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Pwc ke fyde in this comment thread!!
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Anyone up ? 😉
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How I’m feeling today..
Thoughts on FCB NY?
Even W+K has flops every once in a while.
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Do you actually work in animation (as an animator, not a producer), and have you personally used the industry-standard tools available to make it at the highest professional levels?
If not, maybe pump the brakes on the doomerism.
If she loves animation as an art form, she should animate. The point of doing things isn’t just to make money. She’ll have transferable skills and like someone else said, it’s not like animation is just going to die.
I pray AI takes over producing jobs
A lot of people gave me this advice when I was graduating college, so I went into advertising instead of trying to become a singer or a creative writer.
I've thought a lot about those conversations 10+ years in. I've made a decent living, but I wish I would've taken more risks when I was still certifiably young.
Andddd.. now AI is apparently going to take my "safe" job? I dunno. Be honest, but make sure you tell this person that she's the only one who has to live her life. She should make the decisions she can stomach.
I wouldn’t say ‘animation’ is going to be killed. What is she actually doing, illustrating or production? She should start learning AI tools now if she hasn’t already to enhance her output.
I would maybe navigate the strikes/royalties and uphill battle. Maybe frame it as a well rounded generalist approach to the arts and production might be more useful in the upcoming landscape than a specialist?
There is joy in doing it yourself
Honestly, let the kid dream. In high school, mentorship is more about life skills. College will beat the animation-sans-AI dream out of her. Just show her what you know and how to be a professional.
The best thing i could think of is developing ideas for new animation series’. Whats come out for toddlers in the last decade has been phenomenal. That takes studying children psychology and education. Art education is heaped on. Some of the stuff may seem simple, but there’s a lot of studies that go into it and they always need new ideas as kids grow up. As a new grandparent I’ve seen some of the stuff that’s been out for a little while and it’s well conceived. It’s less about the actual execution and more about the ideas being brought to life.
Alright- you’ve all convinced me (except for you, Art Director2 with your mean streak. Sheesh) to be more positive about the future of animation. I won’t sugar coat it but won’t destroy her dream either.
Phew! I got all hyped up to push back on your assumption, EP, so I'm glad you've decided to change tack. FWIW:
* AI is not going to kill animation, it's going to provide different tools with which to animate. But as another commenter wrote, you still need to understand math to use a calculator.
* My brother went to art school, much to the chagrin of my STEM-focused parents. Now he uses his art education to build digital 3D models for TV, film, and video games. He started making six figures in his mid-20s. Learning to create (commercially successful) art CAN be lucrative.
If that’s what you believe, you should say it gently but directly. There’s nothing kind about stringing someone along on a dream that can’t come true.
There's also nothing kind about pontificating about something you have no direct experience in based on speculation, and quashing someone's dream
Thanks all. Animation is probably okay for the next few years but the technology is getting better a quick rate so though some positions might survive in 5 years, many will probably be gone. But yes she can animate for love and have a backup plan for money.
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Especially when you aren’t even an animator. Do her a favor and connect her with someone who is. They will be more knowledgeable and useful in her endeavors.
You learn the skill of animation with ai in mind. But develop strong skills that can be applied in other industries.
I've been a graphic designer for 30 years, can't find work after being laid off and I've told all my kids - if you go to college, don't get a degree in the field of graphic design and the arts in general.
Tell her to learn to use AI to create animations