Hey guys,
I am on the fence between being a film editor and being a character animator. I have tried both and enjoy them both the same.
I’m really torn and I’m at a crossroads where I should choose one to pursue as a career.
So, how do/did you guys know that being an animator was right for you?
For me, personally, it was being able to take a completely lifeless object and then “breathing” life into the character, thus giving it a personality and life-like qualities. There’s just something about creating an animation, showing it to people, and having them relate/enjoy the character that you spent working on for so many hours.
Each person is obviously going to give you a different answer. You really have to so some soul searching of your own and think about what will ultimately make you happier in the long run. Hopefully you’re able to figure this out and I wish you the very best. I know you’ll make the right decision.
I started out as a classical/traditional 2D animator, then got an internship doing motion graphics and now the studio i work at is having me doing video editing too. I think if you choose one route to go you can always still do the other one. Then you can put both on your resume and be a little more well rounded. It depends what your end game is. If you want to work at Pixar, then specialize but if you like doing a lot of things like me, then do a lot of things.
Hi,
Every job is different. The work involved and the thought process are different. A film editor’s thought process would be different from that of an animator. Well since you’ve worked as an editor before, you may know how it goes. I haven’t done much of editing after my diploma.
My heart is set on character animation. It involves what was said about taking a lifeless object and breathing life into it. Apart from that there is the fun in acting out the animation and its different takes. One line/action can be delivered in different ways and you get the chance to be the actor. A simple action of lifting a heavy object off the floor can be done in different ways ranging from pure comedy to tragedy too. You do have to follow the the storyboard.
Editing on the other hand is not just lining up different approved shots into a movie. There’s compositing involved too. Mixing up layers and stuff. Colour correction and other stuff that is very essential for a movie.
So there you have it from a animator aspirant. Cheers!
Be an animator… Although I must warn you I’m terribly biased haha. Film editing helps in animation as well though, right now I do animation and scene setup and I must say, the better your eye for cinematography is, the better your sequences will be.
Remember, animation will often let you flex your filmMaker muscle!
You should try to ask some film editors for their take on it as well.
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