‘Speed-dating’ is when job-seeking animators meet potential employers at Animators for Hire sessions during the 2008 Ottawa International Animation Festival. A regular feature of the annual OIAF, the all-day sessions begin Sept. 20 at 8:30 a.m. at the Chateau Laurier.

‘Animators for Hire is like a speed-dating scenario, except it’s for group job interviews,’ explains OIAF managing director Kelly Neall. ‘We get a number of companies that want to participate. They give us job descriptions, which we send out to the animators on our mailing list. They can then set up interviews with the participating companies, to be held during the actual session.’

This year’s speed-dating sessions will host Nelvana, Pipeline Studios, Laika, Studio B Productions, Kratt Brothers, Longtail Studios, Blue Sky, Walt Disney and Starz Animation, which set up shop in Toronto last year.

‘How could we not be at the Ottawa International Animation Festival?’ asks David Steinberg, Starz’s EVP and head of studio. ‘Starz Animation, Toronto is on the lookout for top talent to work on a number of new projects,’ he adds.

Starz is hiring for Gnomeo and Juliet, Miramax Film’s animated take on Shakespeare, directed by Kelly Asbury (Shrek 2), with songs by Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

‘At the festival, we are also hosting a competition called Character Idol, to give local creators a chance to pitch their animation ideas to top industry professionals and maybe make a sale,’ Steinberg adds.

Previous Animators for Hire outings have led to some real jobs.

Toronto animator Jesse Ilham attended last year’s session and found work. ‘I had an interview with Pipeline; they contacted me the week after, and now I’m working as a designer in their company,’ she says. ‘I had had an interview with them already just after graduation, but they probably wouldn’t have remembered me if I didn’t have that interview in Ottawa.’

Ilham isn’t alone in finding work at Animators for Hire.

‘A lot of people get jobs on the spot,’ Neall says.

To improve their chances for success, animators should bring portfolios and demo reels with them.

‘The companies only have 15 minutes or so to talk to you, and they will meet tons of people that day, so you should give them something to remember you by,’ Ilham says. ‘And sometimes big companies like Disney will ask for multiple portfolios, so they can relay it to different departments. Last year I only had two portfolios, so I can only give one to Disney and keep the other one to show to the other companies. Some companies were definitely not impressed when I told them that I can’t give away my last portfolio.’

For more information, go to //ottawa.awn.com and click on the Animators for Hire link.