Posts filed under 'She's the boss'
Since many of you work or aspire to work in creative fields, I thought you’d get a kick out of my latest “How’d you land that great job?” Seattle Times story, which profiles Roberta Browne, lead animator at Bungie Studios, maker of Halo. I think Roberta’s career path is particularly interesting because (a) she initially struggled with how to turn her talent/love of illustration into a viable career, (b) she tried her hand at freelancing and realized it wasn’t for her, and (c) she has an enviable position in what’s traditionally been an ultra-male field. So, without further adieu, some excerpts from my interview with Roberta…
The job: Roberta Browne grew up on what she refers to as “a steady diet of Looney Tunes cartoons and ‘The Wonderful World of Disney.’” All her spare time in high school was spent drawing cartoon characters, all her notebooks were covered with doodles. After getting a commercial illustration degree at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, she tried her hand at freelance illustration for two years — and wound up earning the bulk of her income by waitressing and bartending. Feeling off her game, she returned to school for animation and, upon graduating, landed her first job as an animator. A decade later, in May of 2007, Browne joined Bungie Studios in Kirkland, Wash., where she works as a lead animator, a job that involves everything from 3-D software to brainstorming sessions to pratfalls.
Q. How did you land your first game animation gig?
A. I studied animation at Sheridan College, located in Oakville, Ontario. Every year the school would hold an open house to showcase the work of the graduating students. There was usually a big industry presence, with representatives ranging from small post-production shops to big movie houses to game companies from both Canada and the United States. After graduation I was offered a job at a small post-production house in Toronto, creating animations and effects for various TV shows.
I was contacted a few months later by Broderbund, a game company located in the San Francisco area. One of their lead animators had attended the open house and seen my reel. I was offered a job. I have to admit, the initial draw of living in California overshadowed the opportunity to work in games. I wasn’t really sure what was involved in being a game animator, but I thought I could figure it out. What I discovered is that animating for games is an exciting, challenging and extremely rewarding job.
I worked at a couple of game companies in California before moving up to Seattle in 2003. Over the years I worked my way through the ranks, starting as an animator, working up to senior animator and then finally to lead animator. I have worked on seven released games in my career, as well as a few prototypes that did not make it to market. Some of the more notable titles are “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (Xbox), “Shadowrun” (Xbox 360/Vista) and, of course, “Halo 3.”
Q. What does a lead animator do?
A. My role has changed from creating animation content to managing. I oversee a team of five animators. Most of my time is spent planning, problem solving, coordinating with other functional groups and working with the animation team to ensure they have everything they need to create animation content. I sit with the animation team and participate in [their] reviews of content so far, brainstorming, and acting sessions. Acting sessions involve falling onto mats, jumping, punching and so on. We hand-animate, so there’s no motion-capture technology involved. We’re old school in that regard.
I try to get in a little bit of animation here and there, but it is very limited. It was an interesting transition going from creating animation to helping others to create animation. But I have found it extremely satisfying.
Q: How does game animation differ from film animation?
A. Games are different than films in the sense that the animators create a bunch of smaller pieces of content that are then combined in the game engine. In film, animators work on shots or scenes and animate all the motion from start to finish. So a game animator needs to collaborate with other disciplines. That’s what I love about working in games — it takes art, design and engineering working together to fully realize and bring a game character to life.
Q. Are you a gamer yourself?
A. I do play games outside of work, about three to five hours a week. But I do not consider myself an avid gamer. My passion lies with animation and bringing characters to life. A lot of my free time is spent taking figure drawing and figure sculpting classes at a local art school. This keeps my observational eye sharp, which is a skill I use on a daily basis as an animator.
Q. What advice can you offer hopeful animators?
A. There are so many schools offering animation courses. My advice to those looking to pursue a career in animation is put your focus on learning how to animate. Many schools focus more on teaching different software, and it is fairly easy to get a character to move around. But to have that character act and emote is the real trick. Look for the schools that offer training in animation principles and acting. Having a solid understanding of the basic principles of animation and acting is the key to being a successful animator. Once you accomplish that, you can work in any area of animation production.
You can read the rest of my Q&A with Roberta — complete with recommended resources for aspiring game animators — on NWjobs.com.
November 13th, 2007
OK, so now you know that I like to dabble in short-term contract work once every few years. Some call it temping, others call it permatemping, still others call it seasonal work. I call it Putting Myself Back In The 9-to-5 Marketplace Every So Often To See Just How Much Job Responsibility And Corporate Clout I Can Command, While Earning A Pretty Penny To Boot. Not only does this experience make me more marketable as a freelancer, it helps pad my savings account so that I can run off later and freelance for a slightly less lucrative industry — say, perhaps, maybe, oh, I dunno, book publishing.
