“A Pixar Animator’s Inspirational Letter About Persistence”

HT to Alex Billington at First Showing for a heads-up on this:

When it comes to careers in Hollywood, while many will say it’s a dream come true to work in this town, it’s veryhard work and a lot of it. Breaking into the animation world, where artists thrive, is even harder, but if there is one key to success — it’s persistence. There’s a blog called Animator Letters Project with the mission of collecting inspirational letters from animators, and thanks to a tip from Movieline, we caught wind of this fantastic letter from a Pixar animator named Austin Madison that focuses on the word “persist” and how that has helped him stay creative in his career. I highly suggest taking a moment to read this letter (below).

Here is a transcript of the letter:

PIXAR
May 17, 2011

To Whom it May Inspire,

I, like many of you artists out there, constantly shift between two states. The first (and far more preferable of the two) is white-hot, “in the zone” seat-of-the-pants, firing on all cylinders creative mode. This is when you lay your pen down and the ideas pour out like wine from a royal chalice! This happens about 3% of the time.

The other 97% of the time I am in the frustrated, struggling, office-corner-full-of-crumpled-up-paper mode. The important thing is to slog diligently through this quagmire of discouragement and despair. Put on some audio commentary and listen to the stories of professionals who have been making films for decades going through the same slings and arrows of outrageous production problems.

In a word: PERSIST.

PERSIST on telling your story. PERSIST on reaching your audience. PERSIST on staying true to your vision. Remember what Peter Jackson said, “Pain is temporary. Film is forever.” And he of all people should know.

So next time you hit writer’s block, or your computer crashes and you lose an entire night’s work because you didn’t hit save (always hit save), just remember: you’re never far from that next burst of divine creativity. Work through that 97% of murky abyssmal mediocrity to get to that 3% which everyone will remember you for!

I guarantee you, the art will be well worth the work!

Your friend and mine,

Austin Madison

“ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!”

Now that is a voice of clarity in a world consumed with cynicism. To read a copy of the actual handwritten letter along with a nifty drawing, go here.

Kudos to you, Austin Madison. And in gratitude for taking the time to create that uplifting message, here’s a blast of creative juju headed all the way to your work station in Emeryville!

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