Choosing a Specialty and Helping Your Career in Animation
By Joe Cooper
joe.cooper@animationschoolreview.com
Animation School Review Columnist
According to animation industry journeyman Andrew Daffy, knowing what you want to accomplish in your animation career will help you succeed. Going to animation school and focusing your coursework is the first step to developing your niche in the industry.
Focusing Within Animation
Andrew Daffy is an animation industry veteran with animation career credits ranging from TV commercials to Harry Potter. He gave a talk to animation students and computer industry professionals last month in India (where animation is booming).
Daffy, who started creating computer animation at home when he was only 15, talked about the importance of knowing what you want to do with your animation career. It’s no longer enough to just simply “want a job in computer animation.” The animation industry covers a wide range of specialties and sub-specialties, explained Daffy, and targeting your interests toward a specific one will help you in your career.
Animation Concepts
It will also help you in animation school. Less and less frequently do animation school students graduate with simply an “animation degree.” Classes have become more specialized to suit industry specialties like the following:
- Storyboard Art
- Layering
- Character Development
- Motion-capture animation
- Web animation
Gaining a Competitive Edge
Today’s animation schools offer classes in every animation industry specialty. The more you prepare for a specialty, the more likely your chances of landing a job in that area.
Competition is high for jobs in animation. Having a degree and a knowledge base in an animation specialty will give you the competitive edge you need.
Source
About the Author
Joe Cooper is a freelance education and technology writer and edits medical literature. He holds a bachelor’s in American Literature from UCLA.
Posted on February 1, 2007 at 11:33 AM
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