Evidently one Amazon reviewer, who I believe is a lawyer and an accountant, considers my on-again-off-again romance with these short-lived temp stints proof that I’m a less-than-successful solo worker. This reviewer seems to think success equals nothing more than ensnaring a corner office (which I actually have at my contract job — and what a lovely view of the parking lot it is!), a company car (does a company laptop count? if so, check), and a fat salary (ahem; you don’t think I’m going to work for the man for peanuts, do you?).
I write this not to refute ESQ/CPA Guy’s review. That would be dumb. Without differences of opinion, reviews would be useless. I write this because this reviewer’s definition of success struck me as so narrow. What’s successful for me may not be successful for you (and clearly won’t be successful for ESQ/CPA Guy).
So after reading this lovely post on Boss Lady about succeeding on your own terms, I thought I’d list my own ingredients for a what I consider a “successful career” here:
- Having the flexibility and autonomy to work when, where, and how I want (in other words, at home, wearing this, listening to this, with my dog at my feet, and a midday break for a rousing game of fetch in the backyard)
- Asking for the rate I know I’m worth and getting it
- Knowing my bills will always be paid and that a fat vacation involving a 14-hour plane ride is not entirely out of the question
- Writing for household-name companies, publications, and websites
- Writing for the audience I want to write for
- Receiving high praise, referrals, and repeat business from clients and editors
- Receiving awards or grants for my work
- Working on the projects I believe in, with the people I want to work with
- Working on projects that are so enjoyable I forget I’m actually working
- Working on projects that make a difference in someone’s life and just might even help someone in need
Now how about you? How do you spell s-u-c-c-e-s-s?
September 14th, 2007
Elizabeth Cockle writes: Have you encountered any former cube dwellers who left the 9-to-5 world because they could earn more on their own? Making the leap definitely requires guerrilla measures in budgeting and taking second-choice projects to pay the bills, but what about down the line? More women would be inspired to flee the cube with proof that they can be just as financially successful, if not more so, working on their own.
Excellent question, EC! The short answer is, yes, of course you can make more green working solo, and yes, I’ve met many freelancers and entrepreneurs over the years who’ve made as much as or more than their former 9-to-5 selves, in all industries too. But all this depends on your business structure, how far along in your business you are, and what you did in your former 9-to-5 life. For example, last time I was in the cube as a full-timer (back in ‘92) I was making under $20K at a book publishing company. Since I already wasn’t earning enough to live on in the greater Manhattan area (yeah, even back then) there was only one way for my income to go and that was up.
I think it’s important to be realistic about the fact that depending on what type of solo venture you’re embarking on, you may not draw much of a salary the first two or three years (despite customer checks pouring in), which experts at organizations like SCORE will tell you is normal for brick-and-mortar businesses with hefty operational overhead and merchandise to make, buy, and sell. But if you’re shifting to a sole proprietorship with minimal business expenses, say as a freelance editor, you should start seeing some green in your personal checking account right away, unless of course you’re undercharging.
Since every industry, solo job, and entrepreneur’s own career path and level of experience varies, it’s impossible for me to say (or even guarantee) that you’ll make X percent more than you did before — and at what point that will start to happen. It’s also up to the freelancer or business owner to negotiate prices and rates wisely (competitive yet commensurate with her experience) so that she doesn’t shortchange herself. And this negotiation should an ongoing process — otherwise, how else are you supposed to get a raise?
It’s also important to realize that just because you make, say, $80 an hour as a freelance copywriter this year and you made $40 an hour last year as a corporate copy monkey doesn’t mean you’re making 50 percent more money than before. This should be fairly obvious, but in case it’s not, allow me to explain: You’re now paying your own benefits; the higher rate should account for that and then some. You’re also not getting paid to invoice clients, market your business, or negotiate contracts; again, the higher rate should account for the fact that you’re working more hours than you’re billing for.
With all that in mind, I think it’s key for cubicle expats to define what “making more money” looks like to them. (You also need a business plan, but that’s a whole other blog post.) How much more do you want to take home? Do you consider it “making more money” if your take-home pay is the same as it was when you were a corporate drone but your billable + unpaid solo working hours now amount to less than 40 a week? (I do!) And how do flexibility, autonomy, and creative control rate? For me and many others, this trio is as critical if not more important than commerce.
