Few months back, I was sitting behind my class of 3D animation students during studio time when I read about Dreamworks letting go of up to 500 artists. This was a day after Rhythm and Hues are rumored to be bought over by Primal Focus.
And that was when I felt the hair raising behind my neck. The accumulated silent frustration that these students in front of me are going into an industry that is facing cross roads. Some of them I honestly believe can go far in their careers. If there is a industry to get into.
Then later, R&H files for bankruptancy and Pixmondo is going to close their Detriot and London Studios followed by Shanghai.
Then Lucas Arts Closed. With plans announcing that ILM might be affected too.
But I do not know what future holds for them. I initially thought to be optimistic. That they will find jobs.
Then later, R&H files for bankruptancy and Pixmondo is going to close their Detriot and London Studios followed by Shanghai.
Then Lucas Arts Closed. With plans announcing that ILM might be affected too.
My original intention of teaching was to have time to make my own short and that I used to enjoy teaching. Especially young eager minds. But I suddenly felt small. That the value of my self -worth is judged by myself on the success of these students. I felt disgusted at how pitiful I am. But at the same time, that is what drives me to push them harder and to make them better in hope that some of them can make it into one of the big boys and/or create their own companies/ideas. The hope that the success of these students will entice even better quality to join the course in a ever improving circle.
Then I came across this article below.
Then I came across this article below.
http://nebezial.deviantart.com/journal/so-you-want-to-be-a-professional-XD-363842751
"now listen, there is nothing wrong about treating this as a hobby, it is a wonderful satisfying hobby to have. but if you want to be a professional, be it a comic artist a game artist a n animator a designer... you will have to put in the time, you will have to pay your dues.
life is a bitch, it will do you no favors. all you can get out of it is what you are willing to fight for. it is a hard battle, but it is worth it.
see, at a certain point it truly is about this. what is it that you want to do in life, do you want to spend your life being slowly killed on the inside by the job you hate while dreaming of your could haves, or will you fight for your dreams."
That quote above struck me and it just brought me back to when I was in school stuck doing something that I didn't like to do. After growing up and having to worry about bills, jobs mortage, getting fucked over by bosses etc.. especially in this pressure cooker of a country..But I understand that in spite of the shit that is going down, this is still what I want to do. And i have to be good enough at it to make a living creating ideas, stories with these tools. Be it a pencil or a software package. It is still a tool to tell a story. Stories that will bring people to a different world or to escape reality for that few minutes. Or to relive their childhood memories... Or simply just to feel.
"now listen, there is nothing wrong about treating this as a hobby, it is a wonderful satisfying hobby to have. but if you want to be a professional, be it a comic artist a game artist a n animator a designer... you will have to put in the time, you will have to pay your dues.
life is a bitch, it will do you no favors. all you can get out of it is what you are willing to fight for. it is a hard battle, but it is worth it.
see, at a certain point it truly is about this. what is it that you want to do in life, do you want to spend your life being slowly killed on the inside by the job you hate while dreaming of your could haves, or will you fight for your dreams."
That quote above struck me and it just brought me back to when I was in school stuck doing something that I didn't like to do. After growing up and having to worry about bills, jobs mortage, getting fucked over by bosses etc.. especially in this pressure cooker of a country..But I understand that in spite of the shit that is going down, this is still what I want to do. And i have to be good enough at it to make a living creating ideas, stories with these tools. Be it a pencil or a software package. It is still a tool to tell a story. Stories that will bring people to a different world or to escape reality for that few minutes. Or to relive their childhood memories... Or simply just to feel.
