602 Showreel Refinement (Part 3)

As mentioned in previous blog posts, based on the feedback I received at the start of this module regarding my showreel, I had been working on some short animations in my spare time. This particular shot allowed me to collaborate with a fellow animator in class. Considering we are planning on forming a collective once graduated, this was perfect practice for working together in a team.

Link to Chuck Shot (Collaborative Project)

The character animation was done by me, and the animated background by Joseph. Once I had all the assets, I took them into Premiere and experimented with the composition of the shot. However, I eventually found that this worked the best.

Link to Chuck Shot (Full Screen Version)

Due to time, I won't be adding this to my showreel for now, but maybe in the future once I evaluate my work again, I may find space for this.

602 Showreel Refinement (Part 2)

In the last part of this series, I listed a set of targets that were recommended to me by a lecturer, to include in my showreel. They were:

1) Acting

2) Lip Sync

3) Dialogue

4) Action Sequence

5) A Dance

Over the last few weeks, I decided to focus on an action shot, and tried to incorporate as many of the twelve principles of animation as possible, as a few studios I was previously looking into implored that any new animators must have a basic understanding of these principles.

The action shot is an ongoing project, which a fellow classmate and I are working towards alongside the other module. As 603 is eating into so much of my time, I'm having to focus on these extra animated clips during the evenings and the weekends.

For the next task, I decided to focus on the first few requirements, particularly acting and a lip sync, as the one I did in second year wasn't very good. I decided to tackle the 'Tears in Rain' monologue from the end of 'Blade Runner', which is a scene that never fails to make me cry.

I watched the clip several times on YouTube and tried to capture the background as best I could in Photoshop. I'm not a background artist so fortunately, as it is out of focus, I could play around with different brushes, overlays and blurs until it resembled that of the film.

Link to Rain Test

This task also gave me the opportunity to learn how to animate effects such as smoke and rain. Before coming to University, I did want to specialise in VFX however, the opportunities didn't really arise in my first two years and by this year, I had already found my niche. Still, I wanted to give it a go.

I spent ages trying to make this lip sync work whilst still incorporating the right facial expressions and body language. I studied the original closely however also wanted to incorporate my own take on the lines.

Link to Lip Sync (Character Animation Only)

Once I was happy enough with the rough lip sync, I went back and added some breakdowns and inbetweens to make the movements more natural and fluid. I did intend on finishing this piece with colour, as well as extra effects such as tears, rain water collecting in his hair and blood running down his face. I was against the clock however and in the end, decided to just animate the lip sync.

After submission, I will continue to work on this so my showreel has a lip sync.

What Went Well?

- Considering I do my best to avoid lip syncs, I feel as though this one isn't too bad.

To Be Improved?

- I ran out of time. I was so exhausted after 603 that I let this animation slide and now it isn't finished on time! Rubbish!

- I need to be less ambitious in the future, as this animation had several elements to consider. Having said that, I will continue to work on this after the hand-in until it is up to a standard I'm happy with. That way, I can find room for it in my showreel.

602 Update (Last Minute Deliverables)

A part of the submission was to produce a PDF document illustrating my branding choices, such as my chosen colour scheme and font. While I have discussed this on my blog and in my presentation, I have made a separate PDF for this, summarising what I've talked about. 

Link to Branding Document

I also needed to scan my business cards in!

Link to Business Card

602 Update (Personal Statement and CV Progression)

As I was struggling to make a start on my CV, I decided to rewrite my personal statement first. Over Summer, I had been writing a personal statement to apply for a PGCE in Art and Design, as I had no interest in pursuing animation any further. As discussed, I then had a change of heart which rendered this personal statement useless.

So, I went back through and took out the parts that no longer applied, rewrote some paragraphs, and reworded others so they made sense in the context of my new application. I then sent this to a lecturer for feedback, as well as the careers portal and a family member.

Link to Personal Statement (First Draft)

Link to CV (First Draft)

After the Easter holidays, I received feedback and made some altercations. The main issue was finding ways to reduce the word count, as I had about double the amount of words I wanted for both document.

My lecturer told me to start from scratch which was disheartening, given I only had a couple weeks left to make these amendments alongside the rest of this module. I also never received feedback from the Careers Portal.

Link to Personal Statement (Second Draft)

Link to CV (Second Draft)

I was critical and ended up reducing my personal statement down to four paragraphs, and my CV down to just over a page. I then sent these updated versions to my lecturers for some feedback. One advised me to lose the work experience section entirely, and instead replace it with information on the competitions I've entered. They also stated that I should lose my current references, and instead ask a tutor or classmate, as it would be more relevant.

As discussed in the previous blog post, I wanted to keep my CV looking professional so I didn't add any creative flares as I felt they were unnecessary. The advice was also contradictory considering a VP told us to keep them simple.

By this point, the Careers Portal had responded, and were very supportive and encouraging of the direction I had taken my CV in. They suggested rearranging the order, and changing the references however in my most recent draft, I lost the references entirely.

Link to Personal Statement/Cover Letter (Final Draft)

For this last draft, I changed the format from a personal statement, to a cover letter, as I felt this may be more useful when applying for jobs in the future. However, I was worried that this change in format may render the content useless, as maybe there are different targets to aim for in a cover letter, so I asked for feedback first.

Once approved, I posted it!

Link to CV (Final Draft - Producer)

Link to CV (Final Draft - Animator)

602 Portfolio and Presentation

For this aspect of the module, we needed to create a presentation. We had the opportunity to rehearse our presentations first, in the form of an informal group session that took place in class. We then had to screen-record the real deal.

First up was the informal presentation. This version included a couple memes, and the script was more relaxed during certain slides. Saying that, I did try to keep the script somewhat professional and formal sounding, as I was planning to use it for the real deal!

I practiced a couple attempts at home, with my script on hand. Unfortunately, this version wasn't long enough, as it only just came to ten minutes. Although, when I presented it to the class, it went surprisingly well! When I began my presentation, the speakers notes never appeared, which meant I had to wing it. However, as I had practiced it enough, I did remember what each slide was meant to cover. It also provided me the chance to crack some jokes and bounce off of my audience, which helped ease my nerves! As a result, this presentation lasted the full fifteen minutes.

What Went Well?

- Because I had a class to present to, the atmosphere felt a lot more authentic and natural, which I believe came through in the session. The lecturers supported this by complimenting my humour and ability to keep the audience engaged, which is something I felt my practice attempts lacked.

- Considering I had absolutely no script or speakers notes to guide me, I feel as though I adapted well enough that it didn't effect the outcome of the presentation. Once again, a lecturer backed this up by saying it was on par with a session a Visiting Professional would run.

- They were also a fan of the presentation's layout, felt my showreel was well-structured, and thought my documents were cohesive. All of which, fills me with confidence for this module, which is something I have been extremely lacking recently!

To Be Improved?

- Without the use of an audience or room to adlib, my current presentation isn't long enough for the submission. I need to add slides or more speakers notes.

- My practice versions sounded a lot more wooden and boring compared to the real deal, so I'm nervous my recorded formal presentation will lack character and oomph.

- I'm still lacking confidence in my ability as an animator, so I need to take time to consider what I've achieved over the last year and appreciate it, rather than put myself down.

