Senior lighting artist went from ignored to multiple dream offers.

A year ago, Giulia was at a crossroads. Like many 3D artists, she felt the weight of a volatile industry. Between mass layoffs, the rise of AI, and a general sense of instability, she wasn't sure if she wanted to continue her career in animation at all. She felt fearful and unconfident about her future in the industry.

Fast forward to today, and the transformation is a phenomenal story of growth. She implemented the many training sessions she had at Thoughtful3D, and found herself landing multiple heavy-hitting opportunities. She ultimately accepted a role at the legendary Cartoon Saloon.

Here is exactly how she moved from survival mode to the unshakeable force she is today.

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1. Shifting the Focus from "Skills" to "Self"

Giulia realized that technical ability is only one part of the equation. In a world where tools change rapidly, the only constant is the person using them.

She stopped looking for a "guaranteed job" and started looking for a way to grow as a person. By focusing on personal development and social tools, she built a "core of strength" that didn't depend on what was happening in the industry.

She learned that stability is something you create for yourself, rather than something a company provides for you.

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2. Building Real Confidence

For Giulia, the biggest breakthrough was understanding where confidence actually comes from.

Confidence comes from inside. It is a recognition of the value your unique perspective brings, that no one else can replicate.

That helped Giulia move from feeling desperate for work, to asking for it with the understanding that even the greatest companies on the planet would be lucky to have her on their team. Of course, she would also be lucky, but so would they.

This helped her stand her ground, write better emails, have better interviews, and ultimately led to 3 simultaneous offers, with dream studios.

"Confidence means knowing that I am doing my best and that my best brings something that nobody else can bring to the team." — Giulia

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3. Using the Power of Community to "Rewire" Old Habits

The power of a real community cannot be underestimated. Giulia joined the Thoughtful3D Pro Group, where she was able to see how growth in real time. First, by

• Learning from other's challenges: By hearing about the struggles of other artists, she prepared for scenarios before they ever happened to her.
• Watching the "Game Tapes": Every mentorship call was recorded and shared with the group. And Giulia treated those recordings like an athlete would. She listened to them multiple times, even the small talk, to hear how she sounded and how her thinking was evolving.
• Seeing her own growth: Listening to herself from months prior allowed her to see her progress in real time, which acted as a new foundation layer for her self-confidence.

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4. Humanizing the Interview Process

One of the most practical changes Giulia made was showing up as a "fully-rounded human" during interviews. Instead of just being a list of technical skills, she had the confidence to show who she really is as a person as well as an artist.

In her multiple successful interviews, she mentioned small details about herself, like her love for singing, and karaoke. While it might seem small, in our industry, things like this really move the needle. Especially if they are also creative or in entertainment. For Giulia, it signaled to the interviewers that she was comfortable in her own skin and would be a positive and creative presence in the studio. One that knows how to take care of herself and enjoy her life creating art.

The Results

The result of this internal work was a total shift in external reality. Giulia went from having a hard time landing a single interview to negotiating and having leverage with some of the most successful studios in the world. She's become a true leader, that inspires respect and a creative force every studio would be lucky to have on their team, because she truly internalized her own value.

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A Guide for the Growing Artist

If you are feeling the same fear Giulia felt a year ago, remember her three key takeaways:

1. Stop over-polishing: Whether it's your work or your personality, people connect more easily with the "raw" and real version of you.
2. Advocate for yourself: If you don't see your value, a recruiter won't either!
3. Find your "Core": Work on your self-confidence even when external circumstances put pressure on you not to. That is the strength that allows you to keep growing when things get difficult.