How can you establish yourself as a reputable animation consultant?

Early on in the business, I and my team offered only 3D animation because that was my main training. As we built over the years, our client had more requirement in the other types of animation and even other scope that are somehow related to what we do. Our creative concept in the 3D animation was then translated and repurposed into much more different outputs such as static posters, billboard, brand regional playbook and other relevant styles that could be derived from our concept. This is something that I learn over the years about niching down while remain versatile to stay true to what our core offer.

Identify a specific area within animation where your passion and expertise align. Whether it's character animation, motion graphics, or specialized visual effects, carving a niche allows you to focus on your strengths, attracting clients seeking your unique skills and distinguishing yourself in a competitive market.

If you find yourself admiring your colleague's amazing skill in their niche, chances is that you are also really good at doing what you enjoy to do. Find a way to collaborate with your colleague and celebrate both of your talents! If you have trouble find what is your niche, I find LinkedIn's Skills endorsement section comes in handy. It really helps me narrowing down what is the skill I find easy to do that also the most helpful/needed by people I worked with in past projects.

Started with 2D animation and eLearning, specializing in creative expression and instructional design. As clientele expanded, integrated After Effects strategically, broadening capabilities to motion graphics, visual effects, product explainers, logo animations, and digital marketing content. Key Points: Core: 2D animation and eLearning. Shift: Integrated After Effects for versatility. Diverse: Motion graphics, visual effects, and more. Client-Centric: Adapting to dynamic client needs. Distinctive: Attracting clients with a unique skill set. This journey emphasizes core specialization while adapting to the animation landscape. Keen to discuss with peers—how do you balance specialization and versatility in a changing industry?

While everyone has a strong suit, and clients will continue to turn to you for that, it is also important to let your clients know your other capabilities. For example, I would say my niche is motion design, but I can also hold my own at video editing and audio design. There's no shame in being a generalist. It certainly allows you to cast a wider net.

When you are compiling a showreel, put your best work right at the start and the end of it to make sure its compelling. Less is more: You dont have to put too many portfolio to be able to get hired. Only show the best ones and the duration of the showrell is best to keep within 1minute at the maximum in showcasing a specialization. When you have a wide range of portfolios, tailor your them for specific industries to speak speak their language. This not only showcases your versatility but also attracts the projects you're truly after.

Build a comprehensive portfolio that serves as a visual resume of your capabilities. Showcase a diverse range of projects, illustrating your versatility and mastery in different styles and techniques. A well-curated portfolio not only impresses potential clients but also acts as a testament to your dedication and craftsmanship.

I agree with everything, a portfolio should provide and showcase what your strongest skills you have. What softwares you can use and what you different to everyone else. You could be doing the same thing as others but you can showcase why you do it better or what fresh spin you have that others can’t replicate.

When creating a portfolio, obviously you want to showcase your best work. I also think it's really valuable to showcase a breadth of your capabilities. Let's say your niche is character animation, obviously you want to feature a character animation reel on your portfolio. If you're also a capable web designer, illustrator, and/or graphic designer, have sections of your portfolio dedicated to those specialties. When applying to jobs, provide links to the relevant sections of your portfolio. This can lead to many more opportunities than just showcasing what you're best at.

For an introvert like many others, hearing the word networking scared me off and this was something I dreaded. I used to think networking to be attending big events, giving name cards and hoping something would happen someday. I came to realize that I had to change the concept of ‘networking’ in my mind. I tried reframing that networking is really about making genuine connections and even friendships with people by being genuinely interested to learn from them. Over the years, I develop my own way of 'networking' by connecting with people in a relatively small group or just 1 on 1 coffee as that is when real conversations can happen. Networking could simply mean offering help without expecting anything in return.

Forge connections within the animation community, including fellow animators, studios, and potential clients. Attend industry events, engage in online forums, and utilize social media platforms to establish a presence. Networking not only expands your professional circle but also opens doors to collaborative opportunities, referrals, and valuable industry insights.

For most of us, it can be difficult to offering help without expecting anything in return. What can help is to find the FUN in making connection with someone that's completely different from you. Just being curious about why other people love what they do can lead to knowledge that's somehow related to your field in unexpected ways. Be real and be kind, I find these two qualities goes a long way in making genuine connections online or offline.

My mentor asked me, "what is a great work?". Delivering a quality work goes beyond just a portfolio: every encounter with prospects, clients and our teammates will reflect the quality of our work as a whole, especially in the context of creative agency. For example, how prompt we respond to their queries right at the beginning, how we ensure a constant communication with clients, and to the extent of how we gather their insights and feedback after finishing up a project. These are some of the many elements that add up to delivering quality work beyond just the portfolio, but an experience to the people we work with. People will never forget how we made them feel and this is the key to a real quality work in my own view.

