Wednesday 10 November 2010

NETWORKING EVENT - How to pitch for Business

Networking event for creatives - How to Pitch for Business

Tuesday 14th December 6-8pm at University for the Creative Arts, Fort Pitt, Rochester ME1 1DZ
  • How can small creative businesses successfully pitch for work?

  • How can you work out exactly what potential clients want?

  • What are the key elements of a successful pitch?

The focus of this networking event will be a presentation by Asif Noorani, a creative who has been pitching for business for many years, with considerable success.

Asif is a film-maker and the co-founder of Epiphany Productions, a boutique ideas house in central London, which innovates and produces content for a
number of brand and media owners, including ITV, BBC, MTV, Turner Broadcasting, Virgin Media, JC Decaux, Boots and LEGO.

Epiphany offers insights, generates ideas and engages audiences with compelling stories. The production arm produces factual shows and formats for digital and terrestrial TV channels, with three new shows broadcast in 2010.

Asif has worked across the globe, developing expertise in maximising the impact and value of research and creative output to grow businesses. This included time as the Qualitative Director of Millward Brown, Japan, and Head of TV at What if Innovation.

Monday 1 November 2010

Animation sector profile - global market

Animation Sector Profile

In total, the global market for all forms of animation is currently estimated to be worth $300bn p.a.

The UK has a significant position in this market, but the UK's animation industry faces a number of challenges and opportunities that will affect its various sub–sectors in different ways.

In order to remain competitive and secure the greatest yield from the international market for animation, the UK's animation businesses will increasingly rely on a highly skilled and specialised workforce that is responsive to market needs. Continuing the professional education of practitioners in the industry in an appropriate, relevant and "user–friendly" way is essential if UK animation is to be able to retain its ability to compete on quality rather than cost.

More than three quarters of the animation workforce are graduates and the quality of UK higher education in animation will be a key factor in determining the long–term future of the industry.

1.1 Introduction

1.1 Introduction

The UK’s animation industry is part of a fast growing, global creative economy.

Over the period 2005-2010, aggregate worldwide consumer expenditure on CDs, DVDs and other physical formats will continue to rise whilst the number of broadband households in the world is anticipated to double and global spending on content for wireless and online consumption is forecast to treble. Purchases of Video games will increase by 125% to $48bn p.a., annual cinema box office, DVD and Video revenues are anticipated to rise by 62% to over $100bn and Television (advertising and subscription) revenues will increase by 93% to over $450bn. Internet advertising and access spending (i.e. excluding goods and services purchased via the internet) will have increased more than threefold so that by 2010 over $265bn will be spent around the world each year on web usage.

Animation will be integral to this growth, though where it manifests itself in, e.g. on-line communities such as Second Life or is incorporated into effects for live action feature films such as Pirates of the Caribbean or commercials for brands and products that are household names, the enormous size, breadth and depth of the market for animation may not at first sight be obvious.

Executive Summary

In total, the global market for all forms of animation is currently estimated to be worth $300bn p.a.

The UK has a significant position in this market, but the UK’s animation industry faces a number of challenges and opportunities that will affect its various sub-sectors in different ways. In particular, the decline in commissions from commercial broadcasters and their advertisers presents a major threat to traditional 2D animators who are already affected by the growth of off-shoring to low cost centres of production.

In order to remain competitive and secure the greatest yield from the international market for animation, the UK’s animation businesses will increasingly rely on a highly skilled and specialised workforce that is responsive to market needs.

Continuing the professional education of practitioners in the industry in an appropriate, relevant and “user-friendly” way is essential if UK animation is to be able to retain its ability to compete on quality rather than cost. There is, however, a lack of strategic coherence in post entry training and so a key recommendation of this paper is for Skillset to extend and increase its accreditation work to short course provision and to work with the industry to design recommended training “pathways” for practitioners to follow.

More than three quarters of the animation workforce are graduates and the quality of UK higher education in animation will be a key factor in determining the long-term future of the industry. There are in total 286 courses available in animation at HE level in the UK, unfortunately not a single one appears to meet in full the industry’s expectations.

Without adequate measures to increase the influence the industry has on those responsible for the education of the bulk of its future workforce, the difference between the skills the global market demands and those the UK industry can deliver may become irreconcilable.

Continuation of the action already undertaken by Skillset in areas such as course accreditation is vital and ways to leverage this work into a better understanding on the part of both students and staff of the industry’s needs should be sought.

