Our industry uses a variety of different software, although it is a great idea to learn the leading and most widely used applications in industry (Maya, Nuke, Houdini, Mari, and Photoshop for example). If your work is outstanding and you have really understood the process and demonstrated that you have applied research and an understanding of the subject matter, then you are in a great place for potential work in this industry. In many studios, there are proprietary software and tools, which you would learn once you start.

Your location, available funds and the subject you wish to focus on will affect your choice of school, however your success really does come down to your hard work and dedication to improvement and quality. It is for example, possible to learn without schooling, however it would be much more difficult and you would miss the opportunity to meet and work with others that share your passion. These friends will also help you when you need it and form part of your professional network, which could also be important as you get into your career.

As to the implications of school choice, this can affect working internationally due to visa requirements, so depending on your intentions for destinations, this might be something you would want to research. For example, gaining a degree, diploma or a non-recognised certificate from some online courses will affect the visa entry requirements for some countries.

Studying abroad can be a great opportunity and life experience.  If you think you might want to study abroad, we encourage you to do your research the destination, the school/university, the program and fees associated with the program. An example of an oversees program that we are proud to be part of is the Master of Animation and Visualisation at the UTS Animal Logic Academy based in Sydney, Australia, where you have the benefit of both Academic and industry professional learning opportunities with artists from our Sydney studio.

No, you don’t need a degree to work in the industry, but as stated above, it could place some potential restrictions on working abroad in the future.

You should start with a base level knowledge of the various roles available, which gives you the experience to really find out what you love doing and find artistically or technically rewarding. You will be surprised by the shear amount of different roles that are available to you and don’t be afraid to change directions, as you want to do something you love.

Once you know which role you want to work in, try to learn as many different approaches/workflows associated with this discipline and find the best one that suits you, as there are always many different ways of working, which can all deliver amazing results. Always compare your work to professional level work, as this is the ultimate end goal for any student.

There are many sources of freely available Python tutorials online, which is always a plus when applying for roles in most areas, definitely worth experimenting with to add another string to your bow.

Many of the big studios like Animal Logic, will want a specialist with a fairly good understanding of the generalist role, whereas smaller studios will want generalists to make up most of their numbers. A lot of this comes down to the length and/or scope of the projects being worked on. Our advice would be to be great at one thing and keep learning the roles that would fit next to yours in a typical studio pipeline.

Working within an artist environment can be fast paced and involve receiving and passing on work with your craft team and project team, changes to briefs will occur, in the pursuit of achieving the best film possible. Teamwork is the only way this can happen smoothly and maintain the fun and enjoyment, so make sure you are ‘being the person you would like to work with’ so you can get the most out of this awesome career. ‘Teamwork makes the dream-work..!’

There are work experience opportunities available in both our Sydney as well as Vancouver studios. In Sydney, this is aimed at year 10, 11 and 12 students. In Vancouver, this is aimed at Grade 11 students. There are 2 intakes for Sydney, usually June and November and one intake for Vancouver, usually March. Please check out the “Work Experience” link here for more details and an application form. For internships, please head to the recruitment area for current availabilities and locations.

Yes! We have many learning activities each month at Animal that will enable you to learn more about your role, the making of VFX and/or Animated films and the specific film project you might work on. A combination of masterclasses, training courses, online learning and presentations are offered at Animal in a variety of subject areas, many of them led by our Supervisors, Leads and highly experienced artists. These learning & development activities will help you to learn and grow artistically and technically.

It is a good idea to connect with us on our social media platforms (Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook) to ensure that you keep up to date with what we are doing and when we are hiring.