Interview at a Studio: What Was the Interview Like?

Interview at a studio: What was the interview like? What kind of questions were you asked and what do you wear?

The dress code is always a tough one. We all know that this is not an industry where people wear three piece suits. In fact, many times, the people doing the interview will be wearing a t-shirt and blue jeans. Having been on both sides of the interview process, my advice is to wear something business casual. You don't want to be uncomfortable, but you still want to be the best dressed person in the room.

When I interviewed at Pixar, I remember walking into the atrium feeling excited and nervous at the same time. I sat on the couches at the main entrance, looking through some movie clippings they lay out for visitors, pretending to read as my leg bounced up and down 100 times per minute. When the HR rep finally came over and said "Aaron?" my voiced cracked as I replied "Yes!" She walked me up to the main conference room where I would be meeting 17 people (luckily not all at once!).

As I was walking up those steps this wave of calm came over me. Suddenly, I realized that although these people were very talented and accomplished artists, that at one time they were all in the same spot I am in now. They were all are fans of Pixar and really wanted to work there. It was then that I decided I wasn't going to treat them like animation superstars, but rather just people that share common interests in their love for animation.

When I interviewed at Blue Sky, I was talking to HR on the phone working out a time best to fly out to NY for the interview. She told me that Chris Wedge would be in Chicago next week and would I be able to meet him at his hotel. I was speechless. That was like your applying for a job at ILM and George Lucas will be interviewing you. "Hello? Mr Hartline?!" Again I answered with my high "Yes!"

Going to the hotel with my best button down shirt and dress slacks, I searched the lobby for the owner of BlueSky Studios. A man with a t-shirt and bluejeans comes up to me pushing his son in a stroller. Suddenly, he was no longer this star I saw accepting a Oscar just last month, but a laid back father. We talked about our kids, the difference between Chicago and NYC, and one of my favorite films - Cats Don't Dance.

On my first interview, I answered an ad for a videogame company. Showing up with my portfolio full of life drawings and cartoon sketches, the first question I got was "Do you know how to do computer animation?" I looked at him like a deer in headlights. The ad said 'fine artist / animator wanted' so I just told him that's what I did. He smiled and said "well, you'll learn. Besides, you know how to turn on one right?!" I laughed and said "of course" knowing full well I'd have to learn how to do that as well! Then he asked 'where do you see yourself in 5 years?' This one was easy, without hesitation I said 'Disney!' His face dropped. I knew my youth and inexperience got the better of me right then and there. "Well, I'd hoped that you would like it here enough to stay and grow as an artist." Stumbling to get my footing, I said "Oh yeah, of course!" I must have messed up on every aspect of that interview, but for some reason he took a chance on this kid still in school. I'm so glad he did, I can't imagine doing anything else with my life.


Guest blogger Aaron Hartline

Animation Is a Never-ending Process, but What Are a Few Things Animators Are Expected to Know?

That's a great question!

You're definitely right that this is a never-ending journey of education. It encompasses darn near every conceivable aspect of life in one way or another, so there is just no way to "know everything" about animation.

However, there are certainly many things that any studio would expect an incoming animator to know. This would change a bit, depending on the level of animator they are hiring (they would certainly expect a much broader level of ability from an incoming Senior Animator than a new Junior Animator), but for the most part, they would be looking for different levels of experience within the same general skill set.

I would say that any animator looking for work should be expected to understand the infamous 12 principles of animation and how they apply to the medium that animator is working in. But that's only the beginning. In addition, the animators should be expected to understand how those principles all work together and interrelate. How they come together to explain and decipher "body mechanics" in general. How the concepts of internal and external "force" create momentum, and how those forces are more important to the creation of a dynamic pose than the actual body parts or "form" is.

Any professional animator should know how the body works. Period. What moves what, and WHY. Not just that the hips shift this way or the shoulders shift that way when you're lifting this or throwing that, but WHY those shifts and rotations are happening. This is key to being able to create these movements on your own, and understand how to fix your work when you get into a pinch and something just doesn't feel right.

