Allyssa Lewis

I just finished the TED talk “What I Learned from 100 Days of Rejection” by Jia Jiang and it has got me so pumped. This morning, I wanted to stay in bed, and just be warm and wrapped up in my blanket, but now I feel like I need go out and conquer the world, or at least my career. Let me share with you four of the key points that I took away from the talk.

Don't Run! Engage the Situation.

Jia gave this example of when he was publicly rejected as a child, and how that scar stayed with him throughout his adult life. Going on this “rejection” path has taught him that if he just faces what’s in front of him, instead of running, his engagement could change the overall outcome of the rejection.

Ask “Why” & Pay Attention to the Answer.

Sometimes the reason why you’re being rejected has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with what you’re offering. It may not fit the needs or expectations of the person you’re talking to, so before you turn tail and run, engage, and then ask “why”.

Mirror the Mentality & Confront the Fears of the Rejector.

Jia gave one example of being in a Starbucks, and asking if he could be a greeter (like a Walmart greeter, but for Starbucks) and the manager looking uncomfortable with the idea. Before the manager could even say “no”, Jia asked “is that weird”. He just asked what he could see on the managers face - that it was a strange request he was making. The manager was able to acknowledge his own hesitations and then granted Jia's request. Mirroring often guides people to align with your thinking. First you align with their thinking, their body language, etc., and then they flow and align with yours. I think it’s great that that kind of psychology came into play when Jia was discovering more about rejection.

Ask for What You Want Until You Get it!

Written By Allyssa Lewis

From animated wonders to live-action oddities, early on into my now decade-long film career, I have been judging film festival submissions. Though the bulk of my judgments have been made behind closed doors during the pre-selection process, more recently I’ve been invited to lend my critique amongst the roar of the audience during the live festival.

It’s a completely different experience. Instead of debating issues privately with a board of other industry whosits, you are alone with the thoughts that will greatly affect the accolades of hardworking artists. Your reputation is also on the line, so when the pressure is on, here are 3 secrets on how I am able to play it cool.

Clear My Mind Of Bias'

Basic human nature leads us to favor things that please us, and to unfavor things that don't. We may get excited about a film on our favorite subject, or get upset when a subject offends us, but don't let that affect your technical judgments. This roller coaster of emotional tappings must be anticipated for a judge to truly prepare to be objective.

Before I even leave my home, I reflect on my film biases (normally they are editing and composition related), and resolve to be neutral. I continue this practice when I enter the venue, interact with the filmmakers, and consume whatever food/drink is offered (no matter the quality).

This is what is owed to every filmmaker, a fair chance and an open mind. If during the screenings you find yourself with disproportionately lengthy of brief judgments on a film, ask yourself what other factors may be coming into play. Then reconsider your judgments before making them official.

Prepare to Ignore the Crowd

It's perfectly reasonable to hear the laughter of the audience and to perceive that film as being funnier than you personally judged it. Maybe you're sense of humor has dulled, right? You may even assume a film performed better or worse based on the amount of applause it receives. Makes sense, right? WRONG!

Don't be fooled by the audience. A master film submitter will know how the audience's reactions can sway the decisions of the judge, and invite all of their friends to attend in support. Their approval or silence must be accepted with this consideration.

Trust your judgments. You were selected to judge because you know the ins and outs of filmmaking. You have a unique perspective that is greatly valued by the festival and there's nothing more unprofessional than letting the audience sway you. That kind of judging could be done by anyone.

Study Up and Calm Down

Often judges are asked to publicly critique films on the spot, and that's no time to choke. While the festival may have selected you to judge solely on your industry experience or expertise, the audience will judge you based on your abilities as an effective public speaker.

It's time to bust out those industry terms and art school critique techniques that you've stored away, because the last thing a submitting filmmaker wants to know day of the festival is that their film was judged by an amateur.

Be ready to play it cool when you are asked to say a few words about the films. If you're like me, you've been keeping secret notes throughout each screening, and quietly rehearsing how you would deliver them.

Written By Allyssa Lewis

From low-paying clients to small budget projects, the financial strain of creating animation has pushed many artist to work alone. Let’s face it, hiring a full production team could cost you an arm and a leg! With these hacks save money, time, and realize that good help doesn’t have to be hard to come by.

