Finding Clients as a Freelance Animator - My Strategy
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- I'm writing a business course for Freelance animators. let me know if you're interested: www.animatorgu...
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About the channel:
I am a freelance animator creating educational videos about animation production and creative storytelling. Animatorguild.com is the headquarters of this community, with a forum, online store, courses and more!
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I'm not an animator, I'm an illustrator - but this has been really helpful! Thanks man.
Same! This is so applicable to other fields , really good vid
Be a good animator and have a job KKKkkkk
But your devices is quite good to build online presence , thanks
Whats the difference between animator and illustrator
@@wholesome6969 An animator creates animations - moving images. An illustrator tends to draw still images
How to get clients:
1. Basically be a god in animation yeah you good
haha i don't think it's as simple as that
You could be a god animator, providing a type of animation that no one wants.
If I might be so bold... I don't know many people who want to commission stick animations. You're in a tough market with low demand.
@@HowardWimshurst lol i dont want to commission stick fights, i do them for fun.. im still practicing my fullbody one day maybe ill be good enough to open up, i do agree with making more work to attract people. Instead of fetching or them
@@HowardWimshurst 🗣🗣
How do they find you?
Thanks SO MUCH man! It literally felt like I had an entire list of questions about how to get actual clients jobs as a freelance animator. YOU LITTERALLY ANSWERED ALL OF THEM! No jokes. This video was totally for me, it REALLY hit the mark. Thanks again man.
that's great to hear!
Hey I’m going interested can you post your work?
Im a simple man
I see howards beautiful face in the thumbnail
I click
Yes
speach 100
I've been watching your videos over and over and I'm getting much more better
Ah Howard perfect timing! i asked a similar question in the XPpen Live Q&A! Hope we didn't take too much time lol
it was a pleasure!
Your speech was really encouraging...I am really bad at promoting my work I don't like social media much but this video made me realize how much it's important for an artist to advertise their work. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I can't express how positively your videos have impacted my mindset thus far. I'm not an animator but I am a digital artist and I enjoy finding where your advice overlaps with my own practices. I've already submitted my form on your site and I'm really looking forward to learning more from your videos.
Your cinematography skills have improved SO MUCH
I'm currently at a crossroad between applying for a job or just doing it by myself in freelancing and this video feels inspiring to take the freelance because of the freedom that comes with it.. just perfecting your craft.. Tho marketing sounds tough, and i'm still at an experimental stage about what niche i would want to be in.. What craft I want to make and bring the most out of my skills.. Art is just so broad, we can be so indecisive about it.. Thank you for making this video it's really helpful.
Amazing video as usual. Your channel is the best. Thank you for all these extraordinary videos
You really went all out guerrilla with that thumbnail- Thank you for the video, man!
shut up crek
jk ily
@@Dvddd-vh4dl Okay but, where are the full body animations huuuhh
appreciate this video man as myself an animator i really hope in the future animate as a job
Such a great video Howard!
Mr. Wimshurst you have inspired me time and time i have no current withstanding business to support your page with but with how much you've given out for free i swear to not let it go to waste my every waking moment from now on will be to see a revelation in my art style and finally get into this animation freelance career that i want and that you have passionately explained and advised about thank you so much and i promise some day very soon i will be able to show you some proper GRATITUDE for your efforts best wishes Kevin Mitsuru
That was a great listen, thanks Howard.
Thanks. Going to send this to a Friend 👍🏻
This was very helpful and well spoken. Things are very different as you get older, not just tech and interests but more importantly the mindset of your customers as far as what they would spend money for and how to reach out to them. What worked 10 years ago doesn't work now... different folks. Thanks for the great info! 👏
everything based on the online freelance is true in my case Howard, I've been trying to land a Job there for years and not a single one has worked
Aaw was really looking forward to that business course
It's not finished yet but it will be
This really hit me... Just what I've been thinking about... Then am in the right path... Thanks bro💪
Appreciate the up load and enjoy watching your growth in your business. Great work! 👍
The Dark Design and Storm Design are litt!!!!
Great video, I like the idea of getting hired through demonstrating your work/portfolio, it's so much better than having to sell yourself in an interview.
The goal of a cold call is not getting a job immediately it's more about getting the first contact and the chance they think about you when a project is coming
Very helpful thank you! Really learnt something
Daaang you're just spoiling us with videos aren't you? 👀
I want to learn EVERYTHING!
I can't wait for the business course.
Omg dude this is SO true. In every field of freelancing or service provider!
this is smart advice. It seems like you have thought a lot about this and it is nice of you to share what you've learned, Thank you.
