DIGITAL ANIMATION IN FILM
If you are fascinated by computer programming and are a true lover of the cinema, you might do well to consider a career in the movie industry, specifically in the field of digital animation. Digital animation is a rapidly growing field, with studios relying more and more on films that are either entirely digitally animated, or that incorporate some element of digital animation into their structure. If you decide to go down this path, you might think you need to attend a traditional film school for two to three years and take out massive student loans to cover the costs. Think again. The majority of successful digital animators did not find their success through attending traditional film school, but rather through getting out into the world of filmmaking and working in whatever jobs they could find in the world of digital animation. This is the best approach for finding any kind of work in Hollywood. The power brokers and money men (and women) that make Hollywood tick have little regard for academic achievement. It might earn you a pat on the head, but it will not earn you a job or a paycheck. What matters to those who do the hiring in Hollywood is what experience you have already had. That is why it is essential if you want to work in digital animation that you start finding work right now. This can sound daunting, especially if you have no connections whatsoever in the film world. However, there are some alternative film programs that are designed to address this exact conundrum: how to get a job that requires experience when you can’t find a way to get that experience. These programs throw out the old film school model of laborious study of film theory and dissection of the history and aesthetics of the art and instead focus on getting you into the studio where you work for a professional in digital animation. These programs can help you foster a one-on-one mentoring relationship with this professional, and the lessons you learn about plying the trade will be worth far more than even the cost of a single class at a traditional film school. In addition to lessons learned, having a mentor such as this can be of enormous help when you go out looking for your first paying gig. Hollywood is all about connections, and to have a veteran digital animator in your corner means you are already connected, and can network from there (with the help of your mentor) to find your next job in digital animation, and with that momentum, you can then propel yourself into a full-fledged career.
