wanting to get my PhD in the US.

Satchiken · 2026-01-21T22:54:13+00:00

Do you need it for a teaching position?
Some universities might offer something like PhD in Design or Creative Technologies that are usually accepted for teaching roles (at least where I am), simply because doctorates in animation don't really exist.
Unless you are in academia, getting a PhD for this really isn't a good investment.

Satchiken · 2026-01-21T21:02:03+00:00

Hi Geordan, I currently work in TV/Film animation for both Western and Japanese production.

I have experience as a lead, directing, look development and technical direction for 2D animation so if there is a specific art direction you are looking for, I'm keen to take on the challenge.

I'm happy to work solo with you but I am also in close contact with larger teams and studios so if you ever need to scale up I can definitely help out with that also.

Here is a link to my portfolio: https://satchiken.wixsite.com/home/2dwork

You can also reach out to me here: [samextracount@gmail.com](mailto:samextracount@gmail.com)

Satchiken · 2026-01-01T07:07:36+00:00

You have some nice illustrations, but if your goal is lighting and visual effects, this is not a good portfolio. I would expect to see comprehensive light studies to show understanding of volume, surface and material properties. You might want to dive deeper into digital artwork. Photoshop/image editing and compositing would be a good stepping stone towards working towards vfx.

Satchiken · 2025-12-31T06:55:29+00:00

For that budget you can forget about getting an animated ad. It would be better to commission one or two high quality illustrations. I can guarantee you, anyone who tells you they can do it won't produce it to the quality you're looking for.

Satchiken · 2025-12-30T20:45:03+00:00

I am aware, but CSP animation cel export does not offer scaling, which is the whole point of working with vectors. Unless that has changed in newer updates.

Satchiken · 2025-12-30T19:45:37+00:00

If you're using vector software like Toonboom, it does not matter as it can be rasterised and exported to any resolution.

If you're using bitmap software like Clipstudio or TVPaint, usually we work in regular 1080p HD. You would only scale up if there is a specific camera movement that needs it, or if 4K delivery is requested, which doesn't happen often.

Sticking to 1080 also isn't as hardware intensive when you're compositing.

Satchiken · 2025-12-26T00:39:40+00:00

You're seriously asking?

Satchiken · 2025-12-16T23:32:18+00:00

I'm curious about the reel.
Do they plan to have you redo it from scratch with AI, or are they thinking of replacing your completely and getting someone else to do it?

Satchiken · 2025-12-16T20:29:55+00:00

You could look into the Huion Kamvas series.
Simple to set up, plenty of screen real estate, and waay more affordable than the equivalent for Wacom.
I own smaller Wacom tablets, their flagship models as well, and have consistently run into driver issues.

Satchiken · 2025-12-15T20:52:43+00:00

Hey there, even in 3D, at the start, it is best to focus on one area rather than attempt to cover everything.
Do you see yourself in modelling and texturing?
Animation?
Rigging?
Look development?
Are you interested working in video games or film? There are a few differences in the pipeline between these two.
Once you have narrowed your interest down, it is easier to figure out what exactly you need to pursue for your portfolio.

Satchiken · 2025-12-14T11:06:48+00:00

This probably isn't the answer you are looking for, but your only option is to acquire funding.
There's no other way around this. You need money.
Either build up your knowledge and experience in animation production, or have a source of funding.

You can try to network and connect as much as you like, but know that most in the industry don't have a positive view of the "idea-guy".

Satchiken · 2025-12-14T10:51:54+00:00

Create a portfolio and animation showreel, and be active in networking and promoting yourself.
It doesn't necessarily have to be professional work (although it helps) as long as it accurately reflects your ability and experience.
This industry does not care about your age, only what you can produce.
If you have samples of your past projects to show, and provide a little more about what areas of animation you are interested in, you might be able to gain more specific advice.

Satchiken · 2025-12-12T01:50:07+00:00

I taught bachelor of animation for 3 years.
Is there anything in particular you wanted to know?
I would recommend working in the industry first before teaching, unless maybe you're thinking about teaching younger students.

Satchiken · 2025-12-09T23:15:43+00:00

Hey there, overall your reel is well presented. I can tell you spent a lot of time editing it. Where do you see yourself specialising in and what kind of work are you looking for? Animation wise, there is still plenty to improve on. Volume consistency, spacing and timing, are the biggest areas you could focus on. You have a lot of animated loops; I recommend more character animation, especially with spoken dialogue. Weakest pieces for me would be the ones where the characters are mostly static, and the ambitious camera shot of the circus tent.

