Source: Flooby Nooby

Joe Barbera, Gene Kelly, and Bill Hannah.

“…through the years I’ve learned what all Hollywood survivors must learn to remain survivors. You learn that you aren’t working with people, you’re working with egos – and they’re working with yours. Once you learn that, you start taking all the slings and arrows less personally. You understand that they come with the territory. After all, you’re not dealing with store clerks and bank tellers and toll takers, who do their job, and pack up and go home at the end of the day. You’re dealing with an assortment of artists and con men and combinations of them – very powerful people, whose power nevertheless hangs by the thinnest of threads.”

- An excerpt from Joe’s autobiography, “My Life in ‘toons.”

The above quote is directly related to an experience Joe had with Gene’s ego. Check out the book for more.

Great advice. I’ve often found if you can find a level of pure focus you really can get more done in one hour than you usually do in four. Getting good sleep, eating right, and exercising helps clear the mind so you can get into those grooves a little easier.

I’m posting this for everyone who feels like there’s a gap between their output and their expectations. Let’s just keep working; we’ll get better.

The Muddy Colors blog is a constant source of inspiration for me, and I believe I’ve posted about it once or twice before. Two recent posts in particular have really hit home in a lot of areas and I wanted to share them with you. Head over and check out the posts linked below and make sure you follow Muddy Colors daily.

Life After Art School
Career Choices

Arnie Fenner just posted some great advice on the Muddy Colors blog that I think everyone should read. I think the first rule should be shown to a number of animation journalists online. This video is mentioned in the post, and while it’s quite heated it cuts straight to the point, and can be applied to any artistic medium freelance or not. As new as I am to this industry, I’ve already experienced some of what he’s talking about.