a third-world passport is the biggest gut punch in so many fields. many animators work on freelancer and such. that's a good alternative. I am not sure if studios hire online workers
Well and the companies use that against emigrant workers all the time. The levels of soft or just blatant coercion to workers from the third or second world countries is off the charts.
Dude, I've scoured the internet looking for information of the kind that you shared here. All I got to see was the perspective of the US citizens who don't have to deal with these complex processes and their motivational talks like "anyone can do it" felt so frustrating. Finally someone posted a video with real facts. Good Lord!
Great topic! If you have the time & legal intellect to learn the visa process yourself you can save several thousand dollars on legal fees. I spent MANY hours on paperwork I would've had to do anyway and it cost about $3,000 USD on application fees for my Canadian residency "green card." The US is notorious for difficult visa/immigration process, but it's absolutely not any easier on the Canadian side, or to go to any country really. In Canada the studio has to pay a nonrefundable $1,000 LIMA "labor market impact assessment" fee for the government to decide whether or not the job is something the studio could hire a local Canadian to do instead. If the govt decides there are qualified Canadians they'll deny the studio the ability to hire a foreign worker. That's before any visa costs. Many companies have a no-freelance rule so you don't undercut their prices with your personal services and steal their clients. My coworkers ignored that rule and still did freelance on the side; they just never spoke of it where corporate would see.
On the work front, it also doesn't help that some countries have really bizarre rules around what counts as 'Work'. In Thailand if your sink breaks and you fix your own sink, you are considered to have worked illegally. As for freelancing some countries you may be able to get away with don't ask don't tell, but others will find out.
I second second what Crowne Prince said- Self education is a must!! I had an immigration agent through my employer, but was not quite correct in everything and I had to review and resolve some of the decisions. I moved to Australia three years ago from the USA, completely different situation, but it was a challenge for sure. I was pretty close to PR in AU, but decided to move back right before the pandemic hit- not crazy about everything in the USA, but it's home :) Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
I'm slowly starting to think that "the art industry" is literally in LA. It sounds stupid, but it feels like most content creators/working artists that I follow are there.
Great video Toniko! People in our industry don't really talk so much about visa's and how painful it can be for some artists to survive in our industry. If you're not COMPETING for the next gig against other animators, you have to apply or renew your visa to STAY in the country to do your dream job. I'm SO lucky, as I have a Norwegian citizenship and can work in most of the EU countries without a Visa, and i really didn't realize how much of a privileged life I lived until I met some of my artist friends from Japan or New Zealand, who had to go back to their countries because their visa's were up, or had 3 months to find their next gig, or they'd get deported.
/cries in russian/ i can't afford even going to any EU country however geographically it's verrry close to me, and there's even a 50+% chance of tourist visa being rejected just because 'ew russians'; speaking of local industry, there are no studios that do something i'd be interested in compared to worldwide studios, so i sadly sit and do freelance wondering how much visa pain still awaits me in case someone decided to risk to hire someone from a third-world country /heavy sigh/ i actually lowered my expectations since i realized i can't afford to get a foreign degree & local degree i got is useless, so I don't expect from life much already, going slow and steady now. Being able-bodied is already a privilege, so uh idk at least i can draw.
I mean at least you guys have some kickass classical drawing schools, some of my teachers went to a certain school in St. Petersburg, idk which one but their skills were insane.... I actually had quite a few russian co workers at the studio I was at in Germany~
@@ayior yup the classical school is insanely good and it's great but overall the animation is very poor, just a copy of what western studios usually do; btw if you're from Germany do you know if there are good studios? i mean i know there should be, but maybe you know about it more than me
jeez i feel your feelings comrade. being russian gets harder and harder every passing year and it makes me so exausted. so uhm?.. if u dont mind can i ask you a few questions? if like you still proceed freelance work for foreign studies? is it even possible now? i am a russian cartoonist from a small studio myself. so i wonder how do other artists survive in the current situation
@@pepis1337 Things have turned out the way that I have moved from Russia and I hope that I won't have to return - this way I can still continue freelancing
$15k. Or, with my current "salary", about three years of trying to survive on sunshine and living in a cardbox. Damn it's depressing to know that in order to move to America you must be rich to begin with.
HI I'm 2d animator working in Japan. First of all. congratulations for your green card! As a foreigner myself, I know how great relief green card means. I'm also interested in the difference between Japan and USA animation makings and this is very good topic for me too. (Sorry for my poor English...)
Thank you uploading this. Cleared some of my doubts. Some days I feel depressed because the animation industry isn’t very good in my country and I couldn’t afford studying in America or Canada to jump start my career. From where I’m standing right now, ability wise, connection wise, etc to a successful career is an uncertain path to say the least.
Everything has a beginning. Now it is simpler than ever before. It is frustrating m to not be in the heart of where everything happens now but soon there will be studios in every country.
Thank you for adding a different perspective on this issue. I usually only hear people from the first world countries talking about the visa issues and it doesn't have a lot in common with the difficulties that people from third world countries have. Thanks a lot!
Thanks for making this video! im an international student as well and I just wanted to add that not only studios sometimes refuse to hire you once they learn you're an international in need of sponsorship in the future, but sometimes when they DO hire international students they pay really low wages just bc they KNOW we're desperate to get a job right after graduation (bc we only have 3 months to find work under OPT). Many of those studios are the big ones, and under union! But they still hire international students under low wages, and usually have us hired under different job titles so the union doesnt find out they're underpaying their workers... and many of us are scared of telling the union what is happening bc we risk losing our jobs, and under a visa or OPT that is a big no no... especially now that we have covid in the equation! (many have told the animation guild about similar issues btw, but they did nothing still.) But anyways, it's good that you made a video explaining how hard it is to get a visa in the US because I feel like if more people knew about it they would know how unfair the current system is. Once my superiors knew about my situation and also of my other international friends (half of the team was international lol), they became more compassionate towards us and even tried to do anything they could to help us out (like offering to write letters of recommendation, or helping us to get more stable positions!) and congrats on getting your green card btw!
