TV Cartoon Production

[makingtoons]

im doing an assignment on making animations for my senior final in high school and i'lll be adding your post how-tv-cartoons-are-made but i was wondering if you could link your credentials? as in your work experience, like shows you've worked on, roles in them like, animator/story boarder/producer/etc and name so that i can properly source it and you? thanks and sorry if you prefer to be anonymous or ive missed it somewhere :)

Hi! Crediting me as Anonymous with no other clarifications is what I prefer. My role has been storyboard artist, that’s all I can say. Thanks!

[makingtoons]

Do you know what kind of schooling and portfolio one should have for a career in animation scriptwriting? Do you need to be an artist as well?

I’m not a scriptwriter, but you don’t need to know how to draw. I think you would do well in knowing your stuff when it comes to animation, but that’s about it when it comes to visual arts.

I would ask other writers for portfolio tips. My only advice would be to watch a lot of movies and TV shows you like and analyze what makes them good in the writing department.

[makingtoons]

I was unaware that some of the people in the industry have agents or people who represent them and i was wondering if you could explain a little more about that if you have any info.

Not too much info unfortunately; I do not have an agent. But they work the same as any representation in entertainment: companies sometimes consult with an agency to look for artists, and if the agency thinks you’re right for the job, they will give your info to the employer.To be honest, I’ve never heard of someone in TV animation having an agent. I imagine some people have them (the situation that comes to mind is maybe an artist who doesn’t usually work for TV and has to be reached through an agent), but I’m assuming it’s not commonplace. Maybe it is more in feature, but again, I would be guessing.The only industry I’m aware of that utilizes agents as regular practice is book illustration, comics, etc.

[makingtoons]

Hello there! I love your blog and I wanted to thank you its been a really big help! I also wanted to ask if you had any tips for starting to freelance in animation? How do you even get your first gig? And again thank you so much for all the info

Some freelance you can get by just applying to regular positions, some you get from being well known amongst specific circles, some you get because someone recommended you.The art world is full of word-of-mouth, and unfortunately, sometimes it’s the only way to get ahead. I’d recommend working on your online presence so you can start to get seen by others!

[makingtoons]

Hello, I am a senior high schooler from Turkey! I hope to go to the best animation university in our country next year and I am curious about something, would studios give a job someone from Turkey or any other country except Americas? I would move to the LA without moving payment of studio's. I really want to be a character designer in Cartoon Network or Disney TVA it's my dream.. But I am nervous about never getting a job in US because my country.:( Anyways thank you so much for your answer!!

Hi! I don’t know much about how international artists get their start in the US, but I have friends that weren’t born in the US that do. Here is what one of them said about this question (copied and pasted because I’m too lazy to reformat haha):“ok so, US studios absolutely give jobs to foreigners, its how im working here after allthe problem is that you have to be either really good at what you do (like, outstanding enough for a studio to want to sponsor a whole visa) or have the right connections in LAmy personal path was that i was working at a tiny animation studio in my home country, and eventually got some freelance from a US studio. after freelancing for them for a while, they decided they liked me enough to sponsor a visa, but at that point i had about 3 years of experience both working in my country and freelancingbut if you have a college degree from an art school, studios can basically sponsor your visa as soon as you graduate. i didnt have a degree so for me i needed a minimum of i think 2 years of experiencei guess any advice i would have for this person would be: start working to make sure you’re really rreally good at character design, start talking to people on twitter, hit up recruiters thru email to send them your portfolio, apply to any US-based position you see, basically anything you can to start getting your name out there in the USit takes a different amount of time for every person, but the best you can do is put as many feelers out there so that your chances increase. basically just keep working, keep reaching out, and something good might happenits not a guarantee but tell this person i wish them luck... its a hard road but its not impossible”I hope that helped!

[makingtoons]

I'm really curious, are script - written cartoons still a thing? Is there any opportunity in cartoons for writers, or any other position that isn't art driven?

Yes, there are script-driven cartoons, where the writer(s) are in charge of every line of dialogue. Even in board-driven shows, writers still form part of the crew writing outlines and contributing plot ideas.

[makingtoons]

Would it be fair to say CalArts has a bit of a monopoly over the animation industry? I mean I’ve seen the charts, 95-98% of american animated films from 20 years onward have been made by CalArts alumni, ditto for television shows.