In my experience, your soft skills are equally as important as your artistic capabilities and talent. You are more likely to leave a good impression on someone for your ability to communicate and interact with others in a professional manner. This means the ability to speak, listen, respond to emails and messages in a timely fashion, and be friendly, likable, and respectful. Early in my career, the company I worked for hired a guy who had immense talent. On his first day of work, he was tasked with a job he felt was beneath him. He had a negative attitude from the beginning. After a few hours of work, he left on his lunch break, and literally never came back. Nobody wants to work with a jerk... no matter how talented they are.

Consistency in delivering high-quality animations is crucial for building a strong reputation. Strive for excellence in every project, exceeding client expectations. Positive client experiences lead to word-of-mouth recommendations and testimonials, solidifying your position as a trustworthy and skilled animation consultant.

The worst advice I have ever received early when starting out: "Just do a great work and clients will come to find you." This gave an excuse of not doing any 'promoting'. Very much like 'networking', promotion could be daunting too for an introvert. One approach that I found useful in promoting our work is to do it through sharing the process of our creative to an interested people or offer a unique perspective in how this could solve a problem. As an introvert, I learn that 'promoting' could be reframed as 'helping' others to see how they could be benefited from our expertise. What we essentially do for clients is to make difficult concepts understandable in the form of moving visuals.

Establish a robust online presence through a professional website and active participation on social media platforms. Regularly share your work, industry insights, and achievements. Actively engage in discussions, offer valuable content, and showcase your expertise, positioning yourself as a thought leader and attracting clients who value your contributions.

The animation industry evolves rapidly with new tools, techniques, and trends. Stay informed and continuously enhance your skills through workshops, online courses, and industry conferences. A commitment to ongoing learning not only keeps you competitive but also ensures you offer innovative solutions to your clients, reinforcing your standing as a knowledgeable animation consultant.

I remembered the first time I was assigned to do an art direction that involved production shoot with animation compositing. The project had to be done within a timeline of 5 weeks with multiple deliverables and versions. We had to quickly learn some quick shortcuts and techniques on the go and this was one of the best learning experience I had with my team. The most effective learning would be by doing and diving into real projects and learning on the go. The commercial pressure from client will push us to test our limit as creatives. However, this had to be done with the right amount of understanding the basic and mastering at least one key discipline among many others before being able to pick things up on the go.

Theoretically speaking, the knowledge about any field is near infinite. As you tries to learn as much things relevant to your field, is there a way to guide your direction and avoid getting lost or discouraged in the process? Observing yourself: What is that one thing you find easy to do and also praised by your teammates and clients? Double down on that thing you are good at and find ways to polish your process and making it even more efficient. Find people with opposite skillsets to help you in the process, learns together as a team through taking on challenging projects. Define the FUN factors for the work you do and enjoy the process learning and practicing everyday. As the old saying goes: Interest is the best teacher.

Love animation, in all its forms, regardless of genre, medium or even your own personal taste. Look at the past, look at the current slate, and be curious and open to what might lay ahead. Too many people view animation as a way to make money and forget it is an art form. Love the art, dive into the culture, learn the language and say yes to all indy projects (especially if you're a producer or financier/grant officer).

It is essential to exercise caution and ensure clarity about your role as a consultant, separate from any direct employment with the studio. On several occasions, I have suggested changes to the studio, only to encounter situations where they chose not to implement them. I have experienced challenges due to the blurred lines between my role as a consultant and an employee in dysfunctional hierarchies. Such organizations involve consultants in tasks beyond their original contract, leading to no improvements. Despite clearly delineating my role from the outset, there were instances where I had to reference the original contract to rectify misconceptions held by management.

Do not favor the work of any one studio. Use positive examples from older films and recent work; do not shy away from expressing opinions about them, always stressing that they are your professional opinions.

Become really familiar with explaining your process to clients/team members. While some clients inherently understand animation production, others might only be familiar with the final product. It’s important to be concise yet detailed when negotiating contracts. Sometimes this can help with clients understanding pricing and will help with scaling your contributions to fit within budget parameters.

Typically, we look at 2 key principles when we look at our work to improve: 1. The Non-Negotiables: The basics to meet the client's goals, like using the right colors, composition, and keeping fonts consistent. These are the must-haves. Some examples: make sure that the texts are legible regardless of where you are viewing, a white text should not be against a bright background, etc. 2. The Aesthetics: Take the work further by adding our creative style, and flair. But, before focusing on these creative flair, we have to make sure to cover the non-negotiables. As Dieter Rams put it, "design is more than the art of making a product beautiful. If the final product is aesthetic but useless, it fails to fulfill its intended purpose."

Everyone is unique. In a fast changing world, believe in yourself and your unique qualities. Find new tools and new ways to highlight the unique quality that's yours. If you feel lost and not sure what come next, consider looking inwards to find your WHY - your True North. Let it guides you navigating through the unknown landscapes and making friends along the way.