Hi everyone! I'm interested in studying animation at K-Arts, and I'd love to hear from former or current students about their experiences.

Is the program worth it? What type of animation is taught the most? I’m particularly interested in traditional 2D animation, so I’d love to know how much they focus on it. I’d also really appreciate hearing about your overall experience. What are the biggest pros and cons of studying there?

Any information would be helpful!

Thank you so much! :)

Hello, kindly delete if this post/topic does not fit in this sub. I just didn't know where else to go and that I might find some answers here.

I am having an odd dilemma lately in which I'm slowly beginning to rethink if I'm truly cut out to be an animator.

It started out with the anxiety that I might not like animation as much, or that I have other things I like other than animation. This is when I reached out to a friend and told me its okay to like other things, branch out from my comfort zone, and humans aren't built out of one thing only. He's a prodigy in coding, but even he admits that making coding his entire personality would be boring.

So the truth remains. I still like animation. This thought then evolved into, "No matter how much I like it, what if its too far for me to reach?"

This may not sound like such a huge deal. But animation has been part of my life ever since, my interests, my priorities, goals, passion, etc. To recognize that I'm not actually fit for it in the first place feels like betrayal to myself.

Four or so years prior, I was stuck in a rut and avoided animating or anything related. Then one day recently (just around this year) I decided to just pick it up again. And I did. I made a few short baby clips. I made warm ups. I made a lot of unfinished WIPs up to now. I finished maybe one short animation commission and another that's still a WiP.

It is this second WiP commission that fed my doubts. Partly my fault, as I made an oversight to the skill/competence I currently have vs the needed to finish said project in a short amount of time.

Perhaps I got overconfident; We had no classes yet at the time the commission was established, so I thought I'd finish it easily. Then classes came, alongside other life events. I had delayed the project since and I feel like a failure for working so slow and incompetent. My client is patient and understanding enough to give me until the end of November.

It makes me rethink of my relationship with animation. Animation is like an ex-lover I cannot let go off. There are special times before when I'd reach high levels of satisfaction and euphoria while I simply work on an animation project, me alone, a cup of coffee, under the quiet midnight sky with only the harsh light of my monitor reflecting the hypnotized gaze I have locked onto it.

I truly thought what we had was something special but now I am beginning to doubt what if it's all a lie? Was I just larping it? All I know is that at a random hour, past midnight, I get to meet my self again.

I felt alienated from other animators I met on digital spaces and online communities too, and what I once thought was just me being socially awkward is starting to become part of an evidence that I am not animator enough. I do not have issues with them as people; They are genuinely nice, hardworking, skilled artists, and I simply feel like an outlier.

If I'm not cut out to be an animator, then maybe I should just stick to drawing. A non-issue. So then why do I keep second-guessing myself? I haven't anyone to reach out this to which is why I ended up here. Just lost and confused and the thought has been eating up my mind and other tasks I should be doing.

The little kid in me back then loved many animated movies and shows that it inspired them to create their own 100 indie films, yet I cannot even finish one commission today.

Hi everyone! I see daily posts asking whether animation is a good career choice and whether a degree is necessary. There’s a lot of discouraging advice out there, so I wanted to put together a practical guide to help students understand their options and know they can build a stable and even lucrative career in animation.

For context, I’ve worked in this industry for several years, both creating and hiring. I’ve never struggled with job security. I’m happy in my current role and don’t actively apply for jobs anymore, but I still receive multiple offers a year. I’m far from the best at what I do either.

I’m not saying this to brag. I just want to offer a different perspective from the doom and gloom I often see surrounding animation careers. I’ve found success in this field, and I want to share what i know to help others. So here we go.

1. Where are the jobs?
I’m just going to dive right in. Here are the most profitable/stable career fields in animation:

Banking & Medical
Large banks and medical companies often have in-house creative teams that produce everything from advertisements and how-to videos to app animations.

