Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Merry Christmas Folks!!!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
State of the industry: Is working for “FREE” worth it?
This was a great post that CEO and Founder, Bobby Beck of Animation Mentor had on his blog. As a struggling animator looking for his chance I found this very resourceful. There are definitely studios taking advantage of artists who are just trying to get there start. Most artists are not 19 year old teens who have the flexibility of taking on a free gig. In my case I have a wife and a home to take care of so free is not an option (I have a cat too). Thanks Bobby for posting this and letting folks know to take pride in their work and not to settle.
Returning home from Siggraph this year I had a major concern on my mind and I wanted to expose this concern as well as offer up some potential food for thought. I had an opportunity to talk to just about every major studio and a lot of mid-sized studios during the week of Siggraph.
My main concern is that artists are being taken advantage of!
I understand that the global economy has been in the dumps by-and-large and that job seekers are willing to jump at any opportunity due to these precarious times for fear that there may not be jobs available. Although I do not feel that the market is saturated I do feel the result from this thinking is that some studios are taking advantage of the economic hype which is resulting in artists taking less money, covering 100% of their relocation costs or worse, working for free.
One issue I want to raise here is that the entertainment industry is doing exceptionally well despite the overall state of the economy. This article shows trends from 1995 – current 2010 in movie ticket sales and things look great! We all know how well Toy Story 3, How to Train your Dragon and Despicable Me have been doing and there is a lot of buzz in Hollywood that animated films are saving the entertainment industry. This article notes a dip in video game sales in July but reports confident signs of sharp recovery.
I had one mid-sized studio tell me recently that they have more money than they know what to do with, yet have decided to have new employees pay for 100% of their own relocation costs and take lower wages than were previously offered because they can do it and people are willing to go for it.
In addition to this, I can't tell you how many emails I get from "new studios" that have ”a great idea to have our students and alumni work for free on their project in exchange for gaining valuable work experience."
I don't know about you, but I find this absolutely absurd and do not support it in any way. Students pay a lot of money to learn their craft and they should be compensated for the skills they have gained.
It is clear that some studios are taking advantage of the "state of the economy," and what is most alarming is that job seekers are unknowingly adding fuel to the fire by taking jobs that pay sub-standard or do not pay at all.
There's no doubt that the world has become smaller and more accessible through the internet. Outsourcing and remote working is common place in most every industry. With this change in global workforce it is inevitable that there will be these kinds of changes in the way people do business. However, as we navigate through the evolution of these times it is important that companies see the importance of ethics in business. Just because we can, doesn't mean we should. There is a happy medium that needs to be found.
I'm proud to see some of the big boys operating from a place of valuing their artists first. I hope they continue to lead the way as an example for up-and-coming and mid-sized studios.
As far as artists go; I urge you not to work for free. In doing so you are encouraging a downward spiral of diminished returns for yourself and future generations of artists paving the way for much lower wages.
If a lot of inexperienced entry level artists are working for free on a given project, the quality of that project is going to suffer in the end. When it comes time to shop around your demo reel, the very slight benefit of this free "experience" will be far outweighed by the low-quality work on the demo reel, or the poor reputation of the project within the industry.
If you have the skills you will get a job. You may need to be patient, but the jobs are there. The world is large and the opportunities are vast and wide. Just as the global evolution of business is happening, so too are your opportunities. Industry jobs are no longer just in California and New York. There is a whole world of opportunity out there and you will need to be flexible in where the opportunities take you; especially in the early years of your career. Perhaps they will be in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, England, Spain, India, South Africa or in the comfort of your home office.
Some may ask, "Isn’t it better to at least work for free so that I can get some experience?" I personally believe that it would better serve an entry level artist to work on their own project, or with a few friends, helping to shape their own voice and storytelling abilities. In doing so they ARE gaining experience and it will show in the quality of their work.
My advice to you is that no matter what you do or where you work, to make the best judgment for your situation and I encourage you to not be taken advantage of, ever! You're worth more than that.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this subject.
