversation," well damn, I gotta work on my social skills haha! But seriously, though. Helpful video! I'm graduating with a degree in animation next year and definitely have a lot of work to do before I can even think about having the abilities/familiarities to get a solid job in the industry. Your tips are really helpful so that I can work hard through my last year and maybe be a little ahead by the time I'm in the big bad adult world!
Thanks for making this video, Jake! My kids are always asking about what it will take to get to the professional level (other than the "perfect portfolio") and this video provides a great strategy for the path to success (employment).
Don't have much advice on running a blog, but for social media presence you can watch this video: th-cam.com/video/tKw4OYg9RkI/w-d-xo.html or if you're a subscriber to SVS there's this video: svs.thinkific.com/courses/how-to-get-your-first-10k-followers?ref=16c0be
Rn I’m under 18 and the reasons why I’ve personally gained better artwork than others( so humble ikr) is I’ve shut off my phone like I don’t know why but I just learned more...so yeah. I recommend this for others to get better at animation😃!
@@jakeparker44 Could I ask for some advice? I have been trying to to take college animation courses, but it's been difficult as my first college closed down and the one I've transferred to is now cancelling the program. So now if I desire to finish my animation education, I would need to locate a new inexpensive online college that teaches animation, which thus far has been a pain to search for. It must be mentioned that I rarely felt as though I was learning something new, since I am mostly self taught in drawing and animation by way of free online videos and lessons. *Do you believe it would be better for me to continue going to college to attain a bachelor's in animation?* *Or should I just dedicate my time to building my portfolio and learning new skills, techniques and programs on my own time?* *If you have any other ideas, pleas let me know.*
Hi Jake ! First thank you for your kindess to share your experiences it's pretty usefull and clever. I have a question for the Ability part. I know that practicing and growing up your skills is just time and patience but I would like to know if you have an idea of the time it could take to build solid Strentgh fundamentals. Thank you
LOL how to get a job in animation: "git gud".
Jokes aside this was quite informative, thanks.
Nathanael Hay
Get good**
@@elgato772 ok boomer
@Diogo Bernardino ok zoomer
I'm a 19yr old animation student in the Philippines and I'm graduating this year and this really helped me with planning on how to get a job in the animation industry thank you
Vincent Olvido kumusta kana ngayon??
ano na meron ngayon?
did you get the job?
Glad to see that you are following your passion. You are young and you are already planning. Thats great! Have ambitions and strive for it. You are in the right path. God bless.
From where are you and where did u studied? Any good school suggestions?
Age ain't nothing but a number!We're 31yrs going on 32 and we're still trying to get into a studio or make our own creator owned comic and short animations.Never give up,always strive to outdo yesterday's "you" #learning #eternalstudent #progressnotperfection #ihavetoupmysocialmediapresence #makestuff
You totally spoke for all of us still young adult, slow learners and late bloomers out there. Lol Glade to here im not alone in this. 100%
That's the spirit
I don’t wanna sound rude when I ask you this but what’s taken you so long to do so?
@@elijahbarrow6656 my wife and i got assistant jobs at shueisha (shonen jump) when we were 23/24 but i suffered from a brain hemorrhage, got sick (neurological - pneumonia sarcoidosis) and couldn’t make the move because of the implications of my health conditions.
And if you cannot be there , at that time, it was a big issue.
So now we are just working on our own projects/products.
Edit:
And we both were solely visual artists so we had to study up on writing a visual storytelling and the whole narrative process.
Writing (and writing for comics at that) was surprisingly hard and we didn’t know were to look for good resources on it.
We currently have three stories in the works , were one of them is at the point that, we’re making volume 1 at the moment.
We also need to grow our audience way more😅
No worries, i didn’t mind your question at all, God bless and have a good day. Greetings from the Netherlands 🙋🏾♂️👍🏾
@@karakuri100p oh wow I’m sorry to hear that man but it’s amazing that you worked with them! I’m 21 and all I’ve been doing since a kid is sketching and making movie scenes in my head. I’ve been addicted to anime and anything remotely close ever since. But I’m now an adult and wanna materialize my dreams as fast as possible..that’s why I was curious to hear perspective from a person slightly older.
As someone who is trying to switch their career from graphic design to animation, I found this video super insightful. Finding a place to get started always seems like the hardest part, so having someone layout out not just the technical steps, but great life advice is more than appreciated.