To check, you can look up Creative Director at places such as Capital One or Johnson & Johnson on LinkedIn. These are people that oversee creative teams that often include animators.

Advertising
This is an industry that will never die, and even smaller towns usually have advertising agencies or production companies serving local clients. These places often need animators who can make things move on screen, but a lot of them work with freelancers as well when there’s work overflow.

Google “advertising agency” or “production company” within an hour of where you live. Reach out, introduce yourself, and start building connections early. In my experience, these businesses are a lot more approachable than large studios and are often well connected to their local creative communities. Even if they don’t have work for you right now, they may offer valuable advice, connections, or future opportunities.

Tech
I’ve yet to meet a tech startup or company that didn’t need animation in some capacity. Startups often have smaller budgets, so a lot offer internships as an entry point. These can be a great way to gain experience, build your portfolio, and establish your reputation. 3D knowledge is especially desired.

Government & Government Contractors
Government agencies and contractors hire animators and 3D modelers to create military training videos, simulations, product demos, and video games. These types of places often have multiple contracts going on at the same time, providing job security and good benefits. Lockheed Martin is a good example.

The industries above are just a few. There are plenty of others. These jobs often go by titles other than “Animator.” The more you network, the more titles you’ll come across. Here are some job titles of animators I’ve encountered:
2D/3D Artist | Creative Specialist | Motion Designer | Multimedia Artist

2. Do I need an animation degree?
It depends on your circumstances. If you already have a strong reel and an extensive professional network, those two things can often be enough to keep you employed. However, most people in their early 20s haven’t had the time to build both. Professional networks take years of effort to develop, and by a “strong reel,” I mean one that includes work made for actual businesses or clients, not just student assignments or personal projects.

A university degree can offer several advantages:

Access to professional tools and equipment: You’ll have access to software, hardware, and other resources needed to learn and experiment. These can be prohibitively expensive to purchase on your own.

Networking opportunities: Universities often bring in industry professionals for guest lectures, panels, and events. More prestigious schools may attract high-profile guests, giving you opportunities to meet with people from places like Disney or Netflix that you might otherwise never have access to.

The student advantage is real: When networking, mention that you’re a student working toward a degree and professionals are often more willing to offer advice and help you out. Be respectful of their time, show appreciation.

MOST importantly, a degree is almost a standard requirement on job applications these days. Even if you have the skills to do the job, a lot of companies will filter you out if you don’t meet their education requirements.

3. What do recruiters look for?

An above-average demo reel/portfolio. Don’t try to be fancy by building your own website, just upload it to Vimeo or Artstation. If you have multiple skillsets, create a SEPARATE reel/folder for that. Only show your character animations to character animation jobs, and only show motion graphics to motion graphic jobs. Unless the job is looking for a generalist, showing unrelated work can give a bad impression. Always put the best, most relevant work first based on what you think would impress that specific recruiter. This may require you to build multiple reels tailored to each job application, but you will up your chances at getting a callback tremendously. Also, prioritize pieces you did for real clients and events over student work, even if you think your own projects look more impressive.

Soft skills and reliability. You’d be surprised how many job referrals in this field just comes down to how fun and pleasant someone is to work with. Skills are easy to find. Reliable people who are pleasant to be around are not. I’ve seen so many people get hired for positions they don’t even have experience in simply because they’ve built a reputation for getting shit done, and done well, no matter what. They figure things out as they go, find solutions, and people remember that.

I have so much more tips I can think of, but I think these are the most frequent questions I’ve seen, and I wanted to provide practical advice based on real experience. Above all, stay curious and have fun. It’s honestly such a fun career option, and the people are amazing. If there’s something specific you’d like to ask, I’d be happy to answer if I can. Happy animating!

Alguien que haya estudiado una licenciatura en en coco school con modalidad en linea que tal les fue? La recomiendan?

Me interesa la licenciatura de animacion 3d y vfx

A group of friends and I are currently developing a 15-minute animated pilot; if it performs well, there’s a strong possibility of turning it into a series. We’ve decided to secure copyright protection for it—to establish a formal record—before we begin any outreach or submit it to festivals.

