Is anyone familiar with doing distance work for freelance animation? Who is likely to take freelance workers who can't make it into the studio? How does it work, do you send them drawing by mail or over the internet or what? Does anyone have any experience doing this, what is it like?
I am going to be stuck where I am in Chicago over the next three years ( my wife is attending a graduate school program here) and I wanted to figure out what my options are in terms of getting animation work. I am a recent graduate with no studio work experience. Other than pinning all my hopes on the one traditional animation studio here in Chicago I'd like to find out what my options are for making a living doing animation.
Thanks in advance.
Craig
You'll hear "no" a lot.
I'm doing long-distance freelance storyboarding right now, and I'm getting the work because there's a shortage of storyboard artists right now.
I'm about 5-7 hours travel time from the studio I work for.
I've done long-distance work before and and it really comes down to how skilled you are versus the production situation at the source studio.
Some places need to hire local ( or state/provincial) talent to qualify for tax breaks or other kinds of benefits. Some just like having people in-house so they can "keep an eye on them". It really depends on the needs of the studio as to how they handle freelancers.
If you are very skilled and can demonstrate exceptional talent, then there's more than likely some studios that will take a shot with you. Being a recent grad makes things harder though, and you'll have to fight past a whole lot of established talent that have contacts with the same studios you are applying to. My advice is to get in good with that local studio anyway you can to build up your work credentials, or to create something on your own via the 'Net to try to gain some notoriety for yourself.
It not an impossible climb, just a very tough one.
"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)