Feel free to chime in if you’re making more (or less, or the same amount of) money now that you’re a solo artist or small business owner. What have been the high points? The rough spots? What have you learned? As always, inquiring minds want to know…
July 23rd, 2007
…Martha Early of EarlyGirl Designs, purveyor these amazing jewels. Here’s her tale of workplace woe, which she promises me is true.
I was a junior attorney at a slimy personal injury firm. The paralegals won a radio contest about why they wanted to throw their boss (the head attorney — biggest cheese of all) out of a plane at 20,000 feet. The prize was a free skydive for the boss. He acted all brave on the radio but told me in private that he was terrified of heights and I had to go in his place — or else. On the morning of the skydive he faked a back injury and I went. While being broadcast on the radio to the whole city, I crash-landed and sprained my ankle. He didn’t care.
Oh, the irony: A Personal Injury Legal Peon sustains an injury trying to save the (Wimpy) Big Cheese of Ambulance-Chasing from his own bodily harm. Priceless! Thanks for sharing, Martha, and have fun at BizJam. And thanks to everyone else who sent in their job horror stories.
June 7th, 2007
Check out this article on craftistas, mompreneurs, and Etsy. I thought I was reading Bust for a second, but no, it was the Seattle Times. Not that I’m complaining. Way to go, hometown paper!
May 29th, 2007
Nikki writes: I saw you mentioned that you’re working on an article about business plans. I’m working away on my business plan as we speak, and I’d love to read that article before I wrap up the final draft.
Nikki actually sent me this note last month, and the article is now out, in NAFE Magazine, published by the National Association for Female Executives. Sometimes they put the articles online, but this time they did not. It’s a no-no for me to run the article in its entirety here, but you can find it here. And here are some of the do’s and don’ts that didn’t make it into the online version:
Do…
- Flesh out everything but the executive summary of your plan first: the numbers, the competition, the industry trends. If you write the executive summary first, you wind up with a vaguer, weaker document.
- Toot your own horn. Don’t be afraid to promote yourself. It’s not bragging. Leaders list their achievements — plain and simple. Investors will want to see this.
- Be clear and concise. Ensure each section of your plan stays on topic. You want to make it easy for an investor or advisor who’s just skimming it to find the information they need.
- Obliterate all industry jargon from your plan. Likewise, nix all superlatives and adjectives. Prove you’re unique without having to come right out and say so.
Don’t…
- Say that you have no competition. Customers and investors won’t buy it. If there is nothing else like it out there, there probably isn’t a market for it, say the experts.
- Fudge the numbers or present only best-case financial scenarios. Use reliable numbers that are as recent as possible. Investors will challenge your numbers anyway, so you need to be able to defend them.
- Try to hide your weaknesses. Instead, include a “challenges that keep me awake at night” section in your plan to address the bigger hurdles — and your ideas for resolving them.
- Write a tome. If you’re writing a business plan for yourself (as opposed to investors), it can be as short as 10 pages. If you’re writing a plan for investors, keep it under 35 pages.
Some resources that can help with a business plan:
- SCORE.org. Free or low-cost business classes and one-on-one consulting throughout the U.S.
- The Planning Shop. All kinds of bestselling business planning books. They’re also the people behind TitleZ, a highly addictive site for us publishing types.
- Springboard Enterprises. A nonprofit that educates women on landing business funding. Great free resources on their site. (See the Learning Center section.)
- Venture Architects. A woman-owned consulting firm that helps those seeking financing write better business plans.
- Are business plans really evil? After you’ve read all the “rules” from the aforementioned experts, check out this take on more fluid, informal business planning from BootstrapMe — especially valuable if you’re not seeking any big fat financing.
[Tangential note: Nikki and I agreed that English majors should really take some business classes in college so we don’t have to play catch-up in our twenties and thirties and forties when we decide we want to work for ourselves.]
UPDATE: Since I first wrote this post, the article’s been posted online. You can read it here.
If you have a question you want the Cubicle Expat to answer, send it my way.
April 11th, 2007
Design*Sponge is offering independent designers a collection of handy-dandy business tip sheets on publicizing your work, dealing with the legal crap that comes up, setting prices, selling wholesale, selling online, manufacturing, packaging, and on and on and on. No charge. Just click and download. (Thanks to Boss Lady for pointing out this tiptastic treasure trove.)
February 24th, 2007
In 2001, Searah opened Early to Bed, Chicago’s first woman-owned, woman-friendly sex toy store. Since then, she’s launched an online store and has worked with many regional and national organizations to promote and support women’s health and sexual well-being. Searah is one of the dozens of cubicle expats featured in The Anti 9-to-5 Guide. Here’s what she has to say about fleeing the cube.
