Chapter Fifteen. Getting a Job in Digital Modeling
With 40,000 new graduates coming out of art schools across the nation each year, combined with thousands of jobs going to studios overseas, it is now more important than ever to find out the career options available to you and learn how to apply your digital modeling skills to land your dream job.
In this chapter, I walk you through the markets that make up the CG industry and share tips on how to showcase your skills and understanding of your CG toolset to open as many job opportunities as possible.
© Disney/Pixar
Overview of the Industry and Markets
How strong is this industry? When will artists stop finding good jobs? Both are very good questions. The short answer is that this industry is booming like never before, and there are plenty of jobs to be had for well-trained, professional digital artists.
When most people think about this industry, they think of feature films, television, and games, but these entertainment markets make up only a small portion of the industry as a whole. This leaves a variety of unexplored options that most artists are unaware of. To give you a better idea of the opportunities currently available, let’s take a look at some of the most popular markets that make up this growing industry.
Film
A movie is an important art form that tells a visual story. Although artists have always been involved in the production of films for things like storyboards, set and prop design, costume design, and so on, their importance has increased dramatically over the years. Avatar, for example, required the skills of literally thousands of digital artists.
Based on worldwide gross revenue, 96 of the top 100 films of all time could not have been made without digital artists. That leaves only four films, and three of those were later updated and re-released with computer animation. That means 99 percent of the top 100 films relied on computer animation. (You are probably wondering who the lone gunman is. It’s Home Alone, and it truly stands “alone” in this category.)
With only a few exceptions, every CG film made thus far has been a financial success. Films are the driving force of the 3D industry, and advancements in this market directly influence every other market. What you see being done in a film today will trickle down to television and games tomorrow, and the other markets after that.
There is nothing quite like being in a theater filled with people reacting to work that you helped create. Seeing your name in the credits also produces a unique feeling that lasts a lifetime.
Films can be broken down into three submarkets: feature, indie, and shorts.
Features
A feature is made initially for distribution in theaters and has a running time of at least 40 minutes. The budgets behind these productions can reach into hundreds of millions of dollars and can take several years from concept to completion.
It’s not as difficult to break into this market as many would lead you to believe. All it takes is a strong reel that matches the quality of the work coming out of the studios that are currently working on features. I’ve placed quite a few recent grads in the industry whose first gig was a feature.
My friend Erik Gamache at Digital Domain (www.digitaldomain.com) has worked on features such as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, The A-Team, I, Robot, and others. The crew at Digital Domain was responsible for all of the robots and environments in the feature film Real Steel. Figure 15.1 is a photo of Erik (center) and some of the crew at Digital Domain taking a break from their current production to enjoy the Real Steel premiere. They got to walk down the red carpet in Hollywood and see their work on the big screen. After the premiere, they spent time at the after party rubbing elbows with the likes of Hugh Jackman, Anthony Mackie, and Kevin Durand.
[Figure 15.1] Some of the Digital Domain production crew enjoy an evening at the movies for the Real Steel premiere. From left to right: Dan Brimer, Paul George Palop, Maribeth Glass, Erik Gamache, Justin van der Lek, Geoffrey Baumann, Meagan Rotman, and Swen Gillberg.
Indies
Indie films are usually made by independent production companies that are outside of the major film studio system. In most cases the financial and time budgets are much lower than those of a feature. They also usually get a limited release in theaters. Although these films have distribution and budget challenges, they also typically have the freedom to present unique story lines or work in styles that the major studios would see as too high of an investment risk.
This market has seen a massive increase in growth over the years, which has opened up thousands of opportunities for digital artists. One perk of an indie film over a studio feature is that artists can find these types of productions happening in their own backyard—not just in Los Angeles, New York, and Vancouver.
Iron Sky (www.ironsky.net), a science fiction comedy produced by Blind Spot Pictures and Energia Productions, was on the forefront of a new wave of indie movies. The filmmakers were in direct contact with the audience even before the movie was out, using the power of online communities in both creating the movie and in funding it.
Iron Sky required a great deal of digital modeling for an extensive array of virtual sets and spaceships. Figure 15.2 shows a small sample of the massive amount of digital modeling required to create Iron Sky.
[Figure 15.2] Virtual sets had to be modeled, textured, lit, and composited to marry them with the live action footage in Iron Sky (top). The Valkyrie ship (bottom) was one of the many spaceship models used in the film.
If you want to get experience working on a movie, there’s bound to be an indie film being produced in your area that you could work on. Although you may be paid less than working on a feature (or not at all), the experience and the shots you will have for your demo reel could end up paying for themselves in short order.
Shorts
A short film is any film with a shorter running time than a feature. Most shorts are in the five- to ten-minute range and are a first step for new filmmakers. Ten years ago there were very few shorts being shown outside of film festivals. Now, thousands of new shorts arrive online daily.
Short films are a great calling card for artists, directors, and even studios. Some studios use shorts to explore new technology, software, and even a new production pipeline (the path and schedule that a production follows). Pixar uses its shorts to train artists and directors for advancement in their careers. Figure 15.3 shows Pixar’s story artist Peter Sohn’s first animated short, Partly Cloudy, which gave him an opportunity to direct and gave me my first Pixar credit as a character modeler.
[Figure 15.3] Pixar’s animated short, Partly Cloudy, was shown in theaters before the feature Up.
© Disney/Pixar
Probably the coolest thing about shorts is that they allow anyone to tell a story, not just people with deep pockets or those with a connection to investors. You can produce a short with little or no money, but you’ll need lots of time and persistence. With a decent computer, software, and the right skill set, you can create your own film from the comfort of your home studio. Hundreds of individual artists have already proven this is possible.
Don’t let the word short fool you! Although these films are short, they must go through the same production pipeline as their big brothers and involve a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to produce. But their relatively manageable length makes them a perfect testing ground for new artists. I like to think of shorts as boot camp for features.
I’ve been involved in several animated shorts. Each time I work on one, I take away valuable experience that is equal to any larger production I’ve worked on.
Television
The television market is currently on fire. You can’t turn on the television without being bombarded by the work of digital artists in every commercial and in a majority of the top-rated series. According to the A.C. Nielsen Company, the average American watches more than four hours of TV each day (or 28 hours per week, or 2 months of nonstop TV watching per year), so there is a large audience for this type of work. Television crews are much smaller than feature film crews and work with smaller budgets, yet they are asked to produce results similar to their film counterparts—every week. Although made-for-TV movies and other programs do use CG in their production, let’s focus on television’s two main kinds of programming: series and commercials.
Series
Whether a television series is fully animated, such as Nickelodeon’s Jimmy Neutron or Bubble Guppies, or has digital elements married with live action, like Falling Skies, CSI, and Terra Nova, digital artists are behind the scenes helping to deliver this popular format for storytelling. The digital artists working on the popular children’s series CBeebies’ Waybuloo (www.waybuloo.com) blend stylized CG characters into live action (Figure 15.4).