These and other challenges, and ways that they may be overcome, are discussed in the body of what follows and the recommendations are summarized into a proposed strategy in section 8.

1.2 The Market for Animation: CGI and Features

Animation, particularly CGI animation, provides the majority of the visual effects for the £1.4bn[1] UK Post Production industry. The UK is the world leader in the production of visual effects for TV and commercials and only the US and New Zealand are ahead of the UK in terms of the value of visual effects produced for feature films.[2] The 22,000 people dependent on the UK games industry also employ similar expertise in generating their £488m of annual exports.[3]

The advent of high quality CGI animation has also invigorated the market for feature animation, and provided opportunities for new entrants in addition to established businesses to increase the volume, enhance the quality and improve the profitability of feature length animated films. Over just six years, between November 1999, when Disney released Pixar’s first Toy Story, and Warner Bros’ release of Happy Feet in November 2006, 36 feature length animations made with computers generated $10.2bn of box office revenues, an average of $283m each.[4]

Whilst films made and distributed by the US Majors continue to account for the majority of box office revenues, independently produced films have increasingly featured in the top ranked animated feature films released each year. Included in those 36 CGI animation films is Valiant, a UK produced film distributed independently by a UK based sales agent: Odyssey Entertainment. Also included is Aardman’s first CGI feature film, Flushed Away, which generated $175m in ticket sales.

The growth in CGI production has not spelt the end of other forms of animated feature film, the UK’s own Wallace and Gromit sold over $56m of tickets at the US box office alone for their first feature length stop-frame animation: the Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

1.3 TV / Broadcast

The buoyancy of the global feature animation market is not reflected in the UK TV market, where the business models of both commissioning broadcasters and the animation companies that rely on them are threatened by diminished revenues from advertising, with the role and purpose of public policy less clear. Producers are concerned that fragmenting audiences will result in reduced public service obligations on broadcasters, including providing programmes for children[1].

Total hours of new UK Children’s Programmes broadcast on commercial PSB Channels have already fallen every year since 1999 with the aggregate reduction being over 25%. Channel 4’s output fell from over 50 hours p.a. to virtually none, ITV1’s from approx. 450 to 375 and 5’s fell from over 250 to less than 175.[2]

It is in this context that the effects of the new restrictions on children’s advertising, which are estimated to cost £39m in lost advertising revenue p.a.[3], ought to be seen. As Jane Lighting remarked; “These restrictions [on children’s advertising] will deny us substantial revenue and make the economics of producing children’s programmes a lot more difficult… the long term future of UK produced children’s programming outside the BBC is bleak."[4]

Pact estimates that total investment in indigenous production of all forms of children’s programming by all types of broadcasters other than the BBC will have fallen by over 80% to under £5m p.a. over the period 2005-2007 and the diminishing prospects for funding and commissioning from UK television, combined with the knock on effect on the level of animation commissioned for broadcast as commercials, was one of the major challenges identified during Skillset’s consultation with the animation industry.

1.4 New Platforms and Markets

Animation producers may be able to update and adapt their businesses to new markets and new platforms, particularly in the online space where, e.g., Google is earning more in advertising revenue in the UK than Channel 4. However, after a prolonged period of relative stability in the analogue era, the market for animation, particularly animation produced for UK TV, is undergoing a period of dramatic change.

For those that can successfully manage that change, as individual companies or national industries, there will be significant rewards.

In total, the global market for all forms of animation[1] is currently estimated to be worth $300bn p.a.[2]. The UK has in the past been successful in servicing and exploiting it, from Dangermouse to Lara Croft, from Harry Potter’s magical effects to Wallace and Gromit’s comic adventures, culturally and commercially the UK has punched above its weight. To continue to succeed, a highly skilled, specialised and creative workforce will be required.

2.1 Introduction

Animation production is an increasingly complex process and requires the kind of high and mid range skills that represent a competitive advantage for a modern developed economy. Just under 80% of the animation workforce are graduates and over a third have a post graduate qualification[1], higher than the average for the audiovisual sector as a whole and far higher than the average proportion of higher educated staff in the total UK workforce (16%)[2].

As well as being intensive in its requirement for skilled labour, animation also brings long term, stable employment relative to live action feature film or TV production.

