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It can happen after a long period of time, that things can start to feel stagnant, and you start to question if what you are currently doing is right. Some great pieces of life advice from Brent and Scott in this clip from our Q & A.

Working isn’t usually where most people aspire to being. The schedules are tight and conditions sometimes not that great. Not all most cases, but some. However, there are certain things we can learn from working in television that shouldn’t be underestimated.

When you start a new shot and perhaps it’s not working, how do you know when to stop and change direction?

Most of us have experienced this at one stage in our lives, and if you haven’t, count yourself lucky. You’ve been working away for hours on something only to have the power go out and you lose all of that work. In this clip Brent and Scott discuss the best ways to back up your work to save hours of your life from going down the drain.

Ted has over 30 years of experience at the feature animation level. He has animated on 20 feature films and is now Global Head of Character Animation, Feature Animation at DNEG. His CG credits include "How to Train your Dragon 2 ", "Rise of the Guardians" and "Kung Fu Panda" among others. Before arriving at Dreamworks, he spent over 10 years at Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida doing traditional animation and worked on films such as "Mulan", "The Lion King" and "Lilo and Stitch" where he served as a Lead Animator.He is a graduate of the CalArts Character Animation program where he was the senior animation instructor for 5 consecutive years. He has spoken around the world about animation and is also a Master Teacher and National Panelist at YoungArts Foundation as well as a regular lecturer at renowned CTN Expo.We will discuss about his experience in the industry, how it evolved over time, teaching to the new generation of animators, how mentor and to be a source of inspiration for your team, how to deal with anxiety as a professional artist and if we have time.... we might also talk about his passion for ice hockey and martial arts..If you'd like to watch this episode you can find it here:https://agora.community/content/a-conversation-with-ted-tyAlso, check out Agora.Community for daily content, free rigs, and assets, and order an animation review from one of our industry experts:https://www.agora.communityThanks for listening!

In our Conversation With Ted Ty we discuss how your attitude at work can affect your career. Nobody wants to work with a jerk, so try not to be one! Ted shares his process on hiring artists and the background checks he does when considering a new team member.

In our conversation with Ted Ty, he's asked what advice he'd go back and give to his younger self. After a long pause, he says 'Relax'. He then goes on to break down what his definition of relaxing is...it's not what most people would think!

As an artist, it's hard not to let anxiety creep into our minds. In this clip, Ted Ty talks about the different types of anxiety he's noticed in the industry and how to help combat them within yourself, and your peers.

It can happen that things get overwhelming for an artist on a project. Sometimes a shot may get taken away from you. In this clip from our conversation with Ted Ty he explains why it's ok, and what you need to keep in mind if this has happened to you!

Ted Ty and the team discuss the all too commonly known burnout and where the industry fails in keeping it at bay. Brent also raises a good point about the difference between working hard for the greater good and just getting the project done.

We’re going through a huge change in the industry thanks to the global pandemic. It’s been proven that artists are capable of working remotely, and for some, they find it more beneficial to their workflow. Listen to David and Brent’s thoughts on why studios should adapt to a hybrid work environment.

Self-Doubt, anxiety, imposter syndrome. It’s hard not to experience this at least one time in our lives as artists. This is a good one to listen to if you currently find yourself in this kind of situation.

A question that’s asked way too often! How do I gain experience if studios are only looking for experienced artists?

A good question! How do you negotiate your salary when applying to a studio in another country? David and Brent give their best answers.

In this Q & A session, David and Brent answer some great questions to help you in your career. Topics such as negotiating salary, how to approach recruiters and is it worth taking a lower pay for the experience you'll gain? You can also check out our Agora Bites clips if you want to listen to a specific question from this episode!Don't forget to head on over to agora.community and sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening!

Should you take a pay cut if the project your applying for will give you good experience, or a project you dream of working on? David recounts his own personal experience when answering this question!

What is the best way to approach recruiters without coming off too pushy or needy? Remember, recruiters are super busy and have a lot of positions to fill. David and Brent give the best advice on how to handle these situations.

You’ve been talking to a recruiter or you’ve applied for a position and then you wait for the email to appear in your inbox offering you the job. How long should you wait for that email before you reach out again? Listen here to David and Brent’s advice.

In the industry, it’s hard not to get pulled under by demanding deadlines, constant feedback and even your shot getting removed from the final product. In this clip, Simon Otto talks about negativity and why you should try to avoid it at all costs.

A question was asked to Simon Otto about “How do I stand out as an artist when there is so much talent coming through the ranks?”. Simon gives a very positive and uplifting answer to help anyone stand out among the crowd.

A lot of us have that dream studio. The dream project that we want to work more than anything. Simon Otto talks about his journey and while it’s ok to have that one goal, don’t let it blind you to other opportunities that may come your way.

In this bite-size piece of gold from our conversation with Simon Otto, he discusses his process of finding creativity within his scenes.

Simon Otto is a Swiss film director and animator. He is best known for working as the Head of Character Animation of the Oscar-nominated How to Train Your Dragon film trilogy for DreamWorks Animation.In this episode, we chat about his background as a traditional animator, the transition from 2D to 3D, the decade long period of his career dedicated to How to Train your Dragon trilogy as animation director, character behaviors, animation workflow, design, leadership, and his current aspirations.If you'd like to watch this episode you can find it here:https://agora.community/content/a-conversation-with-simon-ottoAlso, check out Agora.Community for daily content, free rigs and assets, and order an animation review from one of our industry experts:https://www.agora.communityThanks for listening!

What’s the deal when a studio says they’ll get back to you by a certain time, and yet they don’t? It’s ok, just relax and have a listen to this clip from our Q & A session to find out why!