Aspiring animator also from the Philippines here TTvTT this makes me feel much more nervous for the future, but at the same time, I'm glad I found this video so that I have a heads up on how things are gonna go :DD
Thank you, man. I had to stop to watch/listen almost all americans indie animators because their tips and advice (about almost everything, not only visas) were so disconnected to my reality. It sucks because I'm doing/learning animation by my own, so those misinformation (sure, they didn't mean it, but it is) can make you feel really lost and even paranoid.
Mr pizzaCat im still considering my options for animation school right now im a high-school student are there any places you would recommend i study at
claimingagate That all depends on the country, Canada, US, Uk I’d recommend those countries for an animation school. If you come to the UK I’d recommend Teeside, Hertfordshire or London Arts but do your own research and find the one that’s right for you and what you want.
I also want to move to the U.S.A and become an animator/cartoonist myself. I'm Hungarian, but I was born in and spent my entire life in Romania. The cartoons and anime I watched, the games I played, and comics I read made me want to pursue a career in art. I spent hours at my desk, drawing and painting. Even pulling multiple all-nighters. I self-taught myself how to draw, design and even animate, by learning from amazing artists like you, Proko, Jazza, Mohammed Agdabi and many others. I speak fluent English with no trace of an accent, and know the pledge of allegiance by heart. I'm currently saving up money to get a visa, move out and start my career.
Another romanian? Damn, I'm surprised to see one out there. I also ended up in this rabbithole of english teachers. Cool to see someone with similar interests, good luck on your path!!
@@kristofgriffin384 That's pretty cool to be honest, hungarians and romanians are like siblings. My grandma speaks hungarian so I understand a bit of it.
I live in CA but never understood how difficult it was in to get here Thank you for this and allowing me to understand at least some of the difficulties
Do you think you can find a way to become a freelancer? Or develop a digital skill that brings in profit? Because it's annoying to me that there are people on the same planet i live on that don't have the same opportunities as i do. This video made me realize that I'm kind of lazy and need to hit the ground sprinting. I didn't have the best life (i was bullied and i did all the work around my house nearly everyday without real appreciation) but i always knew being in a 3rd world country or not the Usa would suck because of the lack of opportunity. But thank God for the internet because of the endless opportunities.
I spent 2 years living in Thailand during the closing days of the period where Westerners could effectively live there on back to back tourist visas. For people in my situation, it wasn't too bad, it just effectively meant a trip to a neighboring country every 2-3 months to renew the visa. But I kept an eye on the Visa forums cause I knew that they were beginning to crack down on people staying there like that. Some of the horror stories I read on that forum, how people would get completely screwed over by visas, visa requirements, officials making up requirements on the spot, I can definitely vouch for the visa process being extraordinarily harrowing, especially if there is uncertainty.
A big problem here (I'm also an artist in LA) is that major studios keep outsourcing their animation jobs to places like India and Malaysia. It's kind of hard to compete with that since it saves studios SO MUCH money. That's also one of the reasons that working in a studio is often not looked at as a long-term position and a lot of the positions are "freelance" (with many of those freelancers being in, again, India and Malaysia).
Congrats on your green card! I just started my first year at CalArts and it’s very inspiring to know that even though it took you 10 whole years you just kept going at it anyway!
Thank you for the insight, very few artists shed light on the immigrant's perspective of entering the animation industry so this is a much needed video! I had an experience of trying to get a work visa right after graduation (in the UK rather than the US since I studied there), and even if studios were interested, it was near impossible to even get past to the interview stage as soon as they heard or saw that I was not local/not an EU resident. Ended up having to go back to my home country which was heartbreaking initially, I think the experience of hardship and trying to make it in a smaller industry made me learn a lot. Now I've gone full-time freelance instead, doing both local pre-production work and I occasionally freelance with overseas clients which is helpful. I'm still looking to enter a different country's animation industry and work there, mainly for gaining the knowledge and connect with a larger community of artists and a wider range of opportunities but I know it'll take time, patience and effort to get there.
Thank you so much for sharing this video! It's very resourceful ! I totally agree with all these struggles... :( Hope that things get better in the future..
Thanks for the video! I really wanted to hear your experience in this topic, I'm South American and would love to move to Canada :D I'm crossing my fingers hoping work permits are easier to get there
Thank you for this video! I mentor animation students many of whom live outside of the US, and this information is incredibly helpful for them and eye-opening for me. Thank you for taking the time to create so many informative videos.
Even as someone who's more from more first-world countries (New Zealand from birth and Australia by immigrancy), I'm still shocked when I see how far both passports can take me on the passport index for international work or just moving countries. It's mind boggling and quietly infuriating to see that my own passport(s) could get better chances than others when they deserve it more than me. Especially if they're from third-world countries. And god knows if the companies actually being honest. I recognise that I'm very fortunate in my circumstances (currently doing my animation bachelors at a more local university with hope of *probably* getting into a local studio after), but *damn* this was a reality check. I'll have to keep referring back to this video over the years.
I've wanted to get into the animation industry in America but I don't really intend to get US citizenship in the long run since I don't really see myself living in the US permanently. I do have family in the West Coast including my grandma who're already US citizens. However because of certain circumstances I can't exactly finish my non-art-related bachelor's degree in the near future and so I've been working on the side and just improving my craft. Hope to at least get some personal projects done and enroll in online workshops like Schoolism especially with the corona lockdown here. Btw I'm from the Philippines too and I can't really imagine myself calling another place home. Not gonna shade others who choose to do so like my own relatives, but I've reflected on it for quite a long time and I'm lately coming to the realization that it'd be the best if I could find work in animation while also not having to leave home.