Good animation has a long shelf life and is readily accepted by a global audience. Critically, animation has relatively low “above the line” talent costs and the cost of animation production doesn’t leach out across a diverse range of temporary locations. The cost of manufacturing animation is largely spent in the immediate vicinity to the studio. Because of the potential for relative stability of production, animation lends itself to the growth of clusters of complementary businesses, as is the case in Bristol.

Approximately 2/3 of the UK’s Animation businesses are Micro-Companies, employing less than 10 full time equivalent (“FTE") staff each. A small number employ over 250 employees, the remainder are small to medium sized companies (“SMEs”)[3].


Figure 1: Qualifications Held by those working in Animation

2.2 Techniques

The most frequently employed technique[1] in animation production is 3D CG work, and there has been a marked downturn in production activity involving classical drawn animation in recent years. Companies specialising in 2D series, specials and feature films now rarely employ UK based animators, with the bulk of animation work being off-shored. These companies now offer employment mainly in pre-production roles such as design, storyboard and layout. Whilst the global economics of animation are contributing to a worldwide “softness” in traditional 2D licence fees, many in the industry feel the lack of state aid for UK TV productions compared with that available in other developed economies[2], has necessitated the off-shoring of traditional 2D production or the creation of co-productions even though there isn’t a shortage of skills or talent in the UK.

TV series production involving 2D digital techniques[3] is currently flourishing in the UK and specialists in CG, whether 3D or 2D, particularly those working in games development and Visual Effects (“VFX”) are enjoying an unprecedented level of production activity and often struggle to recruit key technical and production personnel. There is, however, some concern that this work is also starting to drift overseas.

2.5 Uncertain Future

Clearly the UK’s animation production businesses, particularly those focussed on 2D TV production, face an increasingly uncertain future. For those focussed on feature length animation, the introduction of the new UK tax credit and the changes in the UK’s co-production treaty network are perhaps too recent to discern their impact on the animation industry. Whether the current buoyancy of CG animation and VFX will continue, and for how long, are also major questions facing UK animation. It may be the case that to successfully navigate these changes in the broader environment for the industry, animation businesses need to address the ways in which they collectively lobby for, e.g., regulatory change or a fair apportionment of state support.

These questions help frame the context for this document but are outside the remit of a Skills Strategy. What is likely is that not only will the quality of Skills training and education be a vital factor in maintaining the quality of UK animation; its relevance to the new economic paradigm may well determine the industry’s sustainability.

3.1 General Information

Animation companies currently provide employment for around 4,700 people throughout the UK, of whom nearly two fifths are freelance or on short term contracts, with almost 20% Sole Traders, or self-employed. The largest key occupational groups are draw/stop frame animation employing around 1,000 people, producing (910), computer generated animation (900), and production (430). In addition, a further 1,100 more people are employed in key animation roles in other audiovisual sectors.

39% of the animation workforce entered the audiovisual industry before 1990, 39% during the 1990s and 22% since 2000. Less than a quarter of the workforce had received structured careers advice at any point in their working life.

3.2 Diversity

34% of the animation industry’s workforce are women, slightly less than the norm for the audiovisual industries as a whole[1]. At 3%, the representation of ethnic minorities is among the lowest amongst all sectors of the audio visual industry[2].

Figure 3: BAME Representation in Animation

3.3 Geography / Age

With 67% of the workforce based outside of London, animation production is more evenly distributed around the UK than the remainder of its audiovisual industries. It is also a relatively youthful industry, with 48% of the workforce aged under 35.

Figure 4: Animation in the Regions and Nations

3.4 Careers and Salaries

39% of the animation industry’s workforce secured their first job through making direct contact with a company, and 28% through a friend or relative. These two entry routes are far more common than elsewhere in the audiovisual sector, though in keeping with the rest of the sector, once established it is more usual to secure employment by being called than by calling[1].

Average earnings in 2005 were £25,983 per annum compared with £32,239 across the wider audiovisual industry and £23,389 for the UK as a whole[2].

3.5 Key Skills for Practitioners

The industry consultation has indicated a need for UK animation to develop more staff who are versatile and able to adapt to new platforms, styles and the needs of a new, more diverse range of clients. It is felt that the changing nature of productions will contribute to a further shift in the UK to an outsourcing mode where despite projects being originated in the UK, the financing and production of them will be more international. The effect of this on the workforce will be to reduce the amount of animators needed in the UK, but to increase the number of pre-production staff needed for projects initiated here. Industry representatives consulted felt that whilst training or re-training for experienced staff was needed, it was important that graduates and new entrants were aware of the roles available in order to avoid increasing numbers of practitioners competing for fewer jobs as animators.

