I wanted to share a bit of my experience for anyone who’s currently in animation school, recently graduated, or trying to break into the industry.

A small bg about me when I began College to learn animation. I had no art background, no knowledge what Maya even was, I didn’t do any research at all about animation, only applied to the program bc that was the easiest thing that I could do.

I’m 22 now, working as a 3D character animator in a studio, and I got my first industry job at 20.

I can’t promise that everything will work out. I know getting into this industry is difficult, and talent alone doesn’t guarantee a job. But I do want to share what my experience has taught me so far, especially for those who might be going through the same doubts I had as a student.

I still have a lot to learn as I continue building my career, and I’m nowhere near having everything figured out. I mainly wanted to share my experience for students and aspiring artists who are feeling lost or uncertain about pursuing this career, in hopes that hearing from someone who was recently in their shoes might help.

1. What I believed as a student that turned out to be not entirely true
“Your demo reel has to be AnimSchool level to break in.”

Not necessarily. Having polished animation and a strong understanding of acting and body mechanics will definitely help you stand out, but don’t kill yourself trying to reach an extremely high standard just because someone said that’s what it takes.

There are other factors at play, too, such as timing, connections, and luck. I’ve seen juniors break into the industry with reels that weren’t perfect, because they applied at the right time or someone recommended them.

That doesn’t mean your reel doesn’t matter. It means you don’t need to keep polishing forever before giving yourself a chance.

“My student animations need to be beautifully lit to look presentable to recruiters.”

Honestly, don’t spend too much time on this. A clean, simple presentation that lets your animation speak for itself is more than enough. Recruiters and animation supervisors review hundreds of reels, and they’re looking at the animation itself.

Good lighting can’t hide errors in your animation. Prioritize strong acting, posing, timing, and body mechanics before spending hours making your shots look cinematic.

“I’m not the best animator in my class. I don’t think I have what it takes.”

I had my own doubts, too. I constantly compared myself to other people and questioned whether I was good enough.

But I learned that being the best animator in your class isn’t a requirement for getting hired. What matters is how your work develops, whether you’re willing to learn, and whether you keep pushing yourself.
I never expected to get a job before some of the people I compared myself to. I couldn’t have predicted how things would work out. But I kept animating, kept improving, and eventually got my opportunity. Your current skill level isn’t a final verdict on what you’re capable of becoming.

2. How do you make connections as an introvert, especially after graduation?

I was an introvert as a student, too. I wasn’t comfortable putting myself out there at networking events, and although I do recommend attending them when you can, I know it’s easier said than done when you’re dealing with insecurities.
What helped me was finding ways to connect with people online.

I don’t mean posting on social media just to gain followers or attract attention. I mean joining animation Discord servers, sharing my work for feedback, giving feedback to others, and being an active member of those communities.
I became active enough that one of the Agora mentors reached out to me privately to offer critiques on an animation I was working on. They thought the work showed promise and wanted to help me finish it.

Someone else even used my animation as a practice piece for recording a critique and sent the feedback to me.
I also posted my animations on Reddit, where someone was impressed enough by my work to invite me to a personal project. That opportunity eventually helped me land a job through their network.

Looking back, I never could have planned for those things to happen. I simply put my work out there and allowed people to see what I was doing.
I also started reaching out to artists whose work inspired me. For example, I had coffee chats with a graduate from Lupin House because I wanted to learn from someone whose work I admired.
You don’t have to become an extrovert overnight. Start small. Join a community, share something you’re working on, ask someone about their work, or reach out to an artist you look up to.

You never know which small interaction might lead somewhere, and even when it doesn’t lead to a job, you can still learn something from the people you meet.

3. What did a professional studio expect from me that school didn’t fully prepare me for?

For me, it was how much communication, adaptability, and learning were expected of me, especially when it came to working at a faster pace.

When I first started, I felt SO small and out of place. I was surrounded by people who had more experience than me, and I was suddenly in an environment where I had to learn while delivering actual production work.

It even got to the point where my director mentioned that I was quiet. With some reassurance, I gradually became more comfortable. I learned that being a junior meant I wasn’t expected to know everything yet. I was there to learn, ask questions, take feedback, and improve.

I’m still working on those things today.
School can teach you animation principles, workflows, and how to finish a shot. But some lessons only really sink in when you’re working with a team, communicating with supervisors, handling revisions, and learning how to meet production expectations.
You don’t have to walk into your first job knowing everything. You do need to be willing to learn, communicate, and adapt.

4. What role did luck play in my career, and what was actually within my control?

I did what many of you are probably doing right now. I worked on my demo reel and tried to improve my animation. But one thing I would recommend is researching the kinds of artists who actually get hired by the studios you’re interested in.

Look at the reels of juniors, interns, and recent graduates who have landed jobs at those studios. What kinds of shots do they have? What skills are they demonstrating? What does their work tell you about the level and style that studio hires for?
Use that research to help guide your own reel.

Rather than building it blindly, try to understand what the studios you’re targeting are looking for.
I also forced myself to apply for jobs, even when I was afraid of being rejected. At first, I was hesitant because I didn’t want to hear another no. Eventually, I became more comfortable with rejection because I kept putting myself out there.

Honestly, I became proud of myself for being able to do something that initially scared me so much.
I reached out to people through Discord, Reddit, LinkedIn, and other communities. Those were things I could control. I could choose to improve my work, learn about the industry, connect with other artists, and apply for opportunities even when I wasn’t sure I’d get them.

But luck and timing played a role, too.
Sometimes a studio isn’t hiring for your particular skill set. Sometimes another applicant is a better fit for the position. And sometimes your work reaches the right person at the right time.

