Wanna join P.A. Works? Part 3
Part 2 in previous post.
This better be readable! Decided to do this early before I lose momentum, and forgive me for changing all the pronouns in the answers (with one exception) to "We", P.A. Works is not The Borg, alright?
Disclaimer: This translation has not been edited/proofread/anything, for best results please learn Japanese and refer to the original.
The following information might be a bit outdated. Sections originally in green (rendered in italics for this translation) were questions asked at a company briefing for applicants held in 2006.
About the company
Q How is the assignment of key and in-between animation [to each person] decided?
A The schedule for in-between animation is decided in a short span of time, so it's common to take that person's stamina into consideration and allocate in such a way that the schedule can be followed. Our company's key animators have their individual targets for skill levels and income, so we ask them what parts they would like to do.
Q Please tell us what are the conditions required for becoming a key animator at P.A. Works.
A 1. Draw 500 sheets of in-between animation per month, 3 months in a row.
2. Do in-between animation for one year, inclusive of training time. During this period you will look at many key animations, even one cut more if possible, and understand what sort of key animations are made with in-betweening in mind.
3. Complete and show a key animation task that is given out once a month.
The animation chief (sakuga chief) will make a decision based on the overall results of 1, 2, and 3.
Q Are there pathways for moving, in the future, from animation into other sections, like 3D and digital processing?
A Yes. We believe in the course of working you would start seeing what you eventually hope to express in animation. However, at P.A. Works you will only be able to do this once you have made the best possible use of your experience as an animator. After which we look at your disposition. For example, there are some animators aiming to be technical directors (enshutsu) in the future.
Q Are the utility bills for the dorm supposed to be paid in monthly instalments?
A Yes. Water bills and internet usage fees are counted under common maintainence fees. Electricity and gas bills are paid per room.
Q What is the gender ratio for animators?
A Currently our ratio of males to females is 3:4. (2006/04)
Q Is stationary (pencils etc.) provided by the company?
A No. We require animators to purchase them themselves. The company buys wholesale, and you buy by contributing to the animation department's piggy bank just for the amount you will be using.
When the piggy bank gets full, the animation department holds a discussion and uses the money to buy DVDs or books.
Q What future projects are slated? Is it only Production I.G. and Bones-line stuff?
A We choose projects based on a number of criteria:
1. The reliability of the client, content of the work and production budget
2. The status of P.A. Works' production line
3. How many creators are there who genuinely think they want to make that show
4. Is it suitable for nurturing our animators
5. Do I want to make it
Above all, our number one aim is for our own work to be produced at a stable quality. We are currently shaping our workplace to be conducive for that.
Q Why do you aim for the training of almighty professional key-animators?
A Firstly this is to respond to the needs of animation direction. Another would be to extend the career length of the animator. It is said that a key animator's career length is about as long as a professional baseball players'. The animators who are still in the frontlines energetically drawing even past the age of 40 are the animators who, when they were young, posessed speed and stamina that allowed them to draw anything that came their way. When you develop a bias as to what to draw, or simply can't cover enough, your choice of work to accept gets reduced. Like so, your career length as an animator is shortened.
[Note: The question specifically phrases it as almighty (in english) shokunin gengaman - shokunin being reserved for real artisans, serious undertakers of a craft]
Q Is the making of theatrical features possible at P.A. Works?
A We do not think that making something of movie quality is divorced from reality. There are pros and cons to making feature-length animation.
In order to make rich feature-level visuals it takes time no matter what. For animators with little experience, I think it's better for them to build up experience with TV series where they see the result of their work very quickly. There's a spirit of playfulness/experimentation. At such a stage we cannot approve of participation in huge projects that can take more than two years. When you've found, by your own strength, a theme in animation that you can't express without setting aside a good amount of time, then by all means join in and flex your muscles to your heart's content. We think this should ideally be experienced in one's 20s.
Q What are the employment conditions when you've become a key animator?
A If you've become able to consistently do around 40 cuts of key animation per month, you will be considered for eligibility as a formal company employee. You will get fixed pay and various types of insurance. When just starting out as a key animator, it is difficult to produce sufficient quantity of work, so we will rely on piece rates parallel to in-between work. The rate for TV series key animation is around 3,500~4000 yen per scene. The aim is to do 50 cuts a month within one year of becoming a key animator. It is a field that depends on talent, so there more personal allowances made compared to in-between work.
Q The digital processing department is just nearby, but are their facilities used when drawing animation?
A They are used when conducting line tests (motion checks) for key animation. (Using CoreRetas)
Q Your employment conditions and remuneration for in-between animators seem pretty good compared to the industry in general...