Returning home from Siggraph this year I had a major concern on my mind and I wanted to expose this concern as well as offer up some potential food for thought. I had an opportunity to talk to just about every major studio and a lot of mid-sized studios during the week of Siggraph.
My main concern is that artists are being taken advantage of!
I understand that the global economy has been in the dumps by-and-large and that job seekers are willing to jump at any opportunity due to these precarious times for fear that there may not be jobs available. Although I do not feel that the market is saturated I do feel the result from this thinking is that some studios are taking advantage of the economic hype which is resulting in artists taking less money, covering 100% of their relocation costs or worse, working for free.
One issue I want to raise here is that the entertainment industry is doing exceptionally well despite the overall state of the economy. This article shows trends from 1995 – current 2010 in movie ticket sales and things look great! We all know how well Toy Story 3, How to Train your Dragon and Despicable Me have been doing and there is a lot of buzz in Hollywood that animated films are saving the entertainment industry. This article notes a dip in video game sales in July but reports confident signs of sharp recovery.
I had one mid-sized studio tell me recently that they have more money than they know what to do with, yet have decided to have new employees pay for 100% of their own relocation costs and take lower wages than were previously offered because they can do it and people are willing to go for it.
In addition to this, I can't tell you how many emails I get from "new studios" that have ”a great idea to have our students and alumni work for free on their project in exchange for gaining valuable work experience."
I don't know about you, but I find this absolutely absurd and do not support it in any way. Students pay a lot of money to learn their craft and they should be compensated for the skills they have gained.
It is clear that some studios are taking advantage of the "state of the economy," and what is most alarming is that job seekers are unknowingly adding fuel to the fire by taking jobs that pay sub-standard or do not pay at all.
There's no doubt that the world has become smaller and more accessible through the internet. Outsourcing and remote working is common place in most every industry. With this change in global workforce it is inevitable that there will be these kinds of changes in the way people do business. However, as we navigate through the evolution of these times it is important that companies see the importance of ethics in business. Just because we can, doesn't mean we should. There is a happy medium that needs to be found.
I'm proud to see some of the big boys operating from a place of valuing their artists first. I hope they continue to lead the way as an example for up-and-coming and mid-sized studios.
As far as artists go; I urge you not to work for free. In doing so you are encouraging a downward spiral of diminished returns for yourself and future generations of artists paving the way for much lower wages.
If a lot of inexperienced entry level artists are working for free on a given project, the quality of that project is going to suffer in the end. When it comes time to shop around your demo reel, the very slight benefit of this free "experience" will be far outweighed by the low-quality work on the demo reel, or the poor reputation of the project within the industry.
If you have the skills you will get a job. You may need to be patient, but the jobs are there. The world is large and the opportunities are vast and wide. Just as the global evolution of business is happening, so too are your opportunities. Industry jobs are no longer just in California and New York. There is a whole world of opportunity out there and you will need to be flexible in where the opportunities take you; especially in the early years of your career. Perhaps they will be in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, England, Spain, India, South Africa or in the comfort of your home office.
Some may ask, "Isn’t it better to at least work for free so that I can get some experience?" I personally believe that it would better serve an entry level artist to work on their own project, or with a few friends, helping to shape their own voice and storytelling abilities. In doing so they ARE gaining experience and it will show in the quality of their work.
My advice to you is that no matter what you do or where you work, to make the best judgment for your situation and I encourage you to not be taken advantage of, ever! You're worth more than that.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this subject.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Looney Toons Strike back
I was hoping they would come up with a short that pays homage to the classic Warner brothers characters. I think they did an amazing job with this.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Becoming an Animator
My fiancee found this somewhere online today. Great piece of info for anyone interested in the field.
Animation is a tough business to break into. Your skills have to be very strong. It's very competitive.
If you want to get into Disney Features, you stand a better chance if they know that you are willing to relocate to Florida or France. Disney is a very big company. Lots of corporate layers. It takes them a long time to make a decision or to move things along. They get inundated with portfolios from all over the world, as I'm sure you can well imagine. You have to have patience when you are dealing with them.