- Some slides could be worded more formally, so I need to make sure to amend this before I record the real deal.

Before the screening party, I was given another opportunity to practice my public speaking by saying a quick foreword before the films began. In which, I thanked everyone for coming, congratulated the class on making it this far, and told everyone to feel proud of themselves for what they've achieved.

In first year and even second, the thought of presenting to the class completely terrified me. I would become incredibly nervous and could barely make it through a sentence without my voice trembling. To go from that, to now presenting with composure and presence of mind, I feel is such a massive step in the right direction.

From here, I made some small adjustments, added some slides, and recorded my proper submission.

Link to 602 Presentation (Formal)

What Went Well?

- My updated version was now reaching about twelve or thirteen minutes, which was much closer to the target length. To add an extra minute or so to my screen-recording, I asked myself a couple questions, on the spot, as if I were presenting the powerpoint to the class. This simulates how it would have gone, had it not been for Covid.

- I tried to sound optimistic and speak eloquently however, the lack of an audience did lower my enthusiasm slightly, as talking to yourself can be rather awkward.

To Be Improved?

- I'm afraid that in the process of losing the relaxed atmosphere of our last day in class, I also lost the conditions that allowed me to let go and embrace the candidness and sincerity of the informal presentations. My voice sounds more wooden, and tense.

602 Update (Showreel Development Continued)

Despite receiving three sessions of feedback, two of which were in favour of the length and chosen clips, I recently found out that I needed to lose six seconds off my showreel, as the submission required that the length must be sixty seconds max.

Link to Showreel (For Submission)

Admittedly, I felt at this point we're just splitting hairs. While I'm very aware of how important it is to pay strict attention to the time constraints given in a commissioned piece of work, a showreel is much more personal, so I imagined it would be more flexible. Especially considering most lecturers and visiting professionals recommend showreels range between one minute and two, and six seconds felt like nothing.

Having said that, I've got a week to go so it's natural that tensions are running high. To think my time at University is almost over, and with the amount of pressure riding on submitting this final module on time and to the best standard, I must confess, has caused unnecessary anxiety and rising panic.

Complaining, when it's such a simple fix, seems pointless! Something that the maturity I've developed this year has made obvious. So, I reduced the length for submission, as asked, and updated my presentation. Now, I can upload this to my online accounts!

602 Update (Following on from Last Year)

Last year, we were tasked with making a contract and invoice slip. At the time, I didn't have a brand so these were very basic, boring, and the colour palette wasn't consistent.

Recently, I decided to update my invoice form. I found the hex codes for the oranges I used in my icon, and which I've since applied across all my physical documents, such as my CV and other forms. I updated this colour scheme so it was more fitting.

I also added my new icon and updated my email address.

Link to Invoice (Updated)

It was good to see the progression of my branding.

Study Task 5 - Create Your Brand

Part 1 - Online Presence

For this part, I need to create a visual brand through my online presence. This includes my Instagram and LinkedIn, as well as a website.

Online Portfolio:

- Website

I used Wix to put together my website, as I'm not a graphic designer so I struggle with layout and composition. I decided to use the colour scheme from my current icon and business cards, as this icon is already present on my Instagram, LinkedIn and Etsy account, so I wanted to make sure my online presence was consistent.

The lecturers have encouraged us time and again to purchase an upgraded plan, if making a website through Wix, as they believe the banner looks unprofessional. Making a website is a requirement for this module, however, I have never felt the need to put one together. I use Instagram daily, and make an effort to post weekly. As I'm able to post unfinished pieces (as WIPs often keep my audience engaged) I've always felt more comfortable using this site. 

With the website I feel this added weight and pressure to create a professional and polished space, that it took me weeks to eventually add my work, as I didn't feel any of it was good enough. While I'm happy to make one for the sake of the module, I can't imagine relying on this in the future and as a result, I'm not going to pay for something I won't use.

I have several tabs on my website including a bio, a page dedicated to my finished animations, my Instagram account (for more of my work behind the scenes), a page for my illustrations, and a queries tab - for people to get in touch.

Link to my Website

- LinkedIn

I made a LinkedIn last year however, I'm not a fan of the interface, so I'm struggling to use it as often as I do Instagram. However, I have made an effort to post some WIPs from University, and my icon is the same across all my accounts for consistency.

Link to my LinkedIn

- Instagram

I use Instagram daily, and try to post every four days, as I've been told this gets the best reach. It's important to have a structure with Instagram, to avoid getting shadowbanned, as admittedly this app isn't the most friendly to artists.

Link to my Instagram

- Etsy

I've neglected my Etsy page this academic year as 603 just about took me out and I had no spare time to relax, let alone work on more sticker designs. Last Summer however, I put loads of my attention into it and was regularly selling my prints. Hopefully this Summer I can pick it back up again.

Link to my Etsy

The deliverable for this task requires I convert this into a PDF file with active hyperlinks so, below is that document.

Link to Online Presence (PDF Format)

Part 2 - Printed Materials

Then I needed to focus on the physical aspects of my brand, such as my CV and business cards.

- Business Card

Last year we were advised to make business cards for a study task - so I did. This year, we have been asked to do the same. Considering I've already paid out and got these designs printed, I'm not looking to change them, especially considering Covid has ruined my opportunities to network this last year. Still, I've utilised these by adding them to my Etsy orders.

I asked a lecturer whether I could use the cards I made from last year and I was told that was allowed.

- CV

I kept my CV professional. The design elements are very simple as I want the focus to be on my written work. I prefer this formal approach.

Link to CV (PDF)

602 Update (Showreel Development)

For my informal and formal presentations, I wanted to end on my showreel. So, I put one together using the films I worked on this year. I included my basic, key-framed shots on the left and added the final outcomes on the right, to show how they worked in context, after inbetweens and effects were added.

Link to Showreel (Draft 1)

Above was my first attempt. I haven't found any royalty free music to add just yet, as last year we were encouraged in a lecture, to avoid editing the clips in time with the beat. I figured if I leave the music until last (as we've been told employers watch showreels on mute anyway), it wouldn't subconsciously effect how I edited the clips together.

I'm worried my showreel is currently too long, and that some of the clips aren't up to par with the rest. So, I emailed the lecturers asking for feedback on what scenes to cut, if any. One lecturer got back to me and said to trim the clips down so the showreel is no longer than fifty seconds. They also advised moving my name and contact details to the start and if possible, incorporating my icon.

Another lecturer told me to lose the format entirely and only show the final outcomes with my contributions noted on the side, stating "... the content is fine, but the side-by side layout is confusing to view.". A different lecturer however, told me that they were impressed with the layout, as they believe showing the breakdown behind shots is important. They also disagreed about trimming the timing down, as they felt anything up to two minutes was perfectly okay.

Link to Showreel (Draft 2)

Based on the feedback, I rearranged some scenes and removed others to try and reduce the timing slightly. I also added my logo to the start and end of my showreel, and changed my title from "Level 6 Animator" to "Character Animator" as a couple lecturers had advised me to do so.

I sent this to my classmates for feedback, and the majority felt the layout wasn't confusing and worked well. Once I was happy, and checked the spelling and order once more, I found some royalty free music to add.

Link to Showreel (Final Outcome)

What Went Well?

- I believe I found a professional and appealing way to showcase the final films I worked on this year all while highlighting my personal contributions.