A It is not becoming of us to say this, but we are trying very hard for a company our size. What P.A. Works requires is key animators. It may invite misunderstanding, but we do not think of in-between work as anything but a preemptive investment for nurturing key animators. The industry is becoming increasingly reliant on overseas resources for in-between work with respect to speed, quantity and unit prices. It impossible to put a stop to. We believe that the only way for Japanese animation to survive is to keep passing down a diverse range of expression in key animation. We are trying hard with regards to conditions because we believe in the huge possibilities of a company our size training animators in a rural area.
About the animation industry
Q Do animators work on multiple projects at one given time?
A Yes. However, for key animation we believe there is a greater feeling of completion and sense of participation when efforts are focused on doing multiple cuts in one project, so the production team usually places such controls when distributing work.
Q Are there pro in-betweeners?
A There are many in the animation industry. At P.A. Works we declare "We are not looking for professional in-betweeners". The current situation in the industry is that 90% of in-between works get sent overseas. Animators must be able to survive in such a situation. This is why we would like [our animators] to become key-animators within 2 years. One more thing, though this varies depending on the project, someone considered above-average would do 500 drawings a month, at most around 800. When paid by piece rate, it is ridiculously difficult for an in-betweener to earn above 200,000yen a month. One would hope to become a key animator and aim for a higher salary than that.
Q What's the schedules like for key and in-between animation for TV series?
A On average, key animation is given a month after the animation meeting (sakuga uchiawase). In-between animation is not done after all the key animations are completed, but as they come after the key animations have passed through the technical director (enshutsu) and animation supervisor. Ultimately the schedule for in-betweens could be, from the completion of the final key animation to completion of the final in-between, anywhere from 1 week to 10 days.
Q How many key animators are there in the industry?
A It feels like 2000. There's about 500 you could call professional, perhaps. Movie-capable animators, there aren't even 100 of.
Q What's behind people who quit immediately, aside from the reason of not being able to eat?
A They are people who want "their own time". If you're simply aware of the idea that it's "your own time" when you are drawing, without thinking it an obvious thing, then you cannot continue on. Basically if you don't like it you can't continue.
Q What's the difficulties in training animators in Tokyo?
A It isn't with regards to the animators. It's with regards to the company.
There is a tendency for key animators to go freelance at an early stage before they've become true professionals. From the viewpoint of a company, this is akin to investing in and nurturing in 2nd-tier players in baseball, and then being told that they're going freelance just as you've registered them as 1st-tier players. It's not like nobody understands the way they feel. It's only natural for animators to have things they want to draw. There's all sorts of reasons such as: the studio's inclinations are mostly decided, and if I stay here I won't be able to draw what I want, or there's animation supervisors and directors I'd like to work with that are in other studios. You're missing one or two zeroes from the salaries of baseball players anyway, so you'd do what you want. We do not deny this feeling. But while this state of affairs continued, the company puts in less and less effort into training proper staff. This is the reason behind the difficulties in training.
In order to keep producing good works, it is necessary to have a stable working environment, and the "workplace fever" of having a great crowd "gathered" to participate in creating something. It is our ideal future for 70% of a single project at P.A. Works to be taken up by [our own] proper animators. We are exploring how to make it a workplace that is continually the type that creators want to be a part of. What we understand is that rather than the company pre-arranging the workplace as such, if it excites the potential of its in-house creators, the creators will shape it into such a workplace with their own hands.
Q Is it easy to become a freelance key animator?
A It is not something we are in favour of, but there are so many projects out there, so it's a seller's market for key animators. You will still get a job even if you aren't that good. However, we cannot recommend working from home during one's growth period. Guys, even if you go freelance, please go into the studio and try to take a leaf out of the way good key animators get the job done, and the pace of their work.
Rent is high in Tokyo, so it's not like a drawing desk can be provided to just any old freelance key animator. At the very least, please get to the level where people say they'll get a desk out for you, and then think of going freelance.
Q Is it better for animators to be able to draw anything and everything?
A Of course. Animators that can draw anything can respond to a wider range of director demands. They can stay in the job longer, too. Being able to fulfill the needs of the direction, and figuring out ways of coming up with 2D expression is what motivates superior animators.
And that's it for the FAQ. Remember, it's from like 3 years ago... but from what I've read casually even up till recently, I don't think things have changed that much for animators (yet). Here's hoping they do, and in a positive direction, thank you very much. (Oh, but things have changed for P.A. Works haven't they? Getting to do their own anime and all that. Wonder how much of their vision they've accomplished?)
Somebody remind me to do that Coil book, arrrrrrgh (it really IS very interesting, I'm just such a lazy s- oh what the hell, I'm taking the book out and leaving it right here on the scanner. HMPH.)
