How to Succeed at an Animation Job Interview

Smash that job interview

Landing your first animation job is mainly about having a strong demo reel - and making sure that your demo reel is easy to find, not password protected, and (ideally) embedded at your Linkedin profile. 

Once you get to the interview, the studio is already very interested.  But, they want to hire animators who not only produce great work, but who are collaborative, easy to work with, and ready for the realities of production.  Below are a few key tips to help you succeed at an animation job interview.

Animation Interview Strategy with Kevin Richards

Kevin Richards mentoring a student

One of my former students, Kevin Richards, is currently working as a Lead Animator at the new Aardman Animation TV Series "Pop Paper City".  

As a production lead, Kevin spends a good deal of time interviewing junior animators and making hiring decisions.

In the guest blog below, Kevin offers his tips on how to succeed at a job interview - the second stage in the process of getting hired.  If the company likes your demo reel, they will invite you to interview - below is Kevin's advice on how to get it right.  

Crafting a Killer Demo Reel - with Kevin Richards

Kevin Richards Teaching

Kevin Richards is one of my former animation students, currently working as a Lead Animator at the new Aardman Animation TV Series "Pop Paper City".  As a production lead, Kevin spends a good deal of time reviewing animation reels and making hiring decisions on new talent.  

In this guest blog below, Kevin offers his tips on how to put together a great demo reel that will ensure you land that crucial first job in the animation industry.

Animation Apprentice in Today's Guardian

Animation Apprentice is in the news! Here is a link to an interview in today's Guardian, featuring some questions about how to get started in the animation industry, and some thoughts on where the industry is heading.

Interview at London Live With Claudia-Liza Armah

Above is an interview I did on Saturday with London Live, talking about the BAFTA nominees, and also about breaking into the animation and VFX industry. It was a fun interview, and it's always interesting to hear the kind of questions that interviewers want to know about how animation gets made. Claudia-Liza Armah wanted to know about The Lion King, which just goes to show how evergreen that film is, and how well it is still liked and admired - even 23 years on.

Six Leading Animation Directors Interviewed by the Hollywood Reporter

The Hollywood Reporter has interviewed six leading animation directors: Pete Docter (Inside Out), Pete Sohn (Good Dinosaur), Richard Starzak (Shaun the Sheep), Steve Martino (Peanuts Movie), Charles Kaufman (Anomalisa), and Roger Allers (The Prophet). The directors talk about their shared journey bringing animated films to the screen, and the many challenges they had to overcome along the way. The panel discussion is one hour long.

Is It Worth Taking a Job as a Runner? - Henry Fenwick Reports

Prime Focus

Working as a runner doesn't sound glamorous - but it can be a great way to break into the industry. Last year Animation Apprentice student Henry Fenwick finished a three week work experience at Prime Focus Film in London's Soho. We asked him to share his experience and advice, with a view to helping other animation students know what to expect when becoming a runner at a Soho studio. In short - is it worth being a runner?

Meet Alex Williams, Founder of Animation Apprentice

Alex Williams by Woody Woodman

Alex Williams founded Animation Apprentice in September 2012, having spent twenty five years working in the animation industry, and teaching animation at schools and universities including CalArts, Gnomon, Escape Studios, and The Animation Workshop in Denmark. We asked him to talk about what made him want to make the leap from working on production to setting up an online school.

How to blow a job interview in 9 easy steps

Interview, a short animated film by Mikkel Okholm and Mikkel Brons-Frandsen

By the time you get to being interviewed for a job, most animation and visual effects companies probably already want to hire you. Why? Because the thing that counts for most in getting hired is your demo reel. They are not hiring you for your good looks or charming conversation - they are hiring you for your skill and talent in digital media.

That said, interviews do matter. They are important mostly because this is the point at which many otherwise excellent candidates blow it, and throw a great opportunity away. How does this happen? Below are some of the most common reasons why candidates screw it up and fail to get hired. Read on and learn from other people's mistakes.

How Do Graduates Find Work in the Animation Industry?

How do animation graduates find work in the animation industry? At Animation Apprentice we get asked this question a great deal. There is no simple or straightforward answer.

Jobs in the entertainment industry have always been highly competitive, and the supply of trained graduates competing for the best entry-level positions has never been greater.

 Official jobs postings, word of mouth, rumours in the pub, personal contacts, even cold-calling - all of these can be effective ways to find work in the business. Below are the twelve key rules that we think are vital for success.