So, You Want to Be an Animator? My Advice from the Trenches
Breaking into the animation industry can feel like staring at a blank canvas, unsure of where the first stroke should go. If you are looking to get into animation, or any creative field, my best advice is simple: always be working on something, always be creating.
My own path certainly was not a straight line. Before finding my home in animation, I spent years trying my hand at a lot of different things, moving from hospitality to various artistic pursuits. After studying art, I spent time behind the bar, which was a lot of fun, but not where I wanted to be long-term. There were plenty of moments of uncertainty, and the transition from a fine art practice to a professional studio setting was not always glamorous or linear. However, that fine art background never really left me; it remains the foundation for everything I do today, even as I work in this professional sphere.
Here is what I have learned from the trenches of our craft.
Always Be Creating
Even if you are pulling pints to pay the bills, you are not taking that work home with you. Use your own time to draw in your sketchbook and do whatever feels good creatively. Keep moving, keep doing the work, and things really do start to happen. The key is persistence—never stopping, even when the path ahead feels unclear.
Find Your Style First
When you are starting out, you just need to demonstrate that you can do it and that you have a unique angle. It is easy to feel the pressure to be everything to everyone, but using constraints to your advantage is a powerful way to define your voice. Further down the line, you will need to be able to move quickly and under pressure, but you can grow into that. Just find your own style first and do what feels good.
Collaboration is the Secret
Things happened quite organically for me because I leaned into community. I wanted sound for my animated videos, so I asked poet friends for audio files to make short, fun clips. One of them, who runs the Bang Said The Gun poetry collective in London, teamed up with me to pitch a TV show on Sky Arts. From there, agencies started picking me up for smaller jobs, and it just snowballed. I have found that fostering a spirit of collaboration keeps the work exciting and sustainable. It is not just about the output, it is about the people you bring along for the ride.
Engage With Your Passion
Even if you have had a gap of years between formal education and becoming a professional creative, keep that love for your medium alive. Visit art galleries, watch work that inspires you, and engage with your passion whenever you can.
Like many starting out, the big turning point is when you decide to stop doing things for free and it finally becomes a job. My journey shows there is no single path into animation. Whether you come straight from art school or find your way later, passion, persistence, and a willingness to learn are what count. The animation world is currently booming, particularly with the demand for micro-content, idents, and online segments, so your unique style is needed.
If you are currently in the middle of your own messy transition, or if you have a sketchbook full of ideas but are not sure where to start, feel free to send me a message. I am always happy to chat about the craft. Keep making things, and see where the work takes you.
