It is a common sight today to see a very bright employee feeling stifled when they are working a full time job, and the same problem applies to animators as well. Projects are heavy and leave little to no time for self-development and enjoyment at times. Being an animator is exciting because you get to create life and excitement into characters and scenes, but it can easily feel frustrating when a project is over and the animation studio has to let you go when your work is done.
Before you jump ship and begin your freelance business though, it is important to know what you will eventually experience when you get there. There are plenty of benefits and drawbacks, and the decision is life-changing in many ways – but it is not impossible to achieve. Here are some benefits of freelance animators.
You can choose the projects you want to work on and clients you want to work with
Freedom is a major element of why many animators want to go freelance because they have a chance to do their own thing without experiencing job restrictions. You can choose the jobs you like doing, as well as take your interests and strengths into account to get more clients along the way.
Along with this, you also have the advantage of working the hours you want, as well as where you want, while adjusting it according to your needs. You are free to choose your own business hours, and these can even fall outside regular business hours when you might be at your most productive.
Work in whatever location you want
If you are the type of person that wants to shake some things up when designing your work environment, or whether you prefer a consistent spot, you are free to do whatever you want when you become a freelance animator. This is helpful because sometimes you may need to work in a co-working space to get new clients or boost your productivity, and you do not want to be bogged down by an organization’s rules that stipulate where you can and cannot operate.
Improves your work-life balance
While being a salaried employee is great, there are many who complain that they lack a proper balance between work and life. However, the case is different for many freelancers, who regularly speak of the better work-life balance they have since they employed themselves.
This is mainly because you get to schedule your own working hours, which allows you to do other things when you are not on the job. In many ways, this is better than adhering to very strict schedules that a manager or a company gives and leaves you with little time to do anything else.
Not spending money on commutes
Many may not know it, but commuting can quickly become an expensive affair, in addition to being stressful and aggravating. It is not surprising then that plenty of freelancers – 60% according to a recent study – enjoy the fact that they are not dealing with daily traffic and annoying commuters on trains or buses. This ultimately reduces their travel costs, and they will not need to delay getting to work when they need to.
Promotion of self-development
In order to be successful as a freelance animator, it takes plenty of discipline – so see this as a chance to promote your own self-development as you gain experience in the job. Even though a salaried animator can still achieve this, the motivation is higher when you know your income depends on it.
In addition, a freelance animator has plenty of opportunities to pick up new skills, even if it does not relate directly to what they do. For instance, you might eventually improve your communication skills, as well as the personal organization and time management skills.
These points will show you that there are plenty of benefits when you decide to be a freelance animator, so give it a chance if you can find freelance animator jobs at Dormzi. With that in mind, do not get into it blindly. Take the time to build a solid client base, invest your time in networking, and have an emergency fund you can rely on for some time as you build your freelance business.
