Learning To Earning in the Animated Real World

"Animation" is an extremely broad term that describes everything from purely abstract moving image art to technical specialists who spend their days creating clouds or covering a character with fur. SKFF screens a diverse range of animated short films that show off the storytelling chops of Australia’s broad community of independent animators. But where are the jobs in the world of animation? For a long time, the road most travelled went from animation fascination to hobby to tertiary training to bottom rung in an established studio. Typically, this translates into several years invested, a five-figure debt, a cluster of skills in a range of rapidly changing animating technologies with a degree or diploma to prove it and a shiny new short grad film tucked under the belt.

But in today's rapidly changing world, where the screen industry in particular is in a state of constant flux, it can be a real challenge for aspiring animators to find the best pathway to their dream career.

This panel brings together specialist animation educators, studio decision makers and animators who have established themselves in their field. Each has their own perspectives on what works (and what doesn’t), where the pitfalls lie and how best to chart a course for success.