- I was ready to drop out in my second year, and as a result, my showreel was lacking. It was rushed, poorly edited and filled with work I wasn't proud of. Whereas this year, I feel as though I'm leaving with a showreel I can proudly post online and send to employers.

How To Improve?

- Some of the feedback was contradictory, which is understandable considering each person would have their own preferences. Rather than worrying about pleasing everyone, in the future I will trust my gut instinct more.

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 12/04/21)

This is the last weekly update I will be publishing for this module, as I plan to submit my work at the start of next week. As all of my teams will be entering these films into festivals, I'm unable to post the final outcomes just yet.

In my spare time, I made a Production Book and wrote my evaluation for this module.

As Stacey was struggling to add the backgrounds to shots, I decided to go back in and composite these myself. First, I fixed shot 3, as there was a moment where part of the desk outline vanishes and reappears. I made sure to keep the line art consistent.

Link to Shot 3 (With Background)

Shot 6 was also composited wrong, as the desk was on the wrong layer and as a result, cut off all of the animation from the shoulders down.

Admittedly, this process was frustrating as from day one, I made it clear which roles I was after, and not one specialised in post-production. So, having to composite these scenes, especially this late in the day, because someone didn't get their job completed in time, is reasonably irritating.

Link to Shot 6 (With Background)

The character interacts with the desk which meant I needed to go in and erase certain areas frame by frame, as the arm and comb were on the same layer and therefore couldn't be separated. I'm not familiar enough with Toon Boom yet, so I needed to find a few tutorials and experiment with trial and error until I found a method that worked.

Link to Shot 10 (With Background)

Shot 10 was completed too however, with an outdated background. So, I added the updated desk and let the team know. Given the time left, I won't alter any more shots for this project as other than project managing, my work here as an animator is done.

There were some issues at the start of the week regarding 'Kingdom of Masks' as the director had added several effects; most of which were too much. I began by requesting to view the updated animatic and then sent some notes over Discord. The main problems I found, were that a lot of the shots were incredibly saturated and/or bright which resulted in a loss of detail, mainly effecting the backgrounds and hand-drawn VFX. The director, and others in the team, agreed so Khoa went back through and removed a lot of these added effects.

On Thursday, we both met up at University so we could talk through the animatic in person, and agree which edits worked and which didn't. After meeting in person, it was easier to tell if we were on the same page or not, as communicating only through text isn't as viable an option as some assume.

Link to Scene 25 (Test)

While at University, I added a background to scene 25 to help ease in/out the impact frames. While this version isn't being used in the final animation, it was still a fun exercise and good practice to see if I could make it work or not.

Living with the director on 'The Last Riders' has meant communication has ran much smoother throughout the course of the film. This week, he finalised the last two scenes and on the Friday, we sat as a household and walked through the scenes shot by shot to make sure everything looked good.

The musician then got in touch, asking for more time to work on the score. While the director is happy to wait, the majority of the team were looking to hand-in early; myself included. 

The internet connection at my house is incredibly unreliable, often cutting out at random, particularly in my room as it's furthest from the router. The lecturers have advised submitting early to avoid any technological issues, as these aren't considered extenuating circumstances, even under the current conditions. So, I was aiming to submit on the Monday; a goal that was both realistic and achievable - until the musician spoke up.

Nevertheless, for my own sanity and peace of mind, I'm planning to submit at the same time anyway for several reasons. One, the director was happy with the original score. Second of all, my Gantt chart marked the 12th as the deadline for the musician. Meaning, if he wasn't going to be finished in time, he should have let me know before now. Thirdly, the lecturers have repeatedly stated that we can continue to work on these films after hand-in for the sake of festivals, so it shouldn't be an issue if the score is outdated. Lastly, while sound is an incredibly important factor to a film, the score shouldn't determine the fate of our animation. Bonus point: as previously mentioned, my internet gives me anxiety.

603 Evaluation

Below is my 750 word evaluation for this module.

Link to 603 Evaluation

603 Production Book

As I had some time to spare before the hand-in, I tried to think what I could do to make the most out of my time. Our statements of intent were required for the submission folder, and upon reading and reflecting on what I wrote at the start of the academic year, I realised I had completed most of my targets but one - making a 'Production Book' (in the style of an 'Art Of' book) to showcase my skills as a producer.

Link to Production Book

It was interesting to see how my practice developed between the different stages of production. I feel the Gantt charts I made for the animation portion are the most refined and professional. 

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 05/04/21)

I needed to reanimate a shot for 'The Nightly Care I Give My Hair' as the lecturers weren't happy with my first attempt.

For the first attempt, I followed the animatic extremely closely, but the lecturers felt the movement looked wrong, as they described it as a "dragging" motion. For this attempt, I tried to give the desk more of a role so that the bonnet appeared grounded.

Link to Shot 11 (Outline Only)

I tried to incorporate more follow through in this attempt however it was difficult. I can't even tell if it looks better or not, as the action was difficult to capture and the angle is just awkward. I will let the director choose which shot she prefers.

I think I struggled so much because the action is very mundane and the style is very simplistic. I'm more familiar with complicated shots and my style is much more detailed, so it was difficult to wrap my head around this movement. If I had more time, I would refine this further by making the action more fluid. I think the timing should also be slower however, I'm not the director, and the animatic only allowed for a couple of seconds.

Link to Shot 11 (Character Animation Only)

I tried to get the colouring done this week too so that I don't have any animation tasks to do in the final week building to the deadline. My classmate was struggling with the software so, I decided to add the background myself. Next week if there's time, I will go back over all my scenes and add the backgrounds to each one that haven't been done yet.

I then got back to work on 'Kingdom of Masks' as I needed to colour the final shot. However, I ran into several issues throughout this process, as the software kept crashing every time I tried to add a colour layer under the vector lines. In the end, I messaged the team asking if someone could close the gaps and add the colour layer, as I wasn't getting anywhere with it. My teammates struggled just as much as I did in getting this file to work without their laptop/software crashing.

Eventually, I reverted back to TVPaint as while this process would take much longer, Toon Boom crashed with nearly every command I gave it.

Link to Scene 27 (Character Animation Only)

I've had a few issues throughout the week regarding production, as a few people in each team don't communicate as regularly as others.

Usually when finished with a shot, not only would I alert the group however, I would also send over my progress to the rest of the team for feedback and critiques. Some teammates haven't been sending their work over, and also refuse to say anything when they do complete their shots. This often results in confusion, as there are other members waiting to progress with production and are unaware of the progress until the question is raised in a group chat.

This week, I've needed to message the members from both 'The Nightly Care I Give My Hair' and 'Aviation Aggravation' as these groups were missing the most scenes. Eventually, we tracked the scenes down so post-production can resume as planned.

Link to Personal Gantt Chart (05/04)

I'm officially at the stage where I'm waking up in the middle of the night, solely to suffer from a panic attack regarding submission, before going back to sleep. I'm not alone however. Most of my teammates, especially those who have been working incredibly hard, have shared similar stories.

I'm also now worried about my showreel, as there are a few scenes in 'Kingdom of Masks' which the director has tampered with. As a key-framer, it's important I understand timing however, despite following the animatic to a T, a few of my scenes have since been slowed down considerably; scene 25 being the most recent.