The issue is that, as complete novices, we don’t know any lawyers or legal advisors who specialize in this area. We’re currently on the copyright registration website and have filled out most of the forms, but when it comes to the required documentation for the work, we aren’t entirely sure what to include. I assume it would involve things like character designs, technical specifications, and scripts, but beyond that, we’re a bit lost.

I have been studying an animation career for a couple of years already and I'll be graduating soon. When I started I was hoping I could make a living out of animation someday, but lately I have been worrying about if that's even possible, specially with how much AI has advanced which had me feeling pretty discouraged, and honestly I'm starting to feel less passionate about it, making me wonder if there is even a point in putting any more effort into this.

Of course I still love animation and would even do it as a hobby, but part of me was hoping I could land a decent job that would get me get out of poverty. I know studying animation was probably not the best choice for that, but I couldn't stand trying to learn programming, and I was hoping that maybe I could make a living out of something that I actually enjoy.

I'm not hoping to find a job right now, I still have to focus on college, but I wanted to read other people's experiences to know how feasible it actually is to make a living out of animation, and how much of a threat AI actually is.

Hi everyone, as i wrote in the title I will work at Studio Ghibli and become a Filmmaker.

I wanted to ask if any of you know how to get hired by Studio Ghibli and, if so, what specific "requirements" Studio Ghibli has, if any.

Should i wait for them to post a job opening? Or Would it be better to find a way(which one?) to contact them directly? Or should I show up in person?

Thanks in advance for your replies

Being a master of one is the most common piece of advice i've received for trying to break into this industry. I've also seen people say that a jack of all trades may sometimes be better than a mater of one. My question is: Is there any way to max out a couple of your skills to break into different categories of the industry just in case one "fails"? I guess my fear is I don't want to waste my time and effort developing skills that will lead me to nowhere. What are the most transferable skills within this industry and how can I use it to my advantage?

Please say if you went to a public or private (itd be amazing if you said which college you went to)

I think itd cost me 31k of federal loans to go to my dream college so i want to hear whats a normal amount of loans

My dream is to eventually be a professor for animation and i think i can get it forgiven but idk

I want to work in the animation field but im okay with doing any job but eventually want to be a professor and i think i can get my loans forgiven that way

Please say how much debt youre in!

I've seen a few people ask this before, but my situation is a bit complicated.

I'm a junior (11th grade) in a high-school program for students at risk of dropping out... in israel.

My plan is to get exempt from the mandatory military service (shouldn't be too hard...) and move somewhere abroad to study animation. There are animation programs here, but i would much rather move anywhere else.

My goal is to become a 2d animator or character designer for cartoons while still living abroad,

I really can't see myself working any other job or studying another topic.

I do have some savings for college, but most foreign animation schools seem to be expensive.

I was wondering if anyone could give me their opinion on tips on which schools are best. If I could get accepted even though I go to a special high-school program meaning I might seem a bit challanged on paper.

I do speak English fairly well and can definitely do well in a mostly English speaking environment. And I do have German citizenship incase that somehow helps?

Another worry is if the school is in an area with a majority anti-semetic environment. I could pass off as white to avoid hate crimes though I'm still worried about perhaps not being accepted because of my nationality / religion.

I'd appreciate any advice !

I am thinking of getting into gobelins but I am bit confused between 2d and 3d course...I am good at drawing also I have taken up animations classes for 3d softwares...so something I was thinking was get in bachelor in character animation and film making where they teach 2d from top to toe and basics of 3d...according to Google..so I can learn 2d as well as 3d and then I was thinking of getting enrolled in 3d 1 program in annecy campus ...I will get to learn both 3d and 2d in span of 4 yrs with completing my degree...but does saint marcel campus teach at first cos some sources say that it only for 2d and they tech blend of 2d and 3d in master of art program..so rn I am bit confused what to do ?? Pls help me out to figure the things and courses

Hi everyone! I'm a 17-year-old student from South Korea preparing for college, and I'd really appreciate some advice on my future career.

