A Course in Production Lesson Six: Cons of Working in the Animation Industry

In Lesson Two, we talked about the positive aspects of working in animation. Today we'll have a look at the more challenging aspects of this industry.

For Production, the animation industry in Vancouver is also...


Volatile
The animation industry, as much as it has grown and given its pervasiveness in Vancouver, is still quite volatile. Air dates, schedules, development, executive sign-off can all go awry very quickly, sometimes taking an entire show’s worth of people down with them.

In my very first job in the animation industry I was part of one of the infamous mass layoffs that this industry can be known for. We all found jobs pretty quickly but still, it was very upsetting. 

A lot of overtime
The infamous OT! This very much depends on what studio you work for. In Production, however, remember, we might not be the ones making the footage, but we are the ones responsible for shipping the show. That means we are the last ones out the door.

Another thing for Production is that if we mismanage things or circumstances evolve to a place beyond our control, we are the ones responsible for enforcing OT and laying out the guidelines for participating in said OT. 

Also critical for Production - we are very often compensated for OT (if at all) in different ways than our artists, details of which can be discussed after reviewing your contract with your Producer and/or HR team.

Generally speaking, the big houses and VFX studios can expect to work crazy hours for the entirety of a project. For smaller studios doing TV series or straight to DVD movies, it is generally less OT. Compensation for overtime for Production differs studio to studio.

Short Contracts
In my experience, my contracts average to be about eight months a piece. Finding permanent positions in animation is rare. I would say it’s normal to have a contract anywhere 3-12 months.

Now, it’s still very much possible to stay at one studio and just sign many contracts in that time, I see that all the time. But just know you might end up signing a lot of contracts.

High turnover rate
Connected to short contracts above, short contracts can sometimes mean a high turnover rate. Most studios want to keep their talent in the building, so they will work to ensure another contract is lined up for you as the end of your current contract nears. 

High turnover rate can be challenging for Production when you are trying to hold things steady--a revolving door of staff and crew can sometimes result in endless training time, slower ramp up for crews (i.e. it takes them longer to gel if at all!), and even poor morale.

That being said, artists and Production alike (I can personally attest that I have done this) get nervous and jump ship around the end of their contract end date if they are not confident that something else is lined up.

People also leave quickly if they think they find a better opportunity elsewhere—like I said, animation is growing quickly, there are tons of studios with attractive projects to work on, and it can be very tempting for people.

As production, the best way you can avoid this is communication and work with your teams - if you are a coordinator, you can mention to your Producer that your team is getting antsy. If you’re a PM or Producer, work with your HR and finance team.

Schooling does not offer as many scholarships or awards as regular post-secondary
This one I’m not super confident in, so make sure you do your research and take this with a grain of salt. 

I get the sense from taking to my artists that within schools that have a focus on animation, there are very few scholarships or bursaries from that school. Compare to a university where individual departments might have multiple awards and scholarships (read: cash for school). This makes for especially pricey post-secondary schooling, which can be prohibitive for many students. 

Also as previously mentioned - animation schools generally don't teach Production. Nearly everyone I know who had some sort of formal training in Animation and ended up in Production intended first and foremost to be an artist.

Deadline-oriented
This can be particularly tough for creative types, and for Production, being deadline-oriented is a must. We are all at the mercy of the delivery schedules, and that’s all there is to it.

For Production, it is easy to get frustrated with this. We can clearly see why deadlines are important and must uphold them to a T, and helping our artists to understand why this is so critical can be challenging at times as we try to respect the space they need to be creative.

Lesson Six Resources

1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey
2. VIDEO - Increase your self-awareness with one simple fix (TED talk) by Tasha Eurich
3. Episodes 30-34 of Don't Be a Jerk at Work podcast, focusing on the job interview and recruitment process
4. Quick read on Wit & Delight "Why We Must Stop Allowing Our Career to Define Our Identity"
5. Quick read on Career Contessa "The 5-Step Hack to Turn Around an Unproductive Day" by Harper Spero