Most visas are temporary non immigration visas. You don’t need to move permanently and become a citizen. They don’t want new citizens, nearly all the visas require you to say you will return to your native country during the application process. It’s a lot harder if you want to stay then if you don’t.
I was surprised when you say ur Filipino bago lang ako sa states and 18 palang ako wnrwala naren chance makapag college and gusto lang ng parents makapag trabaho agad para makapag padala. And syempre nalulungkot self study ako about animation and seeing your channel helps a lot thankyou!
Wow, that was a great story. I didn't realize how difficult my international colleagues had it. You have definitely opened my eyes about what it takes to work in LA when coming from other countries. I'm glad you found success in Los Angeles.
I just started with animation studies and my end goal is actually to go to California to get a job (im from Spain), I know it will be a pain, but im sure it will also be a very good experience, and for whatever reason if it ends up not working out I still have France and Uk to look up, plus with Covid maybe a lot will change.
Thank you for the video man. This is a really specific topic but speaks for tons of us foreign artists who want to pursue our dreams. Thanks for spreading right information and positive energy!
i'm brazillian and this video was truly helpful, thank you so much for the content! it really cleared my mind in order to plan my career in animation. seems a lot harder (and more expensive) than i expected to get myself into the american industry, but i'll try not to give up :)) wishing you the best!
I don’t know if you’ve already answered a question like this or this is too personal, but cal arts is pretty expensive so how did you manage to get through it without the benefits (student loans, etc) of being a citizen
I'm privileged my father went through the whole ViSA and just whole applying to become a citizenship bullshit. So I'm 2nd generation Panameña 🇵🇦 Imagine coming to a foreign country and wanting to be a citizen there and almost immediately they DRAFT you into their war. That's what happened to my father. Denied? Get deported back to your country and be BARRED from that country. I have a lot of respect American and non-Americans who want to work for big companies like Disney. It's just not for me. I'm learning to discipline myself as besides this job I have, I desire to be my own boss and collaborate with like-minded individuals. This was a very interesting video. Anyone who has citizenship in America like myself, have no idea how insane the whole green card/Visa fiasco is. 😵 My favorite part in video 15:19 Live life to the fullest, be present in that moment, make the best of what you have. Your friend sounds awesome. 🤗💜
It’s even got harder for countries the US claims to like. Im from Canada and was denied a TN visa because animation jobs apparently don’t count as a professional job anymore. Even after being on one for 6 years with the same job title. I had to get an O1 visa instead. The experience was kind of awful. The NAFTA agreement is supposed to make it easier for professional North Americans to work in each other’s country, denying them makes it so there’s even more competition for the other visas. I’m seriously debating just moving back when my visa runs out this time.
I was just reading about that and about how we really are in the hands of whoever looks at our papers, because technically animation is not eligible for the TN visa (I guess some studios write Graphic Designer in their letter?) but it really comes down to whether or not the official at the border likes the wording in your paperwork,, what a headache
Thanks so much for this! I’m an international student, just starting my freshman year in animation. And well covid has made student visas tricky for sure :( but this is Super informative for me to consider in the Long run, because ideally I would like to get experience and build networking/career opportunities in USA after I graduate.
its funny to me that myself living in Tijuana literally a km away from the border with my house having the view of San Diego, I've never been there because I'm too anxious of getting denied for the visa on the spot and having to wait another 6 months to apply again and pay again...lol xD
Heeeeey thanks for the tips. Yeah i was already guessing that what you said would have been the case when it comes to moving to the US. Guess I'll do freelance from Brazil then, wish me luck!
congratualtions getting that green card! i remember also migrating to US with students visa, but i returned with my tail between my legs after a year :D :D all good. its for the best, i didn't like the vibe of the people anyway(sorry i'm european kinda)
Applying for animation work in the UK as a US citizen on a student visa and it has been hell.(and the pandemic has made it nearly impossible) The UK citizenship requirements are surprisingly even worse than the US and I have always found the US system unfair and full of nonsense rules. I am so sorry you have to deal with the US system of immigration/visas and I am sorry to anyone else who has to as well. People wonder why so many undocumented people exist and this is why, it isn't an immigration system it's an immigration deterrent system. Mainly for artists it's the issue of creative work just throwing you away after every project, Animation really needs to treat it's workers like they are worth keeping around.
Well I'm a student and I know this is the begining, my work is not the best or the worst but I'm learning all I can't before. And I'm enjoying every minute. Btw I didin't know Mainland was so hard with visas.
I'm graduating in the year 2025 and am a fellow Southeast Asian(Thai). I'm planning to move to either the UK or US. I gravitate towards the UK more as the quality of life seems better for the long run and also because I'll have friends there as well. However, the US seems a lot better for job opportunities. I don't know where I should go. Help me! I have a feeling I'm going to make the worst mistake of my life!
How do you get hired as a freelancer at a major studio? I never see job openings for freelancers coming by on Linkedin (and I must say, even smaller studios appear have less freelance positions). 🤔 Then again, I still have a long way to go before they'll even look my way. 😂 Born in the wrong country, I always say. The Netherlands doesn't have an animation industry, just one studio that occasionally makes a movie that'll get shown in a limited range of Dutch cinemas :") and the last time I saw them hiring was 2019. All other animation opportunities are motion graphics-related (not hating on it, just a very different skillset), no traditional 2D...
The only thing tough in animation is getting a freaking idea i lose hope on like having a idea for my animation look you need to look at my animations my animations are boarderline ugly the worst animations ever seen or made by me a 11 year old boy (BTW i wish i was a girl) but thats not the point. The problem with me in animations is just having a creative idea for your animations if you already done with your first or second animation you decide to do more, but here's the problem you start to lose motivation for how ugly your art is, then you just burn out very very fast I'm not a ambitious person hehe well uhhh.... sometimes not a ambitious person. I just want to make my own show my own cartoon like show but i can't so don't stop me from never animating.
