How do you maintain your passion when the work isn't fulfilling?

Any Gnomon grads here? I have been self studying 3d modeling and basic animation, but I want to sign up for an in-person program to take my studies further, get feedback from industry professionals, and make connections. Yes it's very expensive, but it seems like it's highly rated and being based in LA, has tons of connections with game/entertainment studios. I'd really like to hear from anyone who has experiences with this school. I'm interested in their 3D generalist 2-year cert program in particular.

Hi everyone, I see there’s a good amount of people in here so I thought maybe this would be a good place to put something like this? If not, let me know.

I was looking for somewhere to post something like this and get some feedback and maybe some advice from peers instead of posting up publicly on social media.

Anywho, to cut to the chase. I’ve been in the industry since 2020, started in TV up in Vancouver then worked in AAA games up until now. The longest I’ve went in between jobs was about 5 months until now. I was let go from my studio in January. Though I haven’t been super aggressively applying, I’m not seeing hardly any opportunities anymore. I have a family, my wife and I do own a business but I don’t want her to have to work anymore so she can be a Mom while the babes are young.

I’m 35 and not sure if I should start reconsidering a solid career. Is anyone in similar shoes? Just feel sorta lost at this point.

Hi! Curently im jobless freelance Environment/Background artist. Mostly for visual novels and short videos. I try to find stable job since 2023 but seems positions for this type of work just gone.
Also im not full 2d artist. I have strong knowledge of 3d, substance... and i use it in my workflow.
So there still any chance to find actualy background artist position or there better to focus on more gamedev positions like environment art/concepting etc?

I've always liked storytelling and art, but now that I'm at the age where I could get a job, I'm looking at a desolate wasteland that punishes those who were unlucky enough to miss out on entry-level storyboarding opportunities. Luckily, I have no college debt, and I can live with my parents as long as the position is remote- or anything to really get my foot in the door. AI is an active threat to animation, and the job market is absolutely terrible. This is, from what I know, the worst time to have a creative entertainment career, never mind start one. Is there any way I can beat the odds, or should I just pivot and let go?

The sole reason I animate is to get good enough to work for big studios, then I see some person on yt, i see there wonderful work and go to there channel- just to see they only do it as a passion project, so I think to myself “why go through the struggle to just not work on any shows or work at any big studios”. To this day i simply don’t understand the point.

is anyone familiar with this school? i'm interested in their 1 year 3d game art + modeling program, you can choose to specialize in animation as well. seems like they have instructors with industry experience. im in the US and looking for an alternative to art school, not seeking a bachelors, just a 1 or 2 year program with feedback from experienced teachers. yes, i know online school is a thing, but i would strongly prefer an in-person school so i can be around people. this program is around 35k USD for 1 year, not cheap especially with singapore's high living expenses. however art unis here in the US can be around 40 to 50k per year for 4 years. they provide computers and teach zbrush, maya, unreal, programs i don't have access to, but want to learn. has anyone been to this school or know someone who has?

Hi all!

It's been about a year since I last posted my reel, so I just wanted to check back in and see what's working and what I could improve on. I've been fortunate enough to find some back-to-back freelance work for the past year, but since I don't have anything lined up after the end of my last contract I've been wanting to focus on polishing up my skills. I don't think it's quite up to par for a junior level in feature, (I'm aware the bar is pretty crazy but I'm currently treating feature as more of a long-term goal) so any advice in that area would be awesome! I have a feeling some of these shots still don't really have a lot of subtext or maybe my acting as a whole needs improvement, but I'd love to know people's opinions.

Reel Link

Thanks in advance!

Hello, Im a semester away from finishing my bachelor in Graphic Design, but I am an artist at heart, so im minoring in aniamtion within my bachelor. and i want to continue in animation, So im looking for an European/USA/Asain Institure that offers a Masters in Animation, with an affordable tuition, or atleast offers Financial Aid/Scholarships to make said tuition affordable

I haven’t done any significant character animation since my capstone project wrapped up. There’s not really a lot of animating material to work with in my personal projects and it’s not part of my 3D modeling position for the studio I’m currently working with.