[Figure 15.4] These frames from the children’s series Waybuloo show stylized digital character models composited with live action backgrounds.
© The Foundation TV Productions Limited/Decode/Blue Entertainment 2011
CG elements appear in many shows without the viewer even being aware that there is any visual effects trickery. These hidden effects include digital set extension, CG vehicles like cars and planes added to shots, CG stunt doubles (one of my personal favorites), explosions, and more. AMC’s Breaking Bad is one of my favorite shows of all time, and I’m always pleasantly surprised when my friend Bruce Branit, founder of Branit|FX, points out shots with digital effects that his studio created, because even I hadn’t noticed.
All these elements are being created by digital artists, and the sheer number of shows starting to take advantage of digital imagery means a growing number of positions that need to be filled.
Working on a series as a digital artist can be intense. It is definitely not for everyone. It’s a fast-paced production with insane weekly deadlines. The payoff is that you get to see the work that you just created the same week you worked on it—and sometimes even on the same day of finishing the job.
Commercials
The average American watches over two million TV commercials by the age of 65. These commercials are sometimes fully animated, have digital characters or products, or use hidden effects that you aren’t aware of. Studios of all sizes work on commercials, from large houses like ILM, Rhythm & Hues, and Digital Domain, to small shops like my own studio, Applehead Factory.
Some of the most talented artists I know prefer to work on commercials rather than series work or even feature films. Why? Commercials usually take between 4–8 weeks to produce, which means that an artist can potentially put 6–12 completely unique productions under his or her belt each year. For example, Figure 15.5 shows two distinctly different commercials created by the same team at Branit|FX (www.branitfx.com). Another reason could easily be that the small crew sizes allow artists to work across departments, giving them a more generalist experience versus being tied to just one area of production.
[Figure 15.5] These two commercials from Branit|FX provided digital modelers with both hard surface and organic modeling work.
Games
Since the first commercial video game development began in the 1970s, gaming has grown more than any other market and is making money like never before. The video game industry is even starting to overshadow feature films. Many artists from the film and television markets have migrated to gaming for its job security and longer development cycles.
Although console and computer games still dominate this market, game apps for mobile devices and slot machine production have opened up new career options for digital artists to explore.
Console and computer games
The spotlight is definitely on the console and computer game sector of the gaming market. I like to think of console (PlayStation, Wii, Xbox, and so forth) and computer games as interactive storytelling where the viewer is no longer a passive observer but is an active participant. The artists I know working in the games industry have a passion for playing games, which in turn helps drive their creativity to produce them.
The production pipeline of a game is very similar to that of film and television, and usually requires large teams of artists. Games used to take 6–18 months to produce, but most modern games now take 1–3 years or more. Duke Nukem Forever may hold the record with a mind-blowing 14-year development cycle.
Although this sector of the market is dominated by larger studios, an increasing number of small shops are producing games commercially with great success. Many of these studios pull from the hobbyist modding (creating new content for existing games) communities, which is a great place for new artists to gain experience.
Nearly all games take advantage of real-time 3D graphics. From characters to environments and from weapons to props, digital modelers are needed to create every asset. This is good news for any modeler interested in finding work in gaming. Figure 15.6 shows a game mesh created by Baj Singh (http://bajsingh.wordpress.com), a digital modeler who has worked on games such as Runscape and Stellar Dawn.
[Figure 15.6] This highly detailed game mesh created by Baj Singh is representative of the types of digital models being created for games.
Mobile apps
Mobile application development is the new gold rush of gaming. Hundreds of these apps are released every week, developed for small, low-power handhelds, such as iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. New developers are sprouting up like weeds in every city, so opportunities for artists could be just around the corner—literally.
Digital artists work with either sprite sheets (a single large image containing several frames of an animation) for pre-rendered graphics or low-poly count, real-time assets. Working with teams that are developing apps is a great way to hone your skills in gaming art production. It can also be a lucrative area to be involved in if you know what you are doing.
Dustin Adair—who worked on movies, TV, and video games, such as Fringe, Battlestar Galactica, Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles, Transformers: War for Cybertron, and Halo 3—developed an app called Poker with Bob (www.pokerwithbob.com) that became an instant hit, allowing him to focus on his own intellectual property full time. This is an example of how you never know where your career will take you.
Figure 15.7 shows a mobile app developed by Frima (www.frimastudio.com) for FunGoPlay’s Powerhouse Punter, which runs on the iPad. The digital character models were used for both the online virtual world (www.fungoplay.com) and the mobile app.
[Figure 15.7] I created the digital character models for Frima’s Powerhouse Punter mobile app developed for FunGoPlay.
Video slot machines
I’m hoping you’re still reading this section and didn’t pass it over due to the title. This is gaming’s best kept secret market. Video slot machines are not to be confused with the old-school gambling machines with three reels that spin when a lever is pulled. Rather, they are the more recent variant that is essentially like playing a computer game with interactive elements and advanced 3D graphics.
You won’t see your name on the big screen at the end of a movie or read about your game in GamePro or Game Informer magazines, but you could find yourself working on slot machine versions of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Aliens, and other big name properties. These machines display graphics and cutscenes (a sequence in a game that breaks up the gameplay to advance the story, introduce new elements, or keep the player interested) that can include scenes from your favorite movies, re-created digitally. So you might find yourself modeling Darth Vader one week and the Predator the next. One company flew Cassandra Peterson, the actress who plays Elvira, out to the studio to performance capture her for an Elvira video slot machine.
The people I know working in this market are paid well, get great benefits, and have some of the best job security this industry can offer. They also produce the same type of work as other entertainment markets except the end product is for a different platform. Marv Riley (www.marvriley.com), for example, has created digital models for video slot machines for several years and has worked on titles like The Addams Family, Soul Train, Terminator, The Munsters, and more. Figure 15.8 shows a couple examples of the digital models he’s created for games.
[Figure 15.8] Artists working on video slots create everything from organic characters to hard surface vehicles, as shown here in some of Marv Riley’s digital modeling work.
Visualization
Visualization is the art of using images, diagrams, or animations to communicate a message. 3D graphic software development has helped to advance visualization, increasing the number of visualization markets over the years, which continues to open up new opportunities for digital artists. 3D visualization has an endless array of applications in education, architecture, science, product, forensic, medical, military, archaeological, and many other areas. Two of the most popular visualization markets for digital artists are architectural and product.
Architectural
Architectural visualization is used to show an image, animation, or real-time walkthrough of a proposed architectural design or renovation. Digital artists make it possible for architects to experiment with a building’s visual aspects and design. The images and animations are used for presentations and greatly aid in real-estate sales. This can be a rewarding and secure career path for someone interested in hard-surface modeling. Figure 15.9 shows a couple of examples of architectural visualization work by Sylvain Saintpère (http://5500k.carbonmade.com).