Ugh…office politics…something we can definitely all do without. Have a listen to David and Brent’s thoughts on Politics in a studio environment.

In this Q & A session, someone from the chat has a question about how they can fix their destructive workflow.

A question that will continue to be asked for the rest of time! Are 2D Skills necessary. David and Brent give their opinions on how 2D skills can help you grow as a 3D artist.

In this Q & A session, David and Brent cover topics such as how to fix a destructive workflow, what happens when a studio doesn't get back to when they say they will, politics in the studio, and whether or not 2D skills are needed to be a 3D Arist. You can also check out our Agora Bites clips if you want to listen to a specific question from this episode!Don't forget to head on over to agora.community and sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening!

Being a leader means you’ll be working with animators of different levels in their animation journey. David Gibson gives some great advice for what should happen when someone on your team is struggling, and why you shouldn’t be upset if this is you.

David Gibson gives his advice to anyone considering a career in game animation.

Management and leadership sound like the same thing, but there are definitely some differences between them when it comes to a production. David Gibson gives his thoughts on both.

Leaders are expected to lead a team over the finish line with great success…but what happens when a leader doesn’t have all of the answers? Listen to why sometimes being vulnerable is one of the best assets a leader can have.

During the Q & A with David Gibson, a question was asked “How well do you know your character before animating”. Have a listen to his answer!

David Gibson has worked over a variety of disciplines from film to games. In this clip from our conversation, he talks about the differences between each.

David has been animating professionally for 16 years. Previous to his Lead Animator position at Riot Games, he was part of Overwatch animation team at Blizzard and shipped Evolve as Supervising Animator. Prior to working in games, David animated on Feature and VFX films such as Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, Enchanted, Charlotte's Web, Arthur Christmas, Spider Wick Chronicles, oh...and Beverly Hills Chihuahua!We will discuss his unique professional experience in both games and animated feature, the challenges of working in big studios and some of his own personal projects, like mentoring animators online and making video games.If you'd like to watch this episode you can find it here:https://agora.community/content/a-conversation-with-david-gibsonAlso, check out Agora.Community for daily content, free rigs and assets, and order an animation review from one of our industry experts:https://www.agora.communityThanks for listening!

A very spicy question got thrown David and Brent’s way on their thoughts of office romances. They are bound to happen, some studios studios don’t allow it for some very obvious reasons that they could go south and disrupt the production. An interesting clip to listen to!

Some days on the job can be a drag. We’ve all faced times when we just don’t feel motivated to perform. What are some ways to overcome this? Some good advice in this clip!

Anyone that is a lead, thinking of becoming a lead, or in a higher position should take a listen to this clip about how David and Brent run their teams. It’s always good to hear other people’s approaches to leadership.

We all want to get promoted at some point in our careers, but how? In this clip David and Brent give their best advice, but also throw back the question of “Why do you want to become a lead?” Interesting….

Have you ever come across an entry level artist that just seems to have a little bit too much of a high ego? David and Brent discuss how to handle these personalities with their own thoughts and also a little anecdote from Brent.

In the third episode of our Q&A series with David and Brent, the dynamic duo answers the following questions:How do I become a lead?What's your opinion about office romances?How do you lead your team?How do you handle entry-level animators with a high level of ego?Do you ever feel unmotivated when working and if so how do you keep motivated?You can also check out our Agora Bites clips if you want to listen to a specific question from this episode!Don't forget to head on over to agora.community and sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening!Enjoy!

A question that was posed in our previous conversation with J. D. Haas is asked again to a different industry pro. In this clip, see if their advice is the same!

Andrew was asked a question, “As a junior, what advice do you have for demo reels?” Here is some great advice from someone who's spent 25 years of their career working at one of the biggest animation studios there is.. Plus some other little nuggets of gold to consider when getting into the animation industry!

Andrew Gordon talks about the Pixar Brain Trust and his thoughts on how beneficial they can be to the creative process.

One of the followers from our social accounts posed Andrew the question of “How do I create a more collaborative culture within the workplace?” A great question. Hear what Andrew’s thoughts are about this in this clip.

Andrew Gordon spent a majority of his career at Pixar, and deciding to leave was an exciting and scary experience. In this clip, Andrew gives his advice on the mental and emotional journey of exploring different career paths.

Take a little trip back in time to hear about how Pixar was in its infancy of becoming one of the greatest animation studios in the world! A fun little history lesson from Andrew Gordon.

In this clip from our conversation with Andrew Gordon, he talks about the pain that can be involved with creating an amazing piece of animation.

Andrew has more than 25 years of experience in feature animation at Pixar and additional years at Warner Bros., DNEG, and Cinesite as head of animation. He has an impressive credit list that includes many prestigious animated blockbusters such as ‘Ratatouille’, ‘Monsters University, ‘Toy Story’, ‘Finding Nemo’, ‘Cars’, and ‘The Incredibles 1 & 2’ to name a few.We’ll discuss Pixar’s early days and how it was to be a CG character animator in the 90s. His experience working with legendary directors such as Brad Bird, Andrew Stanton, Pete Doctor and John Lasseter. Pixar’s culture in general, his departure from the studio and current ambitions for the future.If you'd like to watch this episode you can find it here:https://agora.community/content/a-conversation-with-andrew-gordonAlso, check out Agora.Community for daily content, free rigs and assets, and order an animation review from one of our industry experts:https://www.agora.communityThanks for listening!

In this clip from our Q & A session, Brent talks heavily about why programmers get tested more than animators and what you should really be mindful of when being interviewed.