I raised my concerns with the director, explaining that the timing readjustment was incredibly noticeable, and any imperfections in the frames that were once viewed in motion are now much more likely to be found due to the speed being reduced by nearly half. 

I also explained how a lecturer had commented on this scene through Instagram, which is the closest thing to feedback we can receive over these three weeks off for Easter, giving me the impression my timing was fine before. So, there was no need to reduce the frame rate by such a noticeable amount. The impact frames have also lost their impact. Hopefully we can resolve this next week.

602 Update (Following on from Study Task 4)

I struggled to plan out my future month by month in the previous study task, as 'To-Do' lists, while practical for small chores or errands, seem too hypercritical for such a weighty and overwhelming topic.

I've done nothing but think about my future recently, so felt this may be a better way to approach the heavy task of leaving University and entering the harsh reality of the real world, during a global pandemic.

Plan A:

Due to Covid, and the uncertainty surrounding potential future waves, spikes, and lockdowns, I will be returning home at the end of University. My parents want me to find a job immediately which is stressful, as if I'm unable to land on my feet in an animation role the second I graduate, they're expecting me to find a job elsewhere, as long as I'm working as soon as possible.

One of my original plans was to form a studio with some other classmates and spend the first year making short films to enter into competitions however, this no longer seems feasible.

So instead, Plan A has morphed into something else entirely. Over the last several weeks, I've been uploading my work to Instagram and as a result, I've had a few queries from people online, requesting information about my rates and whether I would be interested in a commission. While a lot of these projects seem unmanageable for one person, I may be able to request help within the members of the studio. There is also one commission that not only do I feel I could manage, however I'm also really excited to start.

If I tackle enough commissions in the first year after graduation that there is an income emerging, my parents should hopefully find this acceptable enough that I won't have to find another job.

Plan B (Leading on from Plan A):

Assuming Plan A is successful, this irregular work schedule may also provide time for me to work on my collection. Before coming to University, I studied Fine Art, and in my spare time over the summer holidays, I have been working on a collection of landscape paintings, which I'm hoping to submit to the Festival of Arts competition in my town. If I'm fortunate enough to get recognised, this may provide an opportunity for me to showcase my work in the local museum/gallery. 

Once again, if I'm working on these pieces in the months where no jobs are coming in, hopefully my family will consider this productive enough that they don't expect me to drop my creative hobby and find a job with a steady income. While this will provide more security and put my worries at rest, I know that if I do get a regular job, I'll have no time to specialise in my animation, as it's so time consuming.

Plan C:

If the above plans work well for the first year or so, this plan won't need to come into effect. However, if I find I'm struggling to get commissioned, I will immediately employ this plan.

This plan involves researching around my area, and finding a job for a studio. While we have remote working, I have more options however if we revert back to working in person, this limits my flexibility, as I'm only willing to commute so far.

To get a better understanding of the roles I could apply for, I researched into each one:

Runner (Entry Level)

Job Involves:

- Assisting the production management team

- Keeping a project running smoothly

Skills Needed:

- Organisation

- Knowledge of spreadsheets/Gantt charts

- Multitasking

- Good communication

- Enthusiasm

Animator (Entry Level)

Job Involves:

- Drawing each frame by hand

- Depicting the right action in so many frames

- Understanding character performance

- Depending on the role, may need to clean-up/inbetween

Skills Needed:

- Drawing

- Knowledge of animation

- Teamwork

- Communication

- Time management

- Passion

Producer (Not Entry Level)

Job Involves:

- Keeping an animation on schedule

- Negotiate with businesses/companies

- Find creative solutions

Skills Needed:

- Leadership

- Problem Solving

- Budgeting

- Being responsible

- Scheduling

603 Statement of Intent (For Submission)

I searched through my earlier blog posts and retyped my Statement of Intent in a Word document ready for the hand-in, as it's a requirement for this module. Below is the document I'll be submitting.

Link to 603 Statement of Intent

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 29/03/21)

Despite my new glasses, my eyes are still incredibly sore. Not only are they not helping, but it's also been incredibly hot this week so my headaches are becoming even more frequent. Then there's the added sting that I'm missing out on the nice weather because my workload is so overwhelming.

I decided to focus on my tasks one day at a time as whenever I try to get as much work done as possible, I always find I become incredibly stressed. By taking on less, I feel more reassured in my abilities to get the work done on time, rather than have several tasks pile up, like I did last week.

I started the week with tasks for 'The Last Riders'.

Rhys told me he would be reusing my smoke VFX from scene 26 in other scenes which made me feel a little more confident in myself, as I had to reanimate this aspect several times and I still wasn't convinced I had done a good job. However, if the director is happy enough then so am I!

Link to Scene 8 (Key Frames Only)

As the inbetweener is behind schedule, I added quite a few breakdowns to help with his workload, and eventually just asked to take the whole scene on completely, as I was aware he also had post-production jobs on the go.

Link to Scene 8 (Character Animation Only)

Colouring this scene was simple enough, although the cards were quite difficult again, as their designs are very detailed and I needed to ensure they were consistent throughout.

Link to Scene 27 (Key Frames Only)

Following on from the feedback I received last week, I changed Marow's stance and lost the gun shot, to add more tension to the scene. This was the last scene I had to animate for Rhys' project. As I haven't got access to editing software, and don't know that much about VFX, I can't take on any post roles. So, if we start to fall behind, I may take on some more animation tasks so that I'm not completely worthless.

For now however, I turned my attention to 'Kingdom of Masks' as there is still one scene left to complete. I'm not the biggest fan of inbetweening, and there weren't many key frames to work from, so I began by adding some rough breakdowns to help visualise the scene.

This shot was incredibly difficult, as there were so many different elements to consider. I broke it down into smaller sections to help comprehend the different aspects. For the angel, I needed to consider her hair, her hands, her facial expressions, and the rest of her body. For the explosion, I thought about incorporating secondary action and follow through. Finally, for the demon, I needed to not only animate his wings, however his ascot, his floating eyes, and the rest of his body.

By separating the tasks, I was able to attack this shot more confidently.

Link to Scene 25 (Inbetweens Only)

There was also a flash I needed to consider. Last week, I spoke with the director when colouring the keys only, and we couldn't decide on what colour the flash should be. Khoa did however, want a high contrast so, I decided to animate impact frames instead. Once I was done, I sent it to the team's discord for feedback, as I do all my scenes.

Link to Personal Gantt Chart (29/03)

Scene 25 resulted in me falling behind this week, as it took so long to animate. Not only were the elements complicated, and the designs detailed however, as I'm working with bitmap layers, I needed to redraw every frame from scratch in order for the lines not to lose quality, as well as redraw Khoa's key frames, as the file can't be converted from Toon Boom into TVPaint.

I've been rocking an eight-day-long headache and something tells me it isn't going away until after the submission.

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 22/03/21)

I felt really demotivated after last week so therefore, decided to bring one of the more interesting scenes from 'The Last Riders' forward. However, the storyboard and animatic weren't corresponding with one another, so I followed the storyboard and roughed out the clip below. Worried that I was going in the wrong direction however, I asked the director for feedback and we discussed some changes that needed to be made.

