the yak occidental

If nothing else, skip ahead to the 15 Minute Rule! Asking for help is still something that gives many Production people pause. Isn’t asking for help admitting weakness, that you can’t manage the job you are lucky to have, or a sign that you aren’t willing to work hard? Thinking any of these things is a rookie mistake. Martha Beck says in her book The Way of Integrity: In fact, the further I go on the way of integrity, the more I know that I don’t know much about how reality works [...] We’re socialized to think that not knowing is stupid and shameful. But in traditions like Zen, ‘don’t know mind’ refers to a way of thinking that’s free from rigid concepts […] From a place of enlightenment, the mind’s job isn't to shore up beliefs, but to let them go. - from The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck I have a few quick things I want to say for this video: first, saying you understand something or will have a task completed on time is you accepting responsibility. If you say you got it and ...

Production staff please remember: you’re on the Production team, not the team you coordinate/manage. The second rookie mistake I want to talk about in this series is forgetting that you are on the Production team! Especially if you are a Production Coordinator, it is easy to start to think that you are, say, a Lighter on the Lighting/Comp team, if you are coordinating the lighting team. You are not, you are a Production Coordinator on the Production team , full stop. Being on the Production team means keeping an unbiased perspective as much as possible. Remember, more often than not, Production has to be the bad guy. You can still deliver bad news, performance feedback, etc in a way that is constructive, informative, and professional.  In order to do so effectively, you need to maintain some professional boundaries , and part of that is fulfilling your role as a Production team member. Andrew Hill and John Wooden say in Be Quick But Don’t Hurry : One other pitfall you must avoid i...

While innovation may be admirable, it can come off as looking incredibly uninformed. A common, rookie mistake I find in Vancouver’s animation industry is new crew who come in swinging with new ideas, suggestions, and innovations, clearly keen to make their mark on things. While this enthusiasm may be admirable, it can often come off as looking incredibly uninformed and unfocused. The animation industry in Vancouver is a creative one, full of extremely talented, innovative, and inspiring artists. Every studio does things differently, and you may find that some studio cultures are more or less a better fit for you and your working style. Remember that even if you may come into a new role with inspiration and a fresh perspective, you must stay focused on the job you were hired to do.  For example, if you’re in Production, do that, don’t get caught up in planning the studio Holiday party. If you’re an animator, do your shots, don’t spend your time trying to pitch your own show ideas ...