If you’re a creative person, the likelihood is that you have a creative dream that you would like to fulfil. There’s something you love to do that you wish you could do all the time. However, the reality is that the dream doesn’t pay the bills and you end up working a “regular job”. This is the experience of most creative people. Artists, singers, musicians, actors, you name it, can all tell stories of having to work in restaurants, factories, hotels and the like to survive while they pursue the thing that they really want to do. There is nothing wrong with these jobs but for creative people, it’s not what they want to be doing. My purpose with this blog post is twofold. To share my experience to encourage others in a similar position and to offer some tips on how to approach the idea of pursuing your dream while working a full-time job.

Dealing With The Negative

We’ve all heard that success story. You know the one about that person who quit their day job and took a chance at pursuing their dream only to become a huge success. People are always quick, and perhaps rightly so, to heap praise on such an individual. Not everyone who quit their job has that experience though. A lot of people, for a number of reasons, fail. People don’t talk about this group as much and if they do, they are called fools for taking that chance in the first place. Then there is another group.  Those who decide to stay in their day job and still pursue their dream at the same time. This group is even less spoken of and is often viewed negatively. Mostly, I should point out, by the people in the group.

I recently asked a question in the Facebook group Traditional Animation. I asked for a quick idea of how many animators in the group are working on substantial personal projects while working a full-time job. Here’s a look at the results.

I got over 100 reactions and comments. Quite a lot of creative people are working full-time jobs while at the same time trying to create their own project. All of the responses were positive. In the sense that people were excited to be working on their own projects. At the same time, most of the folks who responded said that it was an extremely difficult task. One user likened the experience to “Squeezing the last bit of toothpaste out of a tube.” Yet another likened the task to Sisyphus.

Sisyphus, king of Corinth, climbs the mountain carrying a boulder, as he was condemned to do for eternity by Pluto, the god of the underworld. Courtesy of www.Titian.org

He was a king in Greek mythology who, as punishment for his craftiness, was condemned to roll a giant boulder up a hill only for it to roll down when it nears the top. A task he had to repeat for all eternity. To this day his experience is used to describe tasks that are both arduous and pointless. This is how most people who embark upon this journey describe how they feel about it. It’s a very difficult thing to do and at times seems pointless.

Yet, all those who described pursuing your dream with a full-time job as difficult, also acknowledged that they were doing it anyway. Not because it made any sense, but because of their passion to create. One person even said they would go crazy if they were not creating their own project. I’ve said it before.

When you have a burning desire to create, you find a way to make it happen.

This is how we initially overcome the negative. With passion. Without it, anyone trying to work on their personal creation and be committed to a full-time job would before long throw in the towel. The passion drives us. I say us because I am also a part of this group.

My Experience

Those who have been following us for some time know that my wife Dixie Ann and I have been working on Celflux for about six years. We started in 2013 with the publication of Celflux issue no. 1. The project has since grown to include an Animated short/series. In  2018 we launched an Indiegogo Campaign to help fund the animated short. The funds would have helped us get more people on board and finish the project quicker.

We only got 10 backers. We love our backers and we’re grateful to them but our campaign was unsuccessful. Did that mean that we should cancel our plans to make the animated series? No. We could not. So I decided to go the other route. I was able to get myself a job and I continued working on the project alongside 8.00-4.30 commitment. I was fortunate enough to get a good job in the field of design. So I am not far removed from exercising my creativity.

I’ll say this much. It’s a challenge. It is not easy. Your time is not your own and your project takes second place to all your other commitments. I can sum it up in one word. “Frustration”. You feel a sense of frustration not being able to create as you would like. Therefore, your project moves slowly and other projects are completed ahead of yours. Despite all this, you work when you can and do what you can. Let me share with you a few things that I try to do to help me pursue my dream while working full time.

5 Tips To Help You Pursue Your Dream While Working A Full-Time Job

These tips are meant as a guide. They are not a formula. They do not guarantee success. They are not hard and fast rules. I myself do not follow all of them all the time. These tips, if practised, can help improve your chances of success.

