When I finally decided to dedicate myself to animation, I knew I was joining the ranks of the most talented artists in the world. Now I can look in the mirror and see an animator smirking back, wagging his finger, saying “Didn’t think it was going to be this hard, didja?” Pursuit of one’s obsession takes risks and sacrifices, and being a contract animator has plenty of both. But if cartoons were easy, everyone would do it.
I remember a few years ago when the Mouse Factory was deep in its layoffs, and I spoke to a friend who was among the top talents forced to clean out his animation desk. Almost all the artists there had built their careers at the studio and knew no other lifestyle; they expected to retire from there in decades to come. When let go, many fell into new career paths in retail and white-collar management. My friend, however, had spent the first half of his career floating between studios before being drafted to the Mouse House. His layoff put him at his home studio, producing commercial animation independently. He had done it before, he could do it now, and he was ready for whatever curveball the industry could throw his way.
The fact of the matter is there’s very little security in the animation industry, and the independent contractor knows this better than anyone (other fields are beginning to follow suit as well, but that’s another story). The contractor never takes the next paycheck for granted and, Zen-like, understands the impermanence of everything. Many prefer the variety of different work environments and find new projects a chance to stretch their skills. Nonetheless, there are a few things to expect when you embrace this lifestyle.
For instance, there will be feast or famine. Sometimes you will have a job that lasts for a year or more, or perhaps many short, high-paying commercial jobs will come your way. Other times, nothing. This is just how the business works, and it’s important to monitor your own funds responsibly. It’s always a good idea to have money set aside not only for necessities, but for insurance and savings as well. When you’re a contractor, you are your own payroll department. And requesting and keeping careful records of all transactions within your ventures is part of the job, too.
Importantly, this is a people business, and in many cases, it’s all about who you know. I got my first gig at a Disney Channel TV show with the help of a decent independent film and, literally, six degrees of hand-shaking. Cultivating a healthy working relationship with people around you is your gateway to future employment. An employed animator will sooner refer a slightly talented friend than a wildly talented drama queen. Everyone has their own personal issues, but unless your target cartoon character suffers from the same ones, you’ve got to check your baggage at the door.
That is not to say that skill isn’t valuable. In fact, a jack-of-all-trades can go exceptionally far in the field. I’ve interviewed top men and women in animation, and the industry pro’s who have went farthest were the ones who handled various positions around the studio. There are so many types of animation positions, and while it’s important to know what your specialty is, being versed in a bit of everything is a priceless commodity. Creating your own personal films is a great way to test your talents in pre- and post-production, besides showing off your latest skills. The better you understand the different roles within the studio environment, the more your value skyrockets to an employer.
Of course there’s more to being an independent contractor in animation than you can fit in one short article. To learn more of the ins and outs, books like David B. Levy’s Your Career in Animation: How to Survive and Thrive can be very useful to the average freelancer. And while some of your friends may wonder why you don’t go and find a “real” job, you can be confident that you will never be caught dead resting on your laurels. Instead, you’ll be growing and learning at the pace you yourself set. It’s your own future you’re sculpting, and there’s no better way to do it.About Jake Friedman
Jake Friedman is a New York-based animator and animation journalist. Watch his latest short cartoon on www.JakeFriedman.net