Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1493292
D E PA R T M E N T 33 KEYFRAME think about you," Kang says. "You need to guide people on how you want them to think about your brand." A strong example of this is TAG member Kelly Lynne D'Angelo, a staff writer on Spirit Rangers. "She has several communities she's part of and helped curate and grow, such as a D&D group, a Native American in entertainment group, and an improv and musical group," says Chan. While not all are industry related, "if you live only in your animation world, that's not as helpful as broadening your horizons beyond just animation. You never know where your next job is going to come from," adds Chan. "[D'Angelo] always clearly expressed the kind of stories and projects she was interested in working on, so she was top of mind when specific opportunities to write and create came up." Along with communicating who you are and what you want, keep in mind that "your branding is not me, me, me," says Chan. "I like to think about it as one-to-four, at least. If you are talking about yourself 75% of the time, then you talk about everybody else 25% of the time. It's really about finding who your community is and promoting people within your commu- nity because that garners such good will. If you're promoting others, people will see that and people will remember you more. A lot of it is about being remembered." Chan notes another TAG member who has done an excellent job in this area through mentorship: Jorge R. Gutiérrez, Creator and Director of Maya and the Three. Gutiérrez maintains a strong relationship with his own mentor, Guillermo del Toro, and he actively mentors and publicly supports up-and-coming artists. Along with making him memorable as being supportive and inclusive, "shout-outs, both privately into the room where the decisions are being made in the industry, as well as publicly on social media, are so helpful," says Chan. Offline, places where you can communicate your brand are industry or professional organizations such as the Television Academy or ASIFA-Hollywood. You can also join more special- ized groups like LatinX in Animation or Black 'N Animated, or social groups like Cars & Coffee or Warrior Painters, both run by TAG members. Volunteering for the Motion Picture & Television Fund is another way to broaden your network, as is pitching a panel to a conference like LightBox Expo or writing an article for an industry publication. It's important to remember that basically everyone you meet in your network will become an ambassador for your personal brand. "Most people get jobs through people they know, and if you've done a good job in communicating your personal brand, you may not know the person hiring, but 20 people you've net- worked with do," says Clark. For free worksheets to help create an Elevator Pitch, as well as Positioning Statement, Personal Brand Assessment, and more, go to BrandingPays.com. For a free Strategic Thinking self-assessment for creating long-term goals, go to DorieClark.com. SPRING 2023 33 Learning LinkedIn At one point in her marketing career, Goldie Chan started interviewing people, making videos about personal branding, and posting them on LinkedIn. Eventually, she became the platform's #1 video creator. Forbes noticed and asked her to write about personal branding and storytelling for the digital age, while Huffington Post named her "Oprah of LinkedIn Videos." If you don't have original content, Kang says don't worry. You can start by reposting relevant items or posting photos from conferences or industry events. "Let people know you're serious about your profession—that you network," she says. These posts also raise your profile because the SEO favors people who post graphics. Another way to make LinkedIn work for you is to go beyond your job history. "I think one of the pieces of low-hanging fruit there is the About section," says Clark. "Taking the time in the About section to write a thought- ful, first-person narrative enables you to really showcase your vision, what inspires you, and where you're going." Rather than simply listing items already in your resume, share "what you think people should know about you," says Kang. You might include activities that showcase your "Soft Category" skills. A volunteer experience can convey your sense of commitment or compassion, while your role in an organization can convey leadership. Make sure to include references, and don't feel shy about asking them to focus on a specific skill. You can even offer to write a draft that the person can edit. This is yet another opportunity to lean into your sphere of influence. "Reach out to them and say, I would love for you to take a look at my [LinkedIn page]," suggests Kang. "Is there anything you would add or edit. By doing that 1) You've engaged them. When people get engaged like that, they feel some ownership in how you're doing. 2) Hopefully people have some good feedback for you. 3) You are educating them on your area of specialty." SPRING 2023 33