Link to Scene 27 (Roughs Only - Not Using)

While we won't use this in the final animation, it was still good practice. The director decided to tone the final version down, as he wants the shot to cut to black as the gun is fired. By losing the gore, we should hopefully gain suspense and tension. So from here, I will change the timing and refine the key frames.

Link to Post-Production Gantt Chart (Rhys)

As we are about to enter April, I decided to update the Gantt chart and add the post-production tasks so that the team, and director, could see exactly where we were at as out of all four projects I'm producing this module, 'The Last Riders' has the most left to do.

I then got back to work on 'Kingdom of Masks', starting with the colour for scene 6. Luckily, this process didn't take very long.

Link to Scene 6 (Colour Only)

Next, I had to colour scene 22. While there was a small note from the session last week, I'm not sure it applies anymore, as this clip seems faster than what was shown in the animatic. I coloured the character as best I could however at the start, the colour on his legs isn't refined as the grass was difficult to avoid. So, I've asked the background artist to separate the grass layer, so we can add it later in post.

Link to Scene 22 (Colour Only)

Originally, the final shot was meant to be a still image with some puppetry animation applied however, as the director wasn't happy with the outcome, he decided to animate this shot instead. However, he only drew the key frames as we haven't got much time left. I offered to colour this, this week. I'm not entirely convinced with this shot however, as the rest of the animation is really fluid and refined so if there is time at the end, I nominated myself to tackle this.

Link to Scene 25 (Colour Only)

As I only have one more scene to animate for Khoa's project now, I can focus primarily on producing from now until the deadline. So, I started by putting a Gantt chart together for post-production.

Link to Post-Production Gantt Chart (Khoa)

Joseph explained that he would have to step down from his post roles due to his workload becoming too overwhelming. So, I messaged around within the group looking for others to pick up these jobs. While Khoa has the bulk of the tasks, I did find a couple other animators within the group who were willing to help out. I also messaged him privately, asking if he was alright with this, and that I would be available daily if he needed any support.

Link to Post-Production Gantt Chart (Alisha)

As Alisha's project is also at the same stage of development, I put together a post-production Gantt chart for 'Aviation Aggravation' as well. Then, I got back to work with more animation on 'The Nightly Care I Give My Hair' as I have quite a few shots to colour for this.

First up was shot 3. I was worried about the jitteriness of the hair texture however the director was happy with this, as she felt the movement worked, so I moved onto another shot.

Link to Shot 3 (Colour Only)

Shot 5 was easy enough to colour as I didn't have to add any texture. I did however, have to learn how to change the opacity of certain colours in Toon Boom which was difficult, as I have about two weeks experience in this software so I'm still very new to the commands and tools.

Link to Shot 5 (Colour Only)

Next up was shot 6. Once again, I found this shot easy enough once I had learned how to apply the texture layer. I was also happier with the hair in this shot, as I felt it looked less jerky and more fluid.

Link to Shot 6 (Colour Only)

I'm officially burnt out. We haven't got long left to go but my eyes are strained, my ego is bruised and my emotions are all over the place. I'm not taking it to heart though. A year of lockdowns, the uncertainty surrounding my future (or lack of) and strict, inextensible deadlines can do that to a gal!

Link to Shot 10 (Character Animation Only)

We interrupt this breakdown to show you more work. There was a scene that I needed to recolour, so that the hair was consistent throughout the film, which I found time this week to do.

Link to Post-Production Gantt Chart (Stacey)

Just like before, I also made a post-production Gantt chart for this project as we have nearly finished production completely, ignoring the scene I have to reanimate based on feedback last week. This chart was the easiest chart to put together, as we aren't adding VFX, shading, lighting or colour grading.

Link to Personal Gantt Chart (22/03)

Considering all four of my teams are nearing the end of production soon, I emailed a lecturer asking for a seminar on post techniques, particularly colour grading, as I feel this would really benefit the outcomes, and he mentioned leading this lecture a few weeks back, if enough people were interested.

At the end of the week, my glasses finally arrived. I've been suffering from frequent migraines so now I have a new prescription, I'm hoping they will die down somewhat. The stress doesn't help either. Even in the hours I try to relax, I give myself headaches worrying over the submission. For an idea of what it's like in my brain, despite the eleven tasks I completed this week, that one red task in my Gantt chart is causing me to spiral.

In a one to one with a lecturer, I was told that I'm really good at managing others, as I'm thoughtful and understanding when it comes to scheduling the team. However, when it comes to looking after myself, I'm really mean and overly harsh. I was advised to try and take the same attitude towards myself that I do with others.

602 Showreel Refinement (Part 1)

In a one-to-one session I spoke to Rob, one of our lecturers, about my fears regarding 602 and how I feel I'm not prepared for the industry. This was mainly sparked from my research into studios near me and how they were all after 3D animators with experience in Maya, while I specialise in 2D.

This got us talking about my showreel. I explained how challenging my second year was, as my mental health was rapidly declining and I was ready to drop out at any given moment. I also felt my work suffered as a result. Therefore, my showreel is currently lacking in decent material.

Rob then listed some requirements for what he believes makes a polished showreel.

1) Acting - A clip that demonstrates my understanding of body language, facial expressions, and the tone of a scene.

2) Lip Sync - This is self explanatory, he's after a decent lip sync. I did animate one in my second year however I'm not very proud of it. 

3) Dialogue - See points 1 and 2.

4) Action Sequence - A clip that showcases my understanding of weight, pacing and movement.

5) A Dance - He also suggested including a dance.

I also need to make sure I'm demonstrating the main principles of animation in each shot. So, I decided to work on some short clips alongside my main animation module so that I'm meeting all of these requirements. I asked Rob if all the shots needed to include OCs or, whether we could adapt characters from pre-existing media. He said both were fine for a showreel.

So first of all, I decided to animate one of the opening sequences from Chuck. I roughed out a very sketchy storyboard of the angles I was after however considering the time I have, and how swamped I am due to 603, I instead decided to only focus on one shot from this opening.

Link to Chuck Run Cycle (Key Frames Only)

As mentioned earlier, I want to include as many of the 12 principles of animation as I can, as while looking into jobs, having an understanding of these principles was a common requirement. So in this run cycle, I've included follow through and overlapping action, as his run is very bouncy.

Link to Chuck Run Cycle (Character Animation Only)

I adjusted the timing slightly, added inbetweens to make the cycle smoother, and finally added colour. I then messaged one of my classmates, Joseph, who has an interest in animated backgrounds, and asked him whether he would be interested in collaborating on this shot.

This will be an ongoing exercise.

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 15/03/21)

I started this week by working on 'The Last Riders' as I had a couple extra scenes that needed inbetweening and colouring. 

First up was scene 3. As there are a handful of characters in this shot, this task took much longer than anticipated. Alongside that, I don't like inbetweening, and plus the fact I only had the background characters to animate, I was struggling to find the motivation to work on them.

Link to Scene 3 (Background Character Animation Only)

I had a similar experience with the next scene.

Once again, I accidentally typed the hex code into the size bar which meant the software crashed and I needed to start over, which unfortunately wasted time I don't have to spare.

Link to Scene 14 (Background Character Animation Only)

I then moved onto the 'Kingdom of Masks' project.

