Comments on: You’re Not That Talented, and Other Advice

By: Stuart

Stuart — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:12:51 +0000

If you do a discount, don’t invoice someone at your discounted rate. Invoice them for your full rate and then put your % discount as a line item. That way it’s clear that you’re doing a favour – and they can see what you’re actually worth.

By: James

James — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 02:41:02 +0000

Good Stuff!, As a freelance artist for the last 30 years, living in LA,Seattle, Miami, Chicago and NYC. I could say this advice works across all creative fields. A few words, like reel, that may be swapped out for portfolio, but it all works. I got lucky with AE because it’s not the primary focus of what I do, it’s the sprinkles on my cake so to speak. And I would add that my luck came with 17 years of pushing pixels in Photoshop, and working with the best photographers in the world, for 20 years as a make-up artist and hairstylist. But I also created/invented my new position (media director) and was willing to give some of my time away in the beginning, to show my skill set is valuable to the client. Although I didn’t take a fast track to where I am today, I have always had a job I have loved and been passionate about, so I have rarely had to work! After all 8 to 16 hours a day is a hella long time if it’s work!
Thank you so much for everything you do to promote creativity. I come from the fashion industry and people do not share ideas there, they hoard them, and go to ridiculous lengths to feed the never satiated ego’s. I am grateful for the time I spent traveling the world as a “dealer in vanity” and just as grateful to have put it behind me. The genuine love of creativity the AE community has as a whole makes me smile to know, although I have many hours ahead of me leaning, I am with good people.
Be Well

By: Joel Lisbona

Joel Lisbona — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:34:14 +0000

Hi Aharon, I could finally read your entire article, very nice tips, i wish i could read something like this about 10 years ago, you need to write a book man…congrats.

By: Roger

Roger — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:27:13 +0000

Aharon, I’ve been working in the “graphic arts” / “marketing communications” / “web development” / “hell you name it” industries since 1977.

A lot of this stuff is so true it brought tears to my eyes because guys, you can get to a point in your career where if you haven’t followed some of this very good advice, you will realize, your career / life is no longer fixable or even on a track you care for.

I realize my personal problem is lack of being assertive. And at 55, it’s not a personality trait easily picked up. You gotta believe in your self and you better start doing it at 25.

Thank you, I will be passing this along to certain people that I know are starting out on their careers. (I think a lot of this would apply if you were even going into banking.)

By: You’re Not That Talented at Lost Scribbles

You’re Not That Talented at Lost Scribbles — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:46:41 +0000

[...] CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE! It’d surely be some help to ya all!. TY to BlackCHunk for finding [...]

By: Armand Pranoto

Armand Pranoto — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:28:04 +0000

“So have fun. Enjoy yourself. Value yourself and the work you do. Learn to let go. And remember to take a breath once in a while.”

that last advise that you gave, it struck me right in the heart. some of my friends already told me that, and i believe that life was all about hard work. i learned to survive.
many thanks, it really opens my mind

By: Matt Rogers

Matt Rogers — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:16:35 +0000

This i probably the most real advice I’ve seen. Thanks, I’ll be passing this along.

By: Christian Moreton

Christian Moreton — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:49:12 +0000

There is another pice of advice which belongs here. It’s..

Be Careful what you get good at.

For example, if you want to be an artist, but fall into some administrative or assisting work that makes you miserable, do not under any circumstances get good at or become reliable in those tasks. Once people depend of you for your ability to do tedious tasks in a creative industry, you’re stuck, you may have to quit or move to a different city to get out of it.

By: Aharon Rabinowitz

Aharon Rabinowitz — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:01:47 +0000

Michael – the real question is, can you sit in a room with people you don’t know well and tell them your honest opinion? Because that’s what we’re really talking about here. Shyness isn’t about feeling comfortable in front of a camera in a public place – it’s about feeling comfortable with yourself, and knowing that the world doesn’t end if you say something other people don’t like.

By: Darío S.