1. Picture Your Boss as A Backer.

Because your job takes up most of your time and keeps you from working on your personal project, it’s easy to start resenting your job. However, it helps to remember without your job you would not be able to pursue your dream in the first place. It’s a matter of adopting the right mindset. Gratitude rather than grievance. Others have Kickstarter and Indiegogo backers. You have your job. It’s a lot less sexy but just as important. The income you gain from your job helps you take care of your commitments so you can work on your dream.

2. Manage Your Time.

It goes without saying that time management is fundamentally important when trying to pursue your dream. With your job and other responsibilities taking up most of your time you will have less of it to dedicate to your project. So you will have to manage your time effectively. This might mean less Netflix, fewer parties, or as in my case less gaming. Basically, you may have to give up something that you enjoy regularly and reallocate that time to your project. Dedicate the time and stick to it.

3. Manage Your Money.

The same thing applies to your money. You have to ensure that you manage your money in such a way that the pursuit of your dream does not affect your other commitments. Again, this may mean you have to give up a few things. What’s more important to you, that guilty pleasure or your project? If you are not that good with money, like me, they learn. Or find someone who can help you manage your money. I’m lucky that Dixie Ann is an accountant by profession. So she is the one that does the budget and lets me know what I can spend on Celflux. Or if I need something for Celflux she knows what we can cut back on to make it happen.

4. Set Realistic Goals.

We have a saying in Trinidad. “Don’t hang yuh hat where yuh hand cyah reach”. It speaks about living above your means or trying to do something beyond your ability. In pursuing your dream be realistic. Don’t set goals that you know you won’t be able to accomplish. If you do you will become frustrated when you don’t reach those goals. Assess yourself honestly, know your limitations, recognize your capabilities and set goals accordingly. They can be short term or long term but they must be realistic.

5. Get Rest.

Finally, rest is the most important thing. You are not superhuman. Don’t try to burn the candle at both ends. Burnout is a real thing. Working on a project while working a full-time job can sometimes seem like working two jobs. Sleep deprivation can lead to serious health issues like depression and heart disease. Some of them irreversible. As great as your dream is, it’s not worth your health. Sure you might sleep less, but be sure to get enough sleep. Balance your hard work with sufficient rest.

Conclusion

So it’s not only possible to pursue your dream while working a full-time job, it’s possible to do it without it killing you in the process. Don’t let anyone look down on you and more importantly believe in yourself. When you complete your project that would be a reward in itself and who knows what doors it will open up for you. Wishing all the folks out there pursuing their dream much success.

Till next time.

Everard J. McBain Jr.

Everard is the Creative Director and CEO of GemGfx. GemGfx is a multidisciplinary design consultancy based in Trinidad and Tobago. He has been involved in the field of Graphic Design for over 14 years. He is also the art director and co-author of the graphic novel Celflux which he created along with his wife Dixie Ann Archer-McBain.

ww.gemgfx.com

The post Full-Time Job, Full-Time Dream. appeared first on Celflux - Graphic Novel & Animated Series.

This rejection made him even more determined. He wanted to prove to the casting director that he could, in fact, become an actor. He went home and worked on his accent by mimicking famous radio announcers. He returned months later to the same theatre to audition again and landed a role in a play called ‘Days of Our Youth.’ This was the beginning of what would go on to be a legendary career lasting more than 50 years. His name is Sidney Poitier and he is the first African-American to win an Academy Award for Best Actor, receiving the honour in 1964 for his performance in ‘Lilies of the Field.’ Sidney Poitier’s story is one of many examples of someone who, if you had seen them early in their life, showed no sign that they would go on to become a success.

Sir Sidney Poitier, KBE is a Bahamian-American actor, film director, author, and diplomat. In 1964, Poitier became the first Bahamian and first black actor to win an Academy Award for Best Actor.

Many of us have heard the old childhood story of the Tortoise and the Hare.