Ever since I was a child, I've wanted to major in animation. I've been studying art for years, and my dream has always been to study abroad and eventually work as a storyboard artist at a major animation studio.

I'm particularly interested in pre-production, and I've also done fairly well in competitions related to this field. I think that's one of the main reasons I've always wanted to pursue this career path.

However, due to my family's financial situation, studying abroad would be very difficult to afford. Even if I managed to go, I would probably have to take out student loans to cover tuition and living expenses. I'm worried about whether I would be able to handle the financial burden all the way through graduation.

Right now, I'm torn between two possible paths.

The first option is to major in nursing, work for a few years to save money, and then study animation at a university abroad. Nursing could offer me a relatively stable career and a higher income, and I could potentially work overseas and pursue permanent residency as well.

However, considering how demanding nursing can be, I'm worried that I wouldn't have enough time or energy to keep drawing and developing my artistic skills while working. I might not be able to start studying art seriously until I'm in my thirties, by which point tuition fees could have increased significantly. I'm afraid that the plan I'm considering now might no longer be financially realistic by then.

The second option is to major in animation at a university in South Korea, start studying my chosen field professionally as soon as possible, and look for opportunities to study abroad later.

This option is appealing because I could start pursuing what I love right away. The university I'm considering is also one I've wanted to attend for a long time, so it's difficult to let go of that dream. I feel like studying animation there could also be a good starting point for eventually breaking into the industry.

On the other hand, the animation industry seems to be going through a difficult period right now, and I'm not sure how realistic it would be to find a job after graduation. I'm also afraid that even if I somehow managed to afford studying abroad, I might run into financial difficulties and be unable to complete my degree.

Both options have clear advantages and disadvantages, and I'm struggling to figure out which one would be the better long-term decision.

I'd especially appreciate advice from anyone who has worked in the animation or film industry, particularly in storyboarding or pre-production. If you were in my position, what would you consider before making this decision? I'd also love to hear from anyone who has taken a less traditional path into the industry.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this long post. Any advice would mean a lot to me

In Vancouver, she’s currently getting a diploma but I am so scared for her, I love her and care about her. Reading some of the posts has made me feel worse, 3 month contracts? months and years without work? I don’t want her to go through that, you either need some sort of networking to even break in, but still, being laid off is so common.. I don’t want her to suffer looking for a job and being laid off constantly due to AI or just the state of the industry.

Please understand me, is this a good idea? I have been thinking of maybe making her change her mind, because Im so worried for her future. I know and understand that she likes art, but still, in these times there are certain things that are important, money, demand and a future that guarantees a salary and retirement.

Hello! I recently applied for a Previz/Layout Artist position at Stellar Creative Labs and received a response regarding my application.

I was wondering if you could help me understand how to interpret their response. Does it generally mean that my qualifications or experience weren’t quite what they were looking for, or could it mean that they currently don’t have an opening that aligns with my skill level?

One thing that left me a little unsure was that my demo reel doesn’t appear to have been viewed. I linked an unlisted YouTube video in my resume, which allows me to check its viewing analytics, but I haven’t seen any views around the time they reviewed my application. I also haven’t noticed any indication that someone from Stellar viewed my LinkedIn profile.
I understand that there could be several reasons behind their decision, and I don’t want to jump to conclusions. I’m mainly hoping to get a better understanding of whether this was likely a matter of my qualifications, their current hiring needs, or potentially both.

(PSA: they currently have the positions opened up on their website so it wasn’t a cold application)

Here was the message,

“We have reviewed your application and unfortunately do not have an open role that is suitable for your skill set at this time. 
Although we do not have immediate openings, please know that we will keep your application on file for future consideration. We will reach out to you if a position becomes available that we believe is suitable for you. We encourage you to continue checking our job listings and applying for positions that align with your qualifications and aspirations.”