James Naugle hi.. Aspiring artist here.. Can you tell me how your journey has been like?
I should have watched this video over a year ago. I'm 22, fresh out of college with an art studio degree and a film studies minor (I'm really good at figure drawing and a bit at painting and have gotten better at character design) but I want to work in animation as either a storyboard artist, character designer, clean-up artist, or an actual animator in the field. Thank you very much for the video.
This is exactly what I'm doing and going through right now. I just spent about 6 months working on my portfolio and I'm beginning to go for openings and I've been feeling really discouraged. Thanks so much for this video, it came at a perfect time.
SuperLunchable good luck.i hope you do good and hope for the best.God bless.👍👍👍👍👊✊
goodluck 🙏
do u have the job?
I want to be an animator when I grow up! And I was super happy when I saw you uploaded this video! It Was lots of help. And it has my two favorite things, Jake Parker, and animation. Thanks Again!
Drawler don't give up 😁👍
I'm 13 and I want to enter animating school now. I need to control my impatience
It's been 2 years! Still wanting to be an animator? (also nice Levi pfp.)
I'm 14 same
ur 16 now how did it go
Did u do it
really appreciate your insight on artistic careers. helpful for a highschool student choosing a career😊
Sam Phippen are you a high school student?
Love the video! I'll be honest most of these things are harsh for artists and they want to ignore it in an assessment of what they do wrong because it falls under things outside just skill. Familiarity or the ability to market yourself is something that I would like to hear more, its something I face currently. But thank you for the video and insight 😀
+Stephan Bezuidenhout thanks. the most successful artists I know are great with people, pretty organized, and are open to all kinds of opportunities. So I had to share what I know.
Dear Jake, could you offer some advice for young artists fresh out of high school or college in terms of getting jobs that will pay the bills while still being able to work on the aspects you talk about in this video. This is something of a hurdle I think for students that are self taught or did not study art in school.
+black_dragoon you've got 24 hours in a day, so get whatever job you can, even if it's stocking shelves at the grocery store, and with the other 15-16 hours in your day sleep and work on your portfolio.
You might have to put off a social life, and entertainment most weeks for a year or so, but you're after something exceptional and hard, so it's not going to come without some sacrifices.
That's the plan Jake, thanks for the reply!
It can be really intimidating trying to figure out what it takes to break into these kinds of industries, and this video does a great job of being realistic and helpful. There's a lot of stuff here that schools simply don't teach you. Thank you so much for uploading this video. It has been a great help in motivating me to really push myself.
I'm 17 and i'm french, next year is my last in traditional school and after that I plan to go on an animation school. Your videos are really helpful I like to draw but I want to level up and focus myself on character and environement design so I ordered an artbook yesterday ! I watched a lot of videos and this on is the most helpful and motivating. After my fives years of animation school my dream is to work on my favorite studio : Pixar. So your advices are super great for me ! Thank you so much and have a great day !!
SVS Learn is the best value art education online.
i second that!
Thanks so much for these tips! I'm going to study 2d animation in september (hopefully I'll get approved of loans first haha) Listening to your advice as I'm drawing really made me feel like this is it. This is going to be my life, and I'm very excited for it. I can imagine myself drawing for 8hrs and still enjoy what I'm doing. I'm so ready to hone my crafts and explore new techniques, but obviously I still have small doubts. Hopefully I'll be ok.
alee hey there! How has it been so far? Do you like the decision you made or consider it worth it? I’m a 15 year old high school student from a foreign country who’s going to leave EVERYTHING behind for this... do you think I should? I really like animation a lot, and even if medicine is “the Easy path for me”, are you still consider animation my first option. Please help me decide face.
"Jake Parker video time" while cooking dinner adds to the spice of life :) I'm not pursuing animation but this felt so applicable to Ripples, not just the art part of Ripples but even the off-grid journey: big picture mentality, timelines changing, making a website (ours is solar-hosted) and social media presence, build solid relationships, taking time to master skills gradually, sharing our journey and being real with our followers...dang this is applicable to so many things! Thanks Jake. Fantastic food for thought.
+Amanda Bancroft glad I could join you for dinner prep!
There are also other ways to be an ANIMATOR or anyone else, like 2d/3d game artist and so on. From my expierience meeting up with creative people, not only artist, who wants to do the same thing, like movie, animation or game might be great for your carieer, you can learn alot about their job, and what's more important, do something together... and if audience is happy about what you've all made, your team might find someone, who'll pay you for next products.
