Entering an unfamiliar territory can be very daunting, especially if you don’t have anyone to guide you. With this post, I want to make your goal of becoming a freelance animator less intimidating.
So, keep reading. If you’re pressed for time, just watch this video instead.
Related: How to Start a Career in Animation
The animation industry is ripe with opportunity and it’s yours for the taking if you have the potential and are willing to put in the work.
I started off as a freelance animator and now run an agency with a team of more than twenty talented people. We’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the biggest brands in the world and it’s going great!
I don’t want to paint an unrealistic picture about entrepreneurship though. The fact is that not everyone who goes down this path will succeed. In fact, 50% of new businesses fail at the end of their 5th year.
If that last bit didn’t scare you, then here’s how you can get started.
Step 1. Define what you want to offer
First things first, know what you are good at and stick to it.
Figure out what style of animation you excel at, be it motion graphics, character animation, frame-by-frame animation, 3D modeling and animation or stop motion animation.
Don’t dabble in something that you cannot do consistently over long periods of time.
If you want to be an animator, chances are that you are going to have to spend a lot of time with it. So, make sure that you absolutely love doing it.
Some people often find themselves wondering if there is enough demand for the skill they want to offer. And, honestly, you don’t have to worry about that. If you get really good, the business will find you.
Step 2. Create your website
If you want the business to find you, then online presence is a necessary pre-requisite. So set up a website that tells your potential clients about you and the kind of animation you do.
If you are just starting out and have a tight budget, then use WIX to build your website. It’s free and has loads of templates to choose from.
Once your website is ready, you can easily make changes to it. There are tons of super helpful tutorials on YouTube as well.
However, if you can splurge a bit, I would recommend themeforest.net. The templates on this website are very reasonable in terms of pricing. You can pick one and then hire a freelancer to customize it for you.
You can find a freelancer on Upwork or Fiverr for website customization within a $200 to $500 range. All you have to do is give them the content like images or text copy that you want to post on your website.
Whichever way you want to go, there are a couple of things that I recommend you consider.
Firstly, give due attention to your website copy. I have seen people neglect what text goes in their website even though it is one of the most important things.
So do yourself a favor and hire a professional to write your website copy.
Your website copy should be two things,: compelling and reflective of your personality.
Secondly, always go with a single-page website. It is cleaner and more straightforward.
Here is an example of a very crisp and creative single-page website template.
It is crucial to include some sections on this single page.
i. About
Here’s what you should include:
- A professional profile photo
- A bio so people get a sense of who you are
ii. Services
Be specific about what you have to offer and list your specialties.
iii. Testimonials
Prospects trust customers more than corporations. Reach out to a loyal customer and ask them to do a video testimonial for you, it will help you land new work.
iv. Contact
Make it easy for people to get in touch with you. A contact form on you website is a must.
v. Portfolio
If you want the world to know that you’re an amazing animator, then you have to show them. That’s where the portfolio section comes in.
Below, I’ll get into some more details:
Step 3. Build your Portfolio
Show. Don’t Tell.
Use the portfolio section of your website to showcase some of your best work. You don’t need to feature every project you’ve ever done, just share the crème de la crème.
If you’re just starting out and don’t have enough work to show, then you can create anything you’d like to add to your portfolio. For inspiration on what to make, go to online platforms like Behance or Dribble.
Making an animated product for a fictional company should never stop you from giving it your best.
Step 4. Learn how to sell
Knowing how to sell is one of the most important pre-requisites to becoming a successful freelancer. Often, I come across immensely talented animators who do not know how to sell.
On the flip side, there are people who are great at selling. They’re thriving even though they lack in terms of skill or talent.
So, if you’re great at what you do, don’t sell yourself short! Here’s what you can do to brush up on your selling skills.
i. Read up on it
There are tons books on how to be a better salesman. Sell or Be Sold by Grant Cardone is one of my favorites.
If you’re not into reading, you always have the option of listening to audio books. This is something that’s worked well for me because I can tune in during my commute to and from work.
Apart form that, you can also check out blogs or follow YouTube channels to get better at the art of selling.
ii. Don’t undersell yourself
When you’re just at the beginning of your career, it’s okay to have competitive rates so you can land clients.
This will help you to build your portfolio and give you a better idea of the market. So keep practicing and refining your skills with every job.
When you’ve built a repertoire, don’t hesitate to charge more. You’ll be surprised at how much better you can do once you start pushing your rates up.
iii. Stop selling. Start helping!
Approach prospects with a problem-solving mentality. I wouldn’t call this a sales tactic—it’s a shift in mindset, rather. So, don’t just focus on how much you stand to gain from the project, think about what you bring to the table and how that adds value.
If your client is asking to make an animated explainer video, try to understand their objectives behind making this video.
Understand who their target audience is, and what can you do to integrate that information into your product?
In other words: stop selling—start helping!
Step 5. Finding your clients
Let’s say you’ve done everything from step one to four. You’ve defined your niche, made a killer portfolio, a website and understand the art of selling. But you find yourself asking: what sacrifice must I make before the Gods of animation to start booking clients?
First of all, drop the knife and step away from the goat.
Here is what you can do instead:
i. Utilize social media
You’ve got to start promoting yourself. And do it shamelessly.
Talk about who you are, what you do and how you do it. Don’t be hesitant. Forsake all social anxiety.
I have noticed people in my personal network who want to build their clientele but they don’t put themselves out there out of the fear of being judged. They’ll do a single post and then disappear.
Don’t do that. Don’t let people forget about you.
Keep posting content. Talk about the animation industry as a whole. Share insights from your experience as a freelance animator.
Don’t let the conversation fizzle out and stay top of mind!
Generally, it’s friends and family who’ll turn into your first clients when you are starting. So, don’t underestimate the importance of connecting with the people that you already know.
Read more: 4 Types of Video Content to Help Promote Your Business
ii. Freelancing platforms
There are tons of freelancing platforms out there, like Upwork and Fiverr. Upwork is the most popular one. Learn a little bit about it if you don’t already.
When someone is looking for a service, they post a job on Upwork. It connects them to the freelancer providing relevant services.
As a freelance animator, Upwork is your best bet. One thing I would advise is that spend time on perfecting your profile.
As I said before about your website, make sure the copy of the introduction section your profile is top notch. And showcase your best work samples on your profile.
Once you finish your profile, start posting proposals.
The key to writing these is to be concise.
Clients often view over a dozen of these for a job. So don’t write long paragraphs.
When you submit your proposal, make sure you study the description carefully. If you have one, add your sample that is close to what they are looking for in their animation.
Pro tip: ask them a question or two about their requirements. It shows interest on your part. Interest is always attractive to clients.
And last but not least, keep posting proposals. Soon you will land your first job, then your second one, and so on. Hence begins your career as a freelance animator.
And not a drop of sacrificial blood spilled!
Step 6. Be consistent
Consistency is key.
Whether it’s posting content online or applying for job, you have to be consistent about everything.
A certain president once said, “Nothing worth having comes easy.” I‘m sure he wasn’t referring to freelance animation, but it’s a universal concept so works just as well.
And that’s my 6-step plan on making it as a freelance animator.
Hope it helps!
Some parting advice: be confident but not overconfident, become a life-long learner and remember that there’s always room for improvement.
Good luck and Godspeed.
For more tips and insights, check out MotionCue XD on YouTube and follow me on social media.
Read more: How to Start a Video Production Company