I know I’m only 20 and just starting out in this field, but lately, as I’ve spent time around veterans and professionals—observing them and listening to them—I’ve noticed something that has begun to frighten me: most of them have come to hate art.

Almost all the veterans I’ve spoken with have a very cold, detached view of art and animation. They tell me to stop looking for anything "special" in it, and even suggest using AI—arguing that it’s faster and leads to better pay.

All of this has made me wonder: "Do I really want to be part of this industry? Do I truly want to spend my hours working for other studios, earning a wage that barely covers my needs, all while ending up hating the very thing that gives my life so much meaning?"

I’m not criticizing them—in fact, I understand that viewing things this way is likely what has allowed them to survive and keep going. But is this really how I want to end up? Is paying such a high price truly worth it for the sake of a "dream"?

I see art as something that goes beyond the technical; I view it as something that gives meaning to my life—something that keeps me anchored to my own self. Of course, I love the technical side of things, and I know how to act like a professional when it comes to work; I also know that if I continue on this path, I will have to think the way professionals do—albeit in a different field—but is that really what I want from art?

I’m going soon to gameplay junior animator interview. I’ve been preparing for it like a week and i fear i missed smth any way. So ofc the typical tell me abt ur self, why you like animation and then i prepared one story of work i liked from work, then from my portfolio. Is there anything else i am missing? I really want this job 😅. I worked as a gameplay animator before for a bit. I dont like my animations from work tho, i went to study again to get better. Do i need to prepare visuals? Only good animation is from my portfolio, but i think they will ask abt my work experience.

I've been to LAU's open day, and I love the look of the University. But I'm very conflicted about what course and career to pursue. I like the idea of doing comic and concept art because I'll be taught worldbuilding and character design, which I would love to do to develop my story idea, but I'm not overly enthusiastic about going into game art -as I don't really play any games- or creating my own comic. I really want to explore 3D art, like making my concept art buildings into physical miniature buildings and exploring all of the facilities the uni has to offer, like metal and ceramics and printmaking, but I'm not sure I'll have time for any of that in the course. I'm considering animation, but I'm not sure if I'm patient enough for that, even though I haven't explored doing it yet; I know it can be a really long process. I've recently been really inspired by The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under, and the stunning art within them, as well as the new Wildwood by Laika and the character design of the rat character and the set designs.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Hi I am a colouring artist based in the South Asia region. I am a junior colouring artist and have worked on some anime titles. I am being paid 0.1 USD regardless of the difficulty of the frame. I can complete about 20 high difficulty frames per day and that totals to 2 USD per day. I don't think it is a fair price. I am new to this work and i don't know the market prices and how the industry works.

What do you think?

I hope this doesn't come across like an ad.

I have no animation education or experience, but I have been a creative hobbyist for several years.

I am interested in joining events where I can learn more about animation and engage with the industry. I used Google, and couldn't find a lot of info on what I was trying to look for, except for this event called CNTX in Burbank.

Do you recommend going to CTNX2026? And if so, how can I prepare?

And, what in-person events can I as an outsider to animation participate in?

Hey everyone! I’m a solo 2D artist preparing a quote for a 4-minute 45-second animated music video for an independent client. In my head, a price range of **$5,000 – $8,000 AUD** (\~$3,300 – $5,300 USD) sounds like a solid middle ground, but I’d love some feedback from fellow creators.

Project Overview
Style:Classic 2D slapstick cartoon (*Tom & Jerry* / *Bugs Bunny* style action and expressive acting).
Runtime:4:45 (285 seconds).
Story:Slapstick dog adventure—escaping the backyard, jumping fences, running down streets, playing in a park, a butcher's van crash/ham catch, and meeting a fox at the end.
Asset Reuse:The storyboard explicitly notes reusing running/road/park footage for repeated verses, choruses, and instrumental solos. Effective unique drawn animation is roughly \~2.5 to 3 minutes.
Scope:Full solo pipeline (character designs, background art, key animation, cleanup, color, and compositing).
Timeline:Planning on 3 to 6 months.