You keep telling yourself that and believing it, and you won't be able to do anything you want to do. The only one holding you back is you. Most importantly, your thoughts. I know it sounds woo woo, but I used to have your mentality. I've long changed it. Don't focus on big things (like getting visa).. Work on small things first. You will get there. Stay strong 🤗💜
I like to draw but the entire time i have spent doing it i feel like i haven't made any progress and i dont know what do i need to study to make my drawins look good, Do you recommend any book or videos to start by the very beggining? i want to give this a shot and see if i can learn to make good drawings like cartoons or manga, i want to be productive and learn a thing that i love seeing but would love to do by myself.
i started doing figure drawings everyday and it is by far the most effective way to learn to draw it just helps with builidng all the foundational drawing skills. It will take sometime but you will definitely see improvement if you are consistent. Croquis cafe has great resources for figuredrawing. start with gesture drawings and as you get more comfortable try to do more detailed drawings. It takes time so dont be harsh on yourself.
basically all the animation jobs are in LA all of them Why didn't you go to Japan ? there animation studios are everywhere in the country rather than jumping hopes in one city in the US
@@TonikoPantoja Sadly no am from the us and its hard getting your foot in the door, had friends that told me the long hours and high stress over there, I mean I guess us too lost 3 friends that tired to do there carrer path only to fail and fail and gave up.
so the answer is yes. it wasn't actually difficult, it just required simple tasks that take time out of your day and you ended up with many people with similar interests as a result. hopefully you get your citizenship!
@@stuartdriedger9989 dude it's not like that AT ALL. I have so many friends that have worked so freaking hard to get where they are, did everything and more to get to their level, surpassing many of the skilled people you find in America, but they still did not get a visa and had to go back home. For most visas it's not "oh just work hard and you'll get it" NO! It's not only hard work, you have to also count with luck and timing and a bunch of other factors! It's extremely draining and sometimes the circumstances are not on your side and people can't take it anymore. I had friends who were extremely talented go back home because they lost in the visa lottery (yes, lottery, doesn't matter if you're good or not) and they couldn't apply to a different visa because covid stopped the processing for many visas; i had friends that had to go home because they couldn't find a fitting job at the time even though they had one of the best works out there; i know people that had to go home because one of their parents died, and once you leave the country you sometimes can't come back due to visa issues, and finding a sponsor outside the US is really complicated. All those people were top of the class award winning students. It's not as simple as asking "was it worth it"? Many good things come from getting a visa, but you can also lose a lot (not being able to see family, having parents or friends pass away, not being able to see your nephew being born, missing weddings, parties, having your pets die, etc). Not getting a visa and having to go back home it's not the end of the world but it still hurts for many bc you kinda make a second life here in the states, but you can still have a life back in your home country. Either way, the experiences you can get from working in the US are great, but they can also be great back home or somewhere else. Is going through visa stress for years worth it? Honestly, I'm going through it right now and im not so sure anymore. If the process was much easier for students and international workers, it would be good to not only us, but the US as well. There's no reason for it to be this complicated, and every year it's getting harder. I'm not saying that the US shouldn't have a demanding immigration system, but the way it is right now is unbelievable.
My heart goes out to every international person who has to deal with VISA nonsense :(
We need to update our systems.
💖
May i ask? What's Visa
@@zionravenloberiano4188 the video explained what a visa is
a third-world passport is the biggest gut punch in so many fields. many animators work on freelancer and such. that's a good alternative. I am not sure if studios hire online workers
@@aoterou then I think its an African issue mostly.
Well and the companies use that against emigrant workers all the time. The levels of soft or just blatant coercion to workers from the third or second world countries is off the charts.
@@aoterou not all countries. It varies.
Dude, I've scoured the internet looking for information of the kind that you shared here. All I got to see was the perspective of the US citizens who don't have to deal with these complex processes and their motivational talks like "anyone can do it" felt so frustrating. Finally someone posted a video with real facts. Good Lord!
Great topic! If you have the time & legal intellect to learn the visa process yourself you can save several thousand dollars on legal fees. I spent MANY hours on paperwork I would've had to do anyway and it cost about $3,000 USD on application fees for my Canadian residency "green card."
The US is notorious for difficult visa/immigration process, but it's absolutely not any easier on the Canadian side, or to go to any country really. In Canada the studio has to pay a nonrefundable $1,000 LIMA "labor market impact assessment" fee for the government to decide whether or not the job is something the studio could hire a local Canadian to do instead. If the govt decides there are qualified Canadians they'll deny the studio the ability to hire a foreign worker. That's before any visa costs.
Many companies have a no-freelance rule so you don't undercut their prices with your personal services and steal their clients. My coworkers ignored that rule and still did freelance on the side; they just never spoke of it where corporate would see.
On the work front, it also doesn't help that some countries have really bizarre rules around what counts as 'Work'. In Thailand if your sink breaks and you fix your own sink, you are considered to have worked illegally. As for freelancing some countries you may be able to get away with don't ask don't tell, but others will find out.
I second second what Crowne Prince said- Self education is a must!! I had an immigration agent through my employer, but was not quite correct in everything and I had to review and resolve some of the decisions.
I moved to Australia three years ago from the USA, completely different situation, but it was a challenge for sure. I was pretty close to PR in AU, but decided to move back right before the pandemic hit- not crazy about everything in the USA, but it's home :)
Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
:( aw man I really want to try and obtain a Canadian working visa
they TOOK OUR JERBBBBBSSS
For moving to canada do you need a degree
I'm slowly starting to think that "the art industry" is literally in LA. It sounds stupid, but it feels like most content creators/working artists that I follow are there.
Great video Toniko! People in our industry don't really talk so much about visa's and how painful it can be for some artists to survive in our industry. If you're not COMPETING for the next gig against other animators, you have to apply or renew your visa to STAY in the country to do your dream job.
