Online Professional Identity The Skills and Persona Needed To Acquire a Job in Animation

Prepared By: Bianca Rawlings ENGL 307T

Executive Summary This report is an analysis of the skills required and favored when it comes to working in the animation industry. Specifically, it focuses on the online identity preferred for this profession, as well as the sort of soft and primary skills needed to excel in these fields. Through an analysis of three different advertisements for this career, as well as three online identities of people in this field, I have chosen five criteria upon which persons applying for such positions should be conscious of and will more than likely be evaluated: an online portfolio, visible problem solving skills, knowledge of the software, storyboarding and character design experience, and also creative independence. These skills are what employers in this field mainlhy focus on when choosing employees, and by understanding the criteria being considered, it is useful in my own development of my skills to pursue such a career.

Table of Contents Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 II. Job Criteria and Professional Identity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 III. Personal Identity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 A. Online Portfolio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 B. Problem Solving Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 C. Knowledge of the Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 D. Modeling/Character Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 E. Creative Independence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 IV. Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 V. Works Cited. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 VI. Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

I. Introduction The purpose of this report is to analyses the skills and digital persona preferred to have a job in the animation industry, specifically as an animator. Employers are looking for specific traits for such a position, most of which deal with both artistic skill, as well as the ability to work with a team to complete a project. By analyzing three advertisements for this profession, as well as three professionals in this field, I am able to construct an analysis and determine what skills of my own I need to improve on, as well as how I can better represent myself through my online profiles. II. Job Criteria and Online Identity Jobs as an animator, or simply in the animation industry, range from three-dimensional character design to lighting design, and even more concentrated areas of design. Thus, an animator needs to have a wide-range of skills to satisfy the requirements of companies that they hope to work for. The criteria specified on ads for jobs in animation forms a very long list, varying from company to company and from concentration to concentration; a story boarder may not need to understand how to use animation software, but they should definitely have a good understanding of character design, where-as a background animator may not need to know anything about character design, but should be an expert in the software. This is evident in both advertisements for the job posted, as well as on the online profiles of those that work in these fields. Most advertisements stress an understanding of the software more than anything else, as well as a thorough understanding of character design, rigging, and lighting. (Kore Studios) Others are more focused on the potential employee as an artist and a part of the team they want

problem-solving skills, a well-rounded knowledge of character design elements and storyboarding, as well as a strong artistic portfolio. (HighFive Games) This is especially evident in the skills that animators focus on as their specialties in their online profiles. Most of them list character design, rigging, lighting, and the like in their specialties. All of them include a link to their website or blog, with an emphasis on their portfolio to show off their creative independence and understanding. (Schleifer) There is also an emphasis on films and projects that they have done. (Chua) Overall, the criteria most focused on to attain a job as an animator are thus: an online portfolio, problem solving skills, software knowledge, storyboarding and character design experience, and creative independence III. Personal Identity My online identity is an extensive one. I have accounts and profiles with a numerous amount of websites, ranging from mind-maps such as Popplet to journal websites such as Livejournal, and even art-focused websites such as DeviantArt, focused on promoting artwork. My online identities, through Google and Yahoo! Search: Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and my graduation year from middle school and high school. Outside of what turns up through search engines, I also have accounts on Popplet, LinkedIn, Livejournal, DeviantArt, Gmail, and numerous other websites (all of which are listed in the Appendix), making my online identity a slightly more complex one, albeit not necessarily a flattering one. My professional identity and my personal identity are very closely related online, which may prove as a problem for me when attempting to attain a job as an animator. However, it may also work to my benefit. By analyzing the criteria most important for a job as an animator, I can determine how well my online identity works for me professionally.
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A. Online Portfolio Portfolios are perhaps the most important asset when it comes to being an artist and attempting to get a job focusing on your artistic skill. They showcase your talent, and if they are impressive enough, can even outweigh your lack of knowledge of the software, or your lack of experience. Every professional persona in the animation industry on LinkedID, or any other profession-based webpage, has a link out to his or her online portfolio, because for most artists, it functions as a sort of resume. Whereas the artist may be lacking in actual experience, their artistic portfolio can help to compensate for what they may lack. My own online persona does not have an official online portfolio, though my account on DeviantArt may function as a sort of makeshift one should I need to show off my skills. If there is any area I need to improve upon vastly, it is this one; showing my artwork can help me greatly in terms of acquiring a job, as it shows not only what software I am able to use, but also my knowledge of character design and the like. B. Problem Solving Skills Problem solving skills are less promoted through your online personality and more-so promoted through your list of specialties on websites that request that you list them. There is the possibility of promoting this on your Facebook or your choice of social networking website if it is catered to employers, but for the most part, this skill is pushed through your resume and your online profile on professional websites. This is also evident in your degree-program, if you have gone to school for whatever job you are pursuing. In my own online identity, I have very little that suggests visible

