First, I want to congratulate you all on pulling through 2016, possibly one of the most chaotic, tragic years for humanity in a long while, and I hope you've set some great resolutions that you're willing to 'resolve' over the next 12 months. Feel free to share them in Tracey's thread if you haven't already! With 2017 upon us, I feel there's no better time to re-share this video by Creavite and speech by Ira Glass. The video was originally made in light of 2015, but nevertheless applies to anyone any year. If you're new to animating or perhaps struggling with motivation and understanding the stress that sometimes comes with creative work, you'll especially find this enlightening. If you guys know any other inspirational videos for beginners and that could help boost the community this year, feel free to share them below! Happy New Year everyone! :)
For anyone else going through the stupid thing where the video pauses at 0:36, here's the rest of the quote: Spoiler “Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.” Sauce: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/309485-nobody-tells-this-to-people-who-are-beginners-i-wish This is so true in all aspects of my life, by the way xD Ira Glass is genius, haha. I was so pumped about playing the flute when I was in elementary school 'cause I wanted to be a pretty princess that brings in animated animals to my windowsill with my amazing flute skillz. After like 2 days of 'practicing', I couldn't produce any sound, except spit everywhere xD. I cried SO HARD and I even wanted to QUIT. This either could've meant "maybe I'm not meant for the flute" or "I need to try something different/I should ask for help/I can't give up just yet." It's all about perspective and your drive (which I believe Glass is referring to as "taste"). I think the personal deadline bit is important -- I actually like giving myself deadlines, so I'm more likely to finish something xD But in turn, I rarely set them in the first place LOL
