Searching for an Internship in the Animation Industry? Here’s How to Prepare

Internship application season is in full swing. If you’re trying to get your foot in the door of the animation industry, an internship can be an excellent way to do so! You can gain real-world experience and professional connections that you just can’t get from classes. Not sure where to start? Here’s a list of tips and tricks from SCAD professors, Career and Alumni Success, and industry professionals for how to perfect your internship search.

Finding an internship

Determine what you want to do and who you want to work for

It seems self-explanatory, but now is the time to reflect on your goals.

Do you want to work for a big production company? Or a smaller studio? Consider that smaller studios give you the opportunity to branch out and try different disciplines, but if you’re at a bigger studio, you’re likely going to be only focusing on your specific area. There’s no right or wrong answer, but it can be helpful to narrow down your search.

Finding job postings

LinkedIn, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and similar job search sites are excellent resources to keep in mind when searching for internship postings.

You can browse jobs and companies and narrow down your search to specific cities, or even to only remote internships. 

On LinkedIn, you can set job alerts in order to get notified if a company you’ve got your eye on posts a job. You can also opt into job recommendations on most job search sites, where you will be matched with jobs that fit your skills, experiences, and interests.

The best place to look for a job posting, for most companies, is the company’s website. Almost every animation studio will have a website with a careers page where they keep up-to-date job openings. Check back often, because sometimes postings come and go under the radar!

Once you find an internship posting, make sure you meet all of the qualifications. Most internships require that you’re a current full-time student or recent graduate.

NETWORK!

If you take only one thing away from this article, let it be this:

Network, network, network.

Having an expansive professional network greatly raises your chances at scoring a job in the animation industry (or any industry, for that matter). According to SCAD Career and Alumni Success, 85% of all jobs are filled via networking.

Maarten Lemmens, a full-time Feature Film Animator at DreamWorks Animation, confessed, “In the last year … I’ve been asked multiple times if I knew someone from college or a previous job that they were considering, and if I believed they would be a good fit.” (Source: Animation Magazine https://www.animationmagazine.net/2023/02/10-tips-for-your-career-quest-with-dreamworks-animator-maarten-lemmens/)

Even if your networking efforts don’t lead you to a job or internship offer now, you have a community of people you can go to for advice or any questions you may have about your future career.

Make a LinkedIn account. Connect with your classmates, your professors, your career advisor(s), recruiters, SCAD alumni, and coworkers if you have any. If you’re an alum, join SCAD’s alumni groups. Follow companies and industry leaders, which will help you stay informed.

Connecting with recruiters can make your application stand out. If you’ve already established a relationship with someone who makes hiring decisions at your target company, you’re no longer just a faceless applicant. 

Often companies will post about open positions on LinkedIn as well. Frequently checking your LinkedIn feed will put you ahead of the game in your internship search.

TIP: When connecting with a recruiter or someone you don’t know personally, add a personal note onto your connection! Briefly introduce yourself, tell them why you’re interested in them/their company, and ask permission to ask them for advice.

Sample message: Hello, I’m studying Sequential Art at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I recently read X article / your post about X / saw your internship posting / etc. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions about your career and any advice you can offer to someone getting started?

If you don’t get a response, don’t panic. Recruiters are extremely busy, and they get hundreds of messages every week, if not every day. If they don’t respond within three weeks, try a different contact, or follow up.

Preparing your application

Clean up your portfolio

Keep your portfolio and demo reel (if applicable) up to date, especially if you’re actively searching and applying for internships or jobs.

Include relevant classwork, personal projects, or work from a previous company if you’ve got any. However, make sure to keep in mind quality over quantity. The saying goes, “You’re only as good as your worst piece.” It’s not a great idea to include pieces from your foundations classes if it doesn’t align with the quality of work you’re putting out now.

Try to curate your work towards the studios you’re applying to. For example, character turnarounds meant for 3D animations are orthographic, while character turnarounds meant for 2D animations utilize proper perspective.

On the same note, make sure your portfolio is easy to navigate and lines up with industry standards. Talk with your professors and career advisor to make sure you’ve got what you need.

Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, and Adobe Portfolio are all suitable website builders, depending on your goals and budget. As long as your portfolio is clean, clear, and professional, it doesn’t matter what you use to create it. Buying your own personal domain is recommended, but isn’t required.

Put together your resume

Even if you don’t have a lot of experience, having a professional resume with consistent branding can make you stand out. Keep a consistent visual theme across your website, resume, cover letter, and business cards if you have any.

Include any part-time jobs, volunteer experience, or collaborative projects. List out your skills (technical and professional), including software proficiencies, and any awards and/or certifications. If you’ve worked on a senior film, you can list that as experience. If you have a personal project like a webcomic or zine project, you can include those as well.

If you don’t know where to start, you can work with your career advisor to start putting together your resume.

Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Adobe Illustrator, and Canva work well for making professional yet creative resumes. Look at others’ resumes for inspiration. Steal like an artist!

Here’s a PDF from SCAD Career and Alumi Success, which includes resume samples from SCAD Alumni from various majors:

Write a cover letter

Some internships will ask for a cover letter, but more frequently they aren’t required. Even if a cover letter is optional, it’s best practice to submit one anyway. A cover letter is an easy way to explain why you’d be a great fit at the company you’re applying to. It can set you ahead of other candidates and prove to a recruiter that you’re the best fit for the job.

Keep your cover letter to a single page and around 300-400 words. Introduce yourself and explain your previous experience and how you can utilize it during your internship. Also explain why you chose this specific company–don’t be afraid to butter them up a bit, but make sure you don’t just seem like a fan. For example, you can talk about their previous works or achievements and how they inspired you as a creator.

Here’s a PDF from SCAD Career and Alumi Success which goes more into detail on how to write an effective cover letter:

Double and triple check!

Once you’ve compiled all of your materials, double and triple check everything!

Make sure that your resume is correctly formatted and that the links in your PDF work. Make sure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes in your cover letter. Make sure all of your contact information is correct in your application! The last thing you want is for an interview request to bounce because you misspelled your email. 

Don’t get discouraged.

At the end of it all, if you don’t end up with an internship, that’s okay! An internship isn’t necessary for everyone’s professional development, and it won’t make or break your career.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Take the time to beef up your portfolio, maybe work on a personal project or two.

Take a deep breath. You got this! Happy internship hunting!

Extra resources and further reading:

Portfolio tips from Sony Pictures Animation – https://www.sonypicturesanimation.com/careers/portfolio-tips

Animation/VFX/Game Industry Job Posting Spreadsheet – https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eR2oAXOuflr8CZeGoz3JTrsgNj3KuefbdXJOmNtjEVM/edit#gid=0

List of Animation Job Posting Sites – http://animationmojo.com/services/job-listing-sites/ 

Cover Letter Tips from NPR – https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/02/27/502445571/hey-students-5-things-that-are-wrong-with-your-cover-letter 

Do’s & Don’ts for Networking with Recruiters – https://www.linkedin.com/posts/josh-fullmer_how-to-work-with-recruiters-ugcPost-7029110730012446720-Uq5i/

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The HoneyDripper is the Savannah College of Art and Design’s juried comics and illustration blog, dedicated to publishing, promoting, and showcasing the finest in student work.​