Representatives from the commercials sector of the industry felt that commercials producers needed to update and adapt their businesses to new markets and new platforms, particularly in the online space, but that this could be dealt with by each company individually and was not a priority for external intervention.

3.6 Higher Education

There is an increasingly conspicuous presence of graduates trained abroad, particularly in Europe, in the UK industry. Some industry representatives felt that, UK graduates needed to be better able to compete in the market for jobs.

The BBC believes an aspiring new entrant to animation requires an academic qualification equivalent to a BA Honours Degree in a relevant subject, with an appropriate Postgraduate Degree “perhaps being an advantage’. Suitable undergraduate programmes are likely to require completion of one year’s Foundation or Access Course in Art and Design and a portfolio of work and/or show reel. On graduation the student will need to have acquired extensive technical knowledge of software applications, digital technology and broadcasting processes, a thorough understanding of computer generated processes and be able to achieve creative responses to design briefs within the restrictions of budgets and deadlines[1].

Whilst there may be ways in which a new entrant may migrate into animation from occupations on the periphery of the industry, it appears that the core of the industry will continue to be staffed by people with a higher educational qualification. Currently 78% of the animation workforce are graduates, of whom 34% hold a postgraduate qualification. 53% have a degree in a media-related subject, the highest of any sector in the audiovisual industry. It would seem reasonable to conclude that UK animation is particularly dependent on the quality and relevance of the higher education of its new entrants.


Animation Industry overview - Skillset

Overview - Animation

The animation industry in the UK consists of a workforce that stretches across many of the sectors in the creative media industries. You will find animated content on television, in feature films, commercials, websites and computer or video games. Just over 2000 people work in animation in the UK, nearly half of them freelance, and there are currently more than 300 companies producing a range of work.

Animation is a relatively small sector that is growing in success and popularity. More flexible scheduling by broadcasters has increased opportunities for animators and the internet provides another platform for short and experimental work. Big-budget features such as Toy Story have enjoyed great commercial success and 2002 saw the introduction of the first ever Oscar for an animated feature, won by Dreamwork’s Shrek.

The Animation Sector can be roughly divided into four main disciplines:

  • 2D drawn or traditional;
  • 2D computer generated
  • stop frame; and
  • 3D computer generated.
Most companies will concentrate on one discipline and but some studios do all four.

There are a wide range of freelance, some contract, and some more permanent jobs in animation. These can be found at small production companies, larger studios, computer generated post production facility houses and at computer games developers or interactive media designers.

Animation is extremely costly to make. Labour-intensive and time-consuming, it can take up to two years to produce just 30 minutes of animation. This has placed a heavy emphasis on good project management and good teamwork; the skills shortages in this sector reflect the need for people who can adapt to busy production schedules.

But balanced against this is the popularity of animation and the fact that it can easily be translated into other languages, for worldwide sales. Budgets for animated features may be in excess of $60 million, but the sale of products, such as books and toys, plus the potential for high box office returns, can usually more than compensate for the initial investment.

The UK has an excellent reputation for creativity and technology, but high production costs mean that less than 5% of the animation currently seen on our TV screens originated here. But unlike some other sectors in the creative media industries, animation has a number of distinct and highly successful centres of excellence outside London; including Bristol, Manchester and Dundee.

Most of the money spent on animation is associated with the advertising industry and competition for commissions is fierce. But the UK also leads the world in the production of pre-school storytelling and design, and this area continues to attract investors. Other products include:

  • feature films
  • children’s programmes
  • games
  • music promos
  • titles and idents
  • CD-Roms (for educational purposes)
  • adult comedy and drama
One feature of the UK industry is that there are distinct and highly successful centres of production outside London - in Bristol, Manchester and Cardiff - and, as a result, high quality training and education is available in these areas.