[Figure 15.9] These images created by Sylvain Saintpère are excellent examples of the work being created by digital artists in the architectural visualization market.
Product
Like architectural visualization, product visualization uses graphics applications to generate virtual products that allow you to experiment with shape, color, materials, and mechanisms. 3D product visualization allows you to create a physical mock-up of the 3D model using rapid prototyping (3D printing) as well as product simulations, giving it several advantages over 2D drawings.
Product visualization is ideal for market research, which is one of the benefits that my studio takes advantage of with product visualization. The ability to showcase a product before it is ever manufactured can allow for changes before manufacturing begins. We’ve done this for several years on products we’ve produced, such as the collectible vinyl figure Tofu the Vegan Zombie, as well as Drink Master Says SuperQuarters shown in Figure 15.10.
[Figure 15.10] This 3D render of the Drink Master Says SuperQuarters product was used to showcase the product before it was manufactured.
Product visualization is big business, and its use can be found in every facet of our daily lives. In fact, the United States Mint in Philadelphia uses sculpting software, such as Freeform and ZBrush, to visualize and produce coins.
Print Graphics
A revolution has occurred over the last 15 years in the print graphics market: Software traditionally seen as an animation tool is being used by designers and illustrators to create imagery for print and illustration.
Creative artists have adopted the power of these applications to help quickly generate everything from photorealistic to stylized images for product shots, industrial imagery, magazine covers, newspaper infographics, children’s books, and any other media that traditional artists would normally produce illustrations for. Figure 15.11 shows an illustration for M&M’s that I worked on with Joe Zeff Design at Splashlight in New York. This image was used in magazines, billboards, and other forms of print.
[Figure 15.11] This 3D illustration for M&M’s that I created digital models for was used in magazines, billboards, and other forms of print.
It’s common for people to mistake photo-real 3D illustrations for photographs. Art directors have picked up on this and now choose to hire a digital artist to create a 3D model and render a product rather than have a photographer photograph it. Almost all car ads and product shots used in the media today are digital illustrations. The render can be just as convincing, more affordable, and much more flexible than a full-scale photo shoot.
Thousands of advertising agencies serve as potential clients for a professional digital artist, making this an ideal market for freelance digital artists.
Demo Reels
A demo reel is an important weapon in a digital artist’s arsenal for promoting his or her experience in the 3D industry. It’s equal in importance to a traditional artist’s portfolio and is a requirement for entry into this field.
An artist’s demo reel is like a prospector’s gold pan; it’s an artist’s main tool when looking for a job. And when the right studio has been discovered and researched, an artist can use that demo reel to strike gold.
The art of putting together a demo reel has been discussed to death over the years, and endless resources are available online. With that said, I have pretty strong opinions about what should go into a successful demo reel, and I just can’t resist including that information in this book.
To be part of the great CG gold rush, you must be sure to bring the right equipment. Having amazing examples of work to show is not enough to gain employment in the industry. You should be mindful of key attributes when developing a professional demo reel, and overlooking any element could be the single reason you are passed over by a studio. Trust me; you’ll want to pay close attention to the following details concerning your demo reel.
Demo Reel Case and Sleeve
The case that houses your demo reel disc and the sleeve that decorates it are important. They give potential employers a first impression about you as an artist. How you handle your own work provides insight as to how you will handle the work they will task you with as an employee of the studio.
The case should be in pristine condition with no torn or scuffed plastic. This may seem obvious, but I’ve seen artists send out reels in cases that looked like their dog used it as a chew toy. I’ve also seen old Blockbuster rental cases used instead of purchasing a new, unused case. A standard DVD case is less than ten cents. There isn’t an excuse in the world that could justify saving ten cents when something as valuable as your career is on the line.
Don’t feel like you need anything other than a standard black case. Some artists invest in very expensive cases thinking that it will make their reel stand out. That’s an unnecessary expense. I guarantee that a fancy case will play no role in whether you get an offer or not, so save your money for more important things. Keep it simple.
I can’t stress enough how important your reel’s sleeve is. It’s your personal crowd barker, trying to “reel in” employers and get them to crack open the case to see your work.
When teaching students about the presentation of their demo reels, I used to use the comparison of walking the aisles of Blockbuster as an example, but that has become quite dated. So here’s the new and improved way I explain the power of the sleeve. Think about when you’re scanning through Netflix trying to decide which movie you’re going to stream. Movie cover art is basically a little ad trying to sell you on the movie and screaming “pick me, pick me!” This is similar to reels at a studio. Usually, the HR department delivers stacks of reels to the various departments, and the department heads have to squeeze in time during their busy schedules to watch them. They try to speed up the process by selecting reels that look like they might be the one based on the sleeve. Once they’ve found a reel that could be a fit, they may stop looking and place a call to bring in that artist for an interview, or even to go ahead and offer that artist a position.
Your sleeve should be attractive and instantly sell a studio on the quality of your work and the breadth of your skill set. Have an image of your best work on the front. It should be something that will get viewers excited about what they are about to see. The worst thing you can do is handwrite your information on the case, no matter the level of your penmanship. Those reels usually end up getting thrown in the trash without a viewing.
Information that you’ll want on the front of your sleeve includes
• Strong imagery, usually your best work
• Your name in an easy-to-read typeface (Adobe Garamond, Trade Gothic, and so on)
• A job title (Digital Modeler, 3D Generalist, and so on)
• Your phone number, email address, and web address
• Date, year, or at least season (example: Spring 2012)
Whose work this reel represents, as well as how to contact that person, should be clear. It goes without saying that without the proper contact information, the chance of getting a job is zero. Make the date clear so that prospective employers know they have your latest reel. You can just include the year, but if you’re more specific, it could avoid confusion should you send an updated reel later that same year.
Here’s what you want on the spine of your sleeve:
• Your name
• Title
• Date
I see quite a few reels with blank spines. If the studio shelves reels, a blank spine could easily be overlooked, even if someone is specifically looking for yours by name. Always make it easy for potential employers to know whose reel it is they are looking at, no matter what angle they are looking at the case.
Make sure the back of your sleeve contains the following:
• Strong imagery, usually your best work
• Your name in an easy-to-read typeface
• Title
• Your phone number, email address, and web address
• An optional shot breakdown
You basically want the same information on the back that you have on the front. Why? Quite simply, you don’t know which side they will see first. You should use alternate imagery for the back to try to take advantage of the real estate and show more samples of your best work.
It’s become increasingly popular to include a demo reel breakdown on the sleeve, giving viewers details about each shot that they can read as they watch the reel. It’s not necessary, but it’s incredibly useful to the studio. Figure 15.12 shows an example of a demo reel sleeve with all the required elements for the front, spine, and back.