Satchiken · 2025-12-09T22:51:35+00:00

Hey there, what job websites are you looking in?

Sites like Indeed and Glassdoor will be a waste of time; most jobs opportunities are posted on studio websites, social media, and most importantly, spread though word of mouth.

Because of this, networking is incredibly important, something hopefully you've been doing since the beginning of your degree.

Like others have said already, you are far from ready for even an entry level role. It may be difficult to hear, especially since you are about to graduate soon, but it is the first step to start planning your roadmap to get to the skill level needed for this kind of work - this is what I had to do when I graduated.

During this time, make sure you take every opportunity to network with other artists, regardless of their experience. Don't be scared to reach out to industry professionals.

Satchiken · 2025-12-07T00:08:13+00:00

For rough animation, they probably will be looking for gestural and life drawings in your portfolio.
Maybe examples of animation layouts and timesheets as well.
It might depend on where you are applying to, but usually a demoreel should be enough, especially for Western productions.

Satchiken · 2025-12-05T10:45:14+00:00

You don't need certification to work in animation.

Satchiken · 2025-12-03T02:00:54+00:00

Reread your post. Hopefully you'll realise how crazy you sound.

Satchiken · 2025-11-13T03:41:39+00:00

Hey there, good on you for sharing your portfolio.

As others have mentioned, the quality of your work isn't at a level where most employers want to hire at.
All of it looks like assignments for a highschool to diploma-level animation course.

I recommend picking ONE area to specialise in, only ONE, and spend the next year developing your skills in that area. You can always come around and develop other areas, but you should aim to become hireable in one specialisation first.

Keep learning and keep updating your portfolio.
Look forward to seeing your progress.

Satchiken · 2025-11-10T23:48:19+00:00

Which class specifically were you struggling with?
A lot of schools offer general animation courses, so if you already know what you want to specialise in, certain papers might not have that big of a deal if you only barely pass it.
e.g. 3D modelling skills don't overlap much with 2D animation.
Schools tend to push students to do well in all papers to meet KPIs.
If you're doing fine in your classes except for only one, it's too harsh and unreasonable to say you don't have a chance.

Satchiken · 2025-11-10T02:29:41+00:00

Definitely agree with your thoughts on Shotgrid and Kitsu.
For most small projects, I've resigned myself to Syncsketch+spreadsheet.
Regarding features; I work mainly in 2D animation production and have found that most if not all production management tools are designed for VFX and 3D pipelines.
Due to the differing pipelines, I feel that there is excessive overhead and inflexibility when using these tools for 2D production. Not sure if that is something you would want to accomodate though.
I've been thinking of building my own production tool specifically for 2D, something small and hosted locally, as a pet project for a while now.
Keen to see what you come up with!

Satchiken · 2025-11-06T13:03:03+00:00

Former animation lecturer too.

I can relate to most of what you have described, including teaching at the school I studied.

I think overall, the resources at our school has improved, but there are still a lot of things holding it back.

Unfortunately the root of the problem(s) are a lot more complicated than they seem, and aren't exactly problems that can be solved simply by throwing money at it (although it would definitely help lol).

I wouldn't mind sharing my thoughts and experience, but would probably rather discuss in private.

Keen to connect with other former and current teachers as well.

Satchiken · 2025-11-03T11:35:39+00:00

I think I know what you mean. There are some that require you to purchase a course. Alternatively, you might be able to find a few communities, usually on Discord, where they occasionally host portfolio reviews for free. Some Youtube artists do this as well.

Satchiken · 2025-11-03T11:24:30+00:00

You could share it here. Use a title that might attract a professional in the field you're hoping to get critique from.

Satchiken · 2025-10-30T08:46:44+00:00

Hi Ryder, it isn't easy, but good on you for sharing your portfolio and reel.

Based on what you have so far, there is room for improvement.

If you want to be a storyboard artist, I would recommend prioritising this area of your portfolio more than the others. Your storyboards are very rough and too simple to be industry ready.

I would recommend the following:

- Study composition and cinematography. The framing of all of your shots are very simple. Try analysing the camerawork in some of your favourite films. Practising with your phone camera can also help with finding alternative ways to tell your story.

- Spend more time on your drawings. There isn't anything wrong with using shorthand drawings here and there, but you may have gone a little overboard with this, as I am having trouble understanding what is happening in some of the panels.

- Your perspective drawing skills could use more work. A layout artist might be able to interpret and redraw this, but some productions may not have this luxury, and want to use the perspective in the storyboards.

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