Any junior animator should also have some understanding of acting, subtext, how to use blinks to create thought process and emotion, and how to communicate an idea through clarity, posing, and timing.

Finally, I think it's safe to assume that any studio looking for animators would expect them to be eager, easy to work with, and hungry to learn. For me, that's just as big a prerequisite as understanding arcs or overlapping action!

Hope that helps! I know that sounds like a lot of stuff to know, and in some ways I'm only just scratching the surface with the basics here, but as you say, learning animation IS a life-long journey, and you have to have a strong and solid and WIDE foundation of knowledge upon which to build.

For me, the stuff above is that basic foundation, and it's all essential stuff.

Thanks for visiting the blog!

Shawn :)

Do You Need to Have a Drawing Background to Be a 3D Animator?

No, you do not need a drawing background to be a 3D animator. That being said, you can learn a lot from drawing that will help you in your animation. When you are doing life drawing you are taught to look for lines of action, strong silhouette, balance and weight.

These are all things that animators use daily when posing out their characters for their shots. Being a student of a different art form besides animation, such as drawing - acting - photography, will help you grow into a well rounded artist that can only help you in your animation.


Guest blogger Aaron Hartline

How Does an Animation Supervisor of a Big Studio like ILM, Pixar or Blue Sky Plan the Distribution of the Shots Done by the Animators?

How does an animation supervisor of a big studio like ILM, Pixar or Blue Sky plan the distribution of the shots done by the animators? By sequence, by shots, by continuity shots, by animator's abilities?

This probably depends a lot on the size of the studio, the size of the animation crew, and the diversity of experience levels on that crew. The smaller the studio, the less options available to the supervisor, and the more likely it is that the animators may be thought of as interchangeable artists.

However, you ask about the larger studios, and you're right that it's treated differently.

The larger studios have the luxury of a larger animation crew, probably with a somewhat diverse set of backgrounds and specialties. The process that you're asking about (handing out shots) is often referred to as "casting" at these types of studios, and that's exactly how many of these studios approach the process.

They often view the assignment of animation shots or characters as "casting" those animators in the role that they are most appropriate for. Someone who's shown great comedic timing in the past may be cast to work on a lot of shots that feature comedy relief, for example. Or someone who's shown that they have amazing body mechanics might get cast on a lot of fight scenes.

However, many other factors come into play with casting, and it's rarely as defined and simple as I laid out above. While the goal for any of these larger studios is to use their crew as efficiently as possible, many other factors are considered. Among these would be:

• What the animator is most passionate to work on

• What the schedule and budget allows or forces

• Scene difficulty level vs. animator skill level

• What the surrounding shots are

• Crunch time

These are all important factors, and in any good studio, all would play a role to some degree in the casting of shots.

Near the end of a project, though, crunch time and deadlines increasingly become the deciding factor in crewing a shot or sequence. The project has a deadline, and when it really gets into the final weeks or months of a project, the most important deciding factor in casting becomes availability. Who is free to work on this? If the Supervisor feels that their talent level is sufficient, and they are done with their other shots, they'll probably get thrown onto whatever shot is next in line, regardless of any of the other considerations.

This is totally normal. Many projects at many studios start out by casting long strings of sequential shots to one animator, but by the end, it's natural for the schedule to force a more scatter-shot approach in order to hit the looming deadline.


Shawn :)

Are There Any Daily Practice Techniques That You Can Recommend to an Animator to Keep Your Animation Skills Sharp?

There is not a day that goes by that I don't ask a fellow animator to look at my shot. You may have a really strong idea for a shot, but I guarantee you that someone else can bring an idea to the table that you didn't think of. This kind of collaboration only makes your animation stronger. Also when you are finishing a shot, and you've been working on it for weeks, it always helps to have a fresh pair of eyes look at it to see all those little things that need attention. Animation is a team sport - you are only as strong as the people around you.