What is a concept artist and skills required

Job Profiles for the Audio Visual Industries

Art Department – FILM

Concept Artists produce the illustrations that help Production Designers to realise their vision for films. They work on big budget sci-fi, fantasy, or historical films where visual and special effects are required to create design spectacles, or fantastical creatures, or other invented elements. Concept Artists may also be involved in the development process, producing a series of illustrations that help to sell the film to potential Financiers and/or Distributors. Concept Artists are requested by the Production Designer in the earliest stages of pre-production (up to six months before filming is due to begin), and together they begin to conceptualise the visual content of the film. They work on a freelance basis. The Concept Artists’ role is highly specialised, and there is a limited demand for this work.

What is the job?

Big studio based films usually employ a number of Concept Artists who each work on a specific element, e.g., a fantastical creature and/or scene. If the screenplay is an adaptation, Concept Artists may analyse the original source material to gather as much descriptive information as possible; they may also work with Specialist Researchers who source and supply supplementary information and materials. Concept Artists work in the Art Department studio alongside the Draughtsmen* and Specialist Researchers, and often produce their drawings on a computer using Painter or Photoshop software. After approval by the Production Designer, the drawings they produce are presented to the Producer, Director and Visual Effects Co-ordinator for discussion. The challenge for Concept Artists is to produce illustrations that are striking but also accurate and clear. Concept Artists continue to work on illustrations throughout the shoot and may often be required to change and adapt their original ideas as filming progresses.

Typical career routes

There is no typical career route to becoming a Concept Artist. Some may start their careers as Graphic Artists, Illustrators or Graphic Novelists; others have worked in Special or Visual Effects or in Animation, and make the transition to Concept Artist via storyboarding.

Essential knowledge and skills

Concept Artists must have up-to-date knowledge of computer illustration software packages, e.g., Photoshop and/or Painter. They must also be conversant with film imagery and have a good understanding of what Directors, Directors of Photography and Editors require from a scene. Key Skills include:

Excellent illustration skills Effective communication skills Ability to visualise perspective and 3-dimensional space A keen interest in design, architecture and film Ability to visually interpret other people’s ideas Ability to be flexible and to adapt to change when requested Ability to work as part of a team

Call Skillset Careers Now England Helpline Scotland Helpline 08080 300 900* 0808 100 8094 www.skillset.org/careers *Also available to callers from Wales and Northern Ireland

Also available in large print, Braille, audiotape and PC formatted disc formats.

Concept Artist

This is one of a series of job profiles within the Film sector developed by industry experts to help industry newcomers

understand the different job roles and the skills required in order to succeed. We aim to keep this information as current as

possible and would welcome any comments to help us improve this profile; please email us on: jobprofile@skillset.org.

All Job profiles can be downloaded and printed from our website www.skillset.org. Knowledge of the requirements of the relevant Health and Safety legislation and procedures

Training and qualifications

Although there are no specific training routes or qualifications for Concept Artists, completing Art School courses that emphasise draughting skills, graphics, and how to conceptualise ideas are recommended, e.g., Fine Art, Graphics, Illustration, etc.

Individual course accreditation in certain subject areas is currently being piloted. As part of Skillset’s and the UK Film Council’s Film Skills Strategy, A Bigger Future, a network of Screen Academies and a Film Business Academy have been approved as centres of excellence in education and training for film. For more information, please log onto the Skillset website.

Where to go for more information

Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries. The first sources of information for all jobs in the industry are the National Occupational Standards. For information about training, links to the Skillset network of training partners, and access to the comprehensive Skillset/BFI course database, visit the website www.skillset.org. Skillset Careers is the UK’s only specialist media careers advice service; for detailed media careers information and advice, visit the website www.skillset.org/careers

Websites

- www.animationarena.com has interviews with Concept Artists

- British Film Designers Guild www.filmdesigners.co.uk

- American Cinematographer has regular features on film design and digital production techniques. www.theasc.com

- Most Concept Artists have their own websites showing their work. Check the internet for details. Publications

- Ken Adam: The Art of Production Design (Faber and Faber) by Christopher Frayling

- Production Design and Art Direction (Focal Press) by Peter Ettedgui

- By Design: Interviews with Film Production Designers (Greenwood Press) by Vincent LoBrutto

- Film Architecture: From Metropolis to Blade Runner (Prestel Publishing Ltd). Edited by D. Neumann

- 2001 Filming the Future, (Aurum Press Ltd) by Piers Bizony

- The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matt Painting (Chronicle Books) by M. Cotta Vaz and C. Barron

- Many “Making Of” books feature the work of Concept Artists

* The terms Draughtsman or Draughtsmen are used generically and refer to both men and women practitioners

Skillset does not endorse or accept responsibility for any of the products, services or content of third party organisations or websites contained within this Job Profile, nor does it guarantee the quality of links to the external websites listed. Any concerns regarding an external link should be directed to its webmaster.