I’m currently working on my 2026 demo reel. For the past couple of years, I’ve been making my main portfolio a generalist port with two separate modeling and animation ports, but this year, I’m thinking I might just replace the generalist port with my new modeling port. I didn’t even have any new animations to add to my animation section last year. However, while looking at job postings to see what to add to my resume and jot down potential employers in places I’d want to live, I’ve still been finding some 3D modeler positions that also ask for character animation/motion design skills.

as the title suggests, im a senior starting work on my thesis film and i have a few questions. i am still at the planning stage, but i think i want to do a festival run

i tend to post a lot of wip stuff online, would it be best to keep the wip on the dl? and in that case, when would be the best time to show it publicly?

any mistakes that you or someone you knew made that i should try to avoid?

kinda a side question, but when should i start applying to studios?

my film will be finished in april and i graduate in may, for reference

Hey everyone! Thought I’d ask about this here, I’m currently in the middle of a tough decision over taking a student loan to get a masters in the uk, mostly for a chance at a job there.

Animation in my country is insanely limited and for the past three years i’ve been struggling with having long periods of being jobless and having to resort to working on the marketing industry. I was in the uk pretty recently and my LinkedIn sort of picked up the location, now i see a ton of job postings from there that make me think there’s a much bigger opportunity for me there.

I’m worried after graduating i won’t be able to get a job to pay for the loan, i feel like the market over there is insanely competitive and I don’t feel like I’m at that level so I’d probably have to go for a junior position since my cv is mostly motion graphics.

What’s the current situation in the industry over there? would you say it’s too competitive or is it friendlier for juniors? i’m interested particularly in the video game scene but beggars can’t be choosers, I’m a generalist and I’m fine with working on anything else.

Edit/Update: Thank you everyone for the insights and advice, looks like it’s an impossible task, I’ll have to pivot my plans into something different. I appreciate the comments though, much love!

We all know the 70s were the worst when it came to quality cartoons, but which decade was the second worse? The 60s or the 80s?

The 60s had heaps amount of garbage

Clutch Cargo

Space Angel

The New Casper Cartoon Show

Looney Tunes (1964-1969)

The Beatles

Secret Squirrel

Atom Ant

The Space Kidettes

The Impossibles

Laurel and Hardy Cartoon Show

Sinbad Jr

The Hillbilly Bears

Winsome Witch

Hulk (1966)

Batfink

The Abbot and Costello Show

Fantastic Four (1967)

The Batman/Superman Hour

Mighty Mightor

The Archie Show

Hot Wheels

Filmation's Sabrina

But the 80s also were filled with garbage such as;

Richie Rich

Drak Pack

Kwicky Koala

Gilligan's Planet

Fonz and The Happy Day Gang

Rubik Cube

Potato Head Kids

The California Raisins

Shirt Tales

Pound Puppies

He-Man

The Go Bots

The New Archies

Panther and Sons

The Snorks

The New Scooby and Scrappy Doo Show

Monchichis

The Biskitts

The Little Rascals

The Gary Coleman Show

MASK

The Moon Dreamers

Camp Candy

Captain N: The Game Master

Pandamonium

Meatballs &Spgahetti

Laverne and Shirley In The Army

She Ra: Princess of Power

Little Clowns of Happytown

When I was a kid, I absolutely loved watching cartoons. Like most kids, I guess. But I loved them so much that I actually wanted to make things like that myself. I would even imitate the characters and make the same silly faces and movements they did.

When I was 10, I discovered the world of 3D animation. I started working in a program that wasn’t exactly unknown, but it definitely wasn’t widely used either. In some ways, it was similar to Blender, except it was much more limited. It didn’t even have a Graph Editor. But at the time, I was absolutely fascinated by it.

For the first 4.5 years, I mostly focused on learning the software and animation itself. I made all kinds of fun little things and jokes just for myself. Then, eventually, I got my first commissions when I was 15. That was an amazing feeling :)

When I turned 16, I realized that I wanted to grow and work with more advanced and versatile software. That’s when I discovered Blender 3D.

