39 Animation & Visual Effects
Animation & Visual Effects. Is It the Right Career For You?
On this episode of the Unboxing Careers Podcast, Greg Zakowicz unboxes a career in video effects and animation with Matt Galuppo
Guest: Matt Galuppo is currently the Chair of Media Arts at New York Film Academy's LA Campus. He has been working in entertainment for over 10 years, beginning his career as an intern on Inception. From there, he worked on a dozen or so films including The Amazing Spider-Man II, Warcraft, Poltergeist, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Spots he produced have garnered hundreds of millions of views and earned American Advertising Award and Muse Creative Award, among others. As a copywriter, he has worked on Superbowl spots for brands like Verizon, Microsoft, and the NFL. Matt recently began his TV career selling animated pilots to COMEDY CENTRAL and SYFY.
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A Deep Dive Into the Career in Video Effects and Animation
If you’ve ever dreamed of working on the next big animated series or creating jaw-dropping visual effects in blockbuster movies, you’re not alone. But how do you actually start a career in animation or visual effects (VFX)? And what skills and knowledge do you need to succeed?
To answer that, we spoke with Matt Galuppo, Chair of Media Arts at the New York Film Academy and a seasoned Animation and VFX Supervisor with credits spanning from Inception to Avengers 2 to preschool hits like Tab Time. Here’s a deep dive into the world of animation and VFX—what it takes to break in, what the work really looks like, and how to build a career that lasts.
The Unusual Paths That Lead to Animation and VFX
There’s no traditional route into this industry, and that’s both a challenge and a benefit. Matt Galuppo began his career as a scenic carpenter with a background in theater, which gave him hands-on experience with set construction and electrical work. His first industry job was building miniature sets for Inception. This led him to interact with visual effects artists, whose comfortable working conditions and creative output caught his attention. This experience demonstrates how varied paths can lead into animation and VFX. Whether through theater, graphic design, traditional filmmaking, or even carpentry, there are valuable transferrable skills that can help you break in.
Others enter through more direct means, such as a degree in animation, game design, or visual effects. Still others are completely self-taught, using platforms like YouTube and online learning hubs to develop their skills. With such diversity in backgrounds, the common thread becomes passion, persistence, and a willingness to adapt and learn.
Core Skills You Absolutely Need
To build a lasting career in animation and visual effects, Matt identifies several core competencies:
Visualization: The ability to take an idea and visually represent it with clarity and impact. This includes understanding composition, lighting, motion, and storytelling.
Speed and Specificity: Professionals must work quickly and accurately. Translating vague feedback into meaningful changes under deadlines is an essential skill.
Understanding the Pipeline: Whether you're a modeler, rigger, or animator, knowing how your work fits into the larger production pipeline helps prevent bottlenecks and enhances collaboration.
Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with industry tools is key. For beginners, Blender and Unreal Engine are free, powerful, and widely respected. As you grow, knowledge of Maya, Adobe After Effects, Toon Boom, and Fusion becomes increasingly valuable.
Soft Skills: Communication, collaboration, and the ability to receive feedback gracefully are just as critical as technical ability.
Matt stresses that developing these skills requires consistent practice, feedback, and curiosity. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about learning and improving over time.
Tools of the Trade: What Software Should You Learn?
Matt recommends starting with the following software:
Blender: A free and open-source 3D suite that's perfect for learning modeling, rigging, animation, and rendering.
Unreal Engine: A real-time engine useful not only in game development but increasingly in animation and virtual production.
Autodesk Maya: Still a standard tool in many studios for character animation, modeling, and visual effects.
Adobe After Effects and Toon Boom: Ideal for motion graphics and 2D animation.
Blackmagic Fusion: A strong node-based compositing tool.
The best way to decide which software to pursue is to try them. See what excites you, then go deep. Matt reminds aspiring professionals that mastery of one tool can give you the confidence and framework to learn others as your career grows.
What the Work Looks Like
Work in animation and VFX varies greatly by project and role. Most positions are contract-based, ranging from a few weeks on a commercial project to a year or more on a television series or feature film. Even when contracts are long, there's usually no guarantee of renewal.
Matt explains that many artists work remotely, especially since the pandemic. You often connect to studio machines from home and collaborate via Slack, Zoom, or proprietary systems. New artists go through onboarding to learn internal workflows before being assigned shots. Projects can include anything from animating characters to refining lighting and textures. Collaboration is key, as your work often builds on the work of others.