Thank you for this video! I just got into animation this year and I'm constantly looking for new things to study and work on my craft! This was a great video and if you ever need me to do any ground work like in-betweens or any entry level activities please let me know cause I want to animate really badly.
Great video! Thanks so much for this, especially the section on making connections. I'm 28 so I feel like I'm starting really late but your videos always help me feel like I still have plenty of time.
“Be a good drawing “ me: I’m trying 😰😔😭
Practise makes perfect😊
@@dakgenyokir practice makes progess
not perfect no one is perfect
@@your_dad2896 yes.. i agree, There's beauty in imperfections..
But also practice can make you kinda Perfect.
m a student going to study in animation related degree in my uni, and keen for working in the animation industry as a future career. Jake's video is really helpful for people like me who don't know where to begin. Absolutely appreciate your perspective and advice, letting me know how to start to prepare myself and ready for coming possibilities.
Feel like I'm really behind, (27 and just starting on career ambitions), should I be adjusting my expectations as far as landing a job at a major studio?
If you're really good then you'll get a job. A friend of mine didn't start drawing until his twenties, but he learned fast, and got really good from some intense practicing over a few years. He ended up working for Lucasfilm then at BlueSky Studios, where I met him.
Jake Parker This is so inspiring
Good to know, thanks!
Luck plays a huge part in this. Tbh I am kinda behind in drawing skills compared to my peers but since I was able to pass drawing exams and do well in the animation training (provided by the studio), I was able to become an animator.
I started in the animation industry when I was 27 y.o. and I'm an IT graduate :)
Although, I dont think my studio is considered well known though we have very well known clients also most of my target studios are abroad (in the US) *sigh*
Matthew Brown Lauren Zuke of the Steven Universe crew got her big start in animation at the age of 28. As long as you're good, and are capable, then you'll land a job in animation.
Thank you Jake. I like to add: This is true for all kinds of jobs and even for being a freelancer in any discipline or business. Furthermore I eventually realized, it's 3 values, that get you to be the best on any job: A) Your skills, your know-how, your knowledge (not only concerning your profession but in general). B) Your methods, the way you ask questions and come up with answers and C) You yourself with your set of mind, with your character, your world view and your concept/view of human nature, that underlines your choices. Your highest value for the job is, if all three agree with it. If you only bring in 1 or 2 - you are battling price or allways do not seem "good enough". But if all 3 fit, you can make it. Good success everyone. Really enjoyed this video. Thank you for sharing.
I have all of these 3 but I sometimes get shy at number 2 because I know the answers but I can't get it into words properly. Also I am still far away for an animation job because I am still 12 but I can already understand the basics of animation and the rules of it. I already know how to make animatics but to lack of equipment I can't make it properly :/.
This whole video was really helpful. Gonna be on top of the rewatch list for a while. When you broke down what to aim for with a portfolio, it really gives a nice guide and acts as a call to get to work. I lack many finished pieces for example, but have my own IP for practice like you mentioned. Balancing this out is my top priority. And about having all social media connected, that's something I have a hard time with. I've used my gaming name for things like twitter, youtube, and Twitch for years...but then made separate art accounts on Instagram and Artstation to get away and be more professional. It's probably confusing, but I'm torn since most people already know me as the the gaming version.
This was super helpful! It's kind of scary when you're trying to enter the art industry since it's difficult to know where to start. I will definitely take your words to heart and try these techniques, nice job!
Great tips, but the entire social media thing is much easier said than done - at least for me and I've been using social media for a while now. I'm starting art school (again) this fall so I hope to make some new contacts and I'll keep the advice you brought up in mind, I'm just hoping things to work out better this time around
This is quality content. Thank you for putting this out.
Thank you Jake Parker, I really love your videos. Could you do a video on the animation industry's pipeline and the difference between 2D and 3D animation? I feel like the fact that there are so many different jobs in animation can be confusing for people who want to work in animation, but may not know what position they want to specialize as. I know it starts with fundamentals and that one job can lead to another, but it would be nice to have clear knowledge of all the steps involved.
google is your friend, tons of those vids already exist
I made the suggestion because I think digging deeper into the topic could potentially be helpful for me and others. It seems that 2D isn't always cel animation like it used to be. Computers are now part of the traditional process. Additionally, there are hand-drawn aspects involved with the 3D process from what I gather and some 3D is made to look 2D. The lines just seem blurry to me in some cases. I know other sources for info exists, but would love to hear what Jake Parker says if it's something he decides to cover.