[Figure 15.12] This demo reel sleeve mockup makes it easy for the viewer to contact the artist and know what the artist’s responsibilities were for each shot.
Before you’re ready to print, you—or even better, a friend or two—need to proof your copy to ensure that there are no typos or other mistakes. It doesn’t send a good message to the studio if you don’t have enough interest in your own work to proof it. I once received a reel where the artist spelled his own name wrong; needless to say, he didn’t get the gig.
When printing the sleeve design, make sure the print doesn’t suffer from low ink, oversaturation, or any other quality issues. If you have to reprint it ten times to get it right, it’s worth the extra effort.
Take your time trimming the sleeve as well. Make sure it’s the correct size and that your cuts are straight and clean. Don’t let sloppy craftsmanship destroy a first impression of the quality of your work.
The ultimate goal you are trying to achieve with the sleeve is to get viewers to watch your reel. Again, keep it simple and make the information as clear as possible. Your sleeve is like a one-frame trailer for a movie; it’s got to sell the audience in a short amount of time.
Demo Reel Content
If employers are watching your reel, it means you have accomplished the goal of having a professional-looking case and sleeve, and viewers have enough interest in your work to put the reel in the player. Now you have to do the hard sell. This is where the rubber hits the road.
Basic requirements the industry expects to see on the reel include
• Beginning title card
• Content
• Demo reel breakdown
• Ending title card
Title cards
Title cards need to include your name and contact information—phone and email are the bare minimum. I like to include a job title under my name to make it as clear as possible what position I’m applying for. You can keep the design of the title cards to a simple black screen with white text, although I prefer to carry over the style of the front of the sleeve design for consistency, as shown in Figure 15.13.
[Figure 15.13] Having a title card at the beginning and end of your reel allows the viewer to easily collect your name and contact information.
The title card at the beginning only needs to stay onscreen long enough to read all the information. If it stays on too long, it only delays the viewer from seeing your work.
The title card at the end should be identical to the intro card but last much longer. The show is over, and you want to give the viewer enough time to write down your info without having to pause the reel.
Main content
A demo reel should contain only your best work. Your content should match the quality of the studio you are applying to. If it doesn’t, don’t send it. This isn’t a race. Don’t rush to get a reel out that isn’t up to the standard needed to get a job. Also, don’t make viewing your demo reel an exercise in panning for gold; make sure your best work is visible right away.
Avoid using work created from tutorials. Tutorials are a great resource for enhancing your skills but make for weak demo reel material, because they don’t offer any information about your skill set to the viewer other than the fact that you can follow steps.
When showcasing your digital models, displaying the mesh’s wireframe to give viewers an idea of the efficiency of the model is important. They’ll be looking at polygon count as well as polygon flow.
I also like to include a lower-third that is visible throughout the entire content section that has my name and contact info. This allows viewers to easily contact me while they are watching the reel. Make sure it is subtle and doesn’t detract attention from the content by taking up too much of the screen real estate. Figure 15.14 shows an example of a subtle lower-third.
[Figure 15.14] Adding your name and contact information throughout your reel allows viewers to easily contact you while they are watching the reel.
Demo Reel Breakdown (DRB)
Immediately following your content, you’ll need to explain exactly what you did for each segment of your reel in a DRB. Leave no question in the mind of the viewer. It’s also useful to the studio if you include the date of the production and the software used. I like to display a small thumbnail of the model or shot next to this information to make it easier for the viewer to recall what I’m describing in the DRB. Here are some DRB description examples:
• “Kanakas Animated Pilot” (2011): I created all aspects using LightWave 3D and After Effects.
• “Bigby Animated Pilot” (2010): I created the character model, rig, and animation using LightWave 3D.
• “Zombie Dearest” (2007): I created the characters using LightWave 3D.
Figure 15.15 shows an example of a DRB that would follow the main content of a demo reel.
[Figure 15.15] DRBs leave no question in the mind of the viewer about what your involvement was for each shot shown.
Demo Reel Length
Demo reel length has been debated for years, and all artists have their own idea of how long a reel should be. Trying to lock down how long a reel should be is really the wrong way to approach creating a strong reel. If I say a reel should be between two and four minutes, most artists would try to fill their reel with enough content for a four-minute reel.
Remember that you only want to put your best work on your reel. Padding it with mediocre work just to add length will only diminish the overall quality of the reel and can leave a bad impression on viewers. They may think that the mediocre shots are true examples of the quality of your work and that you just got lucky on the better examples.
There is no limit to how short a reel should be. If you have an amazing ten-second clip on your reel with nothing else, it could be enough to land your dream job.
With that said, the average reel is between one and two minutes long. Make sure you spend enough time on each model or shot for the viewer to be able to fully take in what you are trying to show. Just be careful about spending too much time on each model or shot. You don’t want the viewer to become bored looking at the same content and move on to another artist’s reel.
Demo Reel Audio
Don’t get too caught up in finding the perfect sound track to complement your images. Most studios could care less about music on a demo reel—in fact, they usually turn off the sound!
If you’re going to add music to your reel, make sure it’s appropriate. I’m a huge KRS-One fan, but I’d never use one of his songs on a reel, because not everyone agrees with the messages in his lyrics. However, movie sound tracks are very popular and seem to be a good fit for reels. Choose music that won’t dominate the reel, and find audio that blends into the background and lets your work take center stage.
Demo Reel DVD Burning and Labeling
The final steps in the creation of your demo reel are to burn a DVD and print a DVD label. When burning your reel, make sure you use the auto play and looping options so that the viewer can watch your material again without having to reach for the remote. For similar reasons, avoid using any kind of menu system.
Most importantly, test each reel that you burn to ensure that it actually plays. I’ve received several reels over the years that simply didn’t work. Why go through all the trouble to create a demo reel and not take the time to make sure it plays correctly?
Burn copies on an as-needed basis, because there is no all-purpose reel. Creating 100 copies at one time might seem efficient, but you won’t have the freedom to customize each reel for the intended studio. You also run the risk of having several copies of an outdated reel, which is a waste of materials.
You want the label to be consistent with the sleeve so if they get separated it’s easy for someone to pair the two back together. It’s also important to include your name and contact information so that if all the studio has is the disc, they can still reach you. Figure 15.16 shows a label design with the required information that matches the design on the example sleeve.
[Figure 15.16] Having your name and contact information on your DVD label is helpful, especially when it gets separated from the case.
Your demo reel is your number one resource for getting a job. Take as much time to create the reel that is needed to land the job you are aiming for. Anything less is unacceptable.
