Are You What I Am Looking For?

Are you what I am looking for?

Sounds a bit like something out of a princess movie! Are you what I am looking for? (If you cued singing birds and dancing butterflies cut it out! I’m trying to be serious here!) My name is Tim Girard. I am a creative writer focusing on short stories. I have two animation projects developed, a horror story in the works and a bevy of stories waiting to be told. I have been an independent writer for more years than I can shake a stick at and recently began working with www.xomba.com as a freelance writer as well as Yahoo and a host of others. While I enjoy writing articles my true passion is in storytelling. As a freelance writer it is difficult to garner the appropriate, money making attention we all crave. On one of my recent endeavors I decided to go it alone, become a true independent artiste and I began the search for animation artists. In the process I learned a few things. From one artist to the next I would like to pass what I have discovered off to you in the hope what I am seeking will help you, the artist, the company, the aspiring animator, to hone your craft and be as marketable as possible.

As a writer, as a producer, these are the things I am looking for: I want style. I want unique. I want fluid motion. I want dynamite work and I want it quick. As a writer the images my words create is essential to the story and choosing an animator that can translate my descriptions into a moving image is paramount. What I noticed as I reviewed every reel was the similarity. While color tones varied somewhat the essential look of the animation did not vary. 2D animation was consistent, 3D animation was consistent. There was very little variance.

This led me to an obvious question, one I challenge you with now. Why? Why would I choose you? Think about this. Chew on this as you eat dinner. Make it part of your meal. Think about it as you brush your teeth. Let it permeate and rot inside your brain until you putrefy. Why? Why you? What makes your work special? We live in an age of digital domination. With a little time anyone can animate. Do you have what it takes to be an animator? Do you have style? Do you have dynamite just with a fuse just waiting to be lit? I don’t think my needs are that unusual. We all want sizzle, we all want the screaming fireworks. Be the one animator that can send the rocket into the sky.

I hope this helps. I am planning on an ongoing column so long as the powers that be will allow! In the future I plan on spotlighting different artists, companies, and studios. I can assure you there is a very real need for us all to be seen, for us all to have the opportunity to shine. I want to be a part of that light. Until next time!