I'm actually going to CTN this November, it'll be my first time. thanks for the advice!
@Jake Parker Thank you so much for the advice ! I love how you even took luck into account and how it's related to showcasing our skills and the importance of making meaningful connections. Many things you mentioned we often take for granted because they seem obvious, but I think its always helpful to keep them in mind! I even took some notes as reminders, just to keep them visible :) thanks for taking the time to share this!
Sorry these are notes for me, you can use them if you want
HOW TO GET A JOB IN ANIMATION
- Ability
- Learn fundamentals, draw well
- Perspective
- Shadows
- Proportion
- Composition
- Color Theory
- How to draw your characters from different angles, and poses
- Understand Anatomy (Human and Animal)
- How to simplify anatomy
- Design Principles and how to design appealing characters, locations, environments
- Apply design theory to plants, buildings, props and vehicles
- Master your crafts, be sure your art can compete with others, your work needs to be at a professional level
- Find a focus
- Character Designer
- Environment Designer
- Storyboard Artist
- Visual Development Artist
- Spend a year building your portfolio
- Study "Art of" books, from the studios you want to work for
- 20~25 pages of art needed for your portfolio
- 9 fully rendered images
- 9 pages of concept exploration
- 2~6 pages of art that can show your range
- Create your own property
(Examples)
- Animals
- Medieval Environment
- Forest Environment
- Buildings
- Human Characters
- Redesign an established property
(Examples)
- Redesign of Pinocchio
- "What if it was a caveman Pinocchio?"
- Redesign the Little Mermaid
- "Flip things, maybe the Little Mermaid is a human who wants to be a mermaid"
- Your portfolio needs to show
- Creativity
- Your ability to work
- Familiarity (Friendships in the Industry)
- Website
- Use your name, yourname.com
- MrJakeParker.com
- Social Media presence
- Use your name
- Share your journey
- Share your personality
- Make a PDF of your portfolio
- Make friends in the industry
- If you live in animation cities, go to meet ups
- Be genuine, don't just be friends for a better chance at landing an animation job
- Follow people in the industry
- Leave genuine and thoughtful comments
- Ask them questions, or for advice
- Contact Studio Recruiters
- Timing (Luck)
- Remember things rarely go according to the timeline you set for yourself
- Be open to chance and serendipity
- Look out for jobs that might help you grow as an artist
- Have a "big picture" mentality
- Use time to your advantage
- Use it to improve your portfolio
- Use it to build friendships
Thank you this was very helpful as a student in animation school.
So glad to have seen this. Did a little math and was able to make a smaller version of the amount of art pieces I'll need to include for my portfolio for college. Thanks!
Thanks Jake alot for this video. Really motivated and it fuels the fire of my future goal in the animation industry.
Hey Jake Parker, thank you very much for this video. A lot of things that you said I already knew in theory, but it's so much better and reassuring when you hear it from someone who's been there. I think the hardest part is going to be when you already feel like you're ready for the job but the luck just isn't coming and you just have to wait. But anyways I have so much time until then and so much to learn. Thank you again, it was very informative and in a weird way inspiring.
I’ve wanted to be an animator since forever my animation teacher in high school said the best way to get into animation is cal arts but with how tough it is to get in (and student debt) I think I’ll just settle for a normal job and drawing on my free time (sucks too because I actually live in LA)
+jakeparker thank you for your advice. not just in this vid but for most of the ones you make. Im grateful to know the direction i should take toward my dream.
I think these strategies and tips is going to open a door for me somewhere, Thank you for sharing 👍
I've been looking for so many videos to talk like a real person and you gave me the tips I really meeded, thank you so very much... I am 27 and it is so hard to start at this point of age but, am set up in my mind towards this goal.
I am constantly looking for advice on breaking into the industry and real tips on building a successful portfolio. This is one of the most informative and helpful videos I've found. Thank you for your advice and for taking the time to make this video!
