How do you apply to work with an animation company?

Hi Amber,

It's great to see that you're thinking 4 years into the future. That kind of planning will help you in all areas of your life.

Some things to keep in mind are what kind of animation you do and are interested in and in what field(s)? For example, Isle of Dogs and Kubo and the Two Strings are stop-motion animation. Coco and Star Wars Rebels are computer animation. Duck Tales and Teen Titans Go are 2D animation. Animation is used in many media industries from commercials and television to movies and video games.

So you can see that animation companies range widely. It sounds like you'll be in school to earn a degree in animation. That's great. Most schools have career centers with staff and connections that have internships with various companies. That will be your best way of getting experience and your foot in the door. Look into what options and resources they have.

Merely sending in demo reels and portfolios to companies is very time intensive and difficult. Many companies get dozens or hundreds of submissions every month and it will be hard for you to stand out. If you get an internship and work directly with those companies you'll have a much better shot of being remembered if an opening comes up.

So that's the most traditional and tested method. These days, with youtube and social media, another avenue that you might try would be to animate something fun and great and post it online. If you get a lot of traffic and traction you will have some recognition and some high profile work to point to.

There are also animation festivals that you can submit entries to as well. Winning or even being featured in those would add to your personal brand and name recognition.