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Been thinking a lot about the future in terms of my life in animation.
What do other animation people think about their’s?
Are you just dipping in for a taste until you’re over it? Or, do you have this vision of staying in for the long haul? Do you have a backup plan?
Been thinking a lot about the future in terms of my life in animation.
What do other animation people think about their’s?
Are you just dipping in for a taste until you’re over it? Or, do you have this vision of staying in for the long haul? Do you have a backup plan?
Viewing this from a lens of working in a “big” studio I see those who directly & passionately strive to work in animation, and I see those sort of pulled into it because others have wanted them to. Others do it because it can be a steady way to make decent money off art.
I think with the rise of the internet and social media, the exposure to these jobs and resources are greater than ever before, and therefore the desire to work in it. More and more people than ever clamor to “work in animation”. That’s fine!
But the industry is still not that big. Shows and movies start and end and those people that worked on finished or paused projects probably for the most part plan to try to find more work in the industry.
But there are the many new hopefuls. I do agree we can always use new voices, and I’m glad there’s the push to bring in diverse talent, but it’s where these two groups, the new and the old, clash that I think about. How long can you be deemed useful and compete in this industry?
Studios often look for exciting, fresh talent, and often with the added bonus that they can pay them less. The older you get and more experience you acquire, often makes you more expensive. That or you’re forced to compromise with pay cuts to compete with younger, cheaper talent.
I’ve also seen people complain that the same people keep working on all these new shows, and why shouldn’t they? They are working and trying to live, trying to maintain a career. Just because they worked on one thing doesn’t mean they should go away when it’s done.
And yes, people do leave & make way for new talent. Some people lose interest. Some people get burnt out which is another problem in itself. W/ ever-tightening schedules and condensing of roles, animation can really take its toll on you, even if it looks fun from the outside.
Thinking back about those that entered animation because, again, someone saw their (not directly related) work and pulled them in. I often envy those people, it feels like they have an advantage coming from a different venue, that maybe they can go back to when they’re “done”.
Of course right now the industry is “booming” (ignoring the recent Blue Sky news) as it’s one of the only entertainment forms that can carry on relatively unhindered by the pandemic. Many new projects are popping up, it’s nice. But with booms there eventually come busts...
These are just some thoughts I’ve had. I am very lucky and grateful to work in a “dream job” but I also need to be realistic and recognize that this is a creative and competitive industry. It’s not really a career with job security, and that’s an ever-looming, stressful concept.
I would love to work in animation for the rest of my life. But if I can’t for whatever reason, I need to think about that, too.
/End of thread? These were literal shower thoughts, haha.
/End of thread? These were literal shower thoughts, haha.