Personal Site
Right out of school, I landed my first job as a designer/illustrator for a large ad agency in Houston, Texas. Occasionally, the on-staff artists would be asked to create illustrations in a range of styles to present the clients with more options. However, when a client wanted a look that we couldn’t deliver, we would reach for The Directory of Illustration, a veritable yellow pages for artists, featuring samples from hundreds of illustrators and their contact information. It was an invaluable tool for business, and an even better tool to help artists get business.
I bought a half-page ad in the directory for one year for $3,000 dollars. Although it was a lot of money to me, I knew it was worth the gamble. Later that year, I landed two clients who found me through my ad. The work those two clients generated easily covered the cost of placing the ad and helped me get my name in front of more people than I could possibly ever hope to meet.
But although source books are still a great way to get exposure to clients, one of the best tools for self-promotion, especially for digital artists, is the Internet. The source books are not as successful for a few reasons: many struggling artists can’t afford the expense of buying an ad, the books have to compete with the Web, and the industry has evolved.
The traditional way to get work as a commercial artist was to put a physical portfolio of your work together and personally visit the agencies in your city. It required a great deal of time pounding the pavement and going door to door. It’s always been the case that creating amazing work isn’t enough to succeed; you have to get said work in front of as many people as possible.
The introduction of the Internet opened the door for artists to have their work instantly seen by people worldwide. Whether you’re looking for a staff position or a freelance gig, having a personal site is no longer an option—it’s a necessity. It is akin to mailing out millions of portfolios that never get thrown out. Your site can be filed away by potential clients or employers and called up in seconds.
A personal Web site can showcase your work, resume, personal information, links to other sites that showcase your work, and much more. Digital artists have compressed downloadable versions of their demo reels and movies on their site for easy offline viewing. Having a personal site is the most affordable and fastest way for you to get your work in front of employers.
Your site’s link may go to thousands of people without your even knowing about it. For example, if one person discovers your Web site and sends a link to eight people who may be interested in your art, they can forward it to eight people, and so on. The distribution channel is endless. This type of pass-along is called viral marketing, and the Internet is the best place to take advantage of it.
Sending a one-link portfolio to potential clients or employers, for example, is much easier then compiling a collection of images and writing a long, detailed email every time you pitch a new client. In fact, put the link in your email signature and profile on online forums. If clients or employers see an image posted in a forum that they like, they can easily visit your site to see more samples or, if you’re so inclined, your entire collection of work.
Any artist with a site has a huge advantage over an artist with just a portfolio or demo reel. Whether you’re a student ready to break into the industry or a seasoned professional, having a Web site can help get your work in front of the right people. Today, a personal site is probably the strongest marketing tool you can have. Hardware and software companies figured this out years ago and invest a great deal of time and money in their sites.
I’ve helped place many graduates, and those who have personal sites make it very easy for me to shoot off links to contacts, letting them know that these artists will be graduating soon and will be available for hire. I can get immediate feedback. It’s unlike anything that was available when I graduated.
If you have trouble building a site and don’t know someone who can help, try using some of the template tools that ship with Adobe Photoshop, or you can take advantage of template Web sites like WordPress (www.wordpress.com), Blogger (www.blogger.com), or other free online resources. These options are very inexpensive and are a cinch to set up. Both my personal and company sites were created with WordPress, as shown in Figure 15.17.
[Figure 15.17] My personal site (left) and the Applehead Factory site (right) were both created using WordPress.
Unless you are promoting your Web creation skills, a simple site that showcases your work without any bells and whistles will suffice. It doesn’t have to be flashy. You want viewers to notice your art, not your Flash programming.
These sites are great examples of personal sites:
• Glen Southern: www.southerngfx.co.uk
• Ryan Etter: www.ryanetterillustration.com
• Chris ORiley: www.chris3d.com
• Jason Lee: www.jasonallenlee.com
• Kory Heinzen: http://retroactivities.blogspot.com
The overused phrases keep it simple and less is more hold true for personal sites. Here are a few basic guidelines that I’ve found useful when setting up an online portfolio:
• The most important rule to remember when creating a personal online site is to make sure your contact information is easy to locate. If someone finds your site and loves your work but can’t get in touch with you, what’s the point?
• Have an easy to remember and easy to spell Web address. Using your name is a great idea unless your name can be spelled in different ways, and then some potential visitors to your site might misspell your address.
• Remember that your site is your “professional” portfolio. Don’t be afraid to make it a visually fun site that shows off your personality, but keep professionalism in mind.
• Show only your best work. Follow the same basic rules you would when creating a printed portfolio or demo reel.
• Compress your content for easy downloads. If a site takes too long to download, you will lose visitors. Most people have a short attention span (just like my dog Jack). If they have to wait too long to see your work, they will simply move on. Use JPEG, GIF, or PNG file formats, and if you host your demo reel online, keep the file size small, but don’t compress your work too much because it will degrade the quality.
• Always keep your site updated with your latest work and contact information. If you update your site when you finish new work, you’ll never become overwhelmed with a backlog of projects to upload.
• Be sure to check the spelling on your site. Take the time to run a spell checking program on all the text that will be added to your site.
• Use small images that initially load in and link to larger versions. This allows your page to load quickly, and visitors can decide what they want to see in more detail without having to wait.
• Don’t have music on your site unless you offer visitors a quick and easy way to turn it off. Music can drive people away faster than slow downloads.
• Visit your Web site daily to make sure that it is still live. Your hosting server could be down, and you wouldn’t know it.
When it comes to self-promotion, a Web site can be your greatest promotional tool. Over the years, I’ve received freelance work and job offers, and established many long-lasting, professional relationships through my various personal sites. I’m certain job hunting would have been much more difficult without them.
Remember to start simple and be sure to get the word out that you have an online presence. Adding your URL to your email signature is an easy way to let people know about your site.
The Seven Deadly Job Search Sins
Over the years, I’ve given guidance to hundreds of students and colleagues in search of jobs as digital artists, and I’ve seen many mistakes that could easily have been avoided. I’ll discuss some of these common blunders here and offer suggestions on how to avoid them when you’re searching for work—whether it is your first CG position or the next rung up on your career ladder.
Each of the seven items I discuss in this section are key to landing a gig in this field and are the most common areas where I have seen artists go wrong. You may have personal goals and restrictions that may not allow you to be as flexible in each area described, and that’s OK. The goal is to be open to each as much as possible for the maximum number of job opportunities.
Sin #1: Homesickness
I’ve seen some amazingly talented artists go jobless by limiting themselves to one city when looking for work. Especially early on in your career, you want to be as open as possible to relocating for work.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m very vocal about how much I love Texas and how proud I am to be a Texan. But I left Texas back in 2000 to work for a game company up north. A great opportunity came up that fit with my career goals and I took it, although it meant leaving the motherland.
Your current location will determine the likelihood that you’ll have to move in order to get work. Someone living in Los Angeles, California, is probably less likely to have to relocate compared to someone living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Unless of course you happened to live in California when DNA Productions was hiring artists to work on Jimmy Neutron in Texas.
