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:
Job Involves:
- Assisting the production management team
- Keeping a project running smoothly
Skills Needed:
- Organisation
- Knowledge of spreadsheets/Gantt charts
- Multitasking
- Good communication
- Enthusiasm
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
Job Involves:
- Keeping an animation on schedule
- Negotiate with businesses/companies
- Find creative solutions
Skills Needed:
- Leadership
- Problem Solving
- Budgeting
- Being responsible
- Scheduling
No comments:
Post a Comment