Goals

 

 

The decision to become an artist is sort of like finding God.  You wake up one morning and realize that this is something that you cannot not do.  You will be an incomplete person if you do not give it a go. 

- Ed Hooks, Why Do You Animate?

When I was a senior in high school, I wrote a goal for my future and a plan to achieve that goal. Five years later, I failed at a lot of the things I thought I would do and I'm way behind because of it. I'm not where I thought I would be by now.

So, a new list is in order.

My new Goal List
 I want to make my own quality animations and be recognized for them.

Eventually, I would like to win awards and possibly sustain myself on my own content.

[this is the same as it was five years ago]

Tools to Achieve Goal

Productions
 - The Taffetas
 - Short Animated Films

Networking
-Conventions
-Volunteer work
- Social Media

Experience
- Art School
  Figure out strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. Improve basic skills and use as a "jumping off" point.

- Internships
  Gain professional experience in the animation field. Learn to work with art directors, co-workers, and clients. Come to understand a more commercial aspect to art and animation.

- Work
Become comfortable with an animation and illustrative process and learn from other artists. Gain new, unique skills to combine with animation.

Artistic Growth

- Learn from Job Experience
Gain knowledge from co-workers and art directors, become inspired by and implement critique and advice.

- Self-study
 Life drawing, art and animation history, seek out new artists and open mind to alternative styles.

- Stay on top of the business
Know who, what, where, when, why. Subscribe to magazines, newsletters, and websites.

Exposure

- Film Festivals
seek out festivals and submit productions

- Online Presence  
online portfolio, deviantart, linkedIn, Vimeo, and Youtube

- Artistic Contests

- Money
Get a job. Put a little money into a production fund every month. Look into grants, kickstarter, etc.

The Short-Term Plan
1. See Taffetas to completion
(~1 year)
- Finish the pitch
- Make animated shorts to supplement pitch and gain support

(~2-4 year)
- Pitch
- Submit animation work to Conventions and Film Festivals
- Gain acclaim
- Gain revenue/distribution opportunities for project

(~5-6)
- Production

2. Expand artistic horizons, gain illustration and storytelling skills
- Produce personal illustration and animation work, experimenting in style
- Study art books on subject matter
- Learn from alternative illustrators at work and within the art community

3. Continue honing animation skills
- Treat e-cards and other animations at work as short films and portfolio pieces
- Volunteer/Freelance animation for other productions
- Personal animation work (non-Taffetas)

4. Sell self as an independent filmmaker
- production of personal short films (Taffetas and non-Taffetas) 
- portfolio update (once to twice a year)

5. Gain more popularity and a small name in the artistic/animation community


I put down a few things down that I already did (school, internship, etc.) because if it makes me feel less intimidated and more accomplished ;).

It's good to take a deep breath and feel like I'm on the right track again. There's still hope.