I'm SO lucky, as I have a Norwegian citizenship and can work in most of the EU countries without a Visa, and i really didn't realize how much of a privileged life I lived until I met some of my artist friends from Japan or New Zealand, who had to go back to their countries because their visa's were up, or had 3 months to find their next gig, or they'd get deported.
/cries in russian/ i can't afford even going to any EU country however geographically it's verrry close to me, and there's even a 50+% chance of tourist visa being rejected just because 'ew russians';
speaking of local industry, there are no studios that do something i'd be interested in compared to worldwide studios, so i sadly sit and do freelance wondering how much visa pain still awaits me in case someone decided to risk to hire someone from a third-world country /heavy sigh/ i actually lowered my expectations since i realized i can't afford to get a foreign degree & local degree i got is useless, so I don't expect from life much already, going slow and steady now. Being able-bodied is already a privilege, so uh idk at least i can draw.
I mean at least you guys have some kickass classical drawing schools, some of my teachers went to a certain school in St. Petersburg, idk which one but their skills were insane.... I actually had quite a few russian co workers at the studio I was at in Germany~
@@ayior yup the classical school is insanely good and it's great but overall the animation is very poor, just a copy of what western studios usually do; btw if you're from Germany do you know if there are good studios? i mean i know there should be, but maybe you know about it more than me
jeez i feel your feelings comrade. being russian gets harder and harder every passing year and it makes me so exausted. so uhm?.. if u dont mind can i ask you a few questions? if like you still proceed freelance work for foreign studies? is it even possible now?
i am a russian cartoonist from a small studio myself. so i wonder how do other artists survive in the current situation
@@pepis1337 Things have turned out the way that I have moved from Russia and I hope that I won't have to return - this way I can still continue freelancing
@@emptyvoid_ now you have a 99% of visa rejection rejection cause of war, what a ride huh
WAIT YOU'RE A FILIPINO---
THIS IS GIVING ME HOPE THAT I CAN MAKE IT 😭😭😭
Same ...
$15k. Or, with my current "salary", about three years of trying to survive on sunshine and living in a cardbox. Damn it's depressing to know that in order to move to America you must be rich to begin with.
HI I'm 2d animator working in Japan.
First of all. congratulations for your green card!
As a foreigner myself, I know how great relief green card means.
I'm also interested in the difference between Japan and USA animation makings and this is very good topic for me too.
(Sorry for my poor English...)
It would be good if there was an interview between western and japanese animators
Thank you uploading this. Cleared some of my doubts. Some days I feel depressed because the animation industry isn’t very good in my country and I couldn’t afford studying in America or Canada to jump start my career. From where I’m standing right now, ability wise, connection wise, etc to a successful career is an uncertain path to say the least.
Everything has a beginning. Now it is simpler than ever before. It is frustrating m to not be in the heart of where everything happens now but soon there will be studios in every country.
Thank you for adding a different perspective on this issue. I usually only hear people from the first world countries talking about the visa issues and it doesn't have a lot in common with the difficulties that people from third world countries have. Thanks a lot!
Thanks for making this video! im an international student as well and I just wanted to add that not only studios sometimes refuse to hire you once they learn you're an international in need of sponsorship in the future, but sometimes when they DO hire international students they pay really low wages just bc they KNOW we're desperate to get a job right after graduation (bc we only have 3 months to find work under OPT). Many of those studios are the big ones, and under union! But they still hire international students under low wages, and usually have us hired under different job titles so the union doesnt find out they're underpaying their workers... and many of us are scared of telling the union what is happening bc we risk losing our jobs, and under a visa or OPT that is a big no no... especially now that we have covid in the equation! (many have told the animation guild about similar issues btw, but they did nothing still.)
But anyways, it's good that you made a video explaining how hard it is to get a visa in the US because I feel like if more people knew about it they would know how unfair the current system is. Once my superiors knew about my situation and also of my other international friends (half of the team was international lol), they became more compassionate towards us and even tried to do anything they could to help us out (like offering to write letters of recommendation, or helping us to get more stable positions!)
and congrats on getting your green card btw!
Aspiring animator also from the Philippines here TTvTT this makes me feel much more nervous for the future, but at the same time, I'm glad I found this video so that I have a heads up on how things are gonna go :DD
Yep 😣
Thank you, man. I had to stop to watch/listen almost all americans indie animators because their tips and advice (about almost everything, not only visas) were so disconnected to my reality. It sucks because I'm doing/learning animation by my own, so those misinformation (sure, they didn't mean it, but it is) can make you feel really lost and even paranoid.
I’m South African man I feel your pain
im south African too , i feel more anxious now
claimingagate goodluck bud, coming to the uk was hard enough, I can’t imagine the US of A
Mr pizzaCat im still considering my options for animation school right now im a high-school student are there any places you would recommend i study at
claimingagate That all depends on the country, Canada, US, Uk I’d recommend those countries for an animation school. If you come to the UK I’d recommend Teeside, Hertfordshire or London Arts but do your own research and find the one that’s right for you and what you want.
Mr pizzaCat ok thanks
I also want to move to the U.S.A and become an animator/cartoonist myself. I'm Hungarian, but I was born in and spent my entire life in Romania. The cartoons and anime I watched, the games I played, and comics I read made me want to pursue a career in art. I spent hours at my desk, drawing and painting. Even pulling multiple all-nighters. I self-taught myself how to draw, design and even animate, by learning from amazing artists like you, Proko, Jazza, Mohammed Agdabi and many others.
I speak fluent English with no trace of an accent, and know the pledge of allegiance by heart. I'm currently saving up money to get a visa, move out and start my career.
Another romanian? Damn, I'm surprised to see one out there. I also ended up in this rabbithole of english teachers. Cool to see someone with similar interests, good luck on your path!!
@@isabella5484 My nationality is Romanian, but I'm ethnically Hungarian.
