Welcome to the Volunteer Section of Blender Artist. We hope you are able to find the resource(s) you need here. To help facilitate that we have put together some guidelines to help you attract the people you need. These are only helpful suggestions. You are welcome to ignore some or all, if you want. However, we believe that if you follow these you will cut down on unnecessary questions, reduce critical remarks, attract the appropriate people, and speed up the recruitment process.
There are multiple requests every week. We believe that the artist would like as many details as possible so that they are not replying to every post. Instead they can reply to only the posts they are interested in and believe they can contribute to.
We respect your personal concerns and understand your commitment to protect your intellectual property, but we ask that you share as much as you can without exposing yourself more than you’re comfortable with.
These guidelines are specifically for project team recruitment however, you can use them for single asset work as well.
Guideline 1: Give us USEFUL information – Tell us about your project
While volunteers (at least some) understand and appreciate you wanting to protect your idea from being stolen before you can complete it, you must understand that as a volunteer, we want to know what we are getting into. How much of our time is needed? Do we have the skill to help? Is this something I would enjoy doing?
Here are some simple things you can share to tell us about your project:
- Type: Animation, Game, Still
- Genre: Drama, Comedy, Action, Sci-Fi
- Length: 20 seconds, 1 minute, 1 hour, full length feature, ongoing series
- Assets needed: 1 character, 5 sets, special effects, 20 minutes of animation, voice overs
- What will you do: (Note: Whenever possible demonstrate your skill with actual work. This goes a long way)
Guideline 2: Help us BELIEVE in you – Tell us about you
Volunteers want to know that their time will not be wasted and that you will see this project to the end. They are typically skeptical that you will start this, get distracted or board, then quit. We want to know that you will stick around for the long haul and we want you to make us believe it (even if it’s just a little bit.)
Here’s what we’d love to know about you:
- What are your qualifications?
- How long have you been working on this?
- How much time will you personally commit to this?
- How do we know you wont quit?
Guideline 3: Show us you have SKILLS and COMMITMENT – Demonstrate whatever you can
We know some of you are just starting off so you do not have a lot to show, but when you bill yourself as an awesome artist we want proof. Even those of you that are just starting off should have something to show that this is not just a fad for you. If you want to make an animation or a game, you should have more than a brain fart before asking for help. Put together some concept art or show a bit of your story.
- Things that can help demonstrate your talent and commitment:
- Demo reel
- Concept art
- Script excerpt (something that does not give your story away)
- Anything you have done that demonstrates your ability
Guideline 4: Let us know how much you VALUE us – Let us know what’s in it for us
Some volunteers are fine with just getting the experience, but others want recognition or even pay, if there is a chance for it down the line. If you are only doing this for FUN, then say so up front, otherwise, let us know what’s in it for us.
Some good incentives are:
- Recognition
- Profit Share
- Experience with skilled professional (You should prove that you or someone on your team is a skilled professional)
- Credit in Project
- Ability to Use project in our demo reel
This list may not include everything, but is should be a pretty good start. I think if you use these guidelines you will be much better off than if you didn’t. Either way good luck on your project and happy blending.