Cel-shaded 3D animated version of Elmer Ona rendered using Cinema 4D.
Photo courtesy of Elmer Ona
For a lot of people who grew up watching the works of Toei Animation (Voltes V, Mazinger Z, Sailormoon, Slam Dunk, Dragon Ball series, and Digimon Series), Studio Pierrot (Yu Yu Hakusho, Flame of Recca, Great Teacher Onizuka, Bleach, and Naruto), Walt Disney Pictures (Beauty and the Beast, Alladin, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Lion King), and Pixar (Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Ratatouille, The Incredibles, Up, Wall-E, and Finding Nemo), being involved in the production of an animated film or series would be the ultimate dream.
While that remains a dream for most of us, some Filipinos have been silently but steadily making their way into the local and international animation scene with their unique and creative approach to animation and storytelling. One of those Filipinos is Elmer Ona, a 3D animator from Lucena City who has been involved in the animation industry for several years now.
This week, come and sit with us as he gives us some insights on what animators do, how they work, and what people interested in becoming animators can expect from the profession.
How did you get your start in animation?
I’ve always been interested in 3D animation since I was a kid, but I never really got to try it until around 2004 when I stumbled upon some animation software. I experimented with them a bit until I found one that really worked for me then I started practicing with music videos during my spare time.
In 2006, a friend encouraged me to try my luck at two companies so I sent them my resume and demo reels. They called me up and that’s when my career as an animator began.
What does an animator do?
Basically speaking, we make things move. Depending on our specialization, that could mean traditional illustrations, digital illustrations, clay, or other similar media. You can find a more detailed description of what we do on this page.
Can you tell us what the typical day of an animator is like?
Nothing special or extraordinary. I guess the only thing that sets us apart from other professionals is that we have an irregular schedule. Our work is largely motivated by artistic passion, so we work best when we are inspired. Sometimes that means we’d be working non-stop on projects for days at a time, sometimes we’d spend a good part of the day staring off into space thinking of how to approach the project best.
There’s no typical day, really.
How do animators usually work? Do they work in teams or can they do their work on their own?
That depends on the scale of the project. For big projects like full-length movies, teams of animators would work on the different stages of animation. For smaller projects like television commercials, a small team composed of three or four animators is usually enough.
Of course, it’s possible to do all of those things on your own, but it could take quite some time.
Would you mind sharing the projects you’ve worked on so far with us?
We mostly worked on television and web commercials at my previous company. Some examples are the commercials for O+, Nokia Lumia, Colgate Fresh Confidence, Sun Cellular, and Standard Appliances to name a few. My colleagues also worked on Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia.
For my freelance work, I usually work on advertisements made for products aimed at the US market.
As a musician, I worked on our band’s (SLEX) music video for “Sa Silid” and Sugarfree’s “Pugad”.
Sa Silid by SLEX
One of Elmer Ona’s first animation works
For you, what are the most challenging parts of being an animator?
One of the most challenging parts would probably be time constraints. It takes a lot of time, effort, and manpower to animate even a simple 4-second video. Some people don’t understand that, so sometimes we’d be expected to finish a project within an unreasonable amount of time.
The other one is when you can’t get the outcome you desire. When you’re an animator, you tend to be your worst critic. Sometimes your friends, acquaintances, or even the client already likes your work, but for some reason, you’re still not happy with it, so you end up worrying about things you don’t really have to. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it you have a deadline to meet, that could cause a problem.
How about the best parts?
The best part would be when you finally get to see the final product. The sleepless nights you spent working on it, the headaches you got while trying to figure out how to fix the unexpected issues that popped up along the way, the disagreements you had with your client — you forget them all once you see the final output and you’re satisfied with how it turned out.
How is animation like as a profession? Is it a profitable career?
Generally speaking, it’s still a profitable career, especially if you know where to look for jobs and how to negotiate. The pay is not exactly enough to make you rich, but it’s enough to sustain your needs and probably some occasional luxuries on the side.
The only issue is there is a stiff competition in the job market right now, so sometimes you have to lower your asking salary or shorten your proposed deadline in order to win over your competitors.
Do you have any advice for people who are also interested in becoming an animator?
Be a keen observer. You can learn a lot from observing the people and things around you and you can use them to bring more life and realism to your works.
Also, try to start early while you’re still burning with passion. Studying animation takes time, effort, and patience, so it’s important that you love what you’re doing and that you have the energy to carry it through.
Do you have an online portfolio that people can use to view your other works or a contact number that they can use to get in touch with you?
Ah, yes. They can visit my Youtube channel to see more of my works or they can send me an e-mail at frihdson@yahoo.com.
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