What is a 2D Animator?

A 2D Animator should have a well-designed portfolio website and demo reel when applying for jobs. A strong demo reel should be fewer than 2 minutes, perhaps even under a minute. A 30-second reel with your best work ever is going to perform much better than a 2-minute reel with work you’re only mostly proud of. Animation reels should include any original sound for clips with dialogue. No background music is industry preferred, but some unobtrusive background music can be okay. Include a title card at the beginning and end of your reel so that they don’t have to search for your information after watching. Post your reel on Vimeo or YouTube and share it on your social media.

There are multiple societies—regional, national, or international—that each offer ways for Animators to network and learn. The Society for Animation Studies (SAS) is a great resource for Animators, and becoming a member provides access to a list of thousands of experts and their contact information. These experts are often willing to conduct informational interviews, point you in the direction of others who can help you find a job, or even teach you something new. The SAS also hosts conferences and educational programs that will certainly enhance your career prospects.

Networking is the best way to jump-start your career. Whether that’s making connections through genuine conversations on LinkedIn or another social media platform, conducting informational interviews, or attending industry events, networking is a must. Every studio has its own job board, some colleges offer job boards, and so do most bootcamps. Keep a running list of studios you’d like to work at and check them often. Try to connect with someone who works at that studio in an adjacent position through LinkedIn or another networking channel. If you’re not the best at keeping tabs on multiple different job boards at once, check out Chris Mayne’s spreadsheet. Mayne has been tracking thousands of new studio job openings for the past four years and will continue to do so.

Many employers look for at least two years of experience in this industry. If you don’t have any experience and you’re looking for a job, you should definitely start your own passion project and try taking on freelance gigs. Creating your own short films is the best way to catch the attention of potential employers, especially if you share and market them on video platforms and social media, because your passion can shine through. You should also take on freelance jobs while you look for your first full-time animation job, even if you work for free. Freelance platforms are a great place to start for this, but you can also find many opportunities on LinkedIn and network while you look for gigs, which will build job search momentum more quickly.