How to find good connections for a motion designer

Wonderul question for many motion designers. I'd like to share my own experience that may be not a solution, but rather a sharing of some thoughts.

We are stepping into a technically developped era, when everything is surrounded by advanced devices and interaction with digital services. Tech Startups, AI, Digital Entertainment, Video Conferencing. Continents are closer and closer. Cultures and languages are mixing and people understanding each other more easily. Especially if a realtime video translation already here. We can find faster interesting people and improve our possibilities to be involved in a collaboration, work and some projects. But instead due to high competition it turns into a painful fight ( Webby have some numbers, Original report is here). Where those most skilled 5-10% will win everything and others will be searching for less tasty bits of earnings. The most skilled are having respect in communities also. More likes, more friends, connections. But all depends. I've seen many instagram accounts where shown tough motion graphics videos but there's something close to 1k of subscribers. Nice contrast to 100k+ subs for a common popular beauty blogger. Tastes are different, I know. Probablly it all depends on the number of social groups interested in such topics. If the topic is deep, then obviously less number of viewers will be in this group. It all leads to importance of social presence. But if there's a society of tech advanced folks, that don't buy showoffs and just want to chill in small chats, discussing some fun stuff.

Sharing

Motion graphics community is already a formed society and a whole new world with fractured groups. It's possible to find friends in various circles, where you understand what to chat about. Skill sharing, attending motion events, commenting animation posts, etc is essential part of motion designer's work or life. Even if you don't learn directly some tricks, you may learn more by talking about some particular projects and may find helpful information during discussion. Also it helps to set your mind on new achievements, if there are someone who has made something cool, then you make it believable in your mind. But if you didn't knew about it — most probably you could never try it. Skilled people are typically willing to share some valuable info just for free, it doesn't cost much for them. The same way you do. And later someone who got some valuable information from you can help you too.

Communities

I'll not post links on different motion design communities intentionally, because it's a massive resources of information. It's important to know the direction and interests you're planning to learn and develop during the next few months before you dive into some of these social profiles, groups and chats. Imagine a needle and how it dives into the cloth. The same way you do when you learn something. So in order to connect two pieces of cloth it's needed to put pressure, in a smallest area with the needle that leads a thread, fixing and tightening the cloth. Each loop of this thread is sewing the cloth stronger little by little. Instead of jumping with the needle in different directions, you have to do a systematic, repeatable action — connecting pieces together. Connecting with people on some particular subject. Networking is a time consuming process, that's why it's so important that you can bring something interesting to another party of the chat. Weak connection is useless, that's why this activity is important and valuable, when you're using the right approach +spending some time consistently on this.

Small task for you, dear reader: Write down your strongest 2-3 skills and search for communities related to these skills. Select the best to your taste one or two communities and share in comments.

Possibilities

Helpful resources are everywhere. But true helpfulness is estimated uniquely for each one personally. Levels are different, especially if we measure overall the ability to do motion graphics. But if we will take some particular area, it's already much clearer to see what you know and willing to know (to ask). Instead of laying the ladder horizontally, you will set it vertically and will see much more by elevating higher in some particular point. It's needed more time to elevate, but at least it will be more complete look onto the subject. Something more to discuss with someone experienced. More to learn.

Clarity

Inconsistency in topics is also an education. When you looking for different things, trying and estimating the outcome. But very common it's an estimation of a failure. It's a normal process too, just needed to set clear questions and find answers. Good question it's a half of the answer or more correctly “understanding a question is half an answer" — Socrates.

Why it matters

Making connections related to the questions you've set is much more stronger move than connecting with random cool professionals that are famous by their works. You're not valuable for such professionals. Setting goals, questions and milestones is your job, and it affects your surrounding. It forms your working experience and your life. Setting clear goals and clear questions removes that necessity of removing unwanted habits. You just seeing less noise, while you're rushing towards your goal. After making necessary progress in some field and answering your own question you'll be able to answer someone's question “Why did you do this for so long?”. I was doing this to find the answer on my question: “X”.

Story from the past

When I was choosing between coding and animation, I've chose the animation and visual effects, because it was looking cooler, more creative to me. And frankly speaking, it was easier for me, than a precise science, mathematics, machine languages. It was a time of the first Matrix film. Visual effects were looking much cooler than hacking and coding. This film have set the ground for a whole cultural layer. 25 year old technologies and visual effects even now are looking insane for most contemporary motion designers. How it was possible to do such things. The answer is behind the scenes of creation of this film. But highest professionals, big budgets, focused project goals makes it all happen. If we don't have it alltogether, it's needed to aim at something. Clear goals - wonderful. Skills - not bad. Let's make it all focused into one project - may work or not. In any case it leads to an experience. If you have an experience you will have an Ace in your cards while connecting with someone. The card that may suprise an opponent and can help you win some jobs. With jobs you will have more budgets, but not for a car. For new experiences and new Aces. We are not living in a perfect world, but here is one possible route (probably among some others, which I don't know) for a motion designer to grow, earn more and be more confident with projects.

No panic

Don't start with big projects. Deconstruct them into smaller parts or ask for a help if it's possible. The task is not for impressing with an amount, but with mastering the quality and craft by your own. To have a happiness by accomplishing these goals and projects. To have a passion to share this with someone and grab likes. To bring the inspiration and lead the community. That way making connections will be taking less time after each effective realization of your “clear goal” set for every Motion day.

To summarize I'd like to write that everyone has it's own path and possibilities, but it's all really important to see the landscape, before you start moving. Raise you head gorgeously and define first steps. There's a long journey ahead.