Tortoise and The Hare. The creative work of Ben Courneya. bencourneya.com

The Tortoise and The Hare is one of Asop’s Fables and tells the story of a Hare who makes fun of a slow-moving Tortoise. Having had enough of the Hare’s arrogance, the Tortoise challenges him to a race. The hare speeds off leaving the tortoise behind. Confident of winning, he takes a nap midway through the race. The Hare wakes up, however, to find that the Tortoise, crawling slowly but steadily, has won the race. If someone observing the race at the beginning were to bet on who would win, they obviously would have said the Hare. They would have lost the bet. The message is clear. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. The life of the indie creator is no different. I want to share with you three keys to a strong finish.

Don’t Focus On What Others Are Doing

If the Tortoise had taken the time to focus on what the Hare was doing, he probably would not have won the race. Firstly, if the Tortoise had looked at the distance the Hare had gained at the beginning of the race, he probably would have gotten discouraged, given up early, and went home thinking he had no chance of winning. Secondly, if the Tortoise had looked at the Hare sleeping, he might have thought to himself “maybe I can take a nap to.” But he didn’t. He kept a slow and steady pace and arrived at the finish line first.

In today’s social media-driven environment it’s easy for the independent creator to become distracted by the apparent successes of other creators. It’s easy to become discouraged when your own project that you’re working so hard on doesn’t receive the recognition, awards or accolades that others do. It’s very important that you don’t measure your own success by the apparent success of others. It’s one thing to be inspired by another’s success. It’s an entirely different thing to be envious of another’s success. You have to be careful as an indie creator to stay focussed on your own project and goals. Keep your head down and keep working on your own project.

Don’t Listen To What Others Are Saying

It’s important that I make a distinction here. When I say don’t listen to what others are saying I’m not talking about advice or constructive criticism. It’s critical as an independent creator for you to get good advice and constructive criticism about your project. This is how you can grow as a creator and perfect your project. What I’m talking about are those individuals that would seek to discourage you from working on your project or try to stop you from achieving your goal. In most cases, it’s easy to spot such individuals. However, there are some who are more subtle. I call them the “Gasslighters”. Those who seek to sow seeds of doubt and make you question your own belief in your project. Those types are especially dangerous. Always remember, not everyone who talks to you about your project has your best interest in mind. That’s not being negative, that’s just a reality.

Walter Elias Disney was an American entrepreneur, animator, voice actor and film producer. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons.

In 1919 the Kansas City Star newspaper fired a young graphic artist because they said he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” That graphic artist was an unknown individual by the name of Walt Disney. Walt Disney went on to affect generations with his “imagination and ideas”. If he had listened to the words of the newspaper’s editor he might have chosen another career path and we would not have ever known about the tremendous creative legacy that is Walt Disney. Today Disney is one of the world’s largest companies with a tremendous number of creative projects under its belt.

Don’t Look at The Small Picture

Not many people are familiar with the name George Mallory.

George Herbert Leigh Mallory was an English mountaineer who took part in the first three British expeditions to Mount Everest, in the early 1920s.

He was actually the first person to scale Mt. Everest. The reason many people don’t remember him is, unfortunately, he perished on the top of the mountain and never made it back down. Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were actually the first to successfully ascend and descend Mt. Everest. I’ve said it before and it’s worth repeating. If the life of the independent creator were to be compared to a race it would not be a sprint, but a marathon. You have to look at the big picture and think about the long game. You have to be in this for the long haul and not seeking quick success. If you do, you might end up burning yourself out and perishing on top of the mountain.

Sir Edmund Percival Hillary (20 July 1919 – 11 January 2008) was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953, Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. They were part of the ninth British expedition to Everest, led by John Hunt.

I recently saw news of a project that I was following that took off at a blinding speed. The project creators were getting a lot of attention, winning awards, and receiving a lot of praise from large sections of the creative community. Just two and a half years after they launched the project they announced that they were stopping work on it and closing it down. In this creative journey, you have to pace yourself. Your motivation can’t be making money or acquiring fame. You have to be driven by the love you have for your project because for a long time while working on your project you won’t make a dime and no one will give a damn about it. Again, that’s not being negative, that’s just the reality. Many independent creators can tell you stories about the sleepless nights, the empty pockets and the empty bellies while trying to work on a project. Robert Kirkman, the creator of the hugely successful Walking Dead, spoke in an interview about his own experience as an indie creator before he became successful.

