Job: Cycles animator
Studio: DreamWorks Animation, USA
Hired: 2008
Graduated from: Animation Mentor, Online
“I feel that it was the acting tests on my reel that got me the job. I kept it short: down to a minute of what I considered to be my best work. It’s always the demo reel that gets you the interview; then your personality in the interview reassures the studio that you will work well with others.
“I’ve only applied to four studios, three of which I actually worked for. Within two weeks of the Animation Mentor graduation ceremony, a local [Kansas] company, DXD Studios, was looking for three character animators to start immediately. I emailed and received a call the same afternoon asking me to start two days later. The second job was posted on the Animation Mentor forum by fellow alumnus Brandon Beckstead. I emailed Avalanche Studios a link to my reel and had a response the following day. Brandon ended up going to DreamWorks Animation and he felt comfortable recommending me for a cycles position that opened up for How To Train Your Dragon.
“The key for me getting into a feature studio was that I consistently worked on personal tests even after graduating. [Animation Mentor founders] Bobby Beck, Carlos Baena and Shawn Kelly mentioned in the AM lectures how they had to work on personal tests after regular work hours to get the positions at the studios they wanted, so I put myself in that same frame of mind.”
Kim Mackey, Head of Recruiting for DreamWorks Animation comments: “If you’re interested in applying for a character animator position at DreamWorks Animation, the main things we are looking to see demonstrated on your reel are:
Adam’s reel demonstrated all of these things. The Animation Mentor material he had on it showed that he had a solid foundation and understanding of what we look for. He’s been a great addition to the team!”
Download Adam’s showreel (17MB)
Click ‘Next’ to see more job-winning showreels…
Posted on Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 at 9:51 am under Features, Guides. You can subscribe to comments. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.
Tags: 3D career, 3d jobs, 3D students, example portfolios, Getting started in 3D, Learning 3D, showreels, Studying 3D
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