So I have a project I'm working on with a team of volunteers worldwide. It's a 2D animated web series titled "For The Love of Hollywood" It tells the story of two best friends, Johnny and Yassmine, an actor and his talent agent, working hard to succeed in Hollywood for 40 years, witenssing their journey and the growth of their unique friendship. An animation professor reached out to me and said he can help me. How was that? By having his students work on the pilot or the trailer as their internship (I think). So glad I'm finally getting help, since my team's progress is so slow. Yet, the professor told me that he has bad news: there must be an eligible host to represent "my company" and mentor the students. So, the professor helped me and said that there must be either someone working full time for an animation company, or someone who participates with his company for the project. Me as a freelance screenwriter, won't help (since when it has ever helped?) Almost none of the team meets the requirements. So, what do you think? Can you help us? Is there a company willing to participate? Someone working for one? (for free though, none of has ever earned a cent from the project) It won't be the end of the project if they stop working with us, but having them, and them having us would be a huge benefit for the both of us. Thanks.
Animation : The Project's Host by Donia Caster
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I think it’s a better bet to build a company around yourself, not look for an existing company with which you have no previous connection to solve your problem.
You say you’re making a web series. Do you want to earn money on it, stream it on ad-supported services? Do you want to have ownership of it? Treat it like a business.
If you’re in the USA, it’s relatively easy to register a DBA (doing business as). It allows you to set up a checking account in that name, which is important for keeping track of expenses and earnings.
Make a simple website that identifies your company and the web series you have in development.
Read exactly what the school requires from you for its student internships. Usually they forfeit getting paid (instead getting college credit) because they’re learning what it is to work in a professional environment. So build that environment.
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Mike Boas How to build a company for just a series? I set myself and my team in one?
I plan to stream the series on YouTube. My team and I are working for free. So, there aren't any expected revenues.
Thanks for the website idea, we'd do that when the series is ready.
I'm not in the USA (which makes everything else 10 times harder). But I'll search for the DBA and find out more about it.
Thanks!
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Again, I can’t say specifically what the intern program requires. make sure this would fulfill those criteria according to your contact.
You’re producer and project manager on this project? why not treat it like a business venture? you register your DBA (also called a self-proprietorship) and call it whatever name you like, as long as the name is available. you’re sole owner, a company of one. if you ever choose to pay workers, do it as a work for hire situation, not salary.
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Mike Boas Okay. You're right to treat it like a business. I'm not sure if they'll consider my "company". They want someone full-time freelance artist who works for or has a company.
I'll see where this is leading to. Thanks!
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Is this project for a nonprofit organization or cause? If not, it would be difficult to find a professional to work for free on a project that promotes a creator and could be monetized. Will the students or school have any ownership or share in revenue if it does make money and if it is optioned or sold elsewhere? US labor laws would be tricky to navigate for free labor, even as an internship.
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No, it's not for a nonprofit organization. The school and the students won't get any revenue, none of us will. We haven't discussed what will happen if it gets optioned. There are actually some papers I must sign with the school in case we find the host. The school is Canadian, and I'm Tunisian. So I'm not sure about the laws. God prevents the tricky laws.
Is there somewhere online for animators? Like Reddit? Where I can post there?
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Hi Donia, I’m a veteran art director in animation company in Italy, please consider these following advice before starting on a animation project: the project must divided in 4 parts. Pre production, Production, dubbing and editing. Preproduction consist in creation of the bible after the scripts: 1-characters design, study of expressions, acting, 2-backgrounds, 3-fx, 4-storyboards. After that you can start the production: my advice is hire a Indian, chinese, or low price company to make a teaser or a pilot. In the meantime record voices track, music, fx. Build all in compo. It’s better make all with pros, but in case of lack of money you can make the step 1 with volunteers. Otherwise Storyboard is better to find a animation pro, voice track could be possible to be done in house. You can buy cheap music samples.Animation is better to be done paying a little company. Fx and compo you can find a student but is a risk. When you have a sample of your project you can find a producer. Is better to plan all with a production director. The animation is a real work not a hobby. My best wishes for your project.