You're constantly juggling multiple animation projects. How can you stay on top of your workflow?

Ensure clear communication. Understand client needs thoroughly. Conduct research and observe other team members closely. Double-check your work three times before delivery. Seek feedback from your lead. Ensure that your files are organized and presented in the required format. Adapt to different styles and continue learning.

To me, super clear communication with the client is key to make sure that you're on top of multiple projects. Before starting any project, I always make sure that the client and I are 100% in agreement on what, when and how I'm going to deliver the final product. For example, I will determine x amount of revisions the client is allowed, or I will set mini-deadlines for each important milestone so we always keep track of the schedule. Having clear communication makes sure that no time is wasted unnecessarily, while also giving myself a much needed overview of scope and time before beginning the actual work.

As per my experience, I believe that proactive planning can make your productivity way better. As a director of an explainer video company, I make sure to have a pre-project meeting with my team, this helps in maintaining the workflow and timeline of the project. And yes, we do use project management tools. These tools provide progress visuals and help me manage feedback. I remember one project that had a very tight deadline. By strategic planning, my team was able to deliver a 60-second video (end-to-end production) in just 3 business days.

The most successful steps working with me after many years in advertising agencies.. 1.comminucate with the client to know the reference and what kind of art style he wants. 2.brainstorming with my team..and make a rough sketch for every shoot. 3. Send it to the client to get approval.. art style(characters..building..etc),color schemes (very important) 4. the team decides the software that will make the same animation with the best quality (moho..adobe animate..after effects) 5. send mini animate video for example to get the final approval for animation from the client 6.send the final animation video for the client. The communications between the client and team on every step is the most successful and save the time For your team.

Agreeing with our client on a clear scope of work is critical. Use the acronym S.C.O.P.E.: S: Script: These are our assets and shot breakdown. We will also identify the creative and narrative pillars of a project. A space opera and a pre-teen school comedy will not have the same narrative needs. C: Concept: these are the reference (visual) and also all the features we will need. Hair and fur simulation, animation quotas, lighting style, etc. O: Objectives: this is our schedule P: People: who is the right cast for this project? Are they available? If not, how confident are we in finding them? E: evolution: This one is critical. Animation production is full of unpredictable. Leave a contingency to cover for sueprises.

Plugins fantastic however make sure to tweak the settings and not settle for the cookie cutter settings because it will look or feel more natural than paint by numbers.

I'm constantly on the hunt for plugins that unlock fresh perspectives on familiar tasks. Like any toolbox, plugins are just tools, so I tweak their settings to align with the distinct aesthetic of each project. In this way I can make sure that each tool I use seamlessly blends into my creative workflow.

I agree with all the points mentioned in the article. I would like to add some points to it. 1. Make animation presets for specific project with After effects's built in feature. Even with the plugins it will be hard to recreate animations especially if you are working with multiple properties (for example position, rotation or a lot of effects and keyframes). You can save patterns of these animations into a single effect preset. And reuse with a single click. It save you a lot of time and reduce the friction of switching from project to project.

Plugins are the best. I highly recommend the Workflow Efficiency plugin developed by Pluginc Corp. Sometimes it's a bit hard to plug in but once it's fired up and Max Plug mode is switched on you'll be plugging in and out like nobodies business. Just make sure to turn if off when you're done or it can over plug your whole network. And then what was the point of using a plugin in the first place? Am I right or what? But seriously, use with caution.

Using plugins in a project can be tricky. While they might speed up some tasks, they could also cause issues in later stages, making problem-solving take longer, especially if you use several at once. So, when planning, make sure to choose which plugins you need and why you need them. Avoid picking new or experimental ones. Stick to ones you've tested and refined enough to trust their results. Remember, plugins can be tempting, but they don't always deliver as promised.

Having reusable assets is essential for maximizing efficiency in your projects and saving time. Every studio maintains its own library containing textures, materials, models, and more, allowing them to meet tight deadlines and reduce costs. As an independent artist, it's equally important to build your own library of assets since you essentially function as your own company.

Good folder structure is a key and does not matter if for one or multiple projects. Having files organized will save time when going back to work, finding rigs, scenes, source files etc. If projects allows it's best to keep same naming for files and folders, and same structure. This will make it very easy to find things across projects without spending time and thinking about how it was setup in first place.

Create a new Maya project using project window for any new animation. So none of the assets get mixed up. Not all models needs to be created from scratch. It's better to download the free asset for the scene. Downloading the asset will save alot of time from modeling, UV unwrapping, and texturing.

Os mapas de projeto me ajudaram a criar um fluxo de trabalho muito mais fluido e consistente para abarcar demandas mais robustas (muita coisa e cheio de vai e vem) e demandas mais urgentes. Trata-se de fazer pastas na raiz do projeto que lhe ajude com cada processo do trabalho, e n?o simplesmente jogar os arquivos em uma pasta definida por tipo. Se o render final é a pasta final, use numera??es como prefixos (Ex: ...09_PREVIEW, 10_FINAL). Dentro dessas pastas, utilize como sufixo dos arquivos ou pastas V1, V2, V3... Isso lhe ajudará DEMAIS na hora de pular de um projeto para o outro e compreender em que pé ele está. Já os footages mais utilizados em todos os projetos, coloque em uma pasta fixa, categorizada por natureza de arquivo no seu HD

The more the assets the better because having a choice to choose the best asset that assist in greatness to the project is the goal.