First up was scene 5. I struggled at first to figure out the software on my own so, I watched some tutorials and asked a couple of my classmates for advice. Alisha was kind enough to talk me through the process so, I took plenty of notes and got on with my scenes.

However, this scene in particular proved frustrating as the previous animators went off model several times throughout. The character's belt, shoe straps and sleeves details were missing so, I found it difficult to colour as I'm used to following the turn-around as closely as possible. I raised this issue with the director, and he will go back and fix it if he has time.

Link to Scene 5 (Colour Only)

Scene 18 was next. I found I picked up colouring in Toon Boom quite quickly. The only issue was that my stylus didn't interact with the options or commands as it should (something I had previously experienced when I attempted to animate in this software) so this meant I had to use my mouse pad a lot which slowed down the rate at which I was able to work.

Link to Scene 18 (Colour Only)

I have a couple more scenes to colour within this project however, they aren't scheduled until next week. So, I moved onto 'The Nightly Care I Give My Hair' by starting with an easy scene to colour, as I haven't learned how to add texture yet.

Link to Shot 11 (Colour Only)

I'm still not a fan of this shot as the angle is very simple and the movement, boring. 

Link to Personal Gantt Chart (15/03)

I really struggled this week to keep on track as the shots I worked on for Rhys' project took far longer than anticipated. I also found I'm less motivated working in Leeds than I was at home, so this is an issue I need to resolve quickly.

Some Thoughts About The Weekly!

The weekly also raised several issues. This was my first lesson back in the studio since the first week of December, so it was nice to make an effort and leave the house. I was also eager to see everyone again. However, the presentations were far from smooth sailing.

As I was the only member present in person, and not an icon through a screen, a lot of the feedback felt aimed at me, even for the scenes I hadn't worked on. There were a few positives thrown in, such as one lecturer liking the latest scene I animated in 'The Last Riders', as well as preferring the action in a shot I animated for 'The Nightly Care I Give My Hair' however, these were overshadowed by the several complaints regarding other scenes (the majority of which I hadn't even worked on). 

The atmosphere felt very negative, and my teammates became demotivated and irritable rather quickly, as much of the feedback felt nit-picky. As producer, I also felt disappointed in the feedback we received, as each team has been updating the presentation (and I, my blog) every single week, showing the scenes not only throughout every stage of development, however also in and out of the context of the animatic. 

In other words, a lot of the changes would have been much easier to fix during the earlier production stages, such as at the key-frame, or inbetweening stage, especially considering that not every person in the team has access to the same software, and some files can't be transferred back without losing quality.

Not only that, but the groups were rearranged so that the weeklies would be more efficient and structured in a bid to make the sessions shorter, so us animators have more time to work on our films. This weekly however, lasted three hours. 

After Sleeping On It!

I noted each scene that needed changing. In 'The Nightly Care I Give My Hair', the two shots that needed tweaking were shot 7 and shot 11.

- I explained the issues the lecturers had with shot 7 and asked the inbetweener to retime the action to make the movement more natural and less robotic. Caitlin was able to retime this rather quickly and as the director is happy, we can move on.

- I had originally key framed shot 11 in TVPaint however the following tasks were transferred into Toon Boom. Unfortunately, you can't reverse this process without losing quality so, we have decided to see how the shot looks once the background has been added, to see if this changes anything. If not, I will have to reanimate this scene from scratch however, considering the colouring tasks aren't taking me too long, this hopefully shouldn't be an issue.

The majority of the complaints came from 'Kingdom of Masks'. The scenes that were scrutinised were scene 5, 6, 20 and 21. Scene 22 also had a small suggestion however, was also respected enough to leave alone if we have no time.

- The character needs repositioning in scene 5 as his feet slide back and forth. We are aware of this however due to time, we shall focus on finishing the scenes that are yet to be completed before assigning someone to make amends here.

- In scene 6, the run cycle isn't convincing as there's no bounce. I raised this issue with the director, who has since edited the timing and positioning of the character in this scene. I'm due to colour this shot next week, so Khoa showed his changes to a lecturer. Apparently it could still be improved however, is good enough for now considering the focus within this particular scene is the background and monsters anyway.

- The hair in scene 20 looks too mechanical. So, I have asked the inbetweener to go back and retime the follow through of the hair so it looks more natural. Once again, this will be a task we save for the end of production, as there are still scenes to complete.

- The timing of scene 21 has led to a debate in the past two weeklies. The team believe this moment is one of suspense and tension, as the protagonist realises his role in the story and ultimately rises up to be the hero. Taking inspiration from He-Man, She-Ra and the Legend of Zelda games, we wanted this moment to be weighty and grand. The lecturers disagreed however, and felt this scene should be sped up a lot. We had tested several speeds for this shot, and while we could see our original was too slow, we also felt the lecturer's was too fast, so decided to land on a happy medium. This wasn't good enough apparently.

- Scene 22 has slightly awkward footwork so once I have coloured this shot, I may go back and delete a frame or two to see if this helps any.

In 'The Last Riders', the changes were simpler. The main one being to add a lip sync to Marow, which works as we haven't animated many scenes that feature him talking yet.

The same goes for 'Aviation Aggravation', as they were only upset with one scene, which Alisha soon fixed right after the session.

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 08/03/21)

My eyesight is getting worse due to staring at a screen all day, every day. So, at the start of the week I booked myself in for an eye test, before I return to Leeds. I'll be receiving a prescription in two weeks time, which should hopefully help with my headaches.

I then got on with 'The Last Riders' project. This is the only project I have to focus on for a while now, as I have pushed the colouring tasks back.

Link to Scene 17 (Character Animation Only)

This scene was very simple. There are a series of clips all one second long, that play in succession after Isla insults Marow. To save time, we had wrote that we could use stills in this sequence as they wouldn't require any animation. However, as I had time, I animated the other shots and therefore, decided to do the same with this, no matter how subtle.

Link to Scene 5 (Character Animation Only)

This was another scene that due to time, could be replaced with a still. However, I added some animation here too, to add a bit of energy and life to the scene.

At the start of the week, I advised all the directors in the projects I'm managing to put together all the scenes they have so far, as the lecturers seemed to prefer this format during weeklies.

Upon viewing 'The Last Riders' new animatic, there was an awkwardly long pause during one shot so, I brought this to the director's attention, assuming he would trim this down. However, when I saw the following draft, he'd instead added a new scene without consulting me. As producer, I need to be aware of the amount of scenes in the final cut, otherwise nobody would be scheduled to animate on them! 

After discussing it, there were no more worries - this was just a case of miscommunication. He wasn't intending on adding a scene, it was added to signify one of the character's actions in the previous shot. To clear up any confusion, I believe the animatic and storyboard should be updated so that everyone can see the same vision as at the moment, the outcome isn't clear. Rhys said he would amend this.

Link to Scene 26 (Character Animation Only)

I also managed to colour this shot. I'm still not happy with the smoke at all. Hopefully, if we have time before the deadline, a VFX animator could redo this aspect as I'm not happy with it.

Link to Personal Gantt Chart (08/03)

As the shots were quite simple this week, I was able to get back on track.

This weekend, I won't be able to work as I will be travelling back to Leeds. 