Specialize in an aspect of production where a demand exists. There are opportunities in pre-production design for TV animation. Character designers, background designers, character layout, etc. Always a demand for good storyboard artists. Some background painters are having a tough time of it right now.
Strive to be a great artist first. Become fundamentally strong. If you want to get into animation, keep in mind that you are competing against some of the best artists in the world. The major studios don't have training programs per se. If they do, I'm not aware of it. Most abandoned them years ago. Although there's some lead time to adjust to the situation, they want artists who can hit the ground running.
A degree is helpful, but not important. Your portfolio and/or demo reel is your degree.
Animation is hard work. Long hours, sometimes impossible deadlines. Professional satisfaction can be affected by the project one is working on. Working conditions vary. Dreamworks offers free meals. Some studios are nice, others are cramped. It all depends.
Union benefits are good, but a high level of dis-satisfaction with leadership exists. Salaries can vary, but jobs generally pay well. Employment stability depends on who's buying what from whom, the budget, the degree of idiocy of a studio's management, how much is going to Canada or Korea, etc.
Takes a great deal of dedication and focused effort, especially in the present environment. Be prepared for rejection. Perseverance will pay off if you really want to do this for a living. You have to have a great love of the art. Otherwise, find something else to do.
Animation is a tough business to break into. Your skills have to be very strong. It's very competitive.
If you want to get into Disney Features, you stand a better chance if they know that you are willing to relocate to Florida or France. Disney is a very big company. Lots of corporate layers. It takes them a long time to make a decision or to move things along. They get inundated with portfolios from all over the world, as I'm sure you can well imagine. You have to have patience when you are dealing with them.
Specialize in an aspect of production where a demand exists. There are opportunities in pre-production design for TV animation. Character designers, background designers, character layout, etc. Always a demand for good storyboard artists. Some background painters are having a tough time of it right now.
Strive to be a great artist first. Become fundamentally strong. If you want to get into animation, keep in mind that you are competing against some of the best artists in the world. The major studios don't have training programs per se. If they do, I'm not aware of it. Most abandoned them years ago. Although there's some lead time to adjust to the situation, they want artists who can hit the ground running.
A degree is helpful, but not important. Your portfolio and/or demo reel is your degree.
Animation is hard work. Long hours, sometimes impossible deadlines. Professional satisfaction can be affected by the project one is working on. Working conditions vary. Dreamworks offers free meals. Some studios are nice, others are cramped. It all depends.
Union benefits are good, but a high level of dis-satisfaction with leadership exists. Salaries can vary, but jobs generally pay well. Employment stability depends on who's buying what from whom, the budget, the degree of idiocy of a studio's management, how much is going to Canada or Korea, etc.
Takes a great deal of dedication and focused effort, especially in the present environment. Be prepared for rejection. Perseverance will pay off if you really want to do this for a living. You have to have a great love of the art. Otherwise, find something else to do.
What Drives You?
I was asked in a evaluation form what sets me apart from other animators. I had to think about that for a while because I didn't want something forced. It needed to be sincere.
Attending schools in the projects in New York City and coming from an under-privileged household have given me a great drive. It is that drive that has led me to where I am today, and has instilled in me a determination to continue to grow as an artist and an eagerness to learn new things. My artwork has been an outlet for me during challenging times in my life and I believe that has caused me to have a greater appreciation for the work that I do and for the artists that I surround myself with.
Attending schools in the projects in New York City and coming from an under-privileged household have given me a great drive. It is that drive that has led me to where I am today, and has instilled in me a determination to continue to grow as an artist and an eagerness to learn new things. My artwork has been an outlet for me during challenging times in my life and I believe that has caused me to have a greater appreciation for the work that I do and for the artists that I surround myself with.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
New website
I've got a new site and am pretty excited. I'll be able to not only load my blog with tons of animated and illustrated goodies, but I will have my own lil inter web to dump stuff to as well. Hope you likes.
www.doriansoto.com
www.doriansoto.com
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