About myself

I am currently studying for a degree in CGI and Animation at Ravensbourne College, UK. Coming from a business and design background I decided to take this course to develop and learn new creative skills in animation and visual effects to enable me to re-direct my career. I was too heavily business focused and my creativity was shut inside waiting to burst out! The company I was working for came out of the UK market so I decided to make a clean break and go with my hearts desire…Drawing! I have explored many areas of design such as fashion, 3d, model-making and digital technology. I realised that my drive and passion was in character design. Yes, I guess I first experienced this in fashion learning how to construct and design clothes. I loved the creating and designing but not the making. This extended to model making everything I made I wanted it to move or do something that was not physically possible until I played around with Maya I realised here is a software that can meet my desires to create characters that I only could dream about and play around with dynamics to make something explode or whatever my imagination wanted. I was totally hooked. I love concept art and designing quirky characters. Some of my favourite artists are Frank Frazetta,his artwork of the human body is awesome great influence, the quirky characters of Frezzato. CG Character artists such as Jose Lazaro, grant Warwick, Krishnamurti M. Costa, Moebius, AKA Jean Giraud and many more. So finally this is where I want to be...character concepts. I would love to work in film or games whichever something that I could bring my skills to life!

Favorite artists/illustrators/animators/films etc

Inspirational Artist that rock my boat


  • Geiger
  • Craig Mullins
  • Doug Williams
  • Anthony Wolf
  • Kemp Remillard
  • David Levy
  • Tomasz Jedruszek
  • Jamie Hewlett - Gorillaz, tank girl,

Character Artists

  • The Elric Brothers

Animators

Films

Types of questions asked

Research archive

http://www.game-artist.net/forums/portfolios/9621-3d-character-modeler-portfolio-demo-reel.html

http://www.3dmd.net/forum/3d-discussion-35.html

http://www.skillset.org/film/jobs/productiondesign/article_4680_1.asp

http://www.gofreelance.com/design/freelance-3d-jobs.html




http://www.skillset.org/animation/overview/skills/article_3772_1.asp

My Experience

Background

I have delved in many creative design disciplines from leaving school...I have had 2 years fashion design experience churning out fashion illustrations and concepts to the making of full outfits to run on a catwalk. My designs have always been futuristic and cyborg like in concept. However I realised from an early age that fashion making wasn’t for me. In any case I decided to have a break, in the meantime in my own time I learnt the holistic of the body Including muscles and the skeletal system and the different structures of the body. I also developed the business side of managing a flagship apparel in London gaining key skills such as delegating, prioritising, time management, working in a team, negotiating, business planning, forecasting, merchandising, marketing and leading. In my hapless attempt of trying to run away from design I realised this was no good as the more I stepped up the ladder in my existing job the more I craved to be getting back into my art. This affected my mood as I was becoming quite depressed not challenging my creative side. The rebirth of my art exploded when I got accepted on a Foundation degree in Fine Art course. I delved in many art disciplines such as photography, Life Drawing, model making sculptor, metalwork and jewellery etc. This led me to work with a prestigious artist Angela Conner of developing Marquette’s (kinetic sculptures). I enjoyed working with Angela as a sculptor’s assistant; she has an amazing appetite for success and energy that captivates you. However I also realised that I did not want to pursue this role.

I have always been fascinated with animation and character design from an early age. I would get up watch different animations in the morning with my younger brother the favourite being Transformers, Thunder Cats and He-Man etc. I loved it! This is the area that I wanted to be in. On the foundation degree I learnt about CGI and Photoshop and worked with Maya I then researched the industry and found this course Foundation Degree in Visualisation and Animation. I knew this is where I wanted to be, as I love gaming, Sci- Fi and animation and character design!! Even though its early stages in the first year of finalising what area I want to concentrate in I am drawn to either 2D animation, Storyboarding or Concept Art/ Character Concepts. I have focused this piece on Concept Art, as this is where I eventually want to be.