Remember that you don’t have to move to a given city for the rest of your life. It might just be a temporary relocation, or you might find that you really enjoy living there. A friend of mine from Texas moved up north and was surprised to find that he liked it better. Shame on him.
Being open to relocation greatly increases the pool of jobs that you can apply for and could speed up the job search process. Remember that it’s all about location, location, location.
Sin #2: Greed
We all want to make as much money as possible, but we need to enter into each job search with a realistic idea of what is possible for our current experience level. I’ve seen a recent graduate turn down an amazing first job because he heard that the starting salary was $1,000 a week but was only offered $850. Even if this offer was more than he had ever made before, he was “insulted” and turned down the position.
On the other hand, I’ve seen graduates go to work for companies for free as interns, just to get a foot in the door, and weeks later be offered staff positions working on feature films. Have patience, work hard, and prove to the studio that you’re worth more. Don’t be in such a rush to make your millions, and you’ll get there much faster.
Something I’ve heard more times than I’d like to admit is, “I can’t afford to work for that little pay!” Meanwhile, the artist goes several months, sometimes more, without a job in the field. Ask yourself whether you can afford to not be working at all. Every position you accept builds your resume and your demo reel for the next position. With realistic budgeting, you might be surprised at how far your money will take you. Sometimes sacrifices are necessary when trying to attain your goals. Peanut butter and bread can go a long way (for those with peanut allergies, it’s Ramen noodles).
Being realistic about the wages you can expect will help get you into a job quicker than holding out for the massive salary that may not come your way early on in your career. Wages and experience are directly linked.
Sin #3: Inflexibility
When I first saw what Will Vinton Studios was doing with computer animation, I knew I had to dive head first into 3D. My main passion has always been character work, but there was little or no work like that in Houston at the time, so I spent a few years creating animation for the oil and gas industry.
It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do, but I was excited that I was being paid to grow my 3D skills, and it quickly led to the character work I was after. Too often I see artists pass up great opportunities while they sit and wait for the ultimate job to come their way. Take, for example, the guy who has turned down more offers than you can imagine, holding out for a character modeling job, only to end up unemployed for almost three years. No one is suggesting that you give up your dream of working in a particular area of production. Simply work toward that goal while doing some kind of work in the industry.
One thing I have learned over the years is that you’re more likely to get work if you’re already working. But why is that? It could be that when you’re working, you have a larger social network, or maybe it’s that your confidence is better when you’re working. When you’re working, you are constantly expanding your network of contacts in the industry and staying on the minds of those contacts. When employers have work that needs to be done or a position opens up, you will be on their minds, while the guy sitting at home waiting for a great job to open up may get passed over. Whatever the reason, it’s good to always have employment, even when you’re looking for work. Your first and/or second gig might not be the exact position you’re looking for, but don’t let that keep you from kicking off your career.
I can also tell you that if you have generalist skills, you’ll find that you have more options. Be a skilled digital modeler, but be able to handle all aspects of production. I’ve seen some of the best hard surface modelers take work as technical directors to get in the door and found that they moved over to the modeling department once they had worked for the company for a while.
One last example is a good friend of mine who had always wanted to work in the game industry but was having trouble getting his start. He landed a job at an architectural visualization firm, and his lighting skills improved tenfold. After a year of being happily employed and increasing his skill set, he landed a job in the game industry, making much more than he had originally been asking for. Again, wages and experience are directly linked.
Being flexible with the type of work you take on early in your career can be a faster route to landing the type of work you have always dreamed of doing.
Sin #4: Putting All Your Eggs in One Basket
When looking for work, don’t limit the number of places that you apply to. The majority of recent graduates send out a handful of reels and sit back to wait for one of those places to contact them. If you apply my previous rules to your job search, you will find that there are an unbelievable number of places that you can apply to.
This doesn’t mean that you should send out hundreds of reels randomly. Make sure that you are a fit for the type of work the studios would be looking for, but if you do your homework, you will find that a lot of options are available. When I graduated years ago, I sent out 75 portfolios and was offered seven job opportunities. If I had sent out seven portfolios I might not have had a single offer. Target the companies that are currently looking to fill open positions, but also send your reel to companies not currently advertising.
For artists new to the industry, make sure the work on your reel matches the work coming from the studios you are applying to. I see a lot of recent grads limiting their reels to Pixar, ILM, Digital Domain, Weta Digital, and other top studios, and they can’t figure out why they haven’t found work. It’s great to have goals of working at these studios, but look at the path that most of the artists who work at those places have taken. You might find that you can start working at a smaller studio doing amazing work, getting your skill set up to speed, and be working towards your end goal of a job at Pixar or DreamWorks. You might also discover along the way that you are quite happy at the smaller studio.
Artists who do their homework and send out their reels to a wide audience will find that more opportunities will arise.
Sin #5: Sloppiness
This sin is the big one! It’s sad to say, but I’ve seen a lot of jobs slip through artists’ hands due to poor presentation. Even if you have the best material on your demo reel, if the case is sloppy, viewers may never watch it. The number one pet peeve of mine (and many companies) is handwritten labels, which for some reason still show up. If you’ve read any information about demo reels, you’ll find this one on the list of dont’s—yet it still happens. Cover letters are another area where artists seem to struggle. Do your homework and create a cover letter that is professional and aimed at the target studio. I hear complaints from studios all the time that “Studio A” has received a cover letter that is addressed to “Studio B.” This kind of mistake speaks to a lack of attention to detail—not a good quality in an employee.
Presentation also includes the personal interview. If you visit the studio, your personal appearance is a factor. Don’t overdress for the studio and the industry, but find something that is business casual and not wrinkled. And although I shouldn’t need to say it, bathe before you go to the interview. No one wants to work with the “stinky guy,” although I think we all have at some point in our careers.
Be prepared for the interview, whether it is over the phone or at the studio. Research the studio before the interview so that you have good questions to ask, and listen carefully to the questions being thrown your way. Listen to the information being conveyed by the interviewer so that you don’t ask a question that has already been answered. Your work is not enough to land you the job in most cases. The majority of studios are also looking for whether or not you will gel with the other artists on the team.
Artists who present themselves and their work professionally are more likely to seal the deal when looking for a job.
Sin #6: Playing Hard to Get
Lack of follow-through is probably the most unforgivable job search sin. Follow-through can consist of staying on top of all the studios you’ve applied to as well as studios that show an interest in you. Keep records of all the studios to which you have applied and their responses. If a studio asks you to should get back in touch in a few months, that is an open invitation to keep in contact with that studio. If you haven’t heard back from the studio, a single call (no stalking!) a couple weeks after you send your reel is a good way to make sure that the studio received the reel and to see whether the studio has any questions or would like to see more examples of your work.
