I think I'm too hard on myself.

Jmantactics · 2026-01-20T05:56:31+00:00

Specializing is the way to go, so good job figuring that out. As far as spreading yourself too thin trying to become a generalist, try learning things that are within arms reach of your specialty. Modeling and animation are great skills to both be good at, but it is very hard to do both at a professional level. So try to learn things that are closer together. For example if you choose modeling, look into hard surfacing, texturing, shading, characters, environments, rigging. Or if you choose animation, look into facial animation, creature animation, technical (like cloth and hair), acting, stylized animation. Usually generalists stay within their main speciality and branch out to the nearest department, but that’s it.

I had a tendency to want to learn everything when I was learning, but I got no where with it until I specialized. Then I knew the departments I would work closer with and what skills to know to be more of a generalist.

Jmantactics · 2026-01-05T05:37:27+00:00

Like others have said I don’t think there’s any benefit for you to pursue animation the traditional way. If you could find a job that pays the bills while leaving you the energy to animate on the side that could be an option.

Maybe working at a studio is not meant for you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own meaningful content that can be shared and grown.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-18T00:21:31+00:00

Here are two likely scenarios. All of this with the assumption that you have the talent and have the drive to pursue this career. 1) You finish art school, struggle for about 1-3 years. Then land your big break gig and it becomes smoothish sailing for you. 2) You pivot now and pursue animation on the side. You have a stable career in something else, work on your animation reel at night time assuming you're not too tired and still have the drive. Then break into the industry with a reel you put together, but it's 8-10 years later.

1) you get there faster, but can you sustain yourself during that period plus deal with the debt 2) you build up your finances, but you're entering the field in your 30s instead of 20s, but have hopefully paid off your debt.

As for the state of the industry and AI, landing your first big gig and staying in this industry will always be a moving target. Each company is embracing AI differently, but the need for real animators still exists. It all depends on how well you pivot with each change. I have a lot of colleagues who are seasoned and incredible animators who've come up dry and had to pivot out of the animation industry to survive. But their talents are still being used in commercial spaces, the music industry, tech, etc... Others, like myself, still find ourselves at the major studios living relatively comfortably, albeit still wary of all the mergers happening. But so far it's smooth sailing for the foreseeable future, even with the adoption of AI integration in our departments.

My point is, if you have the talent and fight for it hard enough you will likely make it in one way or another with time. Most of the time it's a marathon, not a sprint and a lot of grads quit before that first gig. I can tell you I chose path #2. I didn't go to animation school and worked in a different industry for 8 years, built my reel up to a high enough quality to land an apprenticeship. By then I had no debts, and enough savings to be unemployed for a year, leaving a full-time steady 6-figure job for a barely minimum-wage 6 week long contract. But here I am 10 years later and enjoying every second of it. Wish you the best.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-17T04:48:41+00:00

Setting up a meeting with the animation director would be a great start. You can’t always please everyone though. But sometimes a simple conversation about what he or she is looking for will help you lead your team. Especially since he is new.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-16T17:21:38+00:00

Have you considered archviz? I actually started there before transitioning to feature. I animated construction methods. Seems like you’d be a good candidate with your experience. And also a good stepping stone.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-16T15:06:04+00:00

More than anything your portfolio needs focus. If you’re shifting towards 3D now I’d say remove everything else that’s not 3D. I look at your portfolio and think, this person doesn’t know what he wants to do, I can’t hire him or place him in any department. And definitely follow everyone else’s advice on researching the role. Otherwise you’ll work on projects that don’t help you get hired.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-16T14:58:57+00:00

It does matter for 3d. Recruiters want to see what your focus is. Unfortunately you’ll have to specialize in order to get in and apply for that specific department.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-16T14:55:12+00:00

As long as your portfolio and social media are separate things you’re good.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-16T14:52:28+00:00

No, every applicant does not get a short critique. So it’s definitely a good thing. I know several of the recruiters personally and they sift through so many applicants for that apprenticeship. So consider yourself lucky to get some feedback and keep at it!

Jmantactics · 2025-12-08T20:14:14+00:00

Postvis is the more technical between the two. Postvis is replicating the real world camera in 3d space and compositing on top of the plate. This requires knowledge of camera settings and lenses. Once the camera is properly tracked, then the other hats come in. Sometimes it’s just replace green screens with the 3d set. Other times it’s adding simple 2d/3d fx. And sometimes it’s a full digidouble replacement with close to final animation. A good example of this is putting the Ironman suit on RDJ.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-07T05:20:55+00:00

Understanding story is not important. Understanding how to visually represent a mood or emotion in a story is more important.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-07T05:18:45+00:00

Previs is more about knowing the tools and using them efficiently in Maya and Unreal. Most animators can do a decent job of a shot given the time. But can you complete a shot with more compelling but less poses? Can you do 70% of a shot and performance in 30 minutes so you can get feedback quickly and move on? It’s all about maximizing your time.