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 01/03/21)

At the end of last week, Rhys messaged me explaining how he was behind schedule and as a result, he hadn't inbetweened any of the scenes I had sent. I asked which scenes featured the background characters, and he listed 3, 4, and 14. Considering nobody had started on shot 4, I suggested we cut it however upon revisiting the Gantt chart, I realised he wasn't responsible for this shot at all, someone else was, so there was no longer reason to cut it.

I decided to revamp the Gantt chart entirely. I shared the workload between the animators more evenly to account for the scenes that are behind schedule.

Link to Updated Gantt Chart (Rhys)

So now, I'm responsible for inbetweening and colouring the background characters in shots 3 and 14, while Rhys focuses on the main characters. I haven't got time for this.

I started this week by key framing scene 24. This shot was particularly difficult as the action of standing up takes place over such a long time. I needed to really draw out each movement to make it last throughout the shot. 

Link to Scene 24 (Key Frames Only)

It was also difficult as he is wearing a cowboy hat which isn't exactly the easiest item of clothing to draw consistently, due to it's unique shape and tricky angles. With Isla, the character I designed without any outside influences, she isn't wearing a hat at all. This was an intentional decision, as I could see this being an issue in the future.

The next scene I had to animate was also quite long. But I finally get to animate my girl!

Link to Scene 26 (Isla Animation Only)

I enjoyed animating this aspect of this scene, as while I doubt this counts as a lip sync, I still had audio to animate to, and I'm really happy with how her gasp turned out.

Link to Scene 26 (Marow Animation Only)

This aspect I was less happy with, as it required me to animate a green mist/smoke; something I've never animated before, as I'm not a VFX animator. This was my fifth attempt at animating smoke, and I'm still not happy with it. Due to the composition however, I'm hoping Isla covers most of this.

Link to Scene 26 (Character Animation Only)

Then, I moved onto the 'Kingdom Of Masks' project, as I will colour this at a later date.

Link to Updated Gantt Chart (Khoa)

I also updated Khoa's Gantt chart, to see where everyone was at, as a scene or two needed redoing/revising. In general, everyone was either on track or ahead of schedule; there were just a couple scenes that needed refining.

Link to Personal Gantt Chart (01/03)

At the start of the week, the musician for 'Kingdom of Masks' sent us his first draft and it sounds fantastic! The whole team is happy with the direction of the soundtrack. Khoa also updated the character turn-around, as there was inconsistencies throughout the project however, I have already finished key framing all my shots for this project, and I followed the previous model as accurately as I could. That goes for the Mask Maker and the Monster.

TVPaint doesn't have the option to export a video as an .mp4. I can either export it as a sequence, or another media file. However, when I've gone to upload my progress onto Instagram or LinkedIn, it appears they don't support that file type. I also can't download the videos to my phone so, I've updated my personal Gantt chart with an extra column, which requires I also convert the image sequence to an .mp4 as while this will take up quite a bit of time, I want to keep my followers and connections updated with my WIP.

At the minute, I'm still in Nuneaton. I have a lot of colouring tasks lined up at the start of March, which I have pushed back, as these require that I work in a new software I'm not experienced in. So, by pushing these back to a date when I've moved back to Leeds, I will be able to find help easier.

Study Task 4 - Exit Strategy

To-Do List (Before Graduation):

- I need to update and refine my showreel. I also need to get in the habit of posting regularly on LinkedIn and Instagram, as these could act as my portfolio. Once I have my showreel complete, I shall make a YouTube account too.

- I need to write my CV and personal statement. I do currently have a draft so, I need to work on this before I leave University.

- I must message more professionals on LinkedIn to try and make connections, as well as make plans to attend networking events once lockdown is over and everywhere is somewhat safe again.

- I need to begin looking into potential studios I could apply to, whilst learning as much about freelancing as I can so that once I graduate, I have an idea of what I could do.

To-Do List (After Graduation):

- Once I've graduated, I have a few options available, depending on the direction I would like to go.

Fresh Egg

- A few classmates and I have been discussing ideas around starting a studio together. I don't feel responsible for the studio itself, however I feel like I could come on board as a freelance animator. 

Another Studio?

- I could apply to a studio in my area that I am comfortable commuting to. It would have to be an entry-level job. The issue is that from what I've looked into so far, they all require a couple years experience in the industry. Despite this, I would still apply to at least get my name out there.

- The goal at the end of the line would be either the head of production or the head of animation. Baby steps for now.

EmKateArt

Last year, I set up my Etsy account. I was selling stickers, however completely intended on expanding the media to mugs, shirts and prints. Once I was back at University, this venture was put on the back burner but once I graduate, I will put more energy back into this project.

Study Task 3 - Network

Part 1 - Updating LinkedIn

Past Status:

- Abandoned

Last year, one of the requirements for PP2 was to set up a LinkedIn account. I did use the account at first, as it was recommended for working in this industry however, after a short while I began to neglect the account, as I preferred using Instagram as my portfolio.

- Unappealing

My account didn't have a proper theme. It was incredibly underdeveloped and therefore, uninviting.

Current Status:

- Uniform

I've updated my icon so that it's fitting with my Instagram and Etsy accounts, and my business cards. I believe consistency is important, as it looks more professional and organised to anyone who comes across my online presence.

- Schedule

I'm planning to post to my LinkedIn as often as I post to my Instagram account so that way, the account no longer appears vacant.

Link to my LinkedIn Account

I also needed to form at least twelve professional connections. I added:

- Isobel Stenhouse, a visiting professional and concept artist, currently working at Supermassive Games Ltd. and who has training in metal health first aid. I added her, as before I attended her VP seminar, a lecturer implied that she would be a good connection to make due to her focus in mental health.

- Lisa Ann Smith, a producer at The Line Animation Studio. As one of my areas of focus is producing, I felt this was a good connection to make. Especially considering the work produced at The Line is what I aspire to create one day.

- Eleonora Quario, an assistant animator, specialising in 2D, at The Line Animation Studio. She worked on some Gorillaz music videos, including Aries and PacMan. Gorillaz were one of my main influences growing up, and ultimately inspired me to study animation.

- Madeleine Sayers, a freelance animator. As someone who wasn't intending on freelancing, and who now, with only months to go, is thinking of going into it, I feel this is an important connection to make, as I have many questions.

- Jon Turner, a director working at Kilogramme Studios. Whilst I haven't got much experience directing, there are certainly aspects I find myself naturally doing in my projects, so maybe it would be worth messaging him and finding out more about this area, as there is a lack of women directors in animation.

- Fernanda Valverde, a 2D lead animator who is currently working at Blue-Zoo, and who previously worked for Brown Bag Films.

- Tim Dillnutt, another freelance animator who specialises in 2D character animation. 

- David Bell, an animator working at Dot to Dot Productions Limited.

- Sam Jones, an animator at Litmos Heroes.

- Marialaura Arduin, a lead animator working at Blink Industries Limited.

- Bishoy Gendi, a lead animator working at The Line Animation Studio. I added several employees from The Line, as their style and quality of animation is what I would like to aim for.

- Tan Jones, the head of production at Golden Wolf. Once again, connecting with a producer was beneficial as this is a path I may explore in the future.

Part 2 - Networking Opportunities

1) Animated Women UK

Animated Women UK host a series of events every month for women in the UK. These could offer the chance for myself to meet and learn from other experienced animators and producers across the country. The membership is £30 a year however considering the amount of events they offer, it would be worth signing up.

