Teamwork Part 2

Often times art is thought of as an independent concept.  Personal reasons for making art, creative freedom, and individual satisfaction are all valid points that agree with this thought.  Animation, on the other hand, is an art form that requires extreme amounts of teamwork and collaboration.  When I was in California for my internship, I sat in on a meeting of rounds.  A meeting of rounds is where all the animators, working on a certain movie, meet and present the work that they’ve been working on for the week.  The animation supervisor is there to give critiques, but I was surprised with a how much critique all the other animators were giving each other.  I was comfortable with this process, because of volleyball. I can work with a lot of different people and have them critique me without getting defensive.  The idea of being critiqued has always scared me, because I tend to take my art personally.  Though after experiencing a meeting of rounds, I know I’ll be able to handle it.  I credit this ability to work with others and receive criticism to playing volleyball for so long, and learning from my mistakes.  Teamwork is a huge part of the film industry, and I know my experiences with volleyball will make that part easier for me.   

Teamwork Part 1

I’ve played volleyball since I was in 6^th grade, and the skills I learned while being on a team will help me in the film industry.  I’ve experienced both listening to a captain and being a captain on the team.  Though I was playing the same sport the whole time, being a part of the team was very different than leading it.  I had two years of being captain, which gave me a year to make mistakes and a year to fix them.  While experiencing my time as only a player, I realized the importance of a good leader.  And while leading my team, I realized the importance of a respectful player.  In both cases, communication is crucial.  Communication helped me express my concerns to my captain as a player.  And it helped me understand the differences between my players as a captain.  For example, some players respond well to encouragement, while others will respond better to a challenge.  As a player, it’s important to figure out what works best for you, express that to your captain, and remember to stay flexible.  As a captain, it’s important to understand everyone’s differences, but maintain a good balance for the sake of the team. 

Procrastinating Perfectionist Probs

As I’ve graduated high school and completed the first semester of college, I’ve realized something about myself.  I am a procrastinating perfectionist and as an artist, that’s the worst combination.  I tend to wait to the last minute on any project given to me.  For example, these blogs! I’m working on becoming more disciplined, but it’s a slow process.  The point of this blog is not to tell you about my weaknesses, but rather how I do life with this academic handicap.

            In high school, my art teacher always reminded me to let go of my work.  I would get attached to my work, and I’d never finish them, because no piece of art is ever finished in the eye of the artist.  I’ve carried this advice with me, and it’s been helpful.  As I research my future career and by constructing my own interviews, I’ve realized that animators have that same advice.  The film industry is a collaborative environment, where a person could only be working on a scene for a week and then hand it on to the next person for further review.  Because of this set-up, it’s vital that the artists manage their time and let go of their piece when the time comes.