Thank you man ! So helpful. I want to get into animation and also want to go into entrepreneurship, business and connection people. I am looking forward to your course:)
Hey Howard!
First of all, I love your content and I really appreciate everything that you do for the creative community!
All of those vids helped me so many times already and I thank you for that!
I do have a question about The niche tho...
What would you recommend doing to the person, who loves doing a lot of things and consider themself as a multidisciplinary?
4:14 lol Nice spin XD
This video popped up at just the right time for me. Thanks man!
Glad I could help!
Really good advice about documenting the process. A band recently commissioned me for my first music video ($500) and I'm definitely gonna screen record the process and make a youtube video. You also woke me up to the fact that bands don't have much money to spend on music videos. So I think a better option, and less demanding, would be to focus on album cover design instead. Not to mention I can pump out a sick album cover in less than a couple hours and charge $100 or even $80 which is way more palattable for the band than dropping 3-5k on a video. Also, to any artists out there that knows their art is worthy of selling, imagine if you just made one video a day everyday for a year, your videos would start to rank higher and higher (assuming you know how to do SEO), and eventually you'll have so many leads coming in that you can raise your prices and make BANK. It's about consistency.
Thanks for the help
I like your art style.
You almost puked when you said "upwork" 😂
Nice work my friend 👌
How do you find time to animate demo videos if a temp day job takes your daytime energy...my most productive time!
Wow, it was so helpful, thank you so much!
Waiting for the next part 👍
Should I pursue animation? I only practiced animation casually for a month or two back in 8th grade, watching tutorials and getting a feel for it but I eventually called it quits after realizing that its pretty hard to get by financially as well as the competition and not much demand. Now im in 12th grade and on science or math focused track, I feel like I may be able to pull it off but I dont feel like I'd be happy on my current track but its also kind of like a waste to pursue a risky career as a free lance animator when I only do art stuff casually and solely driven by interest. And theres also the low oppurtunities from where I live which is I think considered a third world country. Any advice like should I be able to do animation like a side gig or something because I feel like I wont be able to get far with animation but theres something about it that makes me want to pursue it.
Ive actually had a great experience with fiverr - but I also have a pretty niche style, at low budget. Fiverr and these sites do take 20 percent though, so be cautious in how you accept clients (and dont ;) tell them to contact you elsewhere!)
That helped me start getting my first music video comissions for 1-3k - and I took second jobs to help me survive. Ive also turned down a ton of work
Notice your skills and figure out how to market it/learn in a way so fundamental to your indiviuality that allows you to grow fundamental skills AND develop a style
I believe in us all, good lucl!
Appreciate this mate😃
Hello sir! I may not have seen or heard what software you used on your animations, but may i ask a question?
What animating software did you use?
Do you have any recommendations?
As a beginner myself, do i need to attend an animation school or something?
I hope im not asking too much and wasting your time, i hope you are having a good day! Stay safe! (Also just wanna let you know that you are one of my most inspirations! :'D )
Thanks for the advice :)
Can you react to fan animators and you can tell us about the mistake?
Ur amazing as always 👍❤
me being here as hobbyist but actually watch this expecting maybe this could be useful to me in te future.
Great advice
Would you recommend taking the business course even though I wanna be an illustrator or just... picture maker? uhh Traditional painting, commissioning artist??
Yes definitely. Most of the principles apply to both, and the others you can adapt to work for illustration / painting.
Great talk👍👍👍
I can tell you teacher i love you thanks allot❤️❤️
so obvious but very right
Thank you. You are so right! I just want create! Where do you post to attract?
Right here
But how do the customers usually find you rather than you could calling? And where do they hang out? @@HowardWimshurst
I know a specific niche I'm targeting.. you only use TH-cam to advertise? And how? Just creating a story about your process? Do you have an example video on how you advertise your animation?
Thx for this vid
Incrível 👋
Bro you are a chad
Nice 👍👍👌👌
So the first tips were really useful, but if you want to make it as a freelancer, especially at the beginning, the 4th advice would ruin of chances of succeeding. This strategy only works if you are really known in your community and have a very big reputation, or if you pay for advertising. But I would not advise any new freelancer to depend on clients reaching out to them, you will stay months on end without any work. Reaching out to clients is the most important thing that a freelancer should be doing. As an artist, of course you would want to work at your craft every single moment, and that would be ideal, but Freelancers are solopreneurs, unfortunately, they have to "waste" some time with emails and chasing leads.