The job can be fast-paced, requiring attention to detail and the ability to act on feedback quickly. But it can also be highly rewarding, especially when you see your work come to life on screen.
Breaking Into the Industry: Getting Your First Job
Landing your first job can be the biggest hurdle. Here are Matt’s top tips:
Create a strong demo reel – Focus on one specialty (modeling, animation, compositing, etc.) and include 30–60 seconds of your best, most polished work.
Network constantly – Join groups like Women in Animation, The Creator Society, and attend local or virtual events. Reach out to professionals for feedback, not just job requests.
Be the best X among the Ys – Having an unusual combination of skills (e.g., animation plus lighting, or storytelling plus tech skills) can help you stand out.
Follow up – Many opportunities come not from cold applications but from people remembering your name when a spot opens.
Don't be afraid of small gigs – Independent projects or brand work can build your reel and your reputation.
Persistence, curiosity, and professional etiquette are often what separate new hires from those who don’t get callbacks.
Challenges You Should Expect
This career path is not without hurdles. Matt outlines several common challenges:
Uncertainty – Most roles are contract-based. You have to constantly prepare for the next opportunity.
Creative Frustration – The process isn’t always linear. You might explore many directions only to land on your first idea.
High Competition – Many talented people want to do this work. It takes more than skill—you need resilience and visibility.
Income Instability – Until you’re established, it’s common to supplement income with teaching, freelance, or side projects.
Being comfortable with ambiguity and staying emotionally grounded are vital. Over time, many artists diversify their skills and take on leadership or entrepreneurial roles to stabilize their careers.
Why People Stay: The Rewards
Despite the challenges, the field is deeply rewarding. The joy of seeing your work on screen—especially when it entertains, educates, or moves someone—is hard to describe. Animation and VFX also offer constant learning opportunities. As new tools and methods emerge, you’re always growing.
Matt also finds fulfillment in teaching and mentoring. Many of his current crew members are former students. Helping others start their careers adds meaning to his own.
For many artists, the rewards are about more than money. They’re about storytelling, creativity, collaboration, and the magic of seeing imagination become reality.
Educational Paths: What’s Right for You?
How do you decide between a four-year university, a trade school, or a self-taught approach? Here are some key considerations:
Four-Year Degree – Offers structure, liberal arts education, and community. Great if you value writing, ethics, and communication in addition to technical skill.
Trade or Specialty School – Focused, practical, and career-oriented. Good for those who thrive in intensive, project-based environments.
Self-Taught – Cheapest and fastest if you're disciplined and resourceful. Requires strong motivation, networking, and self-critique.
Matt suggests setting a time limit for exploration. For example, give yourself six months to test your interest using free tools like Blender or Unreal. Build a project. Evaluate how it felt.
Ultimately, what matters is your curiosity, your ability to finish projects, and your resilience when things don’t go according to plan.
Final Advice for High School Students
If you're in high school and curious about animation or VFX:
Start now – Download Blender or Unreal Engine. Try to animate something simple, like a bouncing ball or walking cube.
Keep it short – Start with 240 frames or less. Focus on movement and expression, not perfection.
Fail fast – Make lots of bad work. Don’t get hung up on perfection. Just keep creating.
Follow your curiosity – If the process is fun, that’s a strong sign this career might be for you.
The most important thing isn’t whether your early work is amazing. It’s whether you love the act of bringing something to life.
Animation and VFX are competitive, chaotic, and incredibly fulfilling. If you’re ready to be creative, resilient, and always learning, there may just be a place for you in this exciting field.
Takeaways For Those Interested in a Career as in VFX
He transitioned from scenic carpentry to visual effects.
The visual effects industry is relatively new, making traditional career paths less defined.
Education can play a significant role in entering the animation and visual effects field.
Networking is crucial, especially in a freelance-heavy industry.
Survivorship bias can affect the advice given by successful professionals.
Creativity is essential not just in work but also in job searching.
Building a demo reel and gaining feedback is vital for aspiring artists.
Independent projects can be a good way to gain experience before applying to big studios.
The industry is currently facing challenges due to strikes and the impact of AI.
Location matters for certain roles in animation.
The animation industry is highly competitive.
Expect to supplement your income initially.
Visualization is a crucial skill for animators.
Comfort with uncertainty is necessary in the industry.
Failing fast is part of the learning process.
Experiment with different animation tools.
Education in the humanities is valuable for creative careers.
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