The following is an excerpt from an interview with Robert Kirman on the show Speakeasy by Made Man. Watch the full interview here:

“I think if I had known more I would not have made it… My stupidity or I’ll say my ignorance, technically it was ignorance, my ignorance kept me going.”

Unless you’re looking at the big picture you’ll perish on top of the mountain. Or in most cases, on the way up. So stay focused on your goal and keep that slow and steady pace and you’ll get there.

Conclusion.

I’m not very into motivational speeches, but I thought I would write this type of post this time around. As many of you know we recently concluded our first ever crowdfunding campaign for the Celflux Animated Short. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful and did not reach our funding goal. Of course, we were disappointed as we were hoping that folks would have backed us. It would be easy at this point to look around and see all the other successful projects and become discouraged and think maybe we should quit because no one wanted to support us. But that’s not what we’re about. Trust me when I tell you we are in this for the long haul and we’re just getting started.

So a few folks have asked me what does this mean and what’s next for Celflux. We have been working on Celflux since 2013 without any support and in seclusion. Just like Robert Kirkman I work during the day and come home to work on Celflux late into the night. In five years we have grown from a team of just my wife and me to a team of 17 talented individuals who believe in Celflux and have given their all to see the project come to life. We’ve also been encouraged by many fans who have liked, shared and told others about Celflux and helped us get the word out. So again I say, we are just getting started. The failure of our crowdfunding campaign gives us lessons we will learn from. We know that we have a lot more work to do to build the awareness of the Celflux brand and find an audience that would be passionate about the project. People with whom the characters and the story of Celflux would resonate. So we have our work cut out for us and with a slow and steady pace, not looking at what others are doing, or listening to what others are saying we will get to the finish line and Celflux will become a success. Without a doubt, the fun would be in the act of working towards that goal.

So I just want to encourage my fellow independent creators out there stay focused. As we say in Trinidad. “The journey now start.” Come journey with us.

Everard J. McBain Jr.

Everard is the Creative Director and CEO of GemGfx. GemGfx is a multidisciplinary design consultancy based in Trinidad and Tobago. He has been involved in the field of Graphic Design for over 14 years. He is also the art director and co-author of the graphic novel Celflux which he created along with his wife Dixie Ann Archer-McBain.

ww.gemgfx.com

The post It’s Not How You Start. It’s How You Finish. appeared first on Celflux - Graphic Novel & Animated Series.

The Good Old Days

I’ve told the story before. Thundercats introduced me to 80s cartoons and like most folks of the 80s Thundercats holds a place near and dear to my heart. The characters are iconic the concept was fresh for its time and it has rightfully earned its place being immortalized in pop culture.

Thundercats, like many of the action cartoons of the 80s, had a fleshed out, well-defined style of animation with detailed realistic looking characters. Over the years, mainly to cut costs and maximize profits, networks have moved away from that style and have either gone the route of 3D or adopted a much less defined comical portrayal of characters. The networks target a younger, less risky, audience so they’ve determined that comedy is the way to go. Both in story and image. With the massive success of shows like Spongebob Squarepants, Adventure Time, Stephen Universe and Gravity Falls they believe they have found a formula for success. They believe that applying that formula to virtually any concept will achieve the desired goal. So their latest application of that formula is with “Thundercats Roar”. Have a look at their introductory video.

The internet, however, was not amused and let the folks at Warner Brothers know how they felt.

Is everything going to look like some screwed up mashup between Steven universe, teen titans go,adventure time?
That #ThundercatsRoar isn’t thundercats.
Not everything needs to be a damn comedy. I don’t have nostalgia levels of those who grew up with it, but- pic.twitter.com/pBl1dhh98p

— Busy Kitty (@LeoneLaTwerk) May 19, 2018

To illustrate their displeasure, many parodies started popping up on Twitter demonstrating what would happen if the popular art style were to be applied to other classics.

