How do I connect with an “Industry Professional?”

It’s easy nowadays to reach out through direct messaging, emailing, or even meeting through conventions. On the other hand, rephrasing and asking “how do you make an authentic connection?” can set one towards questioning one’s intentions, unveiling perhaps the unfolding path. There are many methods and answers which possibly solves itself naturally through the hard work of questioning and understanding one’s self, bettering one’s craft, and fostering connections with those on similar journeys.

”Rather than focusing on industry professionals, I think it’s important to form a small community first with people working on similar goals to gain feedback. It’s important to build a community of life-minded, real friends who are on similar paths first...to help develop yourself and what you stand for and then that’ll help you be more confident to put yourself out there with the industry people, so you CAN be authentically you and make a better impact.”

“I made most of my connections as peers, in classes at various schools, and always through working together / ”in the trenches.” I first got my start through a friend I had originally met in college, who was the only other person I knew at the time who also wanted to work in the animation industry. Back then we were at a loss of what to do or how to even get in so we took classes taught by industry professionals at Concept Design Academy. Through these classes we met so many who were on the same path and a lot of them eventually got hired. I had no idea my friend from college would eventually connect me with a small studio which hired me and gave me the year of experience needed to land my next job and into the Animation Guild. Later, a friend from CDA who eventually became a director with DisneyTVA, put my portfolio through when it came to staffing their show - your whole life becomes the process.”

Where to from here / Going in…

Some threads to follow:

1) My ideal role would be…
2) Some side hobbies/interests that set me apart from others are…
3) Integrating x, y, z into my medium allows me…
4) How versatile am I willing to be when it comes to working in genres/styles/areas outside my chosen expertise?
5) I am in service to my community when I…
6) Common questions that I ask in my work are…
7) I can trust ___ and ___ for honest feedback.