This better be readable! Decided to do this early before I lose momentum, and forgive me for changing all the pronouns in the answers (with one exception) to "We", P.A. Works is not The Borg, alright?
Disclaimer: This translation has not been edited/proofread/anything, for best results please learn Japanese and refer to the original.
The following information might be a bit outdated. Sections originally in green (rendered in italics for this translation) were questions asked at a company briefing for applicants held in 2006.
About the company
Q How is the assignment of key and in-between animation [to each person] decided?
A The schedule for in-between animation is decided in a short span of time, so it's common to take that person's stamina into consideration and allocate in such a way that the schedule can be followed. Our company's key animators have their individual targets for skill levels and income, so we ask them what parts they would like to do.
Q Please tell us what are the conditions required for becoming a key animator at P.A. Works.
A 1. Draw 500 sheets of in-between animation per month, 3 months in a row.
2. Do in-between animation for one year, inclusive of training time. During this period you will look at many key animations, even one cut more if possible, and understand what sort of key animations are made with in-betweening in mind.
3. Complete and show a key animation task that is given out once a month.
The animation chief (sakuga chief) will make a decision based on the overall results of 1, 2, and 3.
Q Are there pathways for moving, in the future, from animation into other sections, like 3D and digital processing?
A Yes. We believe in the course of working you would start seeing what you eventually hope to express in animation. However, at P.A. Works you will only be able to do this once you have made the best possible use of your experience as an animator. After which we look at your disposition. For example, there are some animators aiming to be technical directors (enshutsu) in the future.
Q Are the utility bills for the dorm supposed to be paid in monthly instalments?
A Yes. Water bills and internet usage fees are counted under common maintainence fees. Electricity and gas bills are paid per room.
Q What is the gender ratio for animators?
A Currently our ratio of males to females is 3:4. (2006/04)
Q Is stationary (pencils etc.) provided by the company?
A No. We require animators to purchase them themselves. The company buys wholesale, and you buy by contributing to the animation department's piggy bank just for the amount you will be using.
When the piggy bank gets full, the animation department holds a discussion and uses the money to buy DVDs or books.
Q What future projects are slated? Is it only Production I.G. and Bones-line stuff?
A We choose projects based on a number of criteria:
1. The reliability of the client, content of the work and production budget
2. The status of P.A. Works' production line
3. How many creators are there who genuinely think they want to make that show
4. Is it suitable for nurturing our animators
5. Do I want to make it
Above all, our number one aim is for our own work to be produced at a stable quality. We are currently shaping our workplace to be conducive for that.
Q Why do you aim for the training of almighty professional key-animators?
A Firstly this is to respond to the needs of animation direction. Another would be to extend the career length of the animator. It is said that a key animator's career length is about as long as a professional baseball players'. The animators who are still in the frontlines energetically drawing even past the age of 40 are the animators who, when they were young, posessed speed and stamina that allowed them to draw anything that came their way. When you develop a bias as to what to draw, or simply can't cover enough, your choice of work to accept gets reduced. Like so, your career length as an animator is shortened.
[Note: The question specifically phrases it as almighty (in english) shokunin gengaman - shokunin being reserved for real artisans, serious undertakers of a craft]
Q Is the making of theatrical features possible at P.A. Works?
A We do not think that making something of movie quality is divorced from reality. There are pros and cons to making feature-length animation.
In order to make rich feature-level visuals it takes time no matter what. For animators with little experience, I think it's better for them to build up experience with TV series where they see the result of their work very quickly. There's a spirit of playfulness/experimentation. At such a stage we cannot approve of participation in huge projects that can take more than two years. When you've found, by your own strength, a theme in animation that you can't express without setting aside a good amount of time, then by all means join in and flex your muscles to your heart's content. We think this should ideally be experienced in one's 20s.
Q What are the employment conditions when you've become a key animator?
A If you've become able to consistently do around 40 cuts of key animation per month, you will be considered for eligibility as a formal company employee. You will get fixed pay and various types of insurance. When just starting out as a key animator, it is difficult to produce sufficient quantity of work, so we will rely on piece rates parallel to in-between work. The rate for TV series key animation is around 3,500~4000 yen per scene. The aim is to do 50 cuts a month within one year of becoming a key animator. It is a field that depends on talent, so there more personal allowances made compared to in-between work.
Q The digital processing department is just nearby, but are their facilities used when drawing animation?
A They are used when conducting line tests (motion checks) for key animation. (Using CoreRetas)
Q Your employment conditions and remuneration for in-between animators seem pretty good compared to the industry in general...