If a studio shows interest in you, stay on top of anything the studio throws at you. I’ve seen artists lose the opportunity to work at a studio simply because they didn’t follow through on the next stage of discussions.
If a studio sends you a “test,” you should jump on it. That means the studio is excited about you but wants to make sure you can handle the work they need you to do. I’ve seen more artists drop the ball during this stage than any other, simply by not taking the test seriously or by not taking the test at all.
Drop everything you’re doing to follow up with a studio that is interested in you. You may have to go through several interviews and send additional work or references. Whatever the studio is asking for, make sure you tackle it right away. Think of it as a tennis match. You want to get the ball back in the studio’s court as fast as possible. Remember not to drop the ball at this stage of the game.
Artists who keep records of all communication and follow through with the studios where they have applied are more prepared when job opportunities arise.
Sin #7: Sloth
Energy and persistence conquer all things. Lack of persistence is a seductive job search sin. After you’ve sent out a batch of your reels, the last thing you should do is sit and wait. Continue to research the job market to find new studios and be ready to submit your reel as new jobs hit the boards. Sometimes being quick to respond to a job post is the key to landing the job.
You should also continue to work on new projects to build up your skills. It’s very common for studios that have had your reel for a while to contact you and ask to see what you’ve been working on. Having nothing new is a giant red flag to studios.
Constantly working on new projects also lets you refine your reel over time. Remember that if the fish aren’t biting, it may be time to change your bait. If the company you want to work for just landed the Battlestar Galactica series, it may be time for you to add a Cylon to your reel. Don’t wait for a job posting—be proactive, update your reel often, and stay knee deep in production while you’re looking for work. Enter contests and share your work in online galleries and magazines. Artists who realize that searching for work is a full-time job usually find work quickly.
Get a Job!
The more you can work at not falling victim to the seven deadly job search sins, the more likely it is that you will find work. I’ve yet to see an artist who really wants to work, and works hard at finding a job, not land a gig in this industry. In the end, the ticket to finding work is to be flexible, put everything you have into searching, and be persistent. You can be a success story and make a living doing what you truly want to do.
Staying Current
Like a shark, your career should be in perpetual motion. If you don’t stay current in this industry, your career will sink. Every digital artist should keep on top of several areas in order to have longevity in this industry. This section discusses these areas.
Skill Set
Your skill set is the easiest area in which to stay current if you are working at or for a studio. Every project you work on will help you hone your skills to become a better artist. If you’re not currently employed in the industry, you should still be working on personal projects to keep your skills sharp.
Unfortunately, digital modeling isn’t the same as riding a bike. Even the best modelers can lose valuable skills if they aren’t exercised on a regular basis. Improving your skills is only the first part of keeping your skill set current. You also want to add new skills and techniques to your bag of tricks that will allow you to take on bigger and more challenging work.
So many sources are available today in the forms of books, magazines, DVDs, online resource sites for digital artists, and more that can aid you in evolving as an artist. Take advantage of these resources and soak up as much information as you possibly can to increase your knowledge in as many areas as possible.
A good way to test whether you are advancing as an artist is to go back and review a model you were most proud of six months to a year ago and make a list of aspects you would do differently to improve on it. If you can’t come up with anything, you may be stagnating as an artist.
As a digital artist, you can only produce to the level of your skill set, so you want to keep improving to raise the bar on your work.
Software
As mentioned earlier in the book, like an artist’s skill set, software is constantly evolving, and new software is released every year. It would be impossible to master all the applications that are associated with this industry, but it is more than possible to be aware of the majority of them.
As an artist working in this industry, you will constantly be tasked with projects that require you to solve new problems. Knowing the available software gives you more options to pull from and could save you a massive amount of time when devising a plan of attack on your current project.
The software you currently use will eventually be updated as well. You want to keep informed on these updates as they come out; otherwise, more and more new components will be added over time, and you will find your knowledge of the software to be as outdated as the old version you’re using.
Being an early adopter of new software can also lead to advancing in your career. You can quickly become one of the most knowledgeable artists in that software, which can lead to interesting opportunities. I got my big break in the game industry this way.
Over ten years ago, the Croteam released the first Serious Sam game, and I immediately fell in love with it. Having never worked in the game industry, I started teaching myself level design using the Level editor that came with the game. As I learned the Serious Sam Level editor, I posted my findings to share with the online community, and within three weeks a large game studio contacted me with an offer using the Serious engine as a level designer on Carnivores Cityscape. This was how I got my start working in the game industry where I later became a producer.
Software will always play a role in a digital modeler’s career, so remaining current with your applications should be one of your top priorities.
Networking: Online Communities
Networking refers to meeting and associating with people, and making connections with them to strengthen your network, both personally and professionally. You’ve heard, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” But in the world of CG, it’s not who you know but who knows you.
I would never have sculpted Pokemon and Littlest Pet Shop toys, given 3D training to Dick Van Dyke, or written this book if it weren’t for the people who know me. Those people recommended me to someone that was not part of my network at the time.
Your network needs to evolve and expand more than anything else discussed here. The people you know and the people who know you are important when looking for a job or advancing in your career.
You can expand your network by attending industry events and conferences, and participating in social networking sites like Facebook (www.facebook.com), LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com), Google Groups (groups.google.com), and any other avenue that involves meeting, conversing, and talking business with people.
When my career in 3D was beginning, I set out to meet others who shared a passion for art and animation like me, and wanted to make a career of their craft. What I found was a flourishing art community online. Many CG forums consist of talented artists and animators who share ideas, offer feedback and critique, and help others with tools and techniques to work around creative design and animation challenges. Not only are these portals excellent information resources, but they are a way to get your art in front of literally thousands of people. The only investment you have to make is your time, but with a little perseverance, the commitment can really pay off.
Several years ago, I became active in a handful of online forums, many of which I am still involved with today, as a way to get my art in front of other artists and animators for their feedback. I began by posting sample sketches, works in progress, and final renders. At the time, my goal was simply to meet other artists who shared my passion for the medium and maybe exchange a few modeling and animation tips. It never occurred to me that I was actually showcasing my work to potential clients.
Since my initial introduction to online communities, I have posted more than 400 3D characters in online forums, many of which were spotted by companies and studios looking for contract artists and animators. Those online communities were conduits for contract jobs. If my work had not been highly visible on these online forums, I’m certain the job opportunities would never have come my way and the contractors would have never seen my work. But the job opportunities go beyond project work. I’ve been asked to speak at events and judge award shows, and have even been offered full-time positions based solely on my work posted in online forums.
Finding the right online community
Before jumping online, check your 3D software toolkit and see if the software developers, such as Autodesk, Luxology, or Newtek, have online support forums. Other companies, such as Adobe, have product-specific forums that are a good place to meet others and share information.
