written by: Kellie-Bea Cooper © 2001

The weather report rumors that are flying around the industry’s job market seem as blatant yet misleading as an ambiguous big effects Hollywood Movie Title. Rumors like: “Drought”, “Fair Skies”, “High Noon”, “Armageddon”, “Exodus”, “the Wrath”, “Explosion”, “Flood”, “Freeze”… Well, you get the idea.

The problem with rumors is how do you know what’s real and what’s fabricated here-say. Well the best way is to ask! Ah, easier said then done, right. Now, since I know quite a number of folks in the industry and you may not, I’ll just go ahead and do the asking for you.

As I went off to pick the brains of my industry pals, I took a good glance at the playing market out there. Though many think of animation as only a feature film art form, it actually covers a huge range of arenas. As I go I will try to touch on as many as possible. Outside this, it’s up to you to do your own legwork too.

With this open call to animation I began my research, the first person I hit was Tom Sito,

“Several top Disney animators proposed holding a "This-Business-Sucks" Party.”
- Co-Director on Warner Bros. newest feature animated film, Osmosis Jones plus he is the President of the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonist Union.

Though this party may be a rumor, the feelings behind it are factual. Being in Feature, many of the studios have been downsizing substantially and re-strategizing internally. This has hit industry wide from Disney’s 40% (or so) cuts across its entire animation empire, to the closure of many small subcontracting “Mom and Pop” feature overflow and specialty animation studios. Get ready for an umbrella!

A number of people think these major cut backs are just a scare:

“The studios know they’ve got us by the B&%$@, so their using their business muscles to merely reduce our pay and cattle up back into our cubicles and work like good little employees. They’ll take us back soon.”
-7 year assistant animator Markus Mendlewheat explains after being let go 3 weeks ago from his studio post. Worked on many Anime properties

Others think it’s a sign of the times:

“I knew this would happen eventually. Animation production takes just so darn long to make, with so many people, it’s gotta make the ‘suits upstairs’ really consider what and how monies are spent. I think being chosen or even staying in Feature today will be one of the hardest goals for artists.”
-Briar Mitchell, Digital and Traditional Background painter for both Feature Animation, Feature Live-Action, TV and game animation. Worked on Quest of Camelot, Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries, and more.

There are many others that agree and have seen that the pay scale today is making gray cloudy skies:

“The salaries are much too high, which stemmed from a few years back when there were many projects, but fewer animators, which created competition among the animation studios and drove salaries up. Schools increased their training of animators and new schools were established to train too. Now, there is a glut of animators.”
-Hope Parker, recently Director of Administration & Operations at the Baer Animation Company for over 10 years.

Though this all seems grim, there is streams of sunlight clearing the air out there! Let’s turn this drizzling outlook around a bit and talk about the opportunities that are happening in the biz.

"Drought? There are more opportunities for animators now than ever before with outlets on cable, primetime, Saturday morning, the web, features, direct to video, and video games just to name a few. Animators [can] work on film titles, industrial films and training films. They are [also] employed at companies producing visual effects. There is an incredible amount of animation being produced in many areas and in many parts of the world. Now there is not just traditional animation, experimental animation and stop motion, but there is also more and more computer generated animation (with the input of artists of course). There are so many opportunities for animators today but they must be open and flexible to exploring new avenues for work."
-Pamela Kleibrink Thompson Career Coach/Recruiter Ideas to Go

Open and flexible doesn’t necessarily mean lame projects or low pay, but it may suggest the need to work out of the city, state or even country. Who knows, a term away from the over crowded animation hubs (LA, San Fran, NY) may be just what the doctor ordered:

“I know there is a lot of downsizing going on in the industry, but we are actively upsizing!! Big Idea is definitely not in a drought. We are hiring concept artists, story artists, modelers, 3D character animators, animators/TD and art directors. We are looking for experienced talent and we have lots of work. We are working on our first feature film and we have a TV team in development, plus our normal direct to video schedule. We will be holding an "Open Call" on May 4-5th at the Beverly Garland Hotel to review portfolios. (Information on the event can be found at www.bigidea.com/studio) We would love to talk to anyone who is a little "thirsty"!
-Jana Day Recruiter for Big Idea Studios in Illinois