Darío S. — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:08:32 +0000

Yes agree with everything you told honestly. I’ve been recently in a professional crisis and been trying to understand why guys most of the times younger than, what means less experience where getting amazing jobs etc. Been trying to understand why some people are successful and other don’t. I asked loads of people about my portfolio and all of them said , man you got a nice work . I think my work os decent despite not amazing. And what I realised analysing closely those “successful” people is that they have a common thing. They are very confident in their personal lives and in their professional lives. They present their-selves and people trust them. Basically you could be an amazing artist and not be noticed and you could be a regular talented artist but if you are confident you will get eventually the best positions. Trust me sounds crazy but is true. Recommend this book “Talent is overrated”. Look on amazon.

By: Michael C.

Michael C. — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:14:36 +0000

#4 — shyness and handling rejection are different things. I can handle rejection, but I cannot go out there and film in a public place, say getting on a bus and talking into the camera surrounded by people.

By: You’re Not That Talented - underpk

You’re Not That Talented - underpk — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:18:00 +0000

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By: Folletto Malefico

Folletto Malefico — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:02:16 +0000

Any chance to see the keyphrases of this made in a small video?

(or maybe, a contest to allow anyone to do that? – What’s the license for this content? CC? )

By: Michel Savoie

Michel Savoie — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:39:28 +0000

Great advice! I think that most of this stuff is adaptable to just about any industry and any line of work and are just good life tips in general!

By: Gajan

Gajan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:07:45 +0000

Great Advice!! There’s quite a few things here that are gems to work by!
- avoid spec work!
- pay your dues, and break into an industry = internship!
- shy, timid artists don’t get very far and aren’t as assertive!

good stuff!!

By: “You’re not that talented” | Studio B12 Blog

“You’re not that talented” | Studio B12 Blog — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:44:25 +0000

[...] “You’re not that talented” und 19 weitere Tipps für zweifelnde Designer von After Effects-Guru Aharon Rabinowitz, ehemaliger Chef-Tutorialist bei Creative Cow. Heute bei Red Giant. Ganz ehrlich, diese ganzen Social-Tutorials für Designer sind für die Tonne. Aber das hier enthält nicht nur Wahrheiten, für deren Entdeckung man einige Jahre im Geschäft auf dem Buckel haben muss, sie sind auch noch unterhaltsam. Denn denkt dran: “Relax folks, we’re not curing cancer.” Kommentare (0) Kommentar schreiben [...]

By: Hermie Cabrito

Hermie Cabrito — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:35:43 +0000

i’d love to share this through FB, though attaching this link is not working… wait! i think a found a bug!

great read, one of the advices almost made me cry…

By: Alan Hettinger

Alan Hettinger — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:15:35 +0000

#19 is great. I’ve never heard it explained so clearly, but it’s something I have to remind myself of every day. Even the best shops do work that isn’t reel-worthy.

Great read, and great advice for any creative career.

By: Daniel Johnson

Daniel Johnson — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:42:55 +0000

Thanks for the tips Aaron,
“don’t do less work for less money”
I am not sure if this is in the comments already, but a business principal is you can make twice as much money on a project if you get it done twice as fast. If I have a low budget project I just tell the client, well we will have to take shortcuts (canned effects, stock music, illustrations, etc), instead of custom animation elements, hiring an illustrator, someone to score, etc. Then I get the everything in writing so they won’t push you to that higher level of quality that Aaron talked about.

By: mel

mel — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:52:14 +0000

Amazing article! You just hit every major aspect of an artist. Need to show this to everyone i know, thanks so much!

By: Martin

Martin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:30:24 +0000

Excellent work Aharon. I’d also add in there “have a sense of humour”, as it’s done you extraodinarily well over the years. You make learning fun, so I can only imagine how that translates into your day-today work.

By: Aharon Rabinowitz

Aharon Rabinowitz — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:44:15 +0000

Hi Ariel – Of course you can. I’d love to come out to Israel, but it;s a bit hard right now with such a young child. But I lived there for a year and a half while I was in school, and we were there last about 8 years ago. Too long.

By: Neks

Neks — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:24:05 +0000

Great advices just wish that I saw them few years earlier

All the best man!

By: Martin

Martin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:49:30 +0000

A very nice bit of writing, some times you really need to read something like that!

By: Find your style and become recognized as a creative : dan r holt design

Find your style and become recognized as a creative : dan r holt design — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:18:49 +0000

[...] more of this article at “You’re Not That Talented, and Other Advice” Published: December 2, 2009 Filed Under: design Leave a Comment Name: [...]