IPP Session 1. 29TH OCTOBER

  • What Employers want.
  • How is organisation functioning-organisation structure, team and you.
  • Global Economy
  • Industry and proffessional practice - What?
Level 3
  • Reflection practice - learning blog
  • focussed carear planning
  • setting goals
  • network skills
  • job interview
Learning Blog
  • Keep up to date blog of research
  • continuos, comprehensive, deep reflection and why
  • Industry and Marketing
  • career paths...networking people
Setting Goals
  • Short Term (1-2 Years)
  • Medium Term (3-5 Years)
  • Long Term (5 Year plan)
Types of Goals
  • Financial
  • Material
  • Knowledge and skills
  • new learning
Have a contingency plan....
Whats your Brand Identity?

Level 3 Term 1
industry-job market and networking-career plan-prommotional material-personal tutorial.

Level 3 Term 2
Interview Basics- interview procedures-industry Day part 2 what recruiters are looking for-personal tutorial-prepare work for assesment.

INDUSTRY DAY 26TH NOVEMBER
  • framestore
  • blue zoo
  • new future graphics
  • klinical
  • feel better games
  • arts thread
  • itn
  • blast
  • the farm group
  • nsm
Requirements
  • Overview of IPP.
  • Key dates 28th Feb - first draft
  • key dates 1st April Hand In
Assignment hand in......

Landing your dream job
  1. 800 word summary of your learning blog
  • The current shape of job market in the industry/profession
  • The particular skills and attributes employers are looking for your career path
  • How you intend to continue learning once you move into the workplace
2. Your portfolio and promotional material/online presence/website etc
3. Your finished C.V. updated to the time of submission
4. Your learning blog - on mahara



Letter and C.V

Writing to companies

Companies I will look at skills and requirements needed

About the Skills

Animation is a sector in which there is great potential for creativity and innovation, although some people find it difficult to adapt to fast paced production enviroments.

Key skills for animators include:

Creativity and imagination
Patience and attention to detail
Drawing skills
Computer literacy and familiarity with graphics software
Communication and presentation skills
Ability to meet deadlines and work as part of a team


Animation - The Skills Needed

Animators employ various techniques:

Traditional hand-drawn animation - every movement and facial expression is painstakingly drawn, then transferred onto film or increasingly onto digital media. Up to 20,000 drawings may be needed for a 30-minute film.

Model, or stop frame animation - made famous by Aardman’s Wallace and Gromit - requiring equally detailed work to bring the characters to life.

Computer animation or CGI - using highly sophisticated software for both 2D and 3D animations.

Although some people work on their own, there is increasing emphasis on teamwork and multi-tasking. A large team may be involved in the various stages of production - from raising the finance for the original idea, to script development, the creation of animated characters and backgrounds, casting the ‘voices’, recording the soundtrack, checking the design, editing and sound mixing - and the finished product has to look as if it were all ‘drawn by one hand’.

What will you need?
Despite constant technological development, and the resulting changes in the animation industry, it is widely recognised that the most important skills needed by new entrants (as well as practitioners generally) remain fundamental ones. Aside from the less tangible attributes of creative flair, a good visual eye and raw talent, these are:

Drawing
Storytelling
A good sense of timing and composition
An understanding of motion, size, ratios and perspective
In addition, as the industry broadly becomes more technology-based, certain aspects of the animation discipline are becoming more technical. Consequently, certain other skills are becoming increasingly relevant within some sub-sectors:

Mathematics
Physics
Computer operating systems, (notably Linux/Unix as well as Windows and Mac OS)
Software-specific computer scripting languages (e.g. MEL scripting for Maya)
Digital asset management
Combinations of both creative and technical skills are important - ideally within individuals, but certainly within teams, where creative specialists must know how to communicate with technical specialists and vice versa.

More general work-life skills are also expected, of which the key ones are:

Teamwork
An ability to take direction
An ability to work quickly, to deadlines, while retaining a high standard
Interpersonal communication - especially with clients who may interface with even the most junior roles
Management - of self, others, work, time and projects
A broad awareness of other roles and processes, and of the industry in general, was also reported to be desirable.

Recruiters often comment that applicants lack detailed knowledge about the different jobs available, which means that some are over-subscribed whilst others are difficult to fill.

What is available?

The sector is currently short of scriptwriters, storyboarders, and layout artists. Other jobs that are hard to fill include:

Producers / Project Managers
Directors
Technical Directors
Storyboard Artists
Cameramen
CG Riggers