problem solving skills. Thus, this is something that I should work on by working in more team projects to put on my resume and in my portfolio. C. Knowledge of the Software This skill is just as important, if not more, than having an online portfolio. Understanding the software used in this field is key to being a successful animator. Not only that, but being knowledgeable in the latest software is necessary. If the animator is not knowledgeable in the program, then their artistic skill may not be useful there is a large difference between being able to draw and being able to execute those drawings in a useful medium. As far as this goes, I am better prepared. I have Autodesk Maya listed as one of my skills on LinkedIn, as well as the Adobe Creative Suite, both of which are top of the line programs that animation companies are using. Not only that, but I also have them listed on my DeviantArt as programs that I am familiar with, and as interests of mine on Facebook, which helps potential employers know immediately that I am familiar with the software. D. Modeling/Character Design Modeling and character design are also key in terms of working in animation, especially if the animator is working on a movie or a video game, and not simply doing backgrounds. As characters and three-dimensional models of them are key in both of these settings, it is very important for the company to be sure that the potential employee understands the basics, if not more. My own online identity is fairly safe in this case. It is evident through my DeviantArt that I am familiar with character design, though not necessarily modeling. This can also be seen in my personal Popplet, where I have mapped out various character traits and design aspects
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for my own projects. However, it is not as evident on my Facebook or my Twitter, which show up first if using a search engine, and this is something that I must improve on. E. Creative Independence Though more of an idea than an actual skill, creative independence is very important in terms of imagination and ingenuity. It shows that the potential employee has enough creativity and imaginativeness that he or she can contribute to the team as an individual instead of simply going along with whatever ideas are put before him or her. Creative independence is evident through online portfolios (the originality and stylistic choices expressed in the pieces) and also through social networks such as Facebook or Twitter, where the poster may put up ideas that he or she has. My own online identity touches base with this as well. I have numerous posts such as this on my DeviantArt, as well as on my Twitter when I was using it frequently. My Facebook, however, lacks the same creative independence, and instead focuses on a more personal aspect of me. However, this can also work to my advantage as some employers look for fun and realistic employees to join their team. (source)

IV. Conclusion As far as my digital profiles and online persona go, I only begin to touch base on many of the skills sought by potential employers in the animation field, and must expand on a lot of them, especially constructing an online portfolio and pushing my problem solving skills. In terms of knowledge of the software and creative independence, I have done fairly well incorporating this
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in my online personas, but should definitely push harder to have them stand out; I should upload work that I have done in Adobe Creative Suit and Autodesk Maya once I have established my online portfolio and also link out to it on the websites that I am associated with. I should also post more of my concepts and artwork to show that I have the skill to execute the tasks that my potential employers may require of me.

V. Works Cited
Scleifer, Jason. <http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jason-schleifer/0/9/136> 2011. Downing, Everett. <http://www.linkedin.com/pub/everett-downing/2/185/805> 2011. Chua, Chris. <http://www.linkedin.com/pub/chris-chua/6/23/5ab> 2011.

Kore Studios. 3D Artists <http://jobs.cgsociety.org/ad/3720/> 2011. High Five Games. Digital Illustration. <http://jobs.cgsociety.org/ad/3705/> 2011. Wild Blue. Technical Artist <http://jobs.cgsociety.org/ad/3709/> 2011.

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VI. Appendix List of Online Personas: Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1207370775> Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/kthnxbai> DeviantArt < http://rasetsukokuiv.deviantart.com/> Popplet < http://popplet.com/app/#/103752> Diigo < http://www.diigo.com/user/brawling> MySpace < http://www.myspace.com/kthnxbai> LinkedIn <http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=155600803&locale=en_US&trk= tab_pro>

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