Learn to say no. Believe me, I had to learn this the hard way. It's great to be wanted, but ultimately you're only one person, and if you feel you're juggling too much, it's probably because you are. Multitasking is an illusion; being able to prioritize and get the most pressing things off your to-do list is a much more important skill. If you have to eat two frogs, eat the bigger one first.

Personally i am the kind of focusing on one project and give it my all it depends of the people but sometimes you get your greatest ideas in the heat of the moment since the more you are toying with a project and more you master its subject so i always fear to lose that fire if i jump on another project for too long.

Focusing one project for a good period of time will help to be more productive. In our studio, we will always prioritise on 1 for at least a day or two before switching when we have multiple deadlines. Switching too often could be very much counterproductive as we take 20 minutes everytime we are about to resume doing something.

I like rolling between projects, when it gets a bit boring, But can't ignore the fact that when you're in one project, you get the most out of it in the long run, ADHD is excluded of course.

I think it is important to understand why you procrastinate on something. Is it because you are nervous about how long it will take you to complete a project or are you afraid of failing? Once you understand this answer you will be able to set up clear days and guide lines on when you work on certain projects. I currently have my production management job that takes over my 9:30am-6:30pm time slot Monday - Friday. However, I also mentor people trying to break into the industry. I use my mornings and nights to do this but not every week. One week is for morning meetings while the next week will only be for night meetings. I never overbook myself and make sure to set rules so I don’t feel burnt out when the day is done.

Something worth considering is keeping top of mind the goal of what you are doing. You can be juggling multiple projects for a number of reasons, not all of them financial. It’s important to understand what is driving you so you can maintain a strategy, make new plans, and when necessary change course or pass on projects. Being busy in the wrong way can prevent you from becoming a better at anything you’re trying to excel at. While it is crucial to know and be able to do good quality production work, unless that is your goal spending a majority of the time in production instead of the design or conceptualization will not help you become better at those other dexterities. Know why you are doing what you are doing,

I can't understate how important it is to just go on a walk around your neighborhood. I frequently fall into the "if I'm not working RIGHT NOW then I'm not getting ahead, and if I'm not getting ahead, that means I'm falling behind" mentality. But... The reality of the situation is that walks are good for you, they get your brain juices flowing, and can help you to clear your head. I do some of my best work after a walk!

When you’ve been working on a project for days or weeks, you feel like you’ve run out of gas! That’s when you need to take a break and do something else. However, that doesn’t you should leave it unfinished! Make sure you finish what you start. That’s what Walt Disney’s father once told him, when he was a little boy, according to the biopic “Walt before Mickey”.

El descanso es la mitad del trabajo. Es en el descanso y la distracción donde las mejores ideas emergen ya que es donde hay el espacio para ver los problemas de diferentes ángulos y así encontrar las soluciones más prácticas y divertidas.

When you start to feel tired or loose momentum on a project, step back, spend your time with your favorite hobby (mine is videogames) and that will give your brain something else to chew for a while. Also when I don't have a immediate answer for a animation problem, just tell my brain to think about it while I sleep, since the subconscious mind is on 24/7 it is a great pal to help with problem solving. I usually wake up with new ideas by the morning.

Stagger the milestones of each project so that you can better manage your time and meet the needs of each project on time. The last thing you want are two animation projects with the same deadlines competing for your time and energy.

Whenever you feel overwhelmed, take the task that’s giving you an issue and break it down even further. Completing smaller, easier to complete chunks, will give you the boost of completion that can get you unstuck. Also, keep a mental diary of how long processes take in your pipeline. When it comes time to plan multiple projects in the future, this mental info is invaluable at estimating time/cost.

Don't forget to enjoy the animation process, and educate your clients about your process and what animations can bring to their business.

Make sure to build a solid core-team around you, talanted people you can rely on both in good times and in heavy weather. Have pizza-parties together. All will be fine.

Entenda a mente como um arco, onde ela é capaz, através do esfor?o da Vontade, de atirar muito longe e com extrema precis?o. Porém, um arco tencionado o tempo inteiro costuma a perder sua elasticidade e por consequência, eficácia. Ent?o, divida seu tempo em etapas. Mas n?o em etapas para cada trabalho, mas sim, etapas cuja divis?o seja pelo valor que aquelas atividades geram. Compreenda que para negar ao ócio (os negócios) é necessário uma mente limpa e capaz de focar-se em gerar resultados produtivos. Porém, essa mesma mente precisa de um descanso contemplativo a assuntos do espírito e do conhecimento n?o instrumentalizado. N?o falo de religi?o ou cren?as, mas sim, da contempla??o do Belo em si.