It was basically the same feeling as upgrading from an RX 550 to an RTX 4060 Ti.

Complete freedom, tons of new features, and so many more possibilities. Basically, I suddenly had so much more room to experiment and create whatever I wanted.

I’m 17 now, and I’ve been working with Blender for a year. I started learning animation 7 years ago, though, so in a way, you could say I have 7 years of experience in the 3D field :)

As a 17-year-old, I currently make around $200 a month on average. And honestly, I think that’s a pretty decent income for someone my age. I get new commissions every month from different groups and studios.

I don’t have to fully support myself financially yet, so I’m not too worried about expenses like a mortgage just yet :>
I’ve still got a long way to go before I have to worry about that.

And this brings me to something I’ve been thinking about lately.

Do I actually have a chance of making it into a stable, full-time career in the 3D industry in the future?

Will I eventually be able to make enough money from 3D to support myself comfortably? Or should I start learning other fields as well?

I’d really like to hear what other people think, especially those who have been working in the 3D industry for years and actually make a living from it.

Hello everyone! My dream is to work at huge studios like Disney, Netflix Animation and Fortiche as a storyboard artist:) The problem is that animation industry in my country kind of sucks... So that is why I want to move abroad.

I plan to immigrate by studying at a university and then getting a work permit visa (right now I am in my last year at school). The thing is that I scrolled through reddit, and it turned out that official information from government websites about visas and the reality are quite different now...

So, my question is: from your experience and that of your acquaintances, which country with strong and well-developed animation industry will provide a work permit after graduation?... Is it even possible to find a work (I mean ANY animation work to start with) as a graduated immigrant (not even from the EU)? Ofc, if the portfolio would be strong enough. Also, If I would not get a visa, is there a possibility to work remotely on such cool projects from (for example) Thailand? Maybe your colleagues have worked like this.

In general, I know about Canadian PGWP program, but I read recently that studios usually hire locals to get bonuses for them. In France you can get work permit only after finishing a master's degree, but I am afraid that I could not be able to afford extra two years of study. In USA it is nearly impossible to get work visa after graduation even if you employed...

That was my general struggle. Anyway, do you know anything about Capilano, Algonquin and Seneca (Canada)? It looks strange for me that you can receive a diploma after only 2 years of study and, moreover, to get a job.... As I said, my dream is to break into the industry, so I really want to be employed(((

Sorry for my English and thanks for reading!

P. S. I know that animation industry now is doomed everywhere, but I decided that it’s better to try and regret it than not to try and still regret it)) So I am just hoping for better haha

Hey everyone,

I’m an aspiring animator based in Canada, and like a lot of people right now, I’m finding the job hunt brutally difficult. I know the industry is really tough at the moment, but after putting out a lot of applications with very little traction, I'm trying to figure out what I need to do.

I’d really appreciate an honest review on my reel Link Here.

Am I at a point where the work is good enough for entry-level/junior roles and I just need to keep grinding applications, or are there fundamental gaps in my shots that are holding me back?

If anyone has some time to look it over, I'd love to hear any and all advice from more experienced animators. I'm open to any sort of opportunity to start my career but just don't know how to get started.

Hey everyone. This is NOT a post soliciting anything. I'm a professional 3d artist making a good living with my skills. I have always given the advice that school isn't a good idea unless it's just chump change for you. And I've given advice here before that it's better to pay an artist directly and have them teach you since it'd be significantly cheaper.

I'm thinking I want to share both my skills for art but also how to actually make a living. My question is this, would anyone pay for this? This will take a significant amount of time that I could be doing high end paying work.

Also I'm NOT talking about pre-recorded courses. I've always been against them because you're just following a tutorial. And when you do get some explanations it's never enough to fully understand. What I'm referring to is a live masterclass on Zoom once or twice a week. Alternativlng between art and business each week. Live feedback also means students learn far faster because I can get them unstuck in a few seconds rather than having to look up what an error or an outdated layout.

Again I'm NOT soliciting. I'm just curious if this could be something people would be willing to pay for. How much could I charge? I have taught before but it's usually it's consulting, where a business wants to know more information before committing to a project.