It is my conviction that the 4th sets you up for future success and helps you make a much better life for yourself in the long run - IF you are able to hold out long enough to make it work. I know it's a big paradigm shift for a lot of people, and not everyone will believe me. Or they will make excuses like "you got lucky, that's why it worked for you"
What you are describing is akin to treading water. You won't grow from continuously doing that. You're not building for your future, you're just surviving for right now. It's miserable.
Because of the nature of human psychology + probability, there is only a tiny chance that each person you cold-email is WANTING an animator of your skillsets at the exact time of you contacting them.
>1% chance when you contact them
vs 100% chance of interest when they contact you
Therefore you have to send a lot of emails. And when you finally DO get through to someone, the negotiation dynamic is not in your favor - after all, YOU are the one who asked THEM for a job. Not the other way around.
You said the method only works if you have a big reputation - how do you think one gets a big reputation? - By making cool stuff and sharing it online. Not by cold emailing people who were never interested in the first place. Not by paying for advertisements (which only makes the viewer HATE you for getting in the way of their search results, or the video they're trying to watch). People are repulsed by needy behaviour. People want to chase, not be chased.
Time you spend contacting prospects is time you could be spending animating, improving your craft, establishing yourself on soc media, and search engine optimising. My method sacrifices the tiny early instant-gratification paychecks for the long term brand equity, deep expertise and negotiation leverage.
I stand by my method.
can you do something like this video in which you explain
how deals work
i mean contracts and stuff
and how to make yourself safe that you are getting paid for this ....
Hey Howard can your next video be how to sell your animation videos online
these lessons pretty much apply to all contracting. A bricklayer could watch this and learn from it.
absolutely
Hey how's it going one question should I consider becoming a freelance animator I don't really like to sleep at night is my that's kind of why I would rather stay up all night animated and sleep on my own time? Then does that make it a good idea to not start my own company my own animation company. To become a professional animator?
how to find what is our drawing style?
coz i suffer with it a lot. it's like for me seeing a piece of art and want to make something related to it regardless of the art style i just draw it.
let it be drawing in anime style or drawing negatives or cartoons or doodles or abstract
they all take me same effort to do
I have a question about the animator Guild contest. Am I allowed to upload my animation to my website early?
What drawing style do you use I want to get into animation but can’t draw at all and I’m just trying to learn
i know this has nothing to do with this video, but i wanted to ask you if you could make animation brakedown/reaction of my hero academia heroes rising end fight. i felt like that was the best animation i have ever seen and i wanna hear your opinion on it to if you could plz...
How do i reach you ?
He himself said to spam so I’m trying
If there's a Facebook post looking for animators and you emailed them to apply, is that chasing a client?
..yeah it is in my view
I was planning to go to japan to study animation. I don't know what to do after that. Please!!!!Help me Howard.
I'm not Howard but: during and after you study in Japan, you should be making pieces that can be out on your portfolio, posting on social media, documenting what you're learning and what you're making (following his tips basically), then depending on your goals, using the portfolio to apply for jobs, or working on the freelance side
Howard could you react to the animation of primal?
I want to have your mask please it suits your blue eyes
does anyone know how i can take part in monthly animation challenge, i wanna try it but i can't find :(
that was fast
So dont be a character animator that does both explainer videos and tv commercials?
17:00
@Howard Wimshurst Thank you, for your hard work and precious time you invest in making these videos.
It's really helpful for people like me and a lotta others who need genuine guidelines and help.
Thanks again.
Hope you are staying safe during these times.
God bless you.
✨
You should review violet evergarden animation. You won’t regret it
welp i cant wait for 1 yr so i can join ur business....im 15
Hi Howard, I'm from Brazil and I would like to know how do I make a budget for your work? Can I talk to you on Whatsapp?
Please react to the animation by Alan Becker, its awesome.
you would never chase again - so you already did?
yes i did and it got me nowhere
@@HowardWimshurst thank youw for answering!
are you a freelance animator?
yes
You Animators need a degree for Freelancing?
You need to be able to make good work, reliably.
cute😃
i draw character idk if i call my self character designer bec i do also color study on photoshop...
and yeah its a thin chance to get hired .....
bro, only 790 likes, get outa here
Works for women too if u want a girl don't chase her 💯
yeah,and if she comes over to you, just tell her to fuckoff
First
perhaps
Lol
@@jakeperhaps8336 ur yt name is perhaps
@@blazeanimationz9477 perhaps
@@jakeperhaps8336 lol
Why u use a mask in ur thumbnail?...
Hes advertising the new Animators Guild masks
@@ether2006 well, I can't see, why others can't see, how this plandemic mask bs is the new old fascism...so I'm rly,well something between brainfucked and ach whatever...and everyone everywhere every time plays along to get along...
@@timursultanov4564 BRUH