@@kristofgriffin384 That's pretty cool to be honest, hungarians and romanians are like siblings. My grandma speaks hungarian so I understand a bit of it.
That's great! I hope you make it here to the USA one day! :D
I live in CA but never understood how difficult it was in to get here
Thank you for this and allowing me to understand at least some of the difficulties
Yeah, I got denied a tourist visa which is the easiest visa to get.. so my hopes for getting a work visa are non existant
Do you think you can find a way to become a freelancer? Or develop a digital skill that brings in profit? Because it's annoying to me that there are people on the same planet i live on that don't have the same opportunities as i do. This video made me realize that I'm kind of lazy and need to hit the ground sprinting. I didn't have the best life (i was bullied and i did all the work around my house nearly everyday without real appreciation) but i always knew being in a 3rd world country or not the Usa would suck because of the lack of opportunity. But thank God for the internet because of the endless opportunities.
@@gcastudio Yeah I do freelance! Though nobody is commissioning me right now :/
I hope the animation industry in Mexico continues growing so I can get stable income here in my home :sss
based
thank you for this! i am a Filipino Animator trying to apply for a canadian-based animation studio. this helps a lot! thanks
I spent 2 years living in Thailand during the closing days of the period where Westerners could effectively live there on back to back tourist visas. For people in my situation, it wasn't too bad, it just effectively meant a trip to a neighboring country every 2-3 months to renew the visa. But I kept an eye on the Visa forums cause I knew that they were beginning to crack down on people staying there like that. Some of the horror stories I read on that forum, how people would get completely screwed over by visas, visa requirements, officials making up requirements on the spot, I can definitely vouch for the visa process being extraordinarily harrowing, especially if there is uncertainty.
A big problem here (I'm also an artist in LA) is that major studios keep outsourcing their animation jobs to places like India and Malaysia. It's kind of hard to compete with that since it saves studios SO MUCH money. That's also one of the reasons that working in a studio is often not looked at as a long-term position and a lot of the positions are "freelance" (with many of those freelancers being in, again, India and Malaysia).
Congrats on your green card! I just started my first year at CalArts and it’s very inspiring to know that even though it took you 10 whole years you just kept going at it anyway!
I’m terrified of California, but I know if I ever had the chance I should go for it
Even if I had the money, their corrupt politics would kill me. I mean, illinois' bull is already killing me here...
Don’t there’s NO 2D animation Studios anywhere. Only in LA.
Thank you for the insight, very few artists shed light on the immigrant's perspective of entering the animation industry so this is a much needed video! I had an experience of trying to get a work visa right after graduation (in the UK rather than the US since I studied there), and even if studios were interested, it was near impossible to even get past to the interview stage as soon as they heard or saw that I was not local/not an EU resident.
Ended up having to go back to my home country which was heartbreaking initially, I think the experience of hardship and trying to make it in a smaller industry made me learn a lot. Now I've gone full-time freelance instead, doing both local pre-production work and I occasionally freelance with overseas clients which is helpful. I'm still looking to enter a different country's animation industry and work there, mainly for gaining the knowledge and connect with a larger community of artists and a wider range of opportunities but I know it'll take time, patience and effort to get there.
This video made me remember that even if tried to move out to the US I probably can't, at least not in the foreseeable non-covid future
Thank you so much for sharing this video! It's very resourceful ! I totally agree with all these struggles... :( Hope that things get better in the future..
Thanks for the video! I really wanted to hear your experience in this topic, I'm South American and would love to move to Canada :D I'm crossing my fingers hoping work permits are easier to get there
Thank you for this video! I mentor animation students many of whom live outside of the US, and this information is incredibly helpful for them and eye-opening for me. Thank you for taking the time to create so many informative videos.
Even as someone who's more from more first-world countries (New Zealand from birth and Australia by immigrancy), I'm still shocked when I see how far both passports can take me on the passport index for international work or just moving countries.
It's mind boggling and quietly infuriating to see that my own passport(s) could get better chances than others when they deserve it more than me. Especially if they're from third-world countries. And god knows if the companies actually being honest.
I recognise that I'm very fortunate in my circumstances (currently doing my animation bachelors at a more local university with hope of *probably* getting into a local studio after), but *damn* this was a reality check. I'll have to keep referring back to this video over the years.
I've wanted to get into the animation industry in America but I don't really intend to get US citizenship in the long run since I don't really see myself living in the US permanently. I do have family in the West Coast including my grandma who're already US citizens. However because of certain circumstances I can't exactly finish my non-art-related bachelor's degree in the near future and so I've been working on the side and just improving my craft. Hope to at least get some personal projects done and enroll in online workshops like Schoolism especially with the corona lockdown here. Btw I'm from the Philippines too and I can't really imagine myself calling another place home. Not gonna shade others who choose to do so like my own relatives, but I've reflected on it for quite a long time and I'm lately coming to the realization that it'd be the best if I could find work in animation while also not having to leave home.
Most visas are temporary non immigration visas. You don’t need to move permanently and become a citizen. They don’t want new citizens, nearly all the visas require you to say you will return to your native country during the application process. It’s a lot harder if you want to stay then if you don’t.
I was surprised when you say ur Filipino bago lang ako sa states and 18 palang ako wnrwala naren chance makapag college and gusto lang ng parents makapag trabaho agad para makapag padala. And syempre nalulungkot self study ako about animation and seeing your channel helps a lot thankyou!
Wow, that was a great story. I didn't realize how difficult my international colleagues had it. You have definitely opened my eyes about what it takes to work in LA when coming from other countries. I'm glad you found success in Los Angeles.
I just started with animation studies and my end goal is actually to go to California to get a job (im from Spain), I know it will be a pain, but im sure it will also be a very good experience, and for whatever reason if it ends up not working out I still have France and Uk to look up, plus with Covid maybe a lot will change.
