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Ed Harris is the owner of EdHarris.com. A privately owned corporation based in the USA. Committed to delivering the best resources for those of you that are involved in the area of computer graphics and animation, specifically if you are creating a demo reel, job hunting or learning SoftimageXSI.

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In writing my book, “How to get a Job in Computer Animation” I ran across a subject that most CG artists tend to overlook. Networking. This is an aspect of job-hunting that no one should go without. However, in doing research for the networking section of my book I found that many people don’t even really know what it is, much less practice it. I’ve interviewed many good artists that could have been working much sooner if they had just known how to network properly.

Networking

A good demo reel is worthless if the right people never see it. This is why networking is so important. Even before you start applying for work you should keep a database of everything that will help you when the time comes. Every computer graphics person that you talk to, even for a few minutes, can be a potential gold mine of information. If nothing else, write down their name, company, position, etc., just after speaking with them. (Some people get a little freaked out if you start writing down their name when you’ve only just met, so it’s best if you don’t let them see you doing it.) If you’ve got to carry around a small notebook, so be it. Better yet, carry a PDA of some sorts. This way it will be easier to incorporate all the information into a central location and keep it organized. Use this list to keep track of every company that you have ever sent your demo reel to, who it was addressed to and when you sent it. This will allow you to follow up on your reel mailings and call back when the appropriate time arrives. Because you’re so organized you’ll also be able to check and see if your reel even made it to the company. It’s a fact of life that mail gets lost. If you just assume that they watched your reel, didn’t want to hire you but never sent you a rejection letter, then you might just be a victim of misdirected mail. The one place that your reel didn’t make it might be the one place that has the perfect position. If you need to be absolutely sure your reel arrives, send it registered mail, Airborne Express, FedEx or UPS. These four methods all have ways you can require a signature or track your package online to be sure that it got there. They will cost more though.

Using your Contacts

Many people get their job because of who they know, not what they know. When a company needs new employees they often ask the current employees if they know anyone that needs a job. These “friends” usually get hired first. Then, if the company still needs new employees, they will start looking externally. The more “friends” you have the easier it is to get a job.When the time comes to look for a job, you can get out your massive list of contacts and start calling/mailing/e-mailing them. Don’t just write up a form letter that says “Dear sir or madam, may I have a job?” This won’t work, and will often get treated as a joke or anger the person you sent it to. (They might think its spam mail). When you were writing down a persons name and contact information also write down the specifics of the conversation. When and where you talked to them and what you talked about. This way you can be more specific. If you were wearing something memorable then mention this. If you have a noticeable feature, like being 7 feet tall or having blue hair, then mention this too. To give you a starting point, read the “sample” letter below.

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Hello Phil,

We met at the super8 film festival last September. I was the 7-foot tall guy wearing the shirt with the super8 animation logo on the font. We discussed the pros and cons of working as a freelancer and you mentioned that you had just switched from freelance to a full time gig at Acme Animation Labs. I was thinking about switching from the freelance world to the full time world also and was wondering if you knew of any places that needed people with skills similar to mine?

Thanks for your time. If you have any questions or information that you’d like to share, feel free to give me a call or e-mail me. Hope to talk to you again sometime.

Your name
Tel: 1-555-555-5555
Web: www.yourwebsite.com
E-mail: You@Yourwebsite.com
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You could go into a little more or less detail about yourself depending on how well you know the person and how long ago it was that you talked to them. Make it more formal if you don’t know the people that well, but it would best if you start with the people that you feel you have the most in common with. Don’t just start mailing people, in order, from A to Z. Pick out those you felt comfortable talking with, the ones that you had successful conversations with. If you just talked to someone for 30 seconds and have not seen them since, you’d probably want to leave them till the absolute end or not contact them at all. It would feel forced and the person on the other end might not remember you. They’ll end up thinking, “Who is this freak?” as they press the delete key.

Meeting the Contacts

So where are you going to meet these people? Attend local graphics events: SIGGRAPH meetings, users groups, animation presentations, film festivals, art shows, industry parties, etc…. You’d be surprised what people you can meet if you just start going to these functions. (Don’t forget to take your business cards.)

Not everybody lives in or near a city where things like this take place often or at all. What do you do then? Use the internet! There are many high quality users groups, message boards, mail lists and web sites that can connect you with people from all over the world. Since every person that does computer graphics uses a computer almost every day, the chance that you’ll meet some of these people online is incredibly high

The two types of contacts

One thing to keep in mind: the people you meet online are usually a different breed than the people you meet in the real world, off-line. Online people are more apt to take a look at a web based demo reel or a web site featuring your work since it’s just a click away. People that you meet at meetings and user groups are more likely to want to see a VHS tape, if anything. Remembering a URL and remembering to go to that URL when they “get a chance” is much harder than putting a videotape in a machine. The tape sits on their desk and is hard to miss, while a URL written on a napkin at a party will probably get thrown away. I’m not saying that you should walk around with your demo reel in your hand, but keep them in mind so you can send them one later, if the need arises. It is a good idea, however, to keep demo reels handy.

Conclusion

For some, networking can be one of the most enjoyable parts of job hunting. For others, especially shy people, it can be a nightmare. Regardless of which side of the fence you are on, it is an important part of your job-hunting adventure and should not be neglected.

Further reading

For more information, as well as sample pages, please visit the “How to get a Job in Computer Animation” website at http://www.GetA3DJob.com