Understand your craft and its roots. In the early 20th century, animators were required to hand-render 24 drawings per second of screen time. Knowing the evolution of animation over the past century will serve you well when you make your case before industry decision makers.
Master the latest software programs known for producing the best animations. Take classes if you are deficient in one or more so you know the playing field. Neophyte animators who take their work to a pitch may be expected to show their skills, so be prepared.
Ignore the obvious markets. Every dreamer with an animation idea to pitch wants to see their work shepherded to America's movie screens via Pixar or DreamWorks. As you jump-start your career, gear your efforts toward independent studios, most of which are eager to look at a newcomer's work.
Follow professional protocol when pitching your ideas. Bring along everything you need for your presentation, don't waste anyone's time and don't expect attendees to give you an immediate answer. That said, it's OK to ask for feedback, so put on your armor to protect your ego.
Know where to go. Individual, in-person opportunities to pitch ideas are rare. You stand a better chance of landing a meeting at an animation film festival. Find those in closest proximity to your home and attend as many as you can. Most have "pitch" opportunities on the festival agenda. Register for these early, before schedules fill.
Match broadcasters and audiences to your animation idea. Bottom-up marketing is as important in the field of animation as it is to commerce. Your ideas may be great, but if the concept isn't something either a broadcaster or your intended audience wants to see, your chances of selling it won't be optimal.
Watch the gimmicks. PBS' Linda Simensky said it all when she referred to amateur animators who use gimmicks to try and sell their ideas: "The more gimmicky the presentation gets, the more irritated I get. I'm looking for the creator's passion to come through in the material."
Avoid PowerPoint presentations. Industry pros expect to see the fruits of an animation designer's labor, not a slide show. It's OK to bring along the steps you took as you nurtured your project from pencil sketch to finished product, but don't stop at stills.
Stay focused. Rehearse your pitch over and over until you can give it in your sleep. Animation professionals have little time to waste, and most know a winner within the first minute of a presentation. Show professionals that you value their time by not wasting it.
Conceive strong story ideas. When queried about the biggest mistakes made by newbies, industry pros cite poor story ideas that are lacking in emotional connection and depth. Nice visuals are, well, nice. But unless the critical viewer loves animation as much as fans of Scooby-Doo, Blues Clues and Dora the Explorer worship their characters, your road to penetrating the big leagues of animation will be a long one.