Furby, I wish you as much luck as you need. And ... don't be disappointed if something doesn't come out as expected.
I was regretted by film schools, and I failed miserably at my first test for an animation studio. But some years later I had my own drawing desk at one of the major studios and was doing my part of what became a box-office hit in Germany. Quite a success! - And you will do the same.
Shuriken School
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
-
DarthFurby
- Posts: 510
- Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:34 pm
- Location: New York City
- Contact:
Didn't get the interview.
BUT
I got a chance to clean up the original test which I sent in today. Biggest problem: Time. You have to be fast! No thinking, just zip, zip, zip. The reviews for the first test came back a unanimous “YUCK.” The criticisms were spot on, but I thought there might be some latitude given the time constraints. Also, my website went down so they couldn’t see my reel. YES!!!
Welcome to my world.
Ok, big deal. Got a new host: http://darthfurby.ifastnet.com
It works.
And I went at the second test like a demon, which involved lots of swearing. If this bombs, I doubt they’ll give me another shot at revisions, but I’m betting on an interview this time.
Well, it’s another week of waiting but hope is still alive!
3dBones: Good luck starting your studio. If I get this job I’ll be happy to share every bit of advice I can. Who wouldn’t want a show of their own?
Slowtiger: If I get rejected, I’ll remember your advice. I’m just so close right now, but I’m prepared for No. Thanks for the support, it means a lot. I was prepared to work a desk job for the rest of my life, with animation as a hobby, but if there is such a thing as destiny, then I hope this is it.
In four days, I call.
Furby vs Animation Collective.
Fight!
BUT
I got a chance to clean up the original test which I sent in today. Biggest problem: Time. You have to be fast! No thinking, just zip, zip, zip. The reviews for the first test came back a unanimous “YUCK.” The criticisms were spot on, but I thought there might be some latitude given the time constraints. Also, my website went down so they couldn’t see my reel. YES!!!
Welcome to my world.
Ok, big deal. Got a new host: http://darthfurby.ifastnet.com
It works.
And I went at the second test like a demon, which involved lots of swearing. If this bombs, I doubt they’ll give me another shot at revisions, but I’m betting on an interview this time.
Well, it’s another week of waiting but hope is still alive!
3dBones: Good luck starting your studio. If I get this job I’ll be happy to share every bit of advice I can. Who wouldn’t want a show of their own?
Slowtiger: If I get rejected, I’ll remember your advice. I’m just so close right now, but I’m prepared for No. Thanks for the support, it means a lot. I was prepared to work a desk job for the rest of my life, with animation as a hobby, but if there is such a thing as destiny, then I hope this is it.
In four days, I call.
Furby vs Animation Collective.
Fight!
-
DarthFurby
- Posts: 510
- Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:34 pm
- Location: New York City
- Contact:
Since last week, I've called the studio several times. The intern on the phone probably knows my voice by now. The other day, as per usual he put me on hold to look for my contact, Matt, who for some reason I picture wearing a monks robe with the hood up so you can't see his face. I can just imagine the reaction as my name comes up once more:
"Oh God, not HIM again," and then as he breaks down sobbing: "Why can't he just leave me aloooooone!!!"
Maybe that's an exagerration, but every time that intern comes back he says "Hmm, musta stepped out."
Make them give me a job and I will take away the pain. You know you want to Matt.
MAAAAAAAATT.
Well today, I got my answer.
Final verdict for Flash Animation Test:
Fail.
I want to thank everyone for all the advice and support.
It's a tough break, but the moral of the story is:
Character Design Test.
That's right. Like a bad rash that won't go away, Phase 2 of my evil plan...HAS BEGUN. This will be the intern next week:
"Wtf?? Hasn't he contacted you already???"
"This time, it's the Character Design Test."
Brief pause as this new detail sinks in, then like Darth Vader in Episode 3:
"nnnnNNNNNOoOOoOOOOooooOOOOOOooooo!!!"
But no more waiting this time. I spent the past week scouting and last night sent my reel out to 14 other studios. That's Plan B. I'll be spamming more of them tonight. Never did realize there were so many 2d studios in Manhattan. Rubs hands.
"Oh God, not HIM again," and then as he breaks down sobbing: "Why can't he just leave me aloooooone!!!"
Maybe that's an exagerration, but every time that intern comes back he says "Hmm, musta stepped out."
Make them give me a job and I will take away the pain. You know you want to Matt.
MAAAAAAAATT.
Well today, I got my answer.
Final verdict for Flash Animation Test:
Fail.
I want to thank everyone for all the advice and support.
It's a tough break, but the moral of the story is:
Character Design Test.
That's right. Like a bad rash that won't go away, Phase 2 of my evil plan...HAS BEGUN. This will be the intern next week:
"Wtf?? Hasn't he contacted you already???"
"This time, it's the Character Design Test."
Brief pause as this new detail sinks in, then like Darth Vader in Episode 3:
"nnnnNNNNNOoOOoOOOOooooOOOOOOooooo!!!"
But no more waiting this time. I spent the past week scouting and last night sent my reel out to 14 other studios. That's Plan B. I'll be spamming more of them tonight. Never did realize there were so many 2d studios in Manhattan. Rubs hands.
