Work From Home vs. In Studio

Animators work on computers all day. At least most do today. With FTP sites, web based production management systems and easy file transfering, there’s no real reason why we can’t do our work from anywhere in the world and not have to commute to work every day if it isn’t conducive with your life situation.

They say working from home isn’t for everyone. Some people are too easily distracted with all the amenities at home, but others are able to buckle down and get work done.

At one point in my career I had the oportunity to work from home full time. I now (at least, at the time of this post) work from home part time and in studio the rest of the time.

Personally I love working from home because it spares me the long commute to the studio, and I’m able to get small tasks around the house done on my short breaks when I get up from my desk to streach my legs. And when I return to my work I have a fresh perspective because I got my mind off it for a few minutes. I can’t stress the importance of taking breaks.

I find that I’m more productive working this way.

When you work from home full time it’s likely that you’ll never meet the director , supervisor or anyone else on your animaton team, especially if the company your working for is not in your area (you probably won’t visit if it’s not required).

It can be a little strange in that regard. I felt a little isolated at first – to never meet any of the people you work with, but it works out fine and you end up getting used to it. At least I did.

When working from home full time, files are usually transfered via FTP site (File Transfer Protocol). If you don’t know what that is – it’s basically an online folder that you can access with a password. Work files can be uploaded to an FTP by your employer (unanimated), you download the files to work on – then you upload them again when your finished.

In my experience retakes would come via email (any reference or support material is on the FTP). Since I already had the first pass animation file I would simply do the retakes and re-upload the files to which ever folder they specified. Simple as that!

Most remote arrangements use FTP sites to transfer files. It’s the most convenient and relatively secure way to share material.

What I find now is that a combination of working from home and in studio is great because you get to connect with the people you work with and discuss things face to face, but also have some quiet days at home to work.

The cons – Any visual comunication has to be transfered as a file on FTP (which isn’t a big deal, since it’s done that way in studio anyways). Instant communication isn’t as easy at home as it is ‘in person’. (which can be favourable). To work at home you’ll need a machine that will handle the heavy graphics, especially if your working in 3D software such as Maya. So there’s a cost upfront, but you can get a tax break on it (at least in Canada).

The pros – You avoid having to commute and generally feel more free and relaxed. If you have a long commute than your actually gaining more time in your day by working at home. Bathroom, kitchen – all close. You can get small tasks done on breaks – which is great if you normally don’t have time for such things.

Another thing I’ve noticed is that not everyone wants to work from home. I’ve spoken to many people that prefer to leave home for work.

The skills you have, the work you do is the same wheather you work at home or in studio. The biggest difference is the personal interaction, the isolation and difference in how you communicate with the people you work with.