2) Manchester Animation Festival

I physically attended MAF in my first and second years of University. I was completely intending on returning in my third year as a volunteer however, considering the multiple lockdowns the country has been put in, I ended up attending MAF online for my final year. In the future, I would love to return, as it's an incredible opportunity to network with animators across the country.

3) Cardiff Animation Festival

Likewise, CAF took place online during 2020. They have a few events online including: Cardiff Animation Nights, Cardiff Animation Kids and Quick Draw, which is a 48 hour animation challenge. All these events however take place from February to March, so while I may be too busy to attend this year, this is certainly an event I will plan to attend once I graduate.

4) Motion North

This is a Manchester based group that hosts monthly events for animators to network. Despite the circumstances, they have been hosting their events online which means even after I graduate and leave Leeds, I could still attend these sessions despite now living across the country.

5) Animation Nights New York (ANNY)

ANNY is a monthly screening event held in New York, and admission is free. Once a year, there is a festival that takes place over two days, which features screenings, installations and showcases. There is also an event called ANNY Exchange, which connects animators to projects. This would be a great chance to network.

6) aNEmates

aNEmates hosts monthly networking events for animators and illustrators across the country. Before lockdown, the events would usually take place at pubs, in which animators could have a drink and a chat. Due to the current climate however, I can't find any networking opportunities listed on their Facebook or Twitter pages. However, members are still active, using the online space to communicate to one another and promote each other's work and events they come across. It may be worth joining the Facebook group, as this will encourage me to get talking.

7) Watersprite Film Festival

Watersprite is one of the largest student film festivals in the UK, which takes place this year from 5th - 7th March 2021. When the event is running normally, the selected creatives are offered bursaries for travel and accommodation to the venue, which is held in Cambridge. The festival itself offers networking events, workshops and screenings.

8) Center Stage Gallery

In Burbank, California, there is The Creative Talent Network which runs networking events for filmmakers and animators. They host the CTN Animation eXpo which offers the opportunity for artists, animators and creatives to share their work and collaborate. Considering the limitations of travel and location however, this is an event I probably won't be able to attend.

9) Canterbury Anifest

This animation festival is the largest in the South East. It's an award-winning festival and a great opportunity for animators to connect and experience each other's work. It offers masterclasses, workshops, screenings and networking events. Due to the current circumstances, this year's Anifest will take place entirely online. It runs from 25th - 27th February 2021, so while I may miss this years, this is certainly one I will attend in the future!

10) The Brussels Animation Film Festival (Anima)

Similarly to the previous festivals I've mentioned, Anima took place online this year, from 12th February - 21st February 2021. While I have missed this years festival, I'm planning to keep an eye out for the dates of next years festival, as this is a prized opportunity to network, as there are plenty of events on offer.

11) Birmingham Comic Con

Before starting University, I attended every comic convention the NEC in Birmingham hosted each year. University, and then lockdown, has meant I haven't been able to attend in years however while I was studying at college, I would often use this convention to further research, network, and explore my focus. There is always a 'Comic Village' filled with artists who are willing to discuss their work and exchange details. Currently the dates for the next convention are 13th and 14th November 2021. 

12) Annecy International Film Festival

Every year I've been told to attend this festival during the summer of my final year, as this festival is incredibly expensive if you're not a student. Last year, that was certainly the plan for myself and a few other classmates however, considering the current circumstances and the uncertainty surrounding what state the country will be in by summer, I have a feeling this trip won't go ahead, which is really unfortunate. The current dates are 14th June - 19th June 2021.

Part 3 - Documenting My Findings

Above are the responses to this study task.

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 22/02/21)

Unresolved Issues from Last Week:

At the start of the week, the monster shot was animated fully. I was going to suggest to the director that we just reuse this scene twice, as there were quite a few inconsistencies between mine and Alisha's shot, and the other. It appeared that before I had a chance, the director came to this conclusion naturally on his own however, this was just miscommunication. So, I needed to bring it up anyway. 

The Solution:

I explained that the two shots were too inconsistent, not only in design however the walk cycle itself, as my version has the monster on it's hands, whilst the other has it walking on it's knuckles. The director was conflicted, as he didn't want to remove a scene that the team had worked so hard on. It was only when more animators spoke up, including the two responsible for the other shot, that the director decided to axe it and go with mine and Alisha's.

This Week:

At the start of the week, I worked on 'The Care I Give My Hair'.

I had similar issues on this shot with that of a previous shot, as the character turn-around was only designed with her first hairstyle in mind. While I could search for reference images, or try to use the sketchy designs from the animatic, I didn't feel confident at all attempting to animate this shot.

Fortunately, my other teammate had already started on another shot where this hairstyle was featured. So, using their drawing alongside the storyboard art, I had a better idea of what the linework should look like.

Link to Shot 10 (Key Frames Only)

I wasn't originally down to key frame this shot however, due to the team all working in different software, and the capabilities of each software, I needed to rearrange a couple of the final scenes. I still had the same amount of work to do however this way, we didn't need to convert the file back and forth.

Link to Shot 10 (Character Animation Only)

So, seeing as I was down to both inbetween, and colour this shot at a later date, I decided to get this scene over and done with at once, as colouring in TVPaint doesn't take very long at all. The reason her hair is green is because the director wanted the hair to be textured, so this layer will act as a green screen and the texture will be applied in post.

I then moved onto 'The Last Riders' project.

I was down to animate a scene that was incredibly similar to one Rhys had already animated which resulted in a conflict of interest. As while I consciously make an effort to stay on model as accurately as possible, it was obvious my character reference sheet and Rhys' shot had inconsistencies. So I had to make a decision: do I stay on model and sacrifice the consistency of the final animation or, do I purposefully go off model to match Rhys' interpretation of the design.

Link to Scene 19 (Key Frames Only)

Once again, this was another scene that I was down to also inbetween and colour so, I decided to put these jobs together.

I'm slightly worried about the line thickness as while I followed the character reference sheet, I have a feeling the shots that have been animated so far have thinner linework. This is an issue that has arisen due to two factors. Firstly, I'm working on three projects simultaneously and each have very different art styles. Secondly, it's been about a month since I've animated a scene for Rhys' project as the other projects have taken precedence, meaning the line width had escaped my mind.

Link to Scene 19 (Character Animation Only)

Now the colour has been added, I feel the difference in weight of the line is obvious. However, due to time restraints, I won't make any adjustments now. If the director hasn't got any issues then I can continue as planned, and so far he hasn't said anything.

Link to Personal Gantt Chart (22/02)

At the end of the week, I was given a commission. So, I began to plan some ideas for what I could do and how I could approach it, given how busy my schedule already is. 

I also tried to catch up on some of the visiting professionals lectures I had missed, including: Bianca Ansems, Matthew Cooper and Maryam Mohajer. 

I no longer have any scenes to key frame for both the 'Kingdom of Masks', or 'The Care I Give My Hair' which means I can focus solely on 'The Last Riders' for a while. However, I do need to learn a new software in order to colour on these projects so this may slow my practice down. I will also be travelling back to Leeds at the beginning of March so, I can imagine my mental health will naturally decline, as it usually does, so this may also be an issue in regards to my workflow.