Okay, I know what you’re thinking; recruiters are suppose to say good things and try to make you believe everything looks all rainbows despite the storm. Alright, you non-believers, let’s talk to some folks in the trenches:

“The industry has always been a roller coaster ride. You’re on a project then off again, maybe at a totally different studio from project to project. Even those on contract aren’t completely secure. But I’ve always found a way to find work. The trick is to stay aware of the job market and trends in the industry. Join industry groups like Women In Animation or ASIFA. Read the industry trades, like animation magazine or this one, on a regular basis. Don’t get caught up with thinking you’re the best ever and the studio owes you. Just do good work, learn new things, meet new people and create and cherish industry bonds. Roller coaster or not, I wouldn’t trade my experiences working in animation for anything!"
-Gwen Wetzler Veteran Animation Director of 35+ years

Gwen is now studying vector animation with computers for the web. Once an animator, it’s in your blood! But progress and change are synonymous in the industry.

“Being an artists or animator alone doesn’t cut it anymore. The industry is using computer technology more and more to make the productions move smother and faster. I had to up my skills to computers to help land work. Though I am a story person, I was limited. Many of my coworkers went back to night school, so I did too. I even did an after hours internship with computer technology and editing, at the Better Mouse Trap Production Company. With these new skills, I found good freelance work doing digital animatics for the studios. Now, if I go back to traditional art, I can continue doing the animatics too.”
-Jasin Amodeo Character Designer, Storyboard Artist, Animatic Editor, Storyteller Worked on Warner Bros. TV productions: Batman Beyond, Static, & Zeta

Training can be a huge ordeal too. Where do you go? What do you study? Most studio HR departments have clear recommendations and a list of training facilities to pick from. If this isn’t available to you, many of the support or special interest groups like Women In Animation, SIGGRAPH, ASIFA, and the Cartoonist Union either offer classes or they have a list of schools you can request.

“We get artists and animation job leads from all over looking the industry for talented students who can also work on computers. Even the basic skills attached to someone with animation skills are attractive to all branches of the animation industry. A number of studios are using our resources to either come in-house and train their traditional teams or send they send them here for training. This training helps artists work, communicate, and transfer assets faster and more efficiently amongst departments and other teams on a given production. Our success of catering to animators and retraining animation teams with basic and incremental skills in computers has provided top-notch and aware labor assets feeding back into the work force.”
-Iskandaria Masduki Web animation artist/designer/producer Instructor and Administration assistant at Webisode Academy

Computers are just starting to be accepted by artists either by necessity or by choice:

“I hated not knowing how do get my scenes prepped and into the pipeline for director approvals. Of course I hated computers and technology even more. Okay, I was chicken of them. Don’t laugh, it’s not funny! I was watching co-workers around me start training and picking up skills. The praise they would get from their supervisors and others was almost sickening. But they did manage to learn it, so I can’t knock that. Finally, I began watching what they were doing. But as soon as they asked if I wanted to learn, I’d say ‘H@$$ No!’ Who was I fooling? Isn’t not like computers are the Devil or the Plague. I was just being a big baby. Finally, I got a co-worker… okay, I lied, I got my wife to teach me. The more I learned, the more I could see how useful computers could be. I can’t believe I’m saying this! Anyways, now I know how to do digital pencil tests, email, surf the internet, prep my animation scenes into the show’s pipeline (it’s a no-brainer now), and I’ve just begun learning Photoshop. I love Photoshop! Anyways, I guess you CAN teach an old dog new tricks.”
-Carl Crumb, Storyboard Artist and Lead Clean-up Artist

“I'm interested in doing my own animation projects. What used to be too expensive to produce is now doable with the help of computers. I can both draw the poses and scan them, or I can draw directly in the computer with my mouse or pen stylus and tablet. I know how to use Photoshop, Flash, and I’m now learning ToomBoom/USAnimation.”
-Art Leonardi Animation Director, Animator, Character & Show Title Designer Worked on Pink Panther, WBs Tiny Toons, and more.

After all this research, I can report that the industry weather changes on a regular basis; sometimes there are normal weather patterns, sometimes dry or even flooded. To keep from getting wet or burnt this summer, it’s probably best if you have enough skills to cover yourself. If not, you might want to take a minute to do some additional study.

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