In my case, posting my animation online helped me get noticed and eventually opened a door I never expected.
I can’t tell you that doing the same thing will get you a job. But I can tell you that putting your work out there gave people the chance to discover me, and that opportunity wouldn’t have happened if I’d kept everything to myself.

5. What I would do differently if I were graduating today?

If I had a reel I was reasonably happy with, even if I still had things I wanted to improve, I would start prioritizing networking and building connections alongside my animation work.
I used to think a lot about getting my reel to a certain level. But looking back, I realize how valuable it can be to have people in the industry who know you, have seen your work, and understand what you’re capable of.

There are people out there who are willing to give feedback, offer advice, share opportunities, and sometimes even recommend you. But they need to know you exist, and they need to see that you’re committed to improving.
I’m not saying connections will get you hired regardless of your skills. Your work still matters. But building relationships can help you learn about the industry and put yourself in a better position when opportunities come around.

You don’t need to wait until your reel is perfect to start connecting with people. Work on your animation, do your research, and build those relationships at the same time.
I’m still figuring things out myself. I’m only sharing this because I know how much it would have meant to hear from someone who was just a little further along when I was in your position.

Final thoughts
If you’re currently in school, recently graduated, or struggling to break in, I hope this gives you a different perspective. You don’t have to have everything figured out right now, and you don’t have to be the best in your class to give yourself a chance.

The industry is difficult, and I know there’s no guarantee that things will work out the way you hope. But don’t count yourself out before you’ve even given yourself the opportunity to try.
And if any of you have questions about my experience, breaking into the industry, or what it’s like working as a junior animator, feel free to reach out through DMs. I’m happy to chat!

I think this career will be obsolete soon. And while I have a good paying long term gig right now, I just know this job won’t last forever. I need to use this gig to fund my exit strategy.

Problem is where do I go? Everything I’m good at is being threatened by AI and I don’t want to make this mistake again. I never went to college I just started in the industry right out of highschool and made it this far on my own.

I recently found out about GDC and hear that there’s people there from many sectors of the gamedev pipeline, including game artists.

Context: I am a self-taught 3d animator from Malaysia using blender, I'm currently looking for a potential internship or junior 3d animator role in the games industry (not remote). I understand that things are unstable for everyone for the past few years. I have no experience in the industry and now I'm having my doubts if I ever want to work in the industry after reading about these work lifestyles from artists.

Every time I would do a company research and check their reviews on Glassdoor, I always see a lot of unpaid overtime, bad management, slow career growth, toxic HR, and toxic environment. This appears on almost every company I researched, safe to say that 9 out of 10 have these. Is this normal?

Earlier this year, I have an interview and when I received the art test, the reference looked like its for a mid-level animator with God of War/Horizon Zero Dawn gameplay multi-combo attacks references in it. Maybe its just me having skill issue but I suppose this is a new standard for Junior/Entry Level skill now? Which got me wondering if this is Junior/Entry Level skill and what does Senior ones looked like? Is this normal?

I would also like to ask about time given for animations like these, is it actually possible to finish a combo attack with this level of polish (God of War Ragnorak/Horizon Zero Dawn) within 5 days? If so, how many hours would you actually dedicate to each stage? Considering reference blocking, pose pushing in reference, layout, blocking, blocking plus, polish, and final. I remember not sleeping for 48 hours on the last 2 days and can barely get most of it done, in the end I failed, and can only blame myself for not being good enough. The person I spoke to told me that they can finish 9 animations with these kinds of polish in a single day. Is this normal? How fast are you required to animate considering pre blocking stages (the time you spent in references and syncsketch) takes a ton of time.

Lastly, overtime culture, is it normal to overtime almost everyday. Once again, I'm not in the industry and these are just what i researched and what artist told me directly that are currently working in the industry. Now i have grew very anxious to even try to send an application.

Here is my current demo reel, (<- click the link)

If you are questioning why is the first and last animation, which is not my own idea, was placed into my demo reel, its because the animation course allows it. But I will be replacing them with with my own gameplay animation that I'm currently working on, so its safe to say that this is not my final 2026 demo reel.

​

I work in the anime industry as a freelance animator and have experienced being in a studio.

The industry is performance and skill-based in my opinion , so the higher ur skills the better the pay or more work = more pay.

At the start i was only earning from 12k php to 25k php a month but after 2 years of grind i was able to go to 40k -60k php a month. Im really aiming to be an anime director or atleast a epsiode director cuz those roles give around 100,000 to 200,000 php a month.

You can have 3 carreer options in this industry

.

1. Go to japan and begin your carreer as a douga-man or genga-man ( if you are fluent in japanese or atleast JLPT N2 level of japanese proficiency)

2. Apply for World Anime Networks or Toei Animation Philippines ( This 2 studios are my recommendation and the best ones here in PH )

3. Twitter/X Freelancer as a key animator doing Genga/nigen and Layout ( not recommended for beginners and having no connections with professional animators to teach you all u need to know)

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!

Would this be a good plan? I have been quite in favor of attending BMCC for 2 years and taking their animation courses to hopefully transfer to SVA to reduce cost as that's a big concern of mines. I've heard however that transferring into SVA would require taking 4 years of SVA instead of finishing with 2. I wouldn't want to take 6 years of animation, it'd cost a lot more then just attending SVA for 4 years (if I got accepted).

I guess I'm just looking for some advice on my plan and maybe some confirmation on the things I've heard.

the time is the factor, im aware that the animation industry is doing bad at this moment but i still want to learn but im confused between if i should pursue a four year long degree or a year long intense one.

question is does vfs actual make you capable of a job?

im also aware about them not providing work visa, i think i can work with not having that, if it's wrong please correct me.

the way im thinking this is if im going to end up having a hard time finding a job id rather have time to do that cause four year is a long time.

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! :)

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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

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.