Well, don't let this one experience keep you from trying again with other animation studios. You obviouly have the talent and the desire for creating animation needed to become a powerful asset to any studio willing to take you on as an employee.
Perhaps you simply need to try focusing your efforts on a single, specific task instead of trying to incorporate a little bit of everything into your work. For example, if you want to do character animation, place your time and effort entirely into mastering that aspect of your work, instead of trying to create props, settings, sounds, etc... to accompany it. Maybe even try to find some partners you can offset such tasks onto.
After all, animation is ultimately a team effort, and often times you'll need to be able to demonstrate that you can work within a team setting.
Perhaps you simply need to try focusing your efforts on a single, specific task instead of trying to incorporate a little bit of everything into your work. For example, if you want to do character animation, place your time and effort entirely into mastering that aspect of your work, instead of trying to create props, settings, sounds, etc... to accompany it. Maybe even try to find some partners you can offset such tasks onto.
After all, animation is ultimately a team effort, and often times you'll need to be able to demonstrate that you can work within a team setting.
8==8 Bones 8==8
-
DarthFurby
- Posts: 510
- Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:34 pm
- Location: New York City
- Contact:
I'll probably get rejected many many times before I finally catch a break, but that's ok. Try playing Halo 2 on Xbox Live, you get your ass beat by 12 year olds all day. I can't remember how many times some prepubescent kid screamed "OOOOOOOWWWWNED!!"
If you can put up with that then getting a polite rejection from a thousand studios is no big deal.
Anyway your advice about focusing reminded me of an old saying:
"Jack of all trades, master of none."
I discovered that this cliche is taken out of context. Here is the full aphorism:
"Jack of all trades, master of none, but ofttimes better than master of one."
I like the sound of that second line, but to compete, most professionals have to specialize. That's probably why someone bitchslapped that philosopher and nuked the last part of his quote. And If I get my foot in the door, they'll call me DarthSpecialist.
If you can put up with that then getting a polite rejection from a thousand studios is no big deal.
Anyway your advice about focusing reminded me of an old saying:
"Jack of all trades, master of none."
I discovered that this cliche is taken out of context. Here is the full aphorism:
"Jack of all trades, master of none, but ofttimes better than master of one."
I like the sound of that second line, but to compete, most professionals have to specialize. That's probably why someone bitchslapped that philosopher and nuked the last part of his quote. And If I get my foot in the door, they'll call me DarthSpecialist.
Being an obsessive control freak myself, I've often found it hard to simply let go and allow others to have creative control over certain elements in projects I'm working on. Every time my desire to control everything would take over, the project in question would usually end up being a flop. The project would be complete, but everything that went into it (sounds, graphics, animation, programming, etc...) would simply end up being merely "adequate", rather than great.
Learning to get past the desire to be the one in control was probably the most difficult thing I ever had to face while I was in college. (As was true for a lot of my classmates, who would each have a completely different idea for approaching a project.) Arguments were often a common problem among team members, since each of us were often unwilling to give up on our own ideas. By the time we reached a compromise, the valuable time needed to complete the project was already used up, resulting in a rush job to meet the deadline.
Fast forward to today...
I'm now at least aware enough of my obsessive nature to work around it. While I am skilled with photoshop, various 2D/3D applications, creative writing and audio editing, I also know it's impossible to create great content in all of those areas without the support of others.
At this point, I'm basically learning where my skills may be best applied. So far, working in 3D modeling and character animation seem to be where my best traits lie.
I think this may also be part of the reason why I spend so much time researching animation in general. There are so many great examples out there, and all of them have been produced as a team effort. It seems there's just no room for the "lone wolf" mentality in this industry.
Learning to get past the desire to be the one in control was probably the most difficult thing I ever had to face while I was in college. (As was true for a lot of my classmates, who would each have a completely different idea for approaching a project.) Arguments were often a common problem among team members, since each of us were often unwilling to give up on our own ideas. By the time we reached a compromise, the valuable time needed to complete the project was already used up, resulting in a rush job to meet the deadline.
Fast forward to today...
I'm now at least aware enough of my obsessive nature to work around it. While I am skilled with photoshop, various 2D/3D applications, creative writing and audio editing, I also know it's impossible to create great content in all of those areas without the support of others.
At this point, I'm basically learning where my skills may be best applied. So far, working in 3D modeling and character animation seem to be where my best traits lie.
I think this may also be part of the reason why I spend so much time researching animation in general. There are so many great examples out there, and all of them have been produced as a team effort. It seems there's just no room for the "lone wolf" mentality in this industry.
8==8 Bones 8==8
-
DarthFurby
- Posts: 510
- Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:34 pm
- Location: New York City
- Contact:
Don't like working in a team of people I haven't got to know before.
Like working with friends.
Like working with people who just get the job done with as little hassle as possible, and don't need their hands held.
Like working with people who like what they do.
Don't like working for corporate whores.
All in all, teamwork will give you a product you would have never have been able to achieve had you been working alone, which could be a good or a bad thing.
Like working with friends.
Like working with people who just get the job done with as little hassle as possible, and don't need their hands held.
Like working with people who like what they do.
Don't like working for corporate whores.
All in all, teamwork will give you a product you would have never have been able to achieve had you been working alone, which could be a good or a bad thing.
