Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/17873
n n n n Recruitment Different Career Options It seems that everyone wants to be a charac- ter animator. Says Acock, “We receive a huge amount of applications for entry-level and animator positions.” Fringe Talent’s Blanchard agrees. “Tere is a ton of competition for the character animator jobs,” she says, advising job seekers to consider options, such as light- ing and compositing, as well. Rhythm & Hues often has a difficult time finding texture painters and lighting artists, according to Mc- Cullough. “It really takes a village to make one of Internships and apprenticeships provide valuable work experience and are offered at a number of studios, including Rhythm & Hues (which recently moved into a new, larger facility). down” to get a full-time position with a com- pany, or benefits, she explains. Tey were not always the right fit. Nowadays, she adds, people seem a bit less desperate, and more applicants are applying for the appropriate positions. Applicants themselves have also learned to modify their expectations. “Tey understand that it’s more of a competitive climate,” says Scanlon. Tis is especially true for students and other entry-level candidates, as there is now a larger-than-ever talent resource from which to recruit. Outlook for Entry Level Most of the studios CGW interviewed for this article say they do hire entry-level CG artists, including those fresh out of school. In general, the larger facilities have more leeway to hire the inexperienced and then train them. Smaller studios are usually in the position of needing maximum productivity from everyone they hire, so they tend to stick to more seasoned professionals who can hit the ground running. At Lumière Visual Effects in Montreal, says HR recruiter Christine Zervos, the hiring depends on the project. “With a shorter contract, tight deadlines require experienced artists who know how to produce under stressful conditions,” she says. With longer projects, the studio is able to bring in artists who will learn as they go. Says Acock, “We do hire VFX/anima- tion graduates who have come straight out of university. We usually hire 3D grads into matchmove positions and 2D grads into roto roles where they’re given time to get to know our pipeline and processes, and gain a full un- derstanding of the way in which we work as a company. We also hire a lot of grads into runner positions, where they can train on the in-house systems and are in line for the next roto/matchmove vacancies.” 44 August/September 2010 So, there is definitely hope for entry-level artists and others who are willing to stay flex- ible and work the system. Internships are a basic component of that system. The All-important Internship Many studios offer internship and apprentice programs—some paid, some not. Nickelodeon has an unpaid internship for college juniors and seniors that requires between 15 and 30 hours a week at the studio. “We have an incredible intern-to-hire ratio,” says Torrano, noting that she herself began as an intern. “Most entry-level positions here are filled by interns.” Rhythm & Hues offers apprenticeship programs in three areas: animation, lighting, and composition. And EA also has what Nicola calls a “robust internship,” adding that the studio loves recent graduates because “they’re the people who are closest to emerging technologies.” Internships are more than a way for an applicant to get a foot in the door, however. Increasingly, they’re mandatory in order for a graduate to be considered. Recruiters fig- ure that if you’re in CG school, you ought to have the wherewithal to get an internship or two under your belt before you graduate. Besides, spending time in a real work environment teaches so many “soft” skills—how to be profes- sional, work as a team, and understand a company’s pipeline and culture. “An internship is a must,” says Torrano. At DreamWorks Animation, however, says Marilyn Friedman, head of outreach, “it’s always nice if they have apprenticeships, but it’s not a prerequisite.” these things [films],” says DreamWorks’ Fried- man. “Not everyone can do character anima- tion.” Terefore, the outreach training and ed- ucation program that DreamWorks conducts with different universities focuses on lighting, rigging, and other aspects of content creation, in addition to animation. For those determined to do character ani- mation, patience is required. “We do review all show reels sent to us,” says Acock, “and we short-list the most interesting and inspiring. If we don’t have suitable vacancies at the time, we hold on to these applications and re-review them when a vacancy arises, and we always try to update everyone by e-mail so that they know the status of their application.” The Right Tools Most recruiters say they expect to do some amount of training—especially since many shops have proprietary programs. But when it comes to the software that most applicants should be familiar with, it will come as no sur- prise to hear that Autodesk’s Maya continues to trump all. “Maya (for games) and XSI (for film) seem to be the most important packages to know these days. 3ds Max is still relevant, although seemingly less prevalent with each passing year,” according to Scanlon. “In the CG de- partment, if they don’t know Maya, we’re not going to hire them,” says EA’s Torrano. Lumiére, which worked on The Day of the Triffids, can train new hires if the pending project is a lengthier one.