Looking for opportunities

 On my year out
I managed to get a few days at a studio in Bristol called Wildseed
I assisted an animation workshop for kids in my local town.

LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES

- I continue checking that gold dust link that Mike gave us : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eR2oAXOuflr8CZeGoz3JTrsgNj3KuefbdXJOmNtjEVM/edit#gid=2033230141
 

- With my CV updated, after emailing back and forth with my Careers Advisor, Sharon, I could confidently start signing up to more job sites, feeling more prepared.

 Sharon had previously directed me to Prospects as well which really helped me understand the difference between a CV and cover letter.

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/cvs-and-cover-letters/writing-a-personal-statement-for-your-cv 

- I've now got a speculative cover letter sorted for finding future opportunities.

Sites I'm signed up to:

Glassdoor 

D&AD News 

Indeed

Creative Access (have applied to be verified)  -- check again

Top Bananas - couldn't get past basic details, I think the website is down

Profiles Creative -

Creative Pool

Screenskills – going to read into this further as they have great advice

Internships:
Framestore- Environments, Digital Matte Painting Monday 11th May 2020- REMOVED

Bluzoo- Background Artist Friday 8th May 2020

https://jobs.blue-zoo.co.uk/vacancy/details/159/2d-background-artist-internship/

The Line April 24 2020

Studio AKA CANCELLED

The Animation Guys ASAP https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSecyUg4y_sTVzoDKTIHyFFsd7KitaHbNzj835JUXQki2OZbpA/viewform

EA Games- no current internships in the UK

Access VFX- none currently

Looking at opportunities/ studios around Guildford/near:

30 March: 

Wargaming- Environment Artist

Jumpship- Concept Artist

EA Games- Shading Artist

EA Games Criterion – Envionrment Artist

Studios nearest to me

Fudge Animation Studios

Klopt (Godalming)

Figment productions (Guildford)

Creative Monster (Guildford)

Other Studios to keep an eye on

*Jellyfish (Ldn) – previously reached interview for a runner on my year out

*Cartoon Saloon (Ireland)

*Passion Pictures (Ldn)

*Seed (Ldn)

*Animade (Ldn)

*Kilogramme (Manchester)

*Trunk (Ldn)

*Cartoon Network

Yard B

Trunk (Ldn, Norfolk)

Picnic (Ldn)

Red Knuckles (Ldn)

Spiel (Ldn)

The Line (Ldn)

Beryl Productions (Cardiff)

GO! Studios LTD (Guildford)

Grad schemes through broadcasting companies: (Often not vis dev focussed but would be great opportunities)

BBC- had previously had a phone call with head of Creative and he said there was nothing relevant to me.

ITV- http://www.itvjobs.com/business-areas/entry-careers/

Maybe the 18+ work experience, entry level and first step into TV. Other is more news related.

C4 – https://careers.channel4.com/4talent 

Possibly relevant- apprenticeship at 4Creative (apply by 3 April) Not vis dev focussed

PP Tutorial with Dotty

–      Bulk up your LinkedIn account and connect it with all other channels you use

Have featured my Instagram account, and my website. It's all up to date with uni work.

–      Make sure to unify all your social media channels so they tell the same story

Same icon used in banners or headers - I need to design this alongside business cards
Made sure my email was updated in Instagram
My 'about' sections have continuity
Instagram and LinkedIn feature the same priority work
Had a problem where my current job position was a focal point on my LinkedIn, which Dotty said didn't read well. The careers advisor has said it's important to show you're a working person with skills so the compromise I found was putting LAU above it as a job, whilst not deleting other job experience. Unfortunately it doubles up but I can change that when I hopefully find a more industry relevant job. 

Updated About, job section and Instagram link

 

–      Consider who you are and what you want to do – that’ll be the basis of your brand and will help you decide what you need to promote yourself

Maintaining 'Background and Character Design', I need to change my old business cards to fit this
My website, portfolio, business cards will reflect this - still need to design these
 

–      Your brand should span all your online and printed channels, be cohesive and consistent

–      Keep CV clear, legible and concise: quality over quantity; layout matters

CV done with Careers Advisor 

–      Consider how your business card design can showcase your work or what you do

Need to look into a new business card design, Dotty suggested MOO.com and Printfinity

–      When networking and finding connections, look for people who can become your support network for after graduation – people who can open doors, give you jobs or answer questions

When connecting with people on linkedIn, I've ensured they are relevant to me and my practice e.g. interest in diversity or vis dev.

Managed to fix the repeated LAU whilst getting rid of the shoe shop title
My LinkedIn banner is more professional- one of my illustrations. May change to background painting. 

Cohesive brandings, new icon for new business cards also

 

Conversation with Laurence Honderick

I had a call with Laurence Honderick, the head of the BBC Creative today in which he gave me some
advice about entering the creative industries. The main take aways from this conversation:

-It’ll be a long road ahead and it seems like there is a huge wall between me and where I want to be
 but it’s not there to keep you out, it’s to keep those out who don’t want to be there enough.

- If and when you are good enough, everyone will know and they then can’t ignore you. 

The best animators/ creators have these qualities:

1. Give a damn about every project that you work on, because when people see how much you
    put into what you’re not passionate about they’ll know how hard you will work beyond that 
   therefore you get more work.
2. Never stop learning.

When you get a new brief, ask yourself these things:

• Can I use this to push my skills technically/ creatively etc?
• Can I make the work from it good enough for my portfolio/ or add to it to make it so?
• Take on the duty of making global animation better.

You have so much time!!!! Use it beneficially!!!!

• Take on side projects, BETTER yourself, or do side projects that you love.
• Use side projects to self correct your course to where you want to be.
• Mindfully learn new skills constantly.

How do you imagine your dream studio’s room to look/ what makes them so successful? Detail?
 Passion? Sketches everywhere, moodboards covering the walls?

Imagine your own imaginary room and everything you need to become the best, it will gradually 
physically manifest, in accordance to the new skills you are learning.

Be a nice person. 

Don’t worry about not knowing where you’ll be or what you’re doing- everyone is free falling, but 
some people learn to enjoy it. Don’t internalise fear and feelings of being fraudulent. 

If you’re not falling and being pushed, you’re not where you need to be.

Learning to be technically and creatively is great, but learn how to do it happily.

The BBC aren't really the right fit for what I want to do re: vis dev
__________________________________________________________________

I prepped for this fairly thoroughly with prompts from Sharon my careers advisor. It was a short call where I didn't end up needing the information for the conversation but it led me to look into what the BBC can offer and the schemes they run, so very valuable research!