Why I Want To Become An Animator
When I was little I loved watching a lot of Pokemon and
Digimon and tried to draw a lot of my favourite characters, even though they
looked nothing like they on tv- then again I was only little and I started to
hate art from there. This carried on until around Year 5 when I started taking
art seriously because I was able to draw dolphins that were recognizable and
from their I got a little creative and started practising different animals as
well TMNT characters.
In secondary school I finally found out what anime and manga
was and delved into Fruits Baskets and Beyblade fanfictions on Fanfiction.Net
and the thought of being a manga artist suddenly exploded in my mind. Whatever
spare time I had left after my chores and homework I would continuously draw
until early morning….or when I decided to sleep for that matter. Before long I started trying to create a manga
known as Secret Guardians instantly showing it to my art teacher, explaining
that I wanted to be a manga artist even though they greatest piece of art I had
then, looks so uncontrollably crap it’s hilarious even for me. My art teacher
questioned why I wanted to pursue this career and I remember saying I can’t
stop drawing, it’s become such a passion I can’t let it go. She then told me to
try animation and after teaching myself how to use an old version of Serif I
became hooked and once again another door opened to a new beginning.
Since year 8 I taught myself without any help how to animate
using Serif as my primary animation program to high-tech ones like Adobe
Photoshop 6 to now where I use CS5 Photoshop. Each frame would be hand-drawn
again using an onion layer, rendered and then placed in Windows Movie
Maker/Sony Vegas Pro for the motion fluently. As time passed my drawings became
clearer and soon I started finding shortcuts and different effects on Adobe to
least make my work presentable. Even though I did mini animation tests, my
first animated ‘story’ was for a Year 9 RE project called: Stop Killing Endangered Animals and Close Illegal Dog Fights.
Why Did I Choose This Role?
Since I was told to have a go at animation I fell in love
with it instantly and in the past I’ve tried to animate another one of my
stories: Elemental Wolves. Now I’m just back to practising Photoshop techniques
and motion cycles~ especially horses due to their front legs moving like
humans, whilst their back legs move like an ostrich when walking. Sometimes I
will video record some of my pets to try and break down their movement cycles.
What Appeals To You?
It would be the continuous drawing, breaking down the
cycles, maybe having a tantrum because I don’t know a paw or a leg isn’t moving
correctly and your laptop breaks down. Then when it’s all finished you can
watch your work in happy tears knowing full well what you’ve achieved and what
you can do with a little more practise. I really want to become a famous
animator regardless whether it’s CGI or 2D (rather do 2D though) and work with
Hayao Miyazki in Studio Ghibli, Japan. Otherwise work for anime producers like
Tokoyo Pop and such. My personal favourite for animating would be a wolf
because they seem like one of the most easiest things to actually breathe life
into and when you get the hang of drawing them, they are one of the stress-free
things to draw on to your computer without having to scan work in.
Another thing would be making the scenes and movements
become really realistic as though you’ve taken your mind, and displayed it on
the computer before you for the whole world to see. When I animate, draw or
even write as I am now music makes up a lot of my imagination where during a
song I can see my characters interact- weird I know. One major downside would
be it’s a very popular job among artists and even gamers so it can be really
competitive and you’re not given a secured job.
What Skills Will You Need?
Personally I feel it depends on the animation job, like for
gaming people there must be knowledge in 3D modelling using programs like Maya
or 3D Max for CGI work whereas with a Studio Ghibli film it would be mainly 2D
and hand drawn apart from some exceptions. I think for an overall animator that
can do both CGI and 2D they must have:
·
Knowledge in high-tech animation programs
(Autodesk Maya, maybe Photoshop?)
·
Be able to break down motion cycles
·
Have a good understanding in physics- 24 frames
equal to one second
·
Be prepared to indulge in a lot of stress, over-hours
and impending deadlines
·
Take criticism into consideration to improve
·
Have some art knowledge at least or be an artist
in a similar media other than digital
·
It must be a passion and something that you know
you want to pursue
·
Work hard and extra
·
Be able to have technological knowledge and work
a drawing tablet
·
Bilingual~ learn Japanese for definite
Animation Job Advertisements
‘Studio Ghibli is
hiring in the areas of animation, background art, and finishing (digital
painting). Gender, school education, experience and nationality are not
considered, but it is necessary to have strong Japanese language skills to
communicate with the staff.The announced starting salary is 167,000 yen (US
$1,401.13) per month plus travel expenses for a nine-month training period
beginning in April 2004 and work hours from 10am to 6pm with overtime and
holidays.Applications close September 8th, 2003, for animation and ten days
later for background and finishing. Further details, in Japanese, are available
here.
~ Studio Ghlibi
job offers (Accessed from http://forums.cgsociety.org/archive/index.php/t-78887.html)
Cycles
Animator-REDWOOD CITY
‘Responsible for
creating loop-able motion segments for secondary characters. Takes verbal and
written notes and turns them into high-quality character animation while
simultaneously working within the technical confines of cycle animation. Animates
believable motion mechanics, timing, emotions, and performance from scratch. Adds
to animation that comes out of a simulation engine to achieve a performance
that is more faithful to the directors vision. Works closely with Head of
Crowds, Head of Character Animation, Crowd shot artists, and Crowd developers. Attends
sequence breakdowns, crowds dailies, and reel reviews and may also participate
in motion-capture sessions.
Qualifications
"Must have an
excellent artistic eye. Must have ability to animate believable motion
mechanics, timing, emotions, and performance. Must be able to fulfill
production quotas for blocking and final passes. Must be able to learn and
effectively use proprietary tools and pipeline. Prior cycle animation
experience is desirable. Experience with Linux, Motion Builder, Maya,
motion-capture data processing, and Rigging is desirable. Understanding of
appropriate range of motion for a high-volume of instances is desirable. Understanding
of basic principles of procedural animation and other ways that the cycle will
be used in the crowd simulation is desirable. Understanding of the technical
limitations in regards to the character rigs or the method of animation
required to turn out usable data in the simulation software is desirable.’
~Dream Works
(Accessed from http://careers.dreamworksanimation.com/jobs_detail.php?id=13074&location=&semester=)
Walt Disney
Animation Studios is hiring CG animators!
‘The Animation
Department at Walt Disney Animation Studios is expanding the team in Burbank,
CA! If you create character animation of
the highest caliber and demonstrate exceptional understanding of weight,
locomotion, anatomy, dialog, acting, appeal, and entertainment, take a look at
our studio. Tangled, Wreck-it Ralph, and
our next film, Frozen, pursue excellence in animation performance. If you’ve been on the fence, wondering if
the time is right to try something new, challenging, and rewarding, the time is
now. Come see what we’re all about and decide for yourself.
Responsibilities
•Create vivid and
compelling character performances that make millions of people laugh, cry,
tremble in fear, and cheer in victory
•Work closely with the
film’s Director, Animation Supervisor, and Supervising Animators to establish
the style of movement and personality for the characters in the film
•Animate shots in a
professional and timely manner
Requirements
•Bachelors degree or
equivalent experience in Animation, Art, Fine Art, Illustration, Film, Computer
Graphics, or related field
•Experience on 3-5 CG
feature film productions
•Superior acting and
staging skills
•Ability to tastefully
exaggerate actions and emotions
•Strong understanding
of anatomy, perspective, and composition
•Ability to solve
problems of weight, balance, and movement
•Proficiency with the
principles of animation and the dynamics of animals and human figures in action
•Work should emphasize
storytelling and the ability to define character personality along with
fluid/organic movement
The Walt Disney
Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer.’
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