As an over 30 modeler, is it still worth pursuing a career in animation/VFX or is the role dying?
I am writing this post because I am at a major crossroads and I really need some honest advice from those of you who are already in the industry.
I am 36 years old and I have a rather atypical professional path. I started as a traditional clay modeler in the fashion industry, then moved to 3D quite late, around my 27. I started with CAD and later moved into the game industry thanks to my good sculpting skills. I have been working for about 7 years in small studios I have worked every single day, never having any employment gaps, and I have done a bit of everything: props, digital doubles, facial blendshapes, complex hardsurface, and both realistic and stylized characters.
The problem is that all this experience is "wasted" on lowprofile projects (B2B work, indie games, content for youtubers, and other junk). I only have a couple of published titles, but I feel that my current portfolio does not do justice to what I am truly capable of. Now that my permanent contract has finished and I am only moving forward with the occasional clients, I have a strong desire to get back to studying, redo my reel, and try to aim for VFX, which has always been my aspiration.
Looking at the market, I have many doubts, primarily because of my age, but beyond that, I wonder if it still makes sense to look for work as a modeler. Realistically, are studios in Europe, Canada, the US, or Australia still looking for these profiles? Or has all the work moved to low-cost hubs in India and elsewhere? I would also be willing to relocate, but I want to understand if it is still economically sustainable.
Then there is the AI issue...I have started using AI-based workflows to generate assets and speed up processes, because it was required at my last studio, but I find it humiliating to give up the part of the process I have always loved, which is sculpting, just to reduce myself to doing mere AI garbage cleanup. If the future is "cleaning up," does it make sense to continue focusing on pure modeling, or is it better to pivot to more technical roles, such as rigging, which seem to have more demand?
That said, I ask you, with this background, where would you focus your efforts to make your profile truly appealing? What are the technical skills that today make the difference in having some chance of entering a production for a profile like mine?
I know that the moment is not the best for the industry, but I want to understand if, at my age, I am chasing a mirage or if there is still space for someone who is willing to get back in the game.
Thanks a lot in advance for your advice, I will appreciate your honesty.