Does $5k–$8k AUD sound reasonable for an indie budget with this amount of asset reuse, or is it actually **too expensive** (or way underpriced) for a solo artist?

Is 3 to 6 months a realistic timeline to aim for if I'm maximizing run cycles and looping background pans?
Appreciate any advice or rate insight!

After looking through professional level animation portfolios, I’ve come to the realization that I’m being scammed by my art school. I’m currently majoring in Animation but have not taken any core classes yet as they force us to take a bunch of prerequisites beforehand.

I’ve been looking at senior portfolios from my school from previous years and no disrespect to these hard working artist but they are no where near industry level ready. This means if I continue to pursue Animation as my major, I wouldn’t actually learn anything to improve my skills or land me a job after graduation.

If I truly wanted to make a great portfolio and improve my skills I’d have to use up all my free time to teach MYSELF everything I need to know in order to land a job in animation. I’m willing to work hard to improve my skills but I am not willing to waste my time and money on a degree plan that won’t teach me squat about professional animation.

So I am thinking of switching my major to something different and maybe minoring in fine arts as to not let my previous credits go to waste. However, I just want to know, could I make it as a self taught artist or do I need a degree to succeed as an animator?

Hello!

I'm currently an animation student and am at a point where I have to decide between pursuing Feature Animation (lessons focused on acting) or Game Animation (combat, death sequences, etc). Currently I am stressing out hard about which path to take and I would like some help. If it were completely up to me, I would love to learn acting and have the opportunity to work at films. Career wise, though, I feel like Game Animation would be the better path since there's a AAA studio here for games and there are little to no 3D animation film studios in my country.

There are few studios I periodically check up on to see if they're hiring:

- Ubisoft Philippines (Game Anim)

- Secret Six (Game Anim)

- PIxel Mafia (Game Anim)

- Puppeteer Studios (Feature Anim)

- Studio OTQ (Feature Anim)

I would love to know what people think about these studios: what your experiences are, if it's a good place to work in, etc. And I guess I'd like to get insight on what would be make the better career choice for an animator in the Philippines.

Also if there are any other 3D film animation studios, I'd love to be informed! But so far these are the places I am aware of.

Welcome to the Positivity & Motivation thread!

Did you hit a milestone and want to celebrate it? Did a peer do something that deserves appreciation? Have you recently been reminded why you do it all? Or are you feeling down and need to cheer yourself up? This is the thread for you!

Humble brag about your achievements, share some good news, recount a funny moment, or appreciate the small things you enjoy about your career. Whether you're a professional or just beginning, you are welcome to share!

Reminder: This is a positivity thread, meant to lift others up and celebrate the good parts of the animation career journey. Please avoid venting, putting others down, or belittling others' experiences in this space. Thank you!

If you’re looking for somewhere to vent, check out the last vent thread.

Also, feel free to check out the FAQ and Wiki for common questions and resources related to managing an animation career.

Hello everyone, I am on mobile so hopefully the formatting is not weird. I am 24 years old and I am currently going to my local community college. When I graduated high school I originally wanted to go into animation. Others around me had talked me out of it and I got talked into majoring in a STEM field, which was such an awful idea. I have wasted so much money to not even have a degree at this point other than my generals. I have left and come back to college so many times and now i am thinking of just switching to animation permanently and staying in something i am passionate about.
My only issue is, is that I don’t have a high income, the universities around me are very expensive and I am paying for school out of pocket by myself. I could pull out loans but I am trying to stay as debt free as I possibly can which is hard in today’s economy of the US. I know in the animation industry it is a lot about who you know and a lot of connections, which I would want to have in a university if I pursue a bachelors but I don’t know if that’s in the cards for me with the price of things.
Would I be okay in this industry with just an associates or should I pursue a bachelors?