Nah, I don’t think it’s fair to say that. The US isn’t the only place that contributes to the animation landscape, and you don’t need to go to calarts to work in the industry, so it’s hardly a monopoly.

[makingtoons]

Is there any particular reason why that CalArts alumni are most likely have a show? I know theres some showrunners that didnt go and have shows but majority its CalArts.

CalArts is in California, its alumni are put through a very intensive admission process, and a lot of studios are able to visit the school for portfolio reviews. All this adds up to artists that are generally very skilled and it’s easy to hire them because they’re right there. So CalArts students make up a lot of the anim industry, which in turn means that they make up most of the current showrunners. However, that is changing, and it’s good to see!

But to sum it up; the only advantage that CalArts has is that it’s generally seen by studios as a safe bet, due to the quality of its graduates and its close proximity to LA. However, you are not guaranteed a job if you go to CalArts, your odds are just slightly better.

[makingtoons]

I know you stated that you don't necessarily need a degree to be an animator....but I heard that you do need a degree if you want to go to a different country to work?

From what I understand, you don’t need one, but it speeds up the process a lot. It’s easier for a company to sponsor you for a work visa if you have a degree in the field, so if you don’t, you need to have a specific amount of experience working in the specific position they want to hire you for.I could be totally wrong (I’ve only heard this stuff second-hand) but, to the best of my understanding, this is the gist of it.

[makingtoons]

I’ve made a FAQ page!

Please check it out before sending me a message to see if I’ve answered your question before!

[makingtoons]

Do you think there's a chance that in-house animation can happen again in the States if the studios are somewhere other than California? Castlevania had some of it's animation outsourced but the more important scenes (ex. Drac vs Alucard) were animated in-house in Texas.

It’s hard to say; I think for another animation hotspot to be established, it would have to be a big effort from a major content distributor/network. 

For example, Netflix just opened their animation studio in California, but if they had done it somewhere else, it would’ve been a great step in diversifying the physical aspect of animation in the US. The problem with this is that since California is already a well-established almost mecca of animation, there are a ton of artists looking for work in the area, which means Netflix doesn’t have to work too hard to staff their shows up.

It’s a double-edged sword; if a studio opens up somewhere other than CA, it helps push the industry elsewhere but it also gives them a hard time trying to hire people. However, if a studio opens up in CA again, it’s super easy for them to move forward quickly, but it perpetuates the status quo of animation being a “California thing”.

[makingtoons]

How much work experience do I need to apply for a job in animation? Even though I have a BA degree in animation, I've never worked in an animation studio before so I wasn't sure if having a degree and a portfolio would be enough to get hired.

Experience looks nice if people only know you on paper, but you don’t need a degree or a degree to work in TV animation.

[makingtoons]

I always wanted to work in animation however I live in the east coast (Florida) whereas the major studios that I know are in the west coast (California/LA/Burbank). Do I need to move in order to work in those studios?

As a rule, your chances to get work in LA are better if you’re based in the area, but you could also freelance from anywhere in the world. 

The problem is that freelance offers often also depend on your exposure and contacts, unless your work is outstanding or you have a big online presence. It’s tricky, but not impossible!

[makingtoons]

If my show is rejected, can I pitch it again?

This isn’t an universal answer, but from my experience, yeah. It takes a bit of fiddling and a lot of changing up your concepts and tightening up your pitch, but a once rejected idea can be approved if it’s tweaked enough to the network’s liking.

[makingtoons]

Is there any chance you know what makes a person approachable to make a series? Do you have to be one of top employees or something related to that?

Not really, the opportunity is open to everyone. In terms of being approached, I think it has to do with an individual’s specific voice and style, and how much they contribute to the show. A really creative and collaborative mind always stands out. 

However, not everyone is approached for a pitch; sometimes the artist is the one who asks to pitch something!

[makingtoons]

how would someone straight out of college get their start in one of the cartoon companies?

Apply everywhere and work on your portfolio, and make a twitter to keep a look out for job calls!

[makingtoons]

OH MYSTERIOUS TV CARTOON PRODUCTION GOD. Or hello nice tumblr person. Thanks for the insights. Question: What is the process of making a showbible/pitch doc? How is it usually presented, as a printed book or a PDF? What information is needed inside? Thank you <3

I’d say a PDF works best. For examples of what stuff is needed, I once again recommend reading the Adventure Time pitch bible, or buying Steven Universe: Art & Origins, which includes in-depth exploration of Rebecca’s pitch.