Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1378252
D E PA R T M E N T 25 KEYFRAME HOW TO USE Potential employers understand the need, at times, for passwords on your website. That said, they can be a roadblock. Keesling notes that when she passes potential candidates to a director, producer, or other hiring manager, she can't guarantee they will check password-protected content. As a rule, avoid it if you can, but if it is necessary, keep the following in mind. GET PERMISSION: Be certain that you have permission to put artwork or video in a password- protected section of your website. If not, don't do it. EXPLAIN YOURSELF: If you don't have permis- sion to share something, you can still share what you worked or are working on. "I've seen some art- ists do it really well," says Huang. "They'll put up an image like 'Unannounced Disney Project' to show that they're currently active." She notes that this is where your personal work can be effective. If you can't share something from a show, share something comparable that you've done yourself. TAKE IT DOWN: Do not make an employer use a password when it's not necessary. As soon as a pass- word is no longer needed, make the content publicly accessible on your website. MAKE IT EASY: If someone has to hunt for your password, chances are they won't. If you have a page on your website for password-protected con- tent, put your contact information right there so you can be easily reached. DON'T FORGET: If you send a link to your password-protected content, remember to include the password. Roberts says, "You'd be surprised how many people submit password-protected work without a password for us to see it." DON'T GO CHANGING: Don't change your password unless there's an essential reason. Keesling says she keeps a list of everyone who reaches out to her. If she goes to a website a few months later and the password has changed, that's an unnecessary obstacle. PASSWORDS CUSTOMIZE YOUR WRITING PORTFOLIO Most established writers have representation, so the issue of portfolios and samples usually depends on where you are in your career. If you're established, your agent or manager most likely will be sharing your work with potential employers. But for those starting out or finding jobs on their own, a website is recommended. ALL ABOUT YOU: Hoegee says it's hard to get a sense of a person from their IMDB page. Your website can give insight into "who the writer is as a person," and Brundige feels the "About Me" page is a great way for potential employers to learn about you. ADD DIALOGUE: Your website should contain entire sample scripts, if possible, showing your range as a writer and/or your specialty. Hoegee likes samples from an existing show (spec or produced) to see how you can work with someone else's materi- al, and Brundige recommends including an original pilot. This provides a sense of your individ- ual voice as a writer. EMBRACE THE PDF: Don't put your scripts directly on web pages. Create links on a web page to PDFs. Triple-check that the links go to the correct scripts, Haney says. "I've encountered more than one link going to an incomplete, incorrect, or no script at all." RESPECT THE NDA: Make sure your sample is shareable. If you aren't sure if you have permis- sion, err on the side of caution. Your original scripts, Haney says, are more beneficial anyway, because a produced script has gone through a story editor and/ or showrunner, while your original script is you and only you. STAY CURRENT: As with art portfolios and reels, keep every- thing up to date. It's great that you worked on a classic back in the day, but that doesn't show what you can do now. PRO TIP FOR WRITERS "One online resource I've been using [for hiring] a lot recently is the TAG Airtable Staffing Grid. This has introduced me to a lot of writers I haven't had the opportunity to get know. [Also], you can post samples—and since this is a closed group and pass- word-protected, it's an ideal place to make them available to possible employers." – Rob Hoegee A SUCCESSFUL REEL AN EFFECTIVE RESUME WRITING PORTFOLIO PASSWORDS SUMMER 2021 25