Thanks a lot Jake you are such an inspiration
Excellent video, man. I've been so busy with freelance work that I haven't really had the time to build my portfolio to send to the big dawgs. Born and raised in LA, attended the Animation Academy in Burbank but, kind of lost touch with everyone since I had kids. I'll make it a goal to attend CTN this year.
Thanks Jake, absolutely great video as per usual, as someone who dropped out of an animation course half way in, this is a great video to show people that University isn't necessary for that line of work.
IM SO EXCITEDD OH MY GAWD CANT WAIT TO PURSUE MY DREAM !!
Thanks Jake, this was such great advice.
Thank you for taking the time to make these videos Jake! Extremely helpful
Thank you for your advice. I’m really glad that you share your tips to get a job! I’m college student in korea and major in business. So sometimes I get scared to challenge for animator. But I really wanna do it! All I have to do now is... learn the basics😂😂 I will do my best!
Really inspiring stuff!! Couldn't have come at a better time! Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Thank you for sharing. There are many dreamers (me included) who needed to hear from you. I really appreciate that you made this video.
Thanks for the great advice Jake! It's super helpful to have any sort of insider advice because one can feel completely aimless while pursuing an animation degree, even though we have an end goal in mind, the road is not always clear. I have a question I've been agonizing over which I have yet to find any answers to, maybe you can help with? If you can do a video on what the different jobs in the animation field actually consist of, like what a visual development artist actually does, what's the work/ work ethic consist of. That would be great because I can't find any solid info on what the various jobs actually consist of, thus it's hard to narrow one's focus while in school.
This is amazing advice for getting any creative work.
questions:
For each page on a portfolio, how many pieces should we showcase? Are you thinking that each page should have multiple examples of animation? I would love to see an example that represents what you're describing.
How does the number of pages reflect on someone who's going for more of a technical/rigging type of job? Is investing a lot of portfolio real estate into showing off illustration skill valuable to them?
This is good information, but the page number is really throwing me off.
Most importantly, how should someone go about continuing to grow while working at other jobs just to survive? Spending an entire year on a portfolio is a daunting task for someone who's recently graduated and needs to put food on the table.
Thanks for putting together such a great video! Lots of great facts and advice.
Thanks for this video. It lays it out in a well-organized fashion. Super helpful!
You'er super awesome and generous as always Jake, thank you so so much.
Thank you Jake for this really informative video, I especially liked the focus on creating contacts and letting people know who you are. Those are some super helpful tips!
Thank you so much for this great advice. I didn't even think of following recruiters on linkedin. I'm planning on moving to Burbank Ca this august to persue a career in animation as a character designer. One of the studios on my list to apply to is Blu sky.
Wow. Thank you for these tips. Im actually going to watch this video every year so I can reflect on what I have done
thank you for this important information!
dude videos are awesome! as always. I was wondering if you could do one about freelance artists and maybe some tactics and things you do to be successful in landing jobs. I am currently trying to decide if I want to go for it. thanks my man.
Very helpful, thanks soooo much!
This is Gold! Thanks brother! Love your channel, totally motivating!
Thanks Jake! I´m about to get my degree and this is really helpful in this stage of my life. In case you don´t know it this videos you and other artist make are really helpful.
Have a great day!
Hey that is really useful. I love your content
Thanks for all the advice Jake!!
Just enjoyed watching this with my oldest daughter, who is very interested in the animation industry and already has a fairly impressive amount of work for a 13-year-old. Really appreciate you doing this video she was glued to it the entire time. Thanks!
I'm 32 years old. I 'm from Switzerland. I did my graduation in 2D animation in 2018. My abilities are very mediocre, I know no one in the animation industry, I couldn't find a job since I got my diploma. Let's be honest. I will never find a job in this industry, right?
I disagree, you should keep working on your skills and try to improve as fast as possible. Maybe start posting your stuff on Instagram or other social media accounts, you can make some contacts on there. Dont give up!
thank you for the really in-depth and insightful words of advice; quality content! ✨✨
Understand that you will be one of thousands. The competition will be tremendous. You will need to be THE best by far of all your classes and of all your peers... because if you can't even be THE best of your small group of peers, then you have no chance of being the best job applicant. If you have a class-mate that is noticeably better than you, then you may want to reconsider your career.
It's like getting into the NBA... but it pays less, and you will most likely work on garbage content, like a forgettable kids show, or a garbage video game. Think about that.