I hope X-Men gets a reboot soon#ThunderCatsRoar pic.twitter.com/JHOcpPB9Uy

— Simon Boxer (@sboxle) May 23, 2018

Whatever your thoughts are on Thundercats Roar, these parodies popping up are pretty great.#ThunderCatsRoar #CartoonNetwork pic.twitter.com/CKT0TeMMLU

— Jim Zub (@JimZub) May 21, 2018

The YouTube video posted by Warner Brothers got a record number of dislikes.

While there were those defending the reboot for the most part the majority of folks were upset. Basically folks were saying if you want to create shows with the cartoony style that targets younger audiences that’s fine. But why should you do it with such an iconic series as the Thundercats? Fair enough.

Thundercats Roar means opportunity for the independent creator.

Here’s my take on Thundercats Roar and it is from the perspective of an independent creator. Thundercats is owned by Warner Brothers. That means they can do pretty much what they want to with it. I don’t have to like it, but my dislike of it affects them in no way. The studio wants to make money. They’ve found what they believe to be a formula that works and it is well within their rights to apply that formula to anything they own. I don’t like what they did with the iconic series. But I’m not their target group. The original Thundercats from the 80s, in my world, will always be the “real” Thundercats and that’s absolutely fine. Let them do what they will.

The result of the repeated application of this “formula” though, is that the place has become absolutely saturated with that style and there’s a niche of people that are tired of it. When we decided to work on the Celflux Animated Short I chose the 2D action animated style of the 80s to do it. I surmised that there were people out there, like me, who had a feeling of nostalgia for 80s styled action cartoons and who longed to see something like that again. Some tried to discourage me and told me I should use 3D because it’s “popular”. Or that 2D action cartoons don’t have an audience. The reaction to Thundercats Roar shows me that is not necessarily the case.

Since the networks are saturating the airwaves with this new comedic style, it’s creating an opportunity for independent creators like me who are doing something different to reach an audience who is looking for something different. Imagine if you will if big name studios were all doing 80s style action cartoons. Do you think I would have any hope of Celflux being seen at all? The answer would be a resounding no. But with the growing frustration with the current cartoons, I can present an alternative to that small niche that is looking for an alternative. Celflux has the opportunity to stand out from the crowd like an oasis in a desert. So to Warner Brothers, I say “Keep doing your thing.” Of course, there’s still no guarantee that Celflux will be a success. That’s why it’s called “opportunity.”

If you want something different, support independent creators.

I have been saying for a long time that the future of 2D animation lies with independent creators. Because networks want to be “safe”, indie creators are the ones taking chances and trying new things. Presenting alternatives to the cookie cutter model that the large studios have settled on. I would encourage anyone out there who is tired of the same old same old to look for and find an independent creator who is doing something that you like and support them. With your help that creator can bring something into pop culture to help balance the scales so to speak.

One such project you can support is Celflux. We very recently launched our first crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. If you are a lover of 2D hand-drawn animation and if you are nostalgic about the awesome cartoons of the 80s. If you would like to support 2D hand-drawn animation and help keep it alive and relevant. If you support the creation of diverse content. Then the Celflux animated mini-series is the project for you. We have been working on Celflux as a graphic novel since 2013. We started work on the animation in 2017 and are committed to seeing it completed. So consider this project if you’re looking for independent creators that you can support. You can also support by spreading the word and letting others know what’s happening.

Visit Indiegogo

Conclusion

So in conclusion. Thundercats Roar is what it is. Folks that are upset about it have a couple choices before them. They can either rage about it, which is a popular thing to do on the internet, or they can seek out alternatives that they like and support it. I would encourage everyone to do the latter.

Till next time.

Everard J. McBain Jr.

Everard is the Creative Director and CEO of GemGfx. GemGfx is a multidisciplinary design consultancy based in Trinidad and Tobago. He has been involved in the field of Graphic Design for over 14 years. He is also the art director and co-author of the graphic novel Celflux which he created along with his wife Dixie Ann Archer-McBain.

ww.gemgfx.com

The post What Does The Thundercats Reboot Mean To Me As An Indie Creator? Opportunity. appeared first on Celflux - Graphic Novel & Animated Series.