A It is not becoming of us to say this, but we are trying very hard for a company our size. What P.A. Works requires is key animators. It may invite misunderstanding, but we do not think of in-between work as anything but a preemptive investment for nurturing key animators. The industry is becoming increasingly reliant on overseas resources for in-between work with respect to speed, quantity and unit prices. It impossible to put a stop to. We believe that the only way for Japanese animation to survive is to keep passing down a diverse range of expression in key animation. We are trying hard with regards to conditions because we believe in the huge possibilities of a company our size training animators in a rural area.
About the animation industry
Q Do animators work on multiple projects at one given time?
A Yes. However, for key animation we believe there is a greater feeling of completion and sense of participation when efforts are focused on doing multiple cuts in one project, so the production team usually places such controls when distributing work.
Q Are there pro in-betweeners?
A There are many in the animation industry. At P.A. Works we declare "We are not looking for professional in-betweeners". The current situation in the industry is that 90% of in-between works get sent overseas. Animators must be able to survive in such a situation. This is why we would like [our animators] to become key-animators within 2 years. One more thing, though this varies depending on the project, someone considered above-average would do 500 drawings a month, at most around 800. When paid by piece rate, it is ridiculously difficult for an in-betweener to earn above 200,000yen a month. One would hope to become a key animator and aim for a higher salary than that.
Q What's the schedules like for key and in-between animation for TV series?
A On average, key animation is given a month after the animation meeting (sakuga uchiawase). In-between animation is not done after all the key animations are completed, but as they come after the key animations have passed through the technical director (enshutsu) and animation supervisor. Ultimately the schedule for in-betweens could be, from the completion of the final key animation to completion of the final in-between, anywhere from 1 week to 10 days.
Q How many key animators are there in the industry?
A It feels like 2000. There's about 500 you could call professional, perhaps. Movie-capable animators, there aren't even 100 of.
Q What's behind people who quit immediately, aside from the reason of not being able to eat?
A They are people who want "their own time". If you're simply aware of the idea that it's "your own time" when you are drawing, without thinking it an obvious thing, then you cannot continue on. Basically if you don't like it you can't continue.
Q What's the difficulties in training animators in Tokyo?
A It isn't with regards to the animators. It's with regards to the company.
There is a tendency for key animators to go freelance at an early stage before they've become true professionals. From the viewpoint of a company, this is akin to investing in and nurturing in 2nd-tier players in baseball, and then being told that they're going freelance just as you've registered them as 1st-tier players. It's not like nobody understands the way they feel. It's only natural for animators to have things they want to draw. There's all sorts of reasons such as: the studio's inclinations are mostly decided, and if I stay here I won't be able to draw what I want, or there's animation supervisors and directors I'd like to work with that are in other studios. You're missing one or two zeroes from the salaries of baseball players anyway, so you'd do what you want. We do not deny this feeling. But while this state of affairs continued, the company puts in less and less effort into training proper staff. This is the reason behind the difficulties in training.
In order to keep producing good works, it is necessary to have a stable working environment, and the "workplace fever" of having a great crowd "gathered" to participate in creating something. It is our ideal future for 70% of a single project at P.A. Works to be taken up by [our own] proper animators. We are exploring how to make it a workplace that is continually the type that creators want to be a part of. What we understand is that rather than the company pre-arranging the workplace as such, if it excites the potential of its in-house creators, the creators will shape it into such a workplace with their own hands.
Q Is it easy to become a freelance key animator?
A It is not something we are in favour of, but there are so many projects out there, so it's a seller's market for key animators. You will still get a job even if you aren't that good. However, we cannot recommend working from home during one's growth period. Guys, even if you go freelance, please go into the studio and try to take a leaf out of the way good key animators get the job done, and the pace of their work.
Rent is high in Tokyo, so it's not like a drawing desk can be provided to just any old freelance key animator. At the very least, please get to the level where people say they'll get a desk out for you, and then think of going freelance.
Q Is it better for animators to be able to draw anything and everything?
A Of course. Animators that can draw anything can respond to a wider range of director demands. They can stay in the job longer, too. Being able to fulfill the needs of the direction, and figuring out ways of coming up with 2D expression is what motivates superior animators.
And that's it for the FAQ. Remember, it's from like 3 years ago... but from what I've read casually even up till recently, I don't think things have changed that much for animators (yet). Here's hoping they do, and in a positive direction, thank you very much. (Oh, but things have changed for P.A. Works haven't they? Getting to do their own anime and all that. Wonder how much of their vision they've accomplished?)
Somebody remind me to do that Coil book, arrrrrrgh (it really IS very interesting, I'm just such a lazy s- oh what the hell, I'm taking the book out and leaving it right here on the scanner. HMPH.)