Also, don't be fooled when you see professionals in the industry who aren't as good as you, and say, "If they can get in, then I can get in for sure." Because the fact is, either (1)you are wrong and you aren't better than them, or (2)that artist got in through connections, or (3)that artist is having a hard time keeping work, and is actually failing over time and just got lucky to get published or hired.
That's a good point. That's why I stress getting good before you even think about gunning for a job.
That said, 75% of creative jobs in animation don't involve drawing. You can be a poor drawer, but have a good eye and do great work as a lighter, or a texturer, modeler, or a 3d animator.
I apply all the time for positions and i cant get into the industry
That’s why you need to be creative And see what you really love to do, because I know there it is a lot of competition, but when you are still motivated, inspired, you are still happy with your work and also that some por love what you do, there is when you should consider continue to do what you are working
Thanks Jake! These tips were really helpful, I'm super eager to get out there :)
Thank you very much! I made some good "to do list"s from this video!
Wow really basic and helpful info. Great thoughts! Thanks 👌
Great video, Jake. Really useful to us budding TH-cam artists! Cheers from Canada
Thank you for making this video! This is very helpful information.
"Once they find out you're not awkward in conversation," well damn, I gotta work on my social skills haha! But seriously, though. Helpful video! I'm graduating with a degree in animation next year and definitely have a lot of work to do before I can even think about having the abilities/familiarities to get a solid job in the industry. Your tips are really helpful so that I can work hard through my last year and maybe be a little ahead by the time I'm in the big bad adult world!
Thank you soo much Jake!
Thanks for making this video, Jake! My kids are always asking about what it will take to get to the professional level (other than the "perfect portfolio") and this video provides a great strategy for the path to success (employment).
Thanks so much for the awesome video! Very helpful!
Bouta graduate high school this my last year and I wanna do this very bad
Thank you so much for the information!! It really helped out!
would this apply to stop motion considering it a form of animation that's less predominate as drawn and cgi?
Hey Jake could you make a separate video on running/managing a blog and creating a social media presence?
Don't have much advice on running a blog, but for social media presence you can watch this video: th-cam.com/video/tKw4OYg9RkI/w-d-xo.html
or if you're a subscriber to SVS there's this video: svs.thinkific.com/courses/how-to-get-your-first-10k-followers?ref=16c0be
Great video! I needed to hear this.
This video was super helpful, thanks!!
I really needed this video, Thanks!
I like your eyeshadow!
This was really helpful, thank you!
Thank you for this video!!
Thank you so much.i really enjoyed your talk.i ll do what you said.
Thanks for that hey guys seriously with all the resources out here we're really runni g out of excuses - let's put in the work shot JP great video
My phone just notified me that you posted a video. I ran as fast as I could to my computer, to watch this!
thank you
Thank you a lot for this video !
Rn I’m under 18 and the reasons why I’ve personally gained better artwork than others( so humble ikr) is I’ve shut off my phone like I don’t know why but I just learned more...so yeah. I recommend this for others to get better at animation😃!
One thing I noticed you did not mention was a college degree. Is it not necessary?
Helpful, but not absolutely necessary.
@@jakeparker44 Could I ask for some advice?
I have been trying to to take college animation courses, but it's been difficult as my first college closed down and the one I've transferred to is now cancelling the program. So now if I desire to finish my animation education, I would need to locate a new inexpensive online college that teaches animation, which thus far has been a pain to search for. It must be mentioned that I rarely felt as though I was learning something new, since I am mostly self taught in drawing and animation by way of free online videos and lessons.
*Do you believe it would be better for me to continue going to college to attain a bachelor's in animation?*
*Or should I just dedicate my time to building my portfolio and learning new skills, techniques and programs on my own time?*
*If you have any other ideas, pleas let me know.*
I think this is more for 2d animation right? Not all animation
How hard is it to get a job in the animation industry?
What’s the difference between storyboard and visual development artist?
Hi Jake !
First thank you for your kindess to share your experiences it's pretty usefull and clever. I have a question for the Ability part.
I know that practicing and growing up your skills is just time and patience but I would like to know if you have an idea of the time it could take to build solid Strentgh fundamentals.
Thank you
If you deliberately practiced 6 days a week for a few hours a day I think you could learn your fundamentals in 2-3 years.
Thank you for sharing and thank you for your time :)
most thanks for opening up our eyes for all these facts
I want to make a show for either Netflix or adult swim