Great communities to investigate include
• CG Society: www.cgsociety.org
• 3DTotal: www.3dtotal.com
• Foundation 3D: www.foundation3d.com
• Polycount: www.polycount.com
Once you find online forums that seem right for you, get active within the communities by showing your work, critiquing the work of others, and helping answer questions that you may have experience with. Use them to share the latest news you may have heard, software you may have discovered, or techniques you created.
Being a good online citizen
Here are some basic guidelines you should follow when participating in an online community:
• Always remember that you are representing yourself as a professional CG artist.
• Show respect to the other members in the community.
• Give constructive critiques and be ready to hear both positive and negative feedback about your work.
• Fill in your profile with your real name and offer a way for others to contact you. Someone may be interested in hiring you and will need a way to reach you.
• Dedicate time each week to spend with one or more online communities. Stay updated with what is being shared in the community and be a regular presence.
By being proactive and helpful in online forums, not only will you be giving back to the community, but it could lead to a contract project or even a full-time job. Remember that everyone—from students and hobbyists to studio artists and owners—are members of forums. You never know when someone will notice you.
I’m a big fan of online networking. These communities have opened up many doors for me, both personally and professionally. Online community forums are some of the best promotional tools for CG artists. If you’re trying to get established in your career and community, it’s a no-brainer!
Networking may not come easy to you, but it is an important skill to hone. As with most things, the more networking you do, the easier it gets.
Staying on Top of Industry Trends and News
As animation and visual effects continue to change and expand, it is important to remain updated on information regarding this industry.
One of the easiest ways to stay up to date on industry trends is to visit several of the CG-related news sites daily and absorb as much information as you can. Think of it this way: Someone who has invested a large sum of money in the stock market wouldn’t go a day without checking what’s happening in the market, so why do any different with your investment in your career?
Some industry details to look for include
• Studios and the projects they are working on
• Artists’ names and their titles
• Event announcements
• Software news
• New technologies being developed
• Anything else that directly (or indirectly) plays a role in your career
As mentioned earlier, some sites that I visit daily are 3DTotal (www.3dtotal.com), CG Society (www.cgsociety.org), CG Arena (www.cgarena.com), and software-specific sites. It’s never been easier to stay on top of industry news, and the best part is that it’s free. Subscriptions to trade magazines like 3D World, Cinefx, 3D Artist, and Computer Graphics World are another way to discover what’s happening in this industry, and they’re tax deductible, which can help justify the expense.
Remember to take advantage of your network. A good portion of the industry news that I find out about comes to me by email from artists within my network. It’s important to keep in touch with these contacts and keep the relationships active, so be sure to pass along news that you discover as well.
Reel and Resume
Keeping your reel updated is extremely important when looking for a job, but it’s also something to think about doing even when you’re happily employed. You never know when you’ll need an updated reel, and it’s always easier to update as you finish new work along the way than to try and do it all at once after too much time has passed.
Sometimes it can be too late to get finished frames or content from a production you worked on if you postpone asking the studio for them. In those unfortunate cases, you’re limited to low-resolution footage from compressed files or simply not having any version to use.
I worked on a project a couple of years ago for an online interactive Web site, and by the time I went to get screen shots of the site for my online gallery, the project had already run its course and was removed. I then had to jump through some exhausting hurdles to get them from the client.
If you have trouble remembering dates and other important information that is useful on your resume, you should frequently update it as well. It’s also a good idea to request letters of recommendation on a regular basis to keep on file for future use. I’ve regretted not doing this in the past on projects that I’m extremely proud of. I’ve also missed getting one in time to use for an interview.
Keeping your reel and resume current can help you to avoid running into similar situations and will allow you to gain the upper hand when you find you need updated versions quickly.
Health
Our health is one of the most important and also the most overlooked areas in this industry. As digital artists, we spend the majority of our time in the studio on a computer. If we’re not working on a paying gig, we’re either improving our skill set by practicing or keeping up to date with the latest game or movie. That doesn’t leave much time to stay on top of the one thing that allows us to do all of this—our health.
Make sure that you work some form of exercise into your daily schedule. Take frequent breaks throughout a modeling session to get up and stretch, or even to take a walk. Not only will this help you to avoid back problems later in life, but it will also allow you to come back with a fresh perspective to what you’re working on. I love to take my chocolate lab, Jack, for long walks at least twice a day, and find that I do some of my best problem solving during those trips.
Regrettably, it’s taken me years to realize the importance of attending to this part of my life. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind, which then leads to being able to think clearer when problem solving.
If you’re like me, you have a bucket list of things you’d like to do in your career, and keeping up with your health allows you more time to accomplish them.
Advancing in Your Career
Staying current is key to advancing in your career, but there are other measures you can take to climb the ladder. An easy one for those passionate about their job is to take on more responsibilities and do more than is expected of you. If a director or supervisor is looking for someone to take on a special assignment or if another department is falling behind schedule, offer assistance. The trick is to be aware of what’s happening on the project and offer help before being asked to do it. Be careful not to step on the toes of your colleagues because no one appreciates someone butting in with, “I can do that,” all the time.
On the other hand, if you are unsure about a task or are having problems, don’t hide it from your team or supervisor; be honest and up front before the issue gets worse. A great way to handle this situation is to deliver every problem with a possible solution. Hiding a problem is a quick way to bring the production to a screeching halt and may be the quickest way to end your time at that studio.
If the studio you’re working at offers on-the-job training or there are courses you can take to learn important skills needed for a higher position, sign up. Learn as much as you can about the studio and its production pipeline, and try to find ways to enhance the process and reduce expenses for the company.
An obvious way to advance your career in a studio is to simply ask to be moved into a higher position. Be prepared to give solid reasons to justify why the company should promote you and make sure your superiors view you as an indispensible resource.
If you find that you have gone as far as you can go in a studio, know when to move on. It’s very common for an artist to outgrow a studio. If you are honestly doing everything you can to advance in a studio and there doesn’t seem to be any forward progress in your career after a few years, a new studio may be just the thing you need.
Even if you’re satisfied with your job, there is never a time you should feel that your job hunting days are over. It’s a good idea to keep current with what is happening in the job market because you never know what the future holds.
In closing I’d like to add one more valuable suggestion that may be the most important: A lot of people have this idea that the 3D industry is extremely large; they couldn’t be more wrong. The markets we work in are quite small, and only a few degrees of separation lie between all of the artists that make up our industry. Word travels fast throughout this network, so make sure any words spoken in regards to you and your work are positive. I’ve seen a lot of artists unnecessarily burn bridges and think their actions wouldn’t follow them, only to find that within 24 hours the news had spread like wildfire. Your reputation can be your most powerful asset when trying to advance in your career, so take good care of it. You only have one!
Always remember that you are in control of your career and that you have to treat yourself like a valuable commodity. You need to market this commodity, improve it, and most importantly, sell it.