What is Your Advice to a Graduating Student as They Begin Their Career as an Animator?

Never stop being a student! School is only the beginning of this life long journey as an animator. So continue learning, reading, checking out blogs, critiquing friends’ work, doing animation tests... even after you land a job! Also, do your best to always have a personal project in the works and work on it when you can. Working professionally is AMAZING, but keep in mind that you are helping someone else's idea come to life. So having your own thing on the side will keep your own creativity flowing, not to mention extra practice without the pressure of a deadline.

Networking. We hear this over and over again, but it’s true. Stay in touch with your classmates. See what they are up to, what they are working on or share something interesting you came across. Get some critique sessions going! Things like this will keep you excited and inspired.

Get out there and enjoy life! Ok, you just worked your butt off to graduate. And you might feel like you need to get a job right away. But make sure you take some time to yourself to recover. Relax a bit! Catch up on things you have been putting off. Go say hi to your Mom and Dad. Travel somewhere you have always wanted to go! Once you get a job, you will be busy again -- maybe even busier then you were as a student. We are passionate animators, but don’t forget that there are so many amazing things to this life. And all of these things help us to be better animators and contribute to keeping our ideas fresh!

Guest Blogger Jess Morris