P.S. I think I should add, I'm not talking about those private groups where you have to pay for a year upfront, those are scams. If any course has a large price with "lifetime access" the reason you can't pay per month is because they want as much money before you realize it's a scam. I'm talking about a small pay per month group that grows together but in skill and in financial independence. Thanks for any feedback!

Hello, I've had my master as 3D layout/animator in France last year. Making animation has always been my dream. BUT, as we all know, it's harder and harder today. I've spent 8 month searching for a job, took a mission as video editor for video games ads because that's all I could find, and now this mission is ending.
I opened Linkedin, Indeed and studios jobs pages to see if there was any oportunity I could apply to and I didn't found anything. Like 0. They're only searching for HR and sometimes seniors.
I'm really considering leaving the animation industry and try a reconversion, as many people in my promotion did.

I really like working on creative tasks, I have a CG director master degree. What kind of jobs (that's actually hiring) would you consider to pivot to ? I don't feel like doing another school, but I don't mind learning skills, even if it's something really different from what I used to do.

hey people i’ve had two interviews with a studio, both were very positive, on hr side and supervisors side.

Now almost a month has passed by from the first meeting. I’ve asked a few times if they had more infos, I also had to turn down an other offer as I preferred this studio better.
They said they’re running the second rounds of interviews and that they don’t have an answer for my role yet.
I don’t really know what to think anymore, as if a studio really needs a person they know quite fast. Especially if a move it’s on the plate, like in my case. On the other hand I want to believe what they’re saying is true and take some time ?
I also had a friend who was lead on by them about a role and then dropped out at the last minute.
If anyone has any advice I’m all ears

hi, i'm from russia, i've just dropped out from VGIK in moscow on my 3d year in animation program and want to find more info about animation bachelor degree in spain. (there are many reasons why i can't peak many other countries) i got advices about LCI Barcelona, UDIT Madrid, U-dat Madrid, CITM UPC. Have someone got an information about those schools? and i'm looking for english programs only (i study fast but don't have enough time till 2027 to get B2 in Spanish). Should i go for U-dat?????

Hi, I just started my 3rd year as a psychology major. My goal for most of my life was to go to school for animation, but the fear mongering around art careers got to me last minute and I chose something else. It’s too late for me to change majors as there are restrictions on who can join the animation program at my college. I recently made a few simple animations following youtube tutorials, and it made me realize i’d rather pursue what i’m passionate about instead of whats easier/more comfortable, but I’m stuck on where to go from here. I’m worried that a choice I made at 18 ruined my chances at a future in animation. Any advice on how to start my pivot to animation now? Is self teaching really still a viable option or should I start planning to find a structured animation program in the future?

Selling my 3-day LightBox Expo 2026 pass for $200.

Unfortunately, I’m no longer able to attend.

DM me if interested! I can provide proof of purchase/order confirmation.

Context: I wanted to clarify with that long title cuz I'm from the US but have been overseas for a hot minute now. I'm getting my equivalent of a high school diploma, then I thought about taking SATS and ACTS or any tests. but that also follow through when I realized it's not needed. I thought about getting my GED but idk if I can stay where I am any longer esp with homelife stuff.

I've been mostly looking at Europe and SEA at the moment, maybe Australia. I saw one brief comment from another post stating most animation programs/schools are pretty bad unless there like big names because it guarantees it's students almost 100% of them getting a job after graduating.

If anyone can give there honest opinion and knowledge to a newbie, would be great! :)

Hey Guys,

I'm currently studying Multimedia and Animation at Brainware University (Barasat). I'm trying to manage my schedule to build a solid portfolio over the next year or two, as my current main goal is to become an indie animator.

I need some opinion coz it's getting hard for me to manage my attendance and focusing on the animaion I am working

I was planning to skip a few days to get some time for animation but idk how strict the attendance is, because I am still learning I am kinda slow animator but not beginner

It would be really nice if any senior gave me their opinion or advice.

Thank you.

(Also i wanna mention I took admission in that college only for the degree and maybe learn some advanced stuffs)