Need help with career direction

sharsein

I've been working at a VR training company for a little under 2.5 years. We got a new manager who decided to let me go because he didn't think my animation work met his bar, and there was only budget for 1 animator. Before I joined the company I was trying to figure out what area of 3D modeling I wanted to specialize in, and originally I was hired to edit JSON files. I stepped into the role of an animator because I was one of two people at the company with any CG experience and I knew how to rig. I did everything I could to be the best animator I could be within the short time I had to learn, and I was also doing tech art stuff as well.  I just finished taking the Rigging For Games class on CGMA, and my project for that class is an autorig that I'm currently debugging and refactoring to use more object oriented programming. 

I know the answer is "choose your passion and keep at it, there's no such thing as 'good enough' and mastery is never-ending process", however I have until April to inform my landlord whether or not I can afford to renew my lease. I could really use help in figuring out what area I have the most apparent potential to land a job in, give or take a couple projects. I'm in the US San Francisco bay area, and willing to relocate if I receive an offer. 

This is my animation reel: https://vimeo.com/378260423
This is my technical art/rigging reel, it currently does not have the autorig project I'm working on: https://vimeo.com/363061138
This is my old artstation/3D modeling portfolio:  https://sharonhoosein.artstation.com/

Thanks for the help!

poopipe

If you need money fast take whatever job you're qualified for.  Rent money trumps feeling completely fulfilled.. 

Nothing says you have to keep doing it forever anyway - if your rigging stuff gets you paid and it doesn't make you suicidal then go for a rigging job.  You don't need to be a good animator for that, you just have to have a reasonable idea of how animators work. 

garcellano

Yeah, just get what you get can first. It's pretty pricey to live in San Francisco, CA. The role you'll want will kick in at some point. I wouldn't know what to pin-point, as far as what type of role you'd be a good fit for. Good luck on the hunt, too. Maybe add in your resume on your ArtStation page. You'll be fine.