Category: Motion Design and Animation

“The industry tends to be pretty male-dominated; it tends to be a boys club.”

 

Episode 19 of Select+CT with Bridget Costa, Motion Designer, and Professor Samantha from the University of Connecticut.

 

 

According to a recent study conducted by Zippia, there are over 7,091 known animators employed in the U.S. Within this number of animators, 71.9% are men. That leaves 28.1% of women, which is not super encouraging, especially for young female aspiring animators. 

As experienced motion designers & animators Samantha Olschan and Bridget Costa conversed about the troubles of being a woman in the animation industry, specifically within the younger generation (myself included). These women offer what I think is terrific advice on how to cope and succeed in a male-dominated industry. 

Samantha emphasizes that she doesn’t want the younger generation to think about the challenges of being in a male-dominated field. When you hit roadblocks, you can seize the opportunity to grow – failure isn’t necessarily negative (well, sometimes).

See Also: Women in Film

“It’s a challenge that women both from the past and today should never give up on,” said Samantha. She also acknowledged that the challenges for her generation of female animators are different from those of our generation. 

Now there are organizations such as women in animation. Within these groups, you can communicate your challenges, share your successes and expand your network. These organizations are helpful because finding connections in your professional environment can make you feel less alone and supported when you experience a problem. In this episode, there is a sense that people are more sensitive to how women experience the workplace, but that doesn’t mean the challenge for women in animation and in any tech-based field doesn’t exist.

Featured Program

The University of Connecticut has a fantastic Digital Media & Design program at both the Stamford and Storrs campuses. The program offers BA and BFA degrees with concentrations in 2D and 3D animation, video production, social media, and web/interactive media. Learn more at the DMD website.

DMCT Micro Credentials

If you are unsure of how your skills connect to Connecticut’s growing Digital Media industry, I encourage you to enroll in DMCT’s first micro-credential course, The Emerging Practitioner. I am a graduate of the program and learned many things to assist my transition from University to a Career in CT and beyond!

“How you present yourself, and your creative work is an important indicator or signal for how the person on the other end is going to receive that.” 

 

Episode 19 of Select+CT with Professor Steve Harper, University of Connecticut.

 

In 2020, we were thinking about what our schools’ post covid would look like. In 2022, we can think of what post school looks like with covid (mostly) out of the equation. That said, it’s no secret that graduating students tend to experience a range of emotions: from pride and anticipation, to fear and discouragement, all or any I failed to mention are relatively normal. Select + CT’s season 2, episode 9 covered that post graduation scenario in what I think is in a more appealing light.

Guest speaker Steve Harper provided a great perspective on both post covid and post-school post covid (sorry, that was a mouthful). 

Steve is an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut focusing on motion design & animation. He first taught in CT and NY, but took time away from teaching to pursue more industry work. He later transferred back into the Husky realm and to the Stamford campus in 2014. In the episode, Steve expressed the hopeful reality of graduating from a university and landing that first job. 

See Also: Careers in Motion

We as students should remember that it’s okay not to have found the “perfect” job as soon as we flip the tassel. It might take a few (or more) job titles until we stumble upon one that we feel is the best match for us. Steve mentioned his many roles as a budding animator and how going from one job to another helped further his career. From small remote roles to working with clients worldwide, nationwide collaboration was an “expectation in the motion design industry.”

Though I think this timeline can be applied to other career paths too, since any form of digital media tends to be shared via the internet. Considering this perspective, there’s no limit to our potential clients, whether we get them through our future employers or on our own. It’s safe to say that covid was very annoying for both students and faculty. Motion Designers like Steve are used to working remotely, but “teaching remotely though, was another thing altogether.” He hopes education can be an equalizer again by removing some hurdles created during remote education: labs, equipment, and access to them can all expand student opportunities. 

In many of these posts, I’ve talked about the positive side of living on the east coast, particularly in Connecticut. However, I think sometimes it’s good to consider all perspectives, even if they are less appealing. “The students that are going out and attending west coast schools are having more of those connections and opportunities than over here on the east coast.. that isn’t to say there aren’t opportunities over here, because there are,” Steve explained, keeping this opportunistic divide in mind, it’s easier to picture whether or not CT will be the right fit for your career. “You have to be willing to move. You also have to know that your network isn’t quite there,” he added. On a more positive note, the east coast is typically more diverse in opportunity and skill set; there’s more of a need for a generalist skill set. Someone who can design, animate and understand video editing (among other various digital media skills) can get them that competitive role on the east coast.

Featured Program

If you still want to stay in CT after reading that last blurb, Connecticut College offers a fantastic art program that engages students in both the technical and conceptual parts of art-making. Uniquely enough, the facility provides a “Visiting Artists” opportunity where students can work on campus with leading national and international artists in workshops, studio classes, and exhibitions. Visit their website for more information. 

DMCT Micro Credentials

If you are unsure of how your skills connect to Connecticut’s growing Digital Media industry, I encourage you to enroll in DMCT’s first micro-credential course, The Emerging Practitioner. I am a graduate of the program and learned many things to assist my transition from University to a Career in CT and beyond!

“You have to learn the rules first before you start to break and bend them.” 

