I know, I know I'm not some director of a huge studio and not a famous animator from Disney. But in this post, I would love to answer some of the common questions being asked of me about my animation career. I want to hopefully give an insight and a little of my experience through these questions. Hoping that you would pick up something from all this. I'm pretty sure some of the questions we, animators have come across many times.

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Zord's Animation Career Q&A

1. How and when did you realize that you wanted to become an Animator?

I was deeply inspired by one of the first 3D Animation movie which was 'Toy Story'. This was also the iconic movie that has hit it big time and has open a thousand more doors into the silver screen for the animation industry. I was really young then. And watching how Woody and the toys came to life, really made my dreams come true.

I told my mum, 'Mum, I want to do that when I grow up', pointing at the cinema screen

Without knowing what it was at that time or how could I ever learn or venture into 'this' scene that brought characters to life. The period of when I realize I wanted to be an animator wasn't clear because I did not remember a time when I didn't want to do it. But if you would still ask, It would be after I saw this.

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2. Wow, how did you find out that you had the natural talent or skills required to be an animator?

Honestly, I'm one of the weaker ones if you would've come and examine my art classes during my college years. I do not have much of an artistic talent or they call it the 'aesthetic eye' that you need in this creative art industry. During my college years, I've met many friends who can draw and create really amazing art really effortlessly.

When everyone graduated, I was the only one being sent to a 'non-animation' company to do advertising. The rest of my friends had been given an internship placement in one of the biggest companies in Malaysia and I was the only one going into the advertising industry. Feeling like an outcast.

Did it piss me off? It certainly did, not at them though. But because I had to be extra hardworking than the rest if I were to enter the animation world. And So I did it anyway. What's life if you've haven't tried your limits and how far you can go ey?

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3. How long does it take for you to finish an episode in a tv series?

So far, It takes me a month to finish a 10 minutes episode working with another 4 animators. I would be given around 35 shots, that is around 75 frames, which is 3 seconds each frame (minimal estimation). Some shots are more than 8 seconds.

35 x 3 = 105 seconds a month of animation

It would be different if it was for a movie but I've never experience animating for movies yet. This is my time for the cartoon tv series industry.

This is one the latest episode of the 'Geomecha' series that I've done 

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4. How is your typical working day like?

I take my time in getting up. I always love a slow and steady way of waking up or you can just call it the snooze habit. I kinda have my muscle memory locked in when driving, so I dont have to focus so much on where I'm going. My body just knows how to take me to my workplace safe and sound.

honking some annoyingly slow drivers along the way
throws wet tissue at their car...plop!

We have a schedule to check when we check into the office. After checking the schedule, I plan out my time and shots to finish for the day. Check if there are any retakes or changes from the client's side and off I go, powering up my google chrome. WHAT?! You use google chrome to animate? No silly, I use it to reply comments on Steemit. Such is my day till the end. :P

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5. One last question, what is the most difficult part for you, now that you're an animator?

It takes up a lot of your time when it's grinding season <--- a term we use when it's busy busy. If the animations were to be longer, it takes more than just a team of 5 animators. It needs a whole company to be running simultaneously. And in Malaysia, we do not have many 'good' talents for hire and so usually the heavy workload falls on us.

I personally am still not there yet and certainly have a long way to go before I hit movie standards. As I've mentioned before, I'm one of the weaker ones, and that means I just have to buckle up and work twice as hard as the others.

I have to be constantly in control of my emotions at receiving critiques daily. Though I hate them, this is the only way I will learn. I also think that every scene is hard.

To animate is one thing, to bring it to life is another.

There's not a day without a challenge. Only a rare kind of insanity would do this. That's me.

PS : This Post has been posted on Steemit before but I feel that it would be good to share again to all my followers.
 

Thank You

If you like what I do, check out my other posts on meetups, animation, and designs.

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_{Credits to @pinstory & @coloringiship for this lovely photo of me.}

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Posted from my blog with SteemPress : http://zord189.vornix.blog/2019/03/20/animation-zords-animation-career-qa/

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