Line & Ink

Traditional 2D animation is one of the most expensive types of animation. Now you can cut the cost of bringing on line or ink artist, and convert your digital work yourself. Using a machine like The AxiDraw allows you can put out hundreds of drawings in your sleep! It's versatile design give you control over a variety of drawing mediums on almost any flat surface - perfect for experimental animations.

Character, Background & Prop Fabrication

If you've ever done a stop-motion animation, you know that creating the objects for it can be time-consuming and require a little ingenuity. Take some of the load off by using a machine like OLO. 3D printing is an exciting and pricey new endeavor for stop-motion artist, but OLO costs a fraction of the price because half of the technology is already in your pocket!

Rigging

Written By Allyssa Lewis

Today I had the pleasure of sitting in on Toon Boom’s interview with Big Jump Founder, Cory Morrison, who spoke on "Creative Entrepreneurship". An action-packed studio animation demo-reel opened the floor to Morrison's recount of how he got to be where he is now. I was surprised to learn that at the early age of 8, he already knew he was interested in working in the animation industry. Now that this is his 19th year in the biz, this demo reel signifies the many trials he endured to get his company started and keep it afloat.

"In a creative business you have your good days and bad days, but it's better to work 100 hours a week for yourself, than 40 hours a week for someone else", he jokes. From his first studio burning down in 2007, to getting his first big break in 2008 with "The Secret World of Benjamin Bear", Morrison outlines for listeners what it takes to create an animation studio. One hour of hard facts, personal stories, and attendee Q&A made way for this list of some key advice I took away from his talk.

Know Your Industry

When Morrison started his company, Big Jump, in 2008, he didn't' have much of a plan, but he did know the animation pipeline. "I knew I needed space and solid contracts", he laughs. Trying to keep things as small as possible, he averages that a show takes about 2800 sq ft, $250,000 - $300,000 (to pay for render farms, rent, tech support, software, people, etc.), 20 - 30 seats, and half of the staff working remotely to produce.

Researching online and observing what networks are currently airing are the main ways he knows what types of shows to pitch. It may take 2-3 years before your idea airs, so try to anticipate the trends. Reading articles from Animation Magazine, and attending events like Kids Screen, Ottawa Animation Festival, and Cartoon Connect are also important.

Who You Know Matters

You have to go to events, rub elbows with people, and gain their trust. When it comes to maintaining relationships, be in it for the long haul. This could take several years, but it will pay off. When you spend time with people, you will eventually find projects to work with each other on, so always make going to events a part of your budget.

Be As Frugal As Possible

Morrison insists “do things as lean as you can, and that will require a lot of elbow grease”. If it's your own project, it's about getting it financed. Look at every avenue you have - grants, gov funds, tax credits, pre-sales, etc., and if you can't get those, then you pay out of pocket. "There is always a gap that you have to fill at the end of the day, and sometimes that means not paying yourself, or paying yourself less" he admits. It’s necessary that everyone wears a lot of hats - including yourself. You do what you have to do to get the job done.

Factor The Risks

Everyone asks for animation tests to see if you can complete the show/task. They are usually unpaid 30-second spots, but they are worth your time, because “the only way people are going to trust you with millions of dollars is if you prove yourself. Consider the risk against the prospect of a project that will pay you for 52 week or so” Morrison asserts.

Most places pay per frame. Usually you want more money than clients can afford, and they will pay less than you are comfortable with, so you have to negotiate. You either have to do what you are comfortable with, or find a way to work with their budget if you really need that project.

Sometimes You Have to Wait

Development is a long road from idea to what you see on tv, so you have to be frugal when spending money to develop a project, or you will keep pouring money into it not knowing if you will ever get it back. Often creatives wonder what the cut off point is, and Morrison suggest that you look at your level of passion. Know that there is such a thing as bad timing and that sometimes your project is too similar to something else. If you have done everything you know to do, and still no one wants it, don't be afraid to put things on the shelf for later. “Set a budget of what you have to work with on a project, and develop it in a way that won't cost you an arm and an a leg” he suggests.

Plan For The Future        

If you are just starting out, your plan should be to put the petal to metal. "Get enough small contracts until you get big one. That took us about 4-5 months", Morrison recalls. Also start a library of your intellectual property. It's hard to buy a studio that doesn't own their building and can't hold on to the staff, but if you have intellectual property, then you have got something of value. Make sure your service work pays for you to create your intellectual property.