My story: In 2000, I decided that I never wanted to get up before 9 a.m. again, and I was sick of working in an office without a window or fresh air. The people were lovely, but the life drove me nuts. I tended to be the office go-to girl for advice about sex and sex toys, so — lacking any better ideas — I decided to start my own feminist sex shop and leave the safety of the office world behind.
Now, five (long) years later, I have learned to love (and sometimes loath) life off the beaten path, even though I pretty much did it all wrong. In the process, I’ve come up with a few ideas about how to do it right.
Turning my passion into a business: To become a “real businesswoman” I took a class at my local women’s business development center, thinking I was starting off on the right foot. And it didn’t hurt me, but it didn’t really help much, either. The class was full of others who wanted to be their own bosses but had no idea what business they wanted to pursue, and I realized early on that I had a passion for what I wanted to do. That was what started me out ahead of the game.
The learning curve: When I started researching my industry, I found almost no helpful information out there. I thought that I was independent and that I could hack it. But I don’t think that it ever hurts to take a business class or to talk to as many business owners as possible, even if they don’t do the same kind of work. I spent time (and money) in shops that were similar to the one that I wanted to start, and I used the web extensively to see what was going on in the industry. If you can find someone else who is willing to help you, use them! Lots of people love to talk about their businesses, and it never hurts to ask.
The dreaded money dilemma: Everything I read indicated that you really can’t start a retail business with less than $100,000. I had $0. But I did have good credit, which I now realize is so important, and I am super-fastidious about paying bills on time. Even though I was able to start my business on credit and loans from family and friends, I would not suggest that this is the best way. The best financial advice I could offer is that if you are unable to secure a big loan from a bank, it never hurts to mention to your friends and family that you need funding…and then see what happens. That said, I would never ask for or take money from any one person that can’t stand to lose it or to wait years for a payback. Once you get a business started, it eventually all comes down to money. You don’t have to be an accountant (although you should hire one), but you do have to keep on top of your finances every day.
How I ultimately made the leap: It wasn’t easy to find a place that would rent to a sex shop, especially since I hate talking to strangers and feared that they would say no. If I didn’t at least try, though, I knew that I would spend the rest of my life wondering “what if?” I had the support of my family and friends and partner, so even though I was doing this alone, I wasn’t without a support network, which I found essential. If those in my life who knew me the best weren’t there to support me, I don’t know if I would have taken the risk.
So I did it. I took the plunge and opened the doors to Early to Bed five years ago. Since then I have somehow made it work even though I started out with no experience and no money. Sure, I have cried at times and also made some stupid and expensive mistakes, but I loved what did before I even started, and my passion for helping people have happier sex lives has only grown. And…in the past five years, I haven’t once set my alarm before 9 a.m.
What’s that link again? Early to Bed, and yes, you can buy the store’s goodies online.
[posted by Traci Macnamara]
February 5th, 2007
Public figures come and go all the time. But losing Molly Ivins to breast cancer this week makes me especially sad. Women are still a big fat minority in the land of newspaper columns, syndicated or otherwise. Outspoken, uproarious, rabble-rousing, politically charged women who make fun of the president even more so. Here’s a lovely tribute that one of Molly’s editors wrote about her. ‘Bye, Molly. Thanks for your ability to inspire hope and laughter no matter how sucky things got.
February 1st, 2007
In honor of freelance tax day, here’s one more Q&A with my friend the CPA:
Me: Say, Friend the CPA, I’ve been meaning to ask you this last question for a while. On the rare instance that I forget to make one of my freelance quarterly tax payments, what will Uncle Sam do to me? I mean, not that I would ever forget to pay my taxes, but I’ve heard of (ahem) people doing this.
CPA pal: If you don’t have an employer who takes taxes out of your paycheck, the IRS requires you pay your estimated taxes quarterly. In other words, “forgetting” isn’t an option. If you fail to pay your estimated taxes one particular quarter, all-knowing Uncle Sam will swiftly charge you interest on any late payments (though he likes to use the term “penalty”).
Happily, if your income during a particular quarter is nil, you don’t have to make an estimated tax payment for that quarter. However, you would have to fill out a form to prove that you had a dip in income and attach said form to your tax return. Otherwise, the IRS will simply go ahead and charge you the interest/penalty anyway. I do these forms for clients from time to time. But be warned: This is one nasty-ass form, and without impeccable financial records, it’s tough to fill out. Capiche?
Me: Thank you, Friend the CPA. You are wise beyond your years.
January 16th, 2007
Next Posts
Previous Posts
