- Draw! If you think animation instruction is just learning software, you won’t get very far. Life drawing is the basis that all our technique comes from. When considering whom to hire from a pool of candidates, studios still usually go for the strongest artist. Very few of us are born with all those skills. We must work at it and build it up. Life drawing from the model, anatomy, etc. Go to the zoo and draw animals. When studios look at portfolios, they know your polished work may have used preexisting rigs, AI or hired hands to help. So, they look at the life drawing to see what a candidate can really do.
2. Make friends. The friends you make in animation class now will probably be your friends when you are old and gray. Companies will rise and fall, but these friends will always be there for you. Why? Because you shared the common experience of making a career out of animation. You know each other’s strengths and trust one another. Animation is a very social business; a lot of personal relationships. You are going to get more jobs from friends than applying through the front door or getting an agent. In the beginning George Lucas and John Lasseter hired their old schoolmates to help them.
3. Broaden your horizons. The common refrain I hear from many of my former students is, “I wish I had taken advantage of some other classes when I was there.” While in school, take some courses outside your comfort zone. Many great animation art directors and layout artists studied theater arts. Photography courses help you with your frame composition for storyboards. Sculpture helps you think of your characters in 3D space. Take courses in live-action direction, cinematography screenwriting, editing, illustration.
4. Don’t forget acting classes. Take a class in mime, in improv, etc. The art of animation is not just relying on a clever script or a well-delivered speech from a movie star. Good animators are actors. We used to say we are actors with a pencil. Now it’s with a stylus. Does your character stand on the balls of his feet or on his heels? Elbows out or elbows in? It’s not just about creating movement to the dialogue. Milt Kahl called his scenes a performance.
5. Experiment. School is your time to try things out. How good are you at stop motion? How about 3D rigging? Better to find out if you are good or bad at something now in school than out in the real world. I had a friend who went into college wanting to be a character animator and came out an effects animator. He retired a vfx supervisor on major movies.
6. Do at least one film project all by yourself. Even if you already decided you want to be a concept artist or storyboard artist when you graduate, do a project where you complete all the tasks, from concept to final mix. It will give you an understanding of the challenges and difficulties of each job. Have you ever tried 3D modeling and rigging? I have. It’s not the kind of thing I prefer to do. But at least I understand it now. And when my modeler comes to me to explain why something isn’t ready yet, I can understand why. When I did my own college film, I was surprised at how many additional things I had to do even after the last frame was drawn and colored. Ralph Eggleston (1965-2022), who was the top art director-color stylist at Pixar, could write, direct and animate as well. He created his own short, For the Birds, while art directing other projects. It won an Oscar.
8. Stay on top of the newest technology. Most students today are further along on this than their teachers.
9. Focus on your class work. It’s OK to start to freelance while finishing school, but don’t let it interfere with your studies. There will be plenty of time to get jobs. But you only go for a degree once (usually). I know professionals 30 years later who regret they didn’t finish and get their degree. One day you might want to teach, and many big universities won’t even consider a candidate without a graduate degree. I never considered teaching when I graduated 48 years ago. I just wanted to be an animator. Today, I am a full professor with tenure at a major university. Never say never.
10. Take advantage of your schools’ placement services. Many studios have student internship programs. The studios go to the big schools first before taking someone off the street. A summer job at a studio is a great way to get your foot in the door. You gain practical experience and start to make contacts among the professional community.
Tom Sito is an animation veteran, historian and professor at USC. His numerous animation credits include Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Little Mermaid, Shrek, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Prince of Egypt and The Lion King.
