I have no artistic skill, but I want to write for animated shows/movies
See title. I love writing stories, but I usually imagine how they are like in show/movie form, specifically 3d animated ones. I don't feel like I have the skill to write a good book, but I do think I could write well for a visual medium, however, I absolutely have no artistic talent whatsoever to properly convey the images in my head to artists.
Is there still a place for someone like me, provided my writing is good enough? I'd love to dabble in that field, but I fear my lack of artistic talent might hold me back. I do have some experience using 3d modeling software, so I guess I could grab some models and pose them in a shot in a way to "sketch" the scenes in my head, but... yeah, that's about it. Is it unusual for someone like that to work in the field of animation? Maybe there are some examples of famous directors/writers who can't draw?
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1 answer
I'd point you to wetcircuit answer since it covers the topic well. Yet, I wanted to add my two cents (and they didn't fit in a comment).
Actually I feel we might be similar: I imagine my stories in a movie/animated form, usually with soundtracks too. I dabbled in 3d modeling and posing software too. Ultimately, I've chosen to hone my writing skills. I'm painfully aware of the struggle of us story-tellers: if only we could easily produce the visuals, we could convey our plot immediately, right?
Visual medias, after all, can be more immediate, striking and appealing than the written word.
What I wanted to say is:
Commitment goes long ways.
You said you can't draw and that your stories aren't good enough. Also you said you'd like to dabble in animation, but your lack of talent is holding you back.
The point is, even if you decide that 3d modelling and animation is the path for you, that won't solve all your problems. Will animation be easier for you than writing? Could be. Will it be easier than learning to draw? Could be. But if you'll start, you'll be a novice regardless.
It's not that you don't have an artistic talent - it's that you won't ever develop an artistic talent if you don't allow yourself to fail.
I am honestly skeptical about talent. Some people are more apt at something that others, but that may be due to a combination of so many factors that's talking about "talent" is, well, trivial. Yea, Mozart surely had musical talent, but the world is full with good musicians that didn't learn the piano at 4 years old, and still they produce wonderful music. So if we let child prodigies aside, and recognize that they may be a one-in-a-billion case, we're left with the simple fact:
All those recognized, successful artists honed they skills.
You won't find one who didn't. And probably there isn't one who failed at least once, were a "failure" may mean "exercising the craft in a non perfect form" (hell, some products on the market are nowhere near perfect, yet they are still good art).
So, don't go into the animation field because you feel a lack of talent. Go in there because there is potential, and if you're willing to learn. But keep in mind that it won't be effortless, exactly as writing and drawing are not.
You won't be straight-away satisfied with your skills: the more your artistic sense develops, the more you'll see the errors in your previous works. But you'll never know if you'll let your insecurities stop you from trying.
TL,DR: If you have the urge to storytell, you are qualified to storytell. Try to understand which field is for you, then commit your efforts to learning the required skills. Don't stop working. Don't stop improving. Talent can be built with time and effort.
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