Your story about beginning of your motion designer/graphic designer/animator career

[kreozZ]

Hello,

It would be quite helfpul for me to hear couple stories from people who have already started their designer career. Could you please describe in few words what you did to get started?

Thanks in advance.

[strev]

All the graphic design graduates of my year (1980) were vying for the best jobs in our city (Toronto). I had to do something different to break through the clutter. So I designed and printed a self-promo piece that showcased my work. It had to display creativity, design continuity, attention to detail and most importantly, it had to be unique. My promo-piece was a hand-made kit that contained my CV, letter of introduction and samples of design work. I even added illustrations to the mailing envelope–but that is all part of the presentation. Because of my self-promo package, I nailed a job at Doyle Dane Bernbach–as it was called back then. Now it's ddb.com

Fast forward to 2009. Most employers will expect the same but in a digital format. But you still have to break through the clutter. Now it's Flash, site design, then print design. If you have illustration skills–all the better!

Imagine you are the employer, opening links to hundreds of digital portfolios. Typically, 45% of the applicants will be absolutely terrible, 50% will send average design work, 3% will be worth a second look and 2% will be outstanding–which means that only 5% (or less) even get an interview. These percentages are approximates based on consultation with my industry contacts and my own experiences as a Manager when conducting interviews.

The countless hours you spend will be worth it – and it should be a labour of love. If it's not, maybe you're in the wrong profession.

[kreozZ]

It sure is a labour of love. Did university help you to learn basics and more of graphic design? I guess self-education is important also.. And I am afraid you have to be talented in order to succeed. I don't think I have any talents, but I like motion design and 3d animation, and I will try to reach my goal due to persistence...

[strev]

That's the spirit! The right attitude is a big plus.

[trenz]

I went to the art institute of pittsburgh for a B.A. in motion graphics/visual effects. When I graduated it was hard to get my foot in the door since I did go to school in Pittsburgh and there was no where at all for me to intern. I just was persistan everyday and sent my reel out to every company until I finally got some responses. I got turned down alot but I always asked what I could do to improve my reel and it took me about 4-5 months but I was finally offered a job in Los Angeles working for Framework. I started as a intern and worked my way up to designer/animator in less than 2 years.
Education did help me learn the basics of all the tools but I did alot on my own while in school to get better. When it came time to graduate my reel had alot of my own experimental work on it and everyone else only had class projects so theirs all looked exactly the same basicly.
Keep at it with hard work and dedication you will get to where you want to be.
Sorry for the long post

[kreozZ]

Thanks for such a detailed reply.
By the way, I made an attempt to look for some motion designer job positions on monster.com and I found just few of them in the whole country. It looks like this kind of profession is rare. Perhaps I just don't know all the possible names of such an occupation.

[trenz]

Monster isnt the best place to look
Heres a site of all moion graphic and vfx houses in the states
Motion Design Directory

You just have to send a email out and see who needs people

Also check out motionographer.com, mograph.net, 2-popforums.com, cgtalk.com

Theres more but those places have job postings also

[Scriptage]

I was abandoned as a child and raised by a pack of wild web developers.

[SidekickWD]

I was abandoned as a child and raised by a pack of wild web developers.

Ah Hah!!! I knew it! I should have put money on it... :greed:

[kreozZ]

Thanks guys. It was helfpul indeed.

The thing is I am currently studying in Russia at the university, and my speciality is chemical engineering. I am going to move to the U.S. one day, and I don't know for now what is actually better to do in order to get a well-payed job in future: to get a diploma of an engineer and make this kind of occupation my future profession or to go to school in the U.S. for starting motion design career...
Engineering is not the job I am eager to get, and motion design/3d/web design/computer graphics is really interesting for me. But money is the thing that keeps this planet spinning around, and what I am asking now is which kind of profession is more claimed in the U.S. - computer graphics-related-jobs or engineer occupations? Is there a large difference in making money as a designer/animator/etc. and making it as an engineer? My questions might sound silly, but I am trying to get some info about my future U.S. opportunities.

BTW: Monster found a lot of chemical-engineering-related jobs for me..

Thanks in advance.