Connection is all around us. Our families and friends, our peers both in education and in work, every person who knows us has some connection. Most of these, however, are casual connections. Your best friend may speak highly of you, but when it comes to landing a job in the animation industry, a few compliments aren’t going to get you very far. Connecting with individuals in the industry, however, can prove beneficial in terms of supporting your journey into the working world. This is known as ‘networking’.
What is Networking?
On the University of Manchester’s Careers Service page, it states:
“Networking (is) a vital skill that comprises personal communication, relationship management and professionalism, as a means of building connections with others to help your career develop.”
Networking means going to speak to industry professionals in order to connect with them, learn of their experiences and get your name into their mind. This serves several purposes - by speaking to people already within the industry, you get a good insight into the inner workings of the industry before you even step foot into it. This information can be used to your advantage , especially if the industry professional has advice that worked for them to get their foot in the door. Everyone will have a different experience, so speaking with as many people as you can from your industry is especially important.
Another purpose is that by connecting with people and showing them your work, it could spark interest within them and have them consider you if they are asked if they know anyone suitable for a position they may have some sway over. Speaking to individuals in the industry, especially those who might review applications, can also put you in better standing should you apply to the company they work for. They will find you more memorable than other people who might just throw their application in without much thought, and you stand in a much better position to be chosen by that company.
Networking in the Animation Industry
Some of the most important things to know when starting to network in the animation industry are the common roles you can encounter, the ‘who’s who’ of most studios, and who you should prioritise speaking to. Some of the highest level jobs include the Director and Producer roles, though these will typically be for a specific production. Some famous examples include Pete Docter (Up, Monsters, Inc.) and Brad Bird (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles). Getting the chance to speak to someone from a studio who has headed one of their projects is invaluable. If you catch the attention of a director or producer, they would likely consider you were they to head another project, or if they are asked for recommendations on who to get involved in some of the production stages.
Some of the most common jobs you will find amongst the production stages are various types of Artists, Designers, Animators and Editors. They are the people that make the whole project possible, working like clockwork to pass work down the production pipeline. Their information on how they got into the industry is invaluable, as they might just recently have been in a position like yours - a student or graduate stepping out into the working world for the first time. Knowing what it took and what they did to find their way into their current occupation can be very helpful.
Getting Out There - Online and Offline
So, where and how do we network?
The best place to start is by looking around for any events to do with animation. Events like the annual MOVE Summit invite industry professionals to do talks on different aspects of their work. The Emerging Talents day, usually the first of their 3 days of talks, focusses on getting into the industry and provides talks on portfolios, job applications, the animation pipeline and showcases from studios’ recent projects to really break down how it all works.
Other events such as Animex in Middlesbrough combine Games, Animation and VFX into a massive event that includes several days of talks, presentations and workshops. The people invited to these talks come from a diverse group of people working on projects worldwide and can afford anyone interested in entering the industry some different perspectives on how they managed to find their way in.
Animation film festivals are also an excellent way to find industry pros, as a lot of the teams behind the films will show up to present their hard work, and will be happy to answer any questions you have in regards to their workflow and how they got started.
In-person isn’t the only place where you can network, however. Social media websites like X (Formerly Twitter) and Bluesky are abuzz with industry professionals. Many of them have links to their personal websites which can have ways to ask them questions or inquiries about the industry.
LinkedIn is another online platform used to connect with those in the working world. You can easily connect with others and ask them questions about their work and how they made their way into the industry, and most artists are happy to share their stories.
There’s so many ways to connect with the people that can help us take the next step towards being a part of it all. The knowledge you are given to help you find your way might someday be something you pass down onto another student, coming to you as a part of the industry to ask how you managed it. The cycle continues, and the world remains full of aspiring artists. I think that sounds lovely.