 

Episode 8 of Select+CT with Timothy Suarez, Blue Sky Studios

 

 

The goal (or one of them) as an animator is to make the most entertaining shot possible. Sometimes the outcome of that shot depends on how much you can push and cheat to make the character most like themselves without breaking the rules. In other words, a lot of effort goes into the act of your favorite character battling that villain who never seems to disappear! Animators usually have to toss their original ideas out the window for the sake of the story they’ve been hired to tell, and learning the basics is an important foundation to master. 

A goal of an animator is to make the most entertaining shot possible. Sometimes the outcome of that shot depends on how much you can push and cheat to make the character most like themselves without breaking the rules. In other words, a lot of effort goes into the act of your favorite character battling that villain who never seems to disappear! 

See Also: Alumni Experience

I recently re-listened to a 2020 Select+CT podcast episode with Blue Sky Studios Animator Timothy Suarez. Sadly, Blue Sky is no longer around, but there was still lots to learn for any inspiring Connecticut animator. When Tim moved to Connecticut, he had an opportunity to work on productions such as The Peanuts Movie and some of the Ice Age sequels. At the time, he had no clue about any creative studios in Connecticut and thought the animation was “more of a New York City thing.” Although Blue Sky is no longer here, there are still many other opportunities for animators, thanks to WWE, ESPN, and NBC Sports. These companies are great places to work before pursuing a career at one of the larger Hollywood studios. 

In the podcast, I learned that it’s better to specialize in high-end 3D production if you’re an inspiring Hollywood animator. Animation studios look for people who specialize in one thing because they can work with a diverse team who also specialize in other things. “It’s more likely that you’re going to get into one of these bigger studios if you just commit to one specialty,” said Tim. 

Tim specialized in character design and highlighted that having a background in figure drawing can significantly improve the believability of your character. Prior figure drawing experience helps give weight to a surface so the body moves more believably and accurately. Figure drawing, learning to pose, or studying the anatomy of a pose are all valuable skills to attain before establishing your title as an animator.

Featured Program

Speaking of Digital Media in Connecticut, the University of Connecticut has an abundance of digital media concentrations to select from when pursuing a BA or BFA degree: 3D Animation, Digital Film & Video Production, Game Design, Motion Design & Animation, and more. UConn successfully shapes students so they have the skills to pursue those high-end jobs at large Studios like Disney

DMCT Micro Credentials

If you are unsure of how your skills connect to Connecticut’s growing Digital Media industry, I encourage you to enroll in DMCT’s first micro-credential course, The Emerging Practitioner. I am a graduate of the program and learned many things to assist my transition from University to a Career in CT and beyond!

“The whole idea of telling a story without using real people.. it just really was interesting.”

 

Episode 3 of Select+CT with Stefanie Toigo, NBC Sports

 

 

Having an interest increases motivation and task commitment! It makes as passionate in the classroom and helps us dream big for our future. Interest can come from anywhere, something as simple as being a fan of a cartoon show can guide you to a career in Motion GFX and animation.

See also: University to Career

In an effort to support the hopes and dreams of so many aspiring animators, Digital Media CT has interested various CT-based creative professionals in the field of animation. The first was an interview with Stefanie Toigo from NBC Sports, which made up episode 3 of the Select+CT podcast; in the interview Stephanie shared how she ended up at…well, NBC Sports. I recount her story below, which shares information on what it means to be a Motion GFX designer.

As a child, Stephanie wondered how the caricatures she so often consumed actually came to life since they were not human, nor actors. “The whole idea of telling a story without using real people.. it just really was interesting.” said Stephanie. Though I am certain many of us often wondered the same at some point, her curiosity was persistent enough to eventually lead her to an associate degree within the field she once wondered about. 

The realm of TV isn’t the only place an animator can show off their skills: other digital outlets varying from social media, to websites of all sorts are seeking animators/motion designers for different reasons. The demand for motion designers and animators is escalating, but so are the platforms used to express them. Whether a new hires skills are put to use for boosting an algorithm or earning a higher rating, motion GFX is highly regarded today. 

See Also: Woman in Film

Host David DesRoches asked Toigo to give more insight on what it’s like working for a company as large as NBC. “It’s sports. At a live event really anything can happen and you have to be prepared.. Doing a lot of extra work that potentially will never make air.” she said. I argue this statement can apply to any job in the creative industry. Scribbling away at an assortment of sketches for a commission; only for the commissioner to pick one. Making a vision board for a client, only for the client to envision something quite the opposite: It is important to recognize that the amount of work we creatives put into a project may not be entirely rewarded. Being OK with that lost effort is what can boost your chances of having greater success. 

“Art is subjective, you need to be able to take criticism.” Stephanie added. She usually makes an effort to break down what the plan is for the day.  Once her manager is comfortable with the project, she is able to put her own creative spin on it. Stephanie makes sure that she is always following her manager’s direction despite any creative freedom. This typical work day for Stephanie is an example of what many other digital media workers experience, as well as CT-based careers in Motion GFX.

Featured Program

The University of Connecticut actually offers a pre-college summer digital animation and motion graphics course, allowing those who attend to gain insight into the world of time-based media. Learn more about this program here. 

DMCT Micro Credentials

If you are unsure of how your skills connect to Connecticut’s growing Digital Media industry, I encourage you to enroll in DMCT’s first micro-credential course, The Emerging Practitioner. I am a graduate of the program and learned a bunch of things to assist my transition from University to Career in CT and beyond!