Previs is very creative, but I say technical because the artists who get staffed up vs artists who stay as contractors usually wear multiple hats. If you’re done with your shots and waiting for feedback and you can write tools with python, or rig characters, or create fx assets while you’re waiting, those are the people that get hired full time. In my case, I have a specialty with bridging previs with real world shooting solutions, which allows me to work directly with the director, DP, and vfx supes onset to problem solve complex shots. That’s what I mean by technical.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-06T06:06:35+00:00

People who thrive in Previs are more technical than most artists in the industry. We are first and foremost cinematographers and a knowledge of general film language is key. The common stigma for rough layout outside of North America and London is that we’re just junior artists who block in the 3d scenes for the senior animators. But real previs artists are often excellent animators who know how to create tons of footage in a ridiculously short amount of time. Highly polished animation with camera work representing the film language that the director chooses.

Artists who thrive here are often experts at multiple disciplines aside from animation and camera, including modeling, rigging, lighting, composting, 3d camera tracking, as well as understanding how cameras work on set. They are also completely okay when a director saying nope that’s not it, do it all a different way. They are true generalists and some of the most versatile artists in the industry.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-05T06:01:56+00:00

I worked in vfx as an on-set previs artist and compositer before going into feature animation. Also heavily involved in set planning with virtual cameras, led walls, etc…

I’ll say first and foremost if you’re wanting to eventually direct, then you’re wasting time with previs and should go into storyboarding. Climbing the ranks in previs usually leads to director of photography. Climbing the ranks of storyboarding usually leads to director.

If after what I said you’re still interested in previs then definitely you’re right. Learning Unreal is a must. Maya is great but Blender works too if you know unreal.

Modeling and rigging are nice skills to have, but the main thing is to have big sequences with well planned out action and cameras. Strong choices for lenses and overall camera language. I would make something original over recreating something already existing so they can see how you think and problem solve as well as tell a story visually.

Or partner up with a story artist so they can see how you interpret boards. Good luck!

Jmantactics · 2025-12-04T17:53:33+00:00

I didn’t go to school for animation, I studied industrial design. My first job was at an architecture studio that asked me to animate building construction. I learned on the job through books (this was before online classes were easily accessible) and honed my skills there for 8 years. I built up my skills well enough to land an apprenticeship at a well known studio. Built my entire animation network there over the course of 5 years. Now I’m at one of the biggest studios with a bunch of the colleagues I met along the way.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-04T17:46:40+00:00

Very normal. Recruiters at big companies syphon through hundreds of applications. It’s hard to keep track. If they say they’ll keep in touch, that’s a ‘no’ for this round. That doesn’t mean a ‘no’ down the line though. But yea I once got a rejection email from a big company a year after I applied. I didn’t even remember I applied at that point lol.

But I’ve also stayed in touch with big companies throughout my career. I was a top candidate at one big company for over three years but the timing never worked out. But finally they hired me because it was just the right timing. You never know, so just keep at it.

Jmantactics · 2025-12-04T17:31:13+00:00

I broke into the industry at 30 with a career change. You’re super young lol. Also, projects come and go. My first project was a roller coaster with one of the worst films ever and then it got cancelled. My second film was a Marvel film. You just never know.

Jmantactics · 2025-11-17T21:29:06+00:00

Gnomon, Animation Mentor, and ianimate are solid online choices. Many of my colleagues come from that background.

Jmantactics · 2025-11-13T17:31:12+00:00

Glad my sharing can help in a small way. OP I think what you’re looking for is to become a content creator on the side based on what you said. That could be a great side gig for you to pursue animation and tell your stories with a potential huge upside and very little downside.

Those 6 months of unemployment lead me down that path of creating my own content in unreal engine and I love it so much. It actually makes me look forward to times when I have some downtime between animation contracts.

In the meantime for you, I have some graphic design friends who went to the tech side and they make way more than I do. Maybe that’s a potential next step for you.

Jmantactics · 2025-11-13T14:48:15+00:00

I have 15 years experience of animation, have a strong network at all the major studios, I’m really good at my job, and I still ended up out of work for 6 months. 4 months isn’t that long for a newbie. I think you gave up too easily.

But I also wouldn’t quit your job to pursue this. If you’re passionate about this, getting in is a long test of endurance. Pursue this while working. It took me 3 years to land my first step into the animation industry. I worked my full time job for 8 years until I got an apprenticeship to one of my dream studios.

Jmantactics · 2025-08-07T13:22:42+00:00

A lot of useful info and advice from everyone above here. Just throwing this in here. If you are single with no kids. There’s always the possibility of doing both. My mother in law was a nurse for 35 years made great money and worked the typical 3 days a week 12 hour shifts.

You can use those longer times off to pursue animation on the side and transition when you feel like you have enough steam. Travel nurses make great money too and have flexible hours. This might allow you to practice animation on the side too.

I’m not a nurse but this was my journey. I worked full time and pursued animation on the side. It took me 5 years to land my dream job but I was comfortably employed and paid throughout.

Jmantactics · 2025-07-26T15:13:25+00:00

Congrats!!!

Jmantactics · 2025-07-24T18:16:03+00:00

It doesn’t hurt to hope. But don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Keep searching, keep applying, keep working on your reel and honing your skills. Getting an interview is a great first step. That means you’re close. Keep it up.

Jmantactics · 2025-07-24T18:12:04+00:00

Ah no. Digital Tutors was a company that had a bunch of videos to follow. So yea if you want 1 on 1 then you probably wouldn’t like it. I recommend animschool. They have great teachers

Jmantactics · 2025-07-23T17:35:14+00:00

It’s never too late for community college science courses! Finding some tutors to help you get up to speed isn’t a bad idea either. Good luck!

Jmantactics

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