Thank you for the video man. This is a really specific topic but speaks for tons of us foreign artists who want to pursue our dreams. Thanks for spreading right information and positive energy!
i'm brazillian and this video was truly helpful, thank you so much for the content!
it really cleared my mind in order to plan my career in animation. seems a lot harder (and more expensive) than i expected to get myself into the american industry, but i'll try not to give up :))
wishing you the best!
I don’t know if you’ve already answered a question like this or this is too personal, but cal arts is pretty expensive so how did you manage to get through it without the benefits (student loans, etc) of being a citizen
I hope somebody answers this
This is some of the most useful advice for international animators/storyboard artists.
I'm Tunisian and over here online transactions are quasi impossible so doing freelancing is difficult with a foreign employer
I'm privileged my father went through the whole ViSA and just whole applying to become a citizenship bullshit. So I'm 2nd generation Panameña 🇵🇦
Imagine coming to a foreign country and wanting to be a citizen there and almost immediately they DRAFT you into their war. That's what happened to my father. Denied? Get deported back to your country and be BARRED from that country.
I have a lot of respect American and non-Americans who want to work for big companies like Disney. It's just not for me. I'm learning to discipline myself as besides this job I have, I desire to be my own boss and collaborate with like-minded individuals.
This was a very interesting video. Anyone who has citizenship in America like myself, have no idea how insane the whole green card/Visa fiasco is. 😵
My favorite part in video 15:19
Live life to the fullest, be present in that moment, make the best of what you have.
Your friend sounds awesome. 🤗💜
You're a true warrior, man! Congrats on your visa!! and thanks for sharing the experience with us :)
Greetings from Brazil!
I love your channel! Is one of the most inspiring for any future animator. Great topic btw
It’s even got harder for countries the US claims to like. Im from Canada and was denied a TN visa because animation jobs apparently don’t count as a professional job anymore. Even after being on one for 6 years with the same job title. I had to get an O1 visa instead. The experience was kind of awful. The NAFTA agreement is supposed to make it easier for professional North Americans to work in each other’s country, denying them makes it so there’s even more competition for the other visas. I’m seriously debating just moving back when my visa runs out this time.
Now I'm scared...
I was just reading about that and about how we really are in the hands of whoever looks at our papers, because technically animation is not eligible for the TN visa (I guess some studios write Graphic Designer in their letter?) but it really comes down to whether or not the official at the border likes the wording in your paperwork,, what a headache
Thanks so much for this! I’m an international student, just starting my freshman year in animation. And well covid has made student visas tricky for sure :( but this is Super informative for me to consider in the Long run, because ideally I would like to get experience and build networking/career opportunities in USA after I graduate.
Always wwanted to see a vid on this topic, thanks!
its funny to me that myself living in Tijuana literally a km away from the border with my house having the view of San Diego, I've never been there because I'm too anxious of getting denied for the visa on the spot and having to wait another 6 months to apply again and pay again...lol xD
Great upload, Toniko!
Heeeeey thanks for the tips.
Yeah i was already guessing that what you said would have been the case when it comes to moving to the US. Guess I'll do freelance from Brazil then, wish me luck!
This was a fantastic video! I'm late, but congrats on your green card! Your art is fantastic and your advice is so helpful :3
Sigh, wish my family had better luck with visas. It's like an endless path with no hope in sight.
congratualtions getting that green card! i remember also migrating to US with students visa, but i returned with my tail between my legs after a year :D :D all good. its for the best, i didn't like the vibe of the people anyway(sorry i'm european kinda)
I really love your videos helpfull and fun to watch keep going man
Thank you so much for this informative video! Love from Vietnam : )
I'm Vietnamese to but i live in Germany
Applying for animation work in the UK as a US citizen on a student visa and it has been hell.(and the pandemic has made it nearly impossible) The UK citizenship requirements are surprisingly even worse than the US and I have always found the US system unfair and full of nonsense rules. I am so sorry you have to deal with the US system of immigration/visas and I am sorry to anyone else who has to as well. People wonder why so many undocumented people exist and this is why, it isn't an immigration system it's an immigration deterrent system.
Mainly for artists it's the issue of creative work just throwing you away after every project, Animation really needs to treat it's workers like they are worth keeping around.
Well I'm a student and I know this is the begining, my work is not the best or the worst but I'm learning all I can't before. And I'm enjoying every minute. Btw I didin't know Mainland was so hard with visas.
Love love ur channel
Whoaaaa pilipino pla idol kooooo
I can't focus on what you are saying, because your animation videos are so cute.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!!!!!!!!!
I'm graduating in the year 2025 and am a fellow Southeast Asian(Thai). I'm planning to move to either the UK or US. I gravitate towards the UK more as the quality of life seems better for the long run and also because I'll have friends there as well. However, the US seems a lot better for job opportunities. I don't know where I should go. Help me! I have a feeling I'm going to make the worst mistake of my life!
Congrats on getting your green card!
How do you get hired as a freelancer at a major studio? I never see job openings for freelancers coming by on Linkedin (and I must say, even smaller studios appear have less freelance positions). 🤔 Then again, I still have a long way to go before they'll even look my way. 😂
Born in the wrong country, I always say. The Netherlands doesn't have an animation industry, just one studio that occasionally makes a movie that'll get shown in a limited range of Dutch cinemas :") and the last time I saw them hiring was 2019. All other animation opportunities are motion graphics-related (not hating on it, just a very different skillset), no traditional 2D...
The only thing tough in animation is getting a freaking idea i lose hope on like having a idea for my animation look you need to look at my animations my animations are boarderline ugly the worst animations ever seen or made by me a 11 year old boy (BTW i wish i was a girl) but thats not the point. The problem with me in animations is just having a creative idea for your animations if you already done with your first or second animation you decide to do more, but here's the problem you start to lose motivation for how ugly your art is, then you just burn out very very fast I'm not a ambitious person hehe well uhhh.... sometimes not a ambitious person. I just want to make my own show my own cartoon like show but i can't so don't stop me from never animating.
wow nice I want to be humble like you
And here I was wanting to be a Rigging TD outside of America ^^;
Kabayan ka pala.. Galing mo sir.
