About Animation Guide: What about those just considering starting in animation? Any educational or career advice, memorable lessons, etc?
Willi: Read, learn, look around you, draw, imagine, play "what if," and most of all...live and notice the little things. After all, that's what you're trying to recreate. Even the untrained eye of the casual audience can sense when something's not right with movement, or the details are just not what they normally experience. It may not be anything they can put their finger on, but it may translate in them not liking the production for reasons they cannot explain. So, pay attention to the details if the schedule allows.
From a professional point of view, remember that it's not as easy to break into animation as some other professions (you can always fall back on digging ditches or flipping burgers). It really is an interesting way to make a living and there are a lot of new people trying to get in all the time. You have to really make up your mind that it's what you want to do and then work harder than you've ever worked to make yourself stand out. Keep the end goal in mind at all times.
Look out for animation or modeling work that may be slightly different than what you had in mind in the first place (unless working for Pixar really is the only thing you want to do). Trust me, animation is enjoyable no matter what the project is.
Try to track down a copy of "The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation" by Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. It's considered one of the bibles of 2d animation. I got a lot of mileage from my copy.
And last, but most important of all, keep in mind that it doesn't matter if you're the most talented artist in the entire school, or that you have the best equipment money can buy. You really are only as good as your reputation says you are. It sounds corny, but it boils down to making your client or boss look good to his/her client or boss. Period.
About Animation Guide: Do you ever appear at conferences? What animation events and conferences would you recommend?
Willi: Siggraph is the biggie in my book and a great place to network, which I'm a fan of doing.
About Animation Guide: Can we find you in print or on the web?
Willi: I have a lot of my work featured on my website (www.williw.com). Other than that, I've done a ton of web site and Flash creation, which is all over the internet.
Besides video, a lot of my 3D work is featured in brochures and posters, especially in trade shows where product demonstration comes into play.
About Animation Guide: What, in your opinion, is the most important thing for an (aspiring) animator to remember?
Willi: Persistence.
It's a challenging field to break into but it's not impossible. Persistence and patience will get you a job where even a much more talented, but impatient, artist will quit and get into selling real estate.
About Animation Guide: Tell us your best story about working in the animation industry. Willi: There is a well known condom manufacturer that approached a video production company I used to work for to do a small video project. The producer on this project had me create a small--I think it was about 5 seconds--animation that would then freeze and hold on the last frame.
This animation featured a condom, with eyes and a mouth, that went from a slightly slouched position, to a...er...stand-at-attention-stance (you get the picture). While this happened, "Condom Man," as I called him, would smile really wide, happy and proud.
Well, it probably doesn't take too much imagination to realize that"Condom Man" ended up on the cutting room floor.