I make it a point to go into dailies every morning, even when I'm not showing my work. You can learn a lot by watching other animators' work. Seventy animators will animate one character differently, so its important to hear what the director feels the character should be doing, so everyone can be on the same page. Also, an animator might add one gesture, one movement that ends up defining that character. This will give you ideas for your own shots.

After animating all day, I like to watch a movie or a television show that has inspiring acting. Rarely do I watch cartoons at night, but rather a great actor. Watching an actor's performance can give you ideas that may not have been added in animation yet. Rather then just watching cartoons, open up your library to movies, plays, even photos. All these can help you progress farther as an artist.

Guest blogger Aaron Hartline

What Would You Suggest Are the Top 3 Types of Scenes to Include at the Start of a Demo Reel?

What would you suggest are the top 3 types of scenes to include at the start of a demo reel to catch the eye of the viewer? ( e.g. dialogue, walks, acting, etc.)

Your first shot on your demo reel should really grab your audience. It should be the shot that best represents your talents -- the one you are most proud of. If the viewer does not like your first shot, chances are, they are going to turn it off and put in the next demo reel.

I would suggest starting with a strong acting piece -- a line that shows a character's emotion change over the shot: sad to happy, worried to relief, anger to acceptance. This will enable you to showcase your range.

The second shot should show physical animation. "Physical" does not mean a walk cycle, but rather, getting the character from point A to point B in an interesting way. For example, instead of showing a character walk over to pick up a newspaper on the floor, perhaps the character is sipping coffee as he uses his behind to push open the front door and picks up the paper and puts it under his arm while still sipping his morning brew. By giving the audience something completely unexpected but still very much grounded in a realistic performance, you are showing your creativity and your ability to bring something new to the table.

Your last shot is just as important as your first. It's the last thing they are going to see - the last impression you are going leave with the viewer. I wouldn't base your decision on what the shot demonstrates as much as how memorable it is. This could be a catchy line that the viewers will be saying over and over again after they have watched your reel. Or maybe it's a moment that will leave your audience laughing. Whatever it is, the goal is to leave them wanting more.

The most important thing to remember when putting your reel together is that it's about quality, not quantity. One minute of really strong animation goes much farther then five minutes of so-so animation.

Guest blogger Aaron Hartline

Have You Ever Tried the Layered Approach with Something Where the Foot Placement Is a Little Less Flexible?

Have you ever tried the layered approach with something where the foot placement is a little less flexible? Like walking down stairs. Maybe it doesn't make any difference?

Generally, the foot placement in any scene is pretty well thought-out and planned in advance, but you're right that some scenes are more specific and others can certainly be more flexible.

However, the "hide the legs" layered approach isn't about just animating the upper body and then letting the feet fall wherever they may. You should pretty much know exactly where those feet are going to end up and exactly what your poses are going to look like. Where the layered approach helps more is with the TIMING of the feet rather than the position or posing. If the upper body feels correct in its timing, then that can help you know when to lift and plant the feet, but the actual posing of the legs should be something you've already planned out ahead of time.

Going downstairs is particularly exact, I suppose, but I think the layered "hide the legs" approach is something I would still likely use in a scene like that. I recently did a scene of a character climbing up something somewhat steep, and the foot placement was relatively inflexible, but the process seemed to work fine. It did require a little bit more back and forth than normal, though.

For something like going down a series of stairs, I would probably still hide the legs, animate the upper body going down the stairs until the timing felt correct, and then show and animate the legs. Most likely, I would have to readjust the upper body slightly here and there to accommodate the legs, so there would definitely be some back and forth, but overall I think it could still be useful, and certainly simplifies the blocking process.

And again, the "hide the legs" approach is something I would only recommend to those of you who have been animating for at least a few years already. You need the experience to be able to visualize ahead of time how the legs are going to be working, where the footfalls will likely be, etc.

Hope that helps!


Shawn :)