The Birds Have Flown : Industry Questions Sent Out

I sent out industry questionnaires last night to about 10 animators. The questions are below. The participating animators thus far are noted in the links section with an asterisk...Thanks guys for sharing your work and for helping me with my project.

There are 26 questions total. Many are fast and all are geared for a general overview of professional practices in the industry regarding animation character emotion.


Background:

* Where did you study animation? And how long have you been animating?

* Where do you currently work as an animator?

* What is your primary animation platform? And which software do you use most often?

* What props, toys or objects do you have around your work area to help with inspiration?

* Is there an animation that you have worked on that you are most proud of? Why?


Influence:

* Do you have a favorite animator that you continually draw inspiration from?

* In learning animation, do you have a favorite animation exercise that you consider invaluable? Please describe.

* What are your top 3 favorite animation DVD's? And what reasons do you have to make them the top of your list?

* Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny? If neither, who?


Industry Questions:

* Do you specialize in a particular type of animation (i.e. character, realistic, inanimate objects, animals, visual effects shots)?

* How much footage do you choose to work on at any one time (if you are able to choose), and how long do you give yourself to work on this footage?

* Animation is a complex process, what types of questions do you ask yourself in order to clarify what you are about to animate?

* After the above has been established, how do you go about animating?

* Which is your primary software, and is there a feature inherent in the software that you are using that you just love and that you cannot live without? What does it do?

* In what ways do you see the animation industry changing?

* What is the most difficult part of animation?

* What do you love most about what you do?


Animating Emotion:

* How important is emotion to your animations?

* Is there a technique or habit that you employ that helps ensure great emotion animation?

* Have you ever animated something, only to find that people felt something else other than what you had originally intended?

* Have you found a resource that has helped you in become better at animating character emotion?


Advice to Students:

* What is the biggest downfall students make when it comes to presenting their portfolio/demo reel?

* What is the biggest downfall students make when it comes to animating character emotion?

* What type of advice would you give students to improve their abilities in animating character emotion?

* The animation process is long and tedious, and its not unusual for the mind to wander. What do you do stay awake, sharp and focused on your work?

* In order to continue further study on the subject, would you recommend another animator who you know would be interested and available to answer these questions?