Just realized I shouldn't pursue my passion... Now I don't have any backup plan... I'm screwed man... it's over. I'll never gonna make it
You keep telling yourself that and believing it, and you won't be able to do anything you want to do.
The only one holding you back is you. Most importantly, your thoughts. I know it sounds woo woo, but I used to have your mentality. I've long changed it.
Don't focus on big things (like getting visa).. Work on small things first.
You will get there.
Stay strong 🤗💜
Yeah, the visa process here in PH is almost next to impossible.. Idk why
I like to draw but the entire time i have spent doing it i feel like i haven't made any progress and i dont know what do i need to study to make my drawins look good, Do you recommend any book or videos to start by the very beggining? i want to give this a shot and see if i can learn to make good drawings like cartoons or manga, i want to be productive and learn a thing that i love seeing but would love to do by myself.
Nice video btw, very informative and clear
I recommend the RUclips channel "The Drawing Database". Start from the Basics playlist.
@@delusionalunicorn5324 thanks man, appreciate it
@@rattyratchild4470 thanks man, I'll try my best from now on
i started doing figure drawings everyday and it is by far the most effective way to learn to draw it just helps with builidng all the foundational drawing skills.
It will take sometime but you will definitely see improvement if you are consistent. Croquis cafe has great resources for figuredrawing. start with gesture drawings and as you get more comfortable try to do more detailed drawings. It takes time so dont be harsh on yourself.
Im a Filipino student and I want to pursue animation and move to US but I’m poor. 😭😭
When you work in the industry, you get paid union rates - which in a couple of months of saving up you can make that 10k.
saludo ako sayo sir
I knew it you're also a Filipino, 💞
how is your english so good men
Meh
I didn't even know you were a Filipino. Damn
oh! ive been following you for a year, and i never knew you are a filipino hahaha i thought your an ausie...
Do you think accent is a barrier or with American accent will that be an advantage? Thanks
so is a diploma of higher education useless when applying for a visa?
basically all the animation jobs are in LA all of them
Why didn't you go to Japan ? there animation studios are everywhere in the country rather than jumping hopes in one city in the US
I'd probably go to europe over japan to be honest.
@@TonikoPantoja dam just travel to Japan and was amazed how many animations where everywhere not just in one city like burbank.
@@unisangalaxystudio have you worked in japan?
@@TonikoPantoja Sadly no am from the us and its hard getting your foot in the door, had friends that told me the long hours and high stress over there, I mean I guess us too lost 3 friends that tired to do there carrer path only to fail and fail and gave up.
I wish i didnt need visa for anything ;w; For safe countries without borders!
do you use Adobe Photoshop to do your animations?
I had no idea you were filipino 😭
who woulda known you're a fellow filipino :D
Short answer: Not really
I'm a Filipino and I'm practicing Animation i want to be a professional animator just like you
No
Awww man I live in the USA it's going to take me forever to get there
Wtf you're not an American? Your English and accent are amazing!
As an American citizen, on behalf of America, I would like to apologize.
sorry for what? america isn't even on the top 10 list for countries with the most difficult visa to obtain. weird sword to throw yourself on.
@@Lessthanmediocre Cause I'm immensely embarrassed by my government and how it's been treating immigrants.
@@1010ftw nah it's okay, it wasn't your fault in the first place tho
@@awts..7954 I know but I'm still ashamed of it. Trying to get the current clown out.
Why tho
Im filipino its seems ang daming dadaanan 😭
You dont have the pinoy accent....I thought you were American born Asian
This is why MasterCard succeeds 😂 jk
As expected, south african visa sucks
First
I though you were American
👁️👄👁️
so the answer is yes. it wasn't actually difficult, it just required simple tasks that take time out of your day and you ended up with many people with similar interests as a result. hopefully you get your citizenship!
Stuart Driedger no dude it was hard.
so it wasn't WORTH IT? sounds like YES it was. good things come to those who work really fing hard.
aaaand the world is different now. you had to do what you had to do at the time. and now you can do whatever else. good hustle
@@stuartdriedger9989 dude it's not like that AT ALL. I have so many friends that have worked so freaking hard to get where they are, did everything and more to get to their level, surpassing many of the skilled people you find in America, but they still did not get a visa and had to go back home. For most visas it's not "oh just work hard and you'll get it" NO! It's not only hard work, you have to also count with luck and timing and a bunch of other factors! It's extremely draining and sometimes the circumstances are not on your side and people can't take it anymore.
I had friends who were extremely talented go back home because they lost in the visa lottery (yes, lottery, doesn't matter if you're good or not) and they couldn't apply to a different visa because covid stopped the processing for many visas; i had friends that had to go home because they couldn't find a fitting job at the time even though they had one of the best works out there; i know people that had to go home because one of their parents died, and once you leave the country you sometimes can't come back due to visa issues, and finding a sponsor outside the US is really complicated. All those people were top of the class award winning students.
It's not as simple as asking "was it worth it"? Many good things come from getting a visa, but you can also lose a lot (not being able to see family, having parents or friends pass away, not being able to see your nephew being born, missing weddings, parties, having your pets die, etc). Not getting a visa and having to go back home it's not the end of the world but it still hurts for many bc you kinda make a second life here in the states, but you can still have a life back in your home country. Either way, the experiences you can get from working in the US are great, but they can also be great back home or somewhere else. Is going through visa stress for years worth it? Honestly, I'm going through it right now and im not so sure anymore. If the process was much easier for students and international workers, it would be good to not only us, but the US as well. There's no reason for it to be this complicated, and every year it's getting harder. I'm not saying that the US shouldn't have a demanding immigration system, but the way it is right now is unbelievable.