Animation Happy Hour

By Garrett Lewis, Katie Low, Ben Girmann

Arts TV & Film Visual Arts

What's Animation Happy Hour about?

Animation Happy Hour is a monthly podcast hosted by three feature film animators - Garrett Lewis, Katie Low, and Ben Girmann. Our podcast mission is to provide practical advice for students, job-seekers, and animation enthusiasts on how to break into all aspects of the animation industry.

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Animation Happy Hour episodes:

01.01.2022
Episode 20 - Day In The Life: Layout/Previz Artist (Part 1)
We are honored to have had the opportunity to sit down with two incredible Disney artists, Dorian @layoutsketches and Rocco, to talk about all things Layout and Previz. This is a crucial, and often underrepresented step in the pipeline that...
12.01.2021
#19 - Dealing With Feedback
Feedback and critiques are essential in the creative world, but that doesn't mean giving or receiving it is easy. Everyone, from seasoned professionals to first-year students, has to grapple with this aspect of our jobs, but you don't have to...
11.01.2021
#18 - Top 5 Bad Habit and How To Avoid Them!
Garrett, Katie, and Ben have a light and lengthy conversation about the various ways that bad habits can creep into our work lives. Our hosts not only give advice on what to watch out for as you pursue your career...
06.01.2021
#17 - Day In The Life: Stop Motion Animator
In episode 17, we dive into the world of stop motion animation! Our special guest Dan MacKenzie @mackmation draws upon his years of experience in feature film, TV, advertising, and more to give us a picture of what life as...
05.01.2021
#16 - Day In The Life: Storyboard Artist
Storyboards are one of the earliest and most integral elements in an animation pipeline, and we have the pleasure of chatting with a couple industry superstars who have extensive experience storyboarding in both TV and feature film. Natalie Nourigat and...
04.01.2021
#15 - What Level Animator Are You?
Assessing yourself as an artist can be difficult. In episode 15, we cover some practical ways to objectively evaluate where you are in your journey from new student to seasoned professional, and provide tips on how to advance to the...
03.01.2021
#14 - Top 10 Tips For Your First Job!
Are you nervous about transitioning from school to the professional world? Do you feel overwhelmed or confused when you hear words like 401k, contracts, benefits, etc? Are you nervous about not landing your dream job right out of school, or...
11.01.2020
#13 - Work Life Balance
Can I work in the animation industry and have a normal life? What if I want to have a family? Is the industry all just all-nighters and unpaid overtime? We are pleased to announce that in episode 13, we sit...
10.01.2020
#12 - Day In The Life: Production Management
We're starting off our Day in the Life series with a bang! Production management professionals are intricately involved with every single step of the pipeline, from initial development all the way to image finaling and marketing, so we could not...
09.01.2020
#11 - Which Job in CG Feature Animation Is Right for You?
In episode 11, we sit down and give an overview of the entire CG pipeline. Sip on a glass of pipe-wine and find out where you fit in! Check out our detailed show-notes here: https://www.animationhappyhour.com/new-blog/o1l2xx0837oih5jtyr8428uy7hrjxb Support Animation Happy Hour by donating to...
08.01.2020
#10 - Is Art School Worth It?
Are online schools better than brick and mortar schools? Is art school worth the money? In episode 10 we sit down with animators Laura Han and Joe Holmark and compare all of the options. Check out our detailed show-notes here: https://www.animationhappyhour.com/new-blog/episode-10-is-art-school-worth-it Support...
07.01.2020
#9 - Quarantine Q&A
Does the animation industry suck? How do you “practice” animating? What is life like in LA? In Episode 9 - Quarantine Q&A;, we sit down and answer fifteen of our listeners’ top questions. Check out our detailed show-notes here: https://www.animationhappyhour.com/new-blog/episode-9-quarantine-qampa Support Animation Happy...
06.01.2020
#8 - Let's Talk Money
In Episode 8, we tackle one of the industry’s most delicate subjects. Listen and learn about student loans, wage negotiation, and more! Disclaimer that we aren’t financial experts, but we aim to share the knowledge we have acquired over the...
05.01.2020
#7 - Applying to Jobs
In Episode 7 of the Animation Happy Hour, Garrett, Katie, and Ben cover the ins and outs of applying to jobs! We discuss everything from networking, cover letters/resumes, interviews, negotiations, and more! We know this task can seem...
04.01.2020
#6 - Indie Content & Going Viral
In Episode 6 of the Animation Happy Hour, we sit down with Josh Slice, feature film animator and creator of the viral YouTube series Lucas The Spider! We talk about independent content, making money outside the studio system, and...
03.01.2020
#5 - Setbacks and Rejections
In Episode 5, we discuss the setbacks and rejections we have experienced throughout our careers. We emphasize that rough periods which feel like failures in the moment can turn out to be temporary setbacks in the long run. Check out...
02.01.2020
#4 - Demo Reels with Guillermo Careaga
In Episode 4, we interview DreamWorks lead animator Guillermo Careaga about his top 10 tips for animation demo reels. We cover a wide range of questions pertaining to demo reels including: Does it matter what rig I use in...
12.21.2019
#3 - Visas and Working Abroad with Paula Benedicto Martinez
in Episode 3, we interview Paula Benedicto Martinez, a feature film animator from Spain. We discuss moving to the US for the Walt Disney Animation Studios Apprentice Program, visas, Paula’s workflow and the best advice she’s ever received. Check...
12.21.2019
#2 - Things We Wish We Knew in School
In Episode 2, We discuss the top ten things that we wish we knew when we were in animation school. Topics covered include: specialization, on-campus recruiting, personal finance, CTN Animation Expo, and more. Check out the detailed show notes for...
12.21.2019
#1 - What is The Animation Happy Hour?
In our very first episode of the Animation Happy Hour podcast, our three hosts Garrett Lewis, Katie Low, and Ben Girmann introduce the mission of the podcast, and discuss future episodes, our backgrounds, and why we love working in animation....