Research and Engagement Presentation

In PPP so far, I've mostly looked at the different options I have available to me, since I'm undecided with what exactly I'm going to do when we finish college.

I felt like freelancing was a big thing that I should look into, if only because of all of the options it gives me. I did keep finding more negatives about it though, which might be more because I am unsure about doing it. I like the idea of being able to try so many different things, especially if my portfolio contains illustration as well as design for games/animation, but with the financial side and the amount of networking you have to do to get jobs etc, it is a little bit daunting.

It's partially the constant job searches that I find off putting when it comes to freelance and being in charge of my own work, so I've been looking at agencies as an alternative. I was surprised to find agencies aimed towards gaming companies along with agencies for other areas involving art, and I thought that would be interesting to look into especially as it could allow me to specialise even more in the future. The benefits and limitations of working for an agency are as above. I'm not yet decided if working for an agency would be quite right for me yet, either.

I thought that it would be worth looking at the recurring requirements I've seen when looking at companies as well, just to know what would be needed if I did work for a company. A lot of companies I have found only hire people in for certain projects which means that their requirements might be completely different depending on the brief which does make it a bit harder to research some things that they want, but I found a few points that most if not all of the character design jobs had that I found (a fair few of which were on the animation jobs website). A lot of the jobs I looked at were from Nickelodeon as well just because they have a lot going at the moment, and it was interesting to see how little experience some of them actually asked for.

Even though it is a little less work based, I've also been looking into different art books. I want my portfolio to stand out and look good, so I'm investigating different ways to lay out my pages and make them look interesting. I'd have to be careful not to make them too busy and stop my designs from fading into the background which is why I want to look at quite a few. I like the Persona 4 Arena art book on this slide because not only does it have all of your usual design elements, but it also has diagrams of how the characters actually move, showing key frames of their fighting animations which give you a much clearer idea of how they act. 

Some work much better being simple, though. The page on the left which I think is from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs has a really nice contrast between the drawn designs and 3D models. The models show how they would look in the actual animation, whereas the drawings show personalities etc much more making it quite a balanced page. On the right, Morrigan from Dragon Age has the different parts of her outfit shown as more of a guide to her outfit than the design process, and since it's so finished the more decorative page looks a lot better. Despite the detail in the borders, the page is still nice and clear and the character does not get lost in the background, keeping the page nice and readable.

After researching these slides, I'm still not 100% sure what to take further and what sort of plan I should focus on, so I've made a simple list of the next things that I need to do. I'm definitely going to go to more events even though I'm still trying to plan it all out, and I want to have business cards made and ready by then. I need to decide on what companies to visit, if companies are in fact the best way to go; I'm not sure if talking to freelancers or conversing with agencies would be a better idea for me yet. I want to make more things for Redbubble since I've stopped and haven't had anything new on for ages just as something to keep designing for no matter what kind of job I go for. Last on my list for now is creating new portfolio pages, including editing older pages and experimenting with layouts for newer pages.

I think once I visit/decide where I'm visiting I'll have a clearer idea of which way to research and start working towards, since a lot of my portfolio depends on that and start making more connections.

Gaming Networks in Yorkshire

GAMAYO  is a network based in Yorkshire for people who make or are interested in making games. It can be helpful towards people who are looking for collaborators, studios looking for local talent, indie developers who may need al sorts of other things, or people who sometimes work on games as their job. They put emphasis on people who make games, rather than companies who do, to make more of an approachable, community type of feel for the people involved in games around Yorkshire.

They have local meet ups in Sheffield, Bradford, York, Huddersfield and Leeds which is a great opportunity to network with people and meet possible collaborators. They require you to already be making games, even for fun to join in with this network, so I will have to look into ways I could begin doing this.

Another network I want to keep an eye on is GameRepublic; they are an "industry-led games business network that supports and promotes the Yorkshire and Northern England games industry". They give support, contacts and business development in the North of England, UK and global games industry, arranging meetings and business-focused networking events with companies including Sony, Microsoft, Amazon and Nintendo among others.

Both other these will be great networking opportunities; I need to get business cards properly designs and printed to give them to people if I attend any meetings etc from both of these, as well as update my portfolio and create some games-orientated art and design work. Whether or not I do decide to venture into games when it comes to a career, I think that having these contacts, and even just the experience of meeting these kinds of people will help me a lot.

Requirements for Certain Job Positions (2/2)

[Continued]

Job: Concept Artist, Bioware
Responsibilities: Work with art director and production artists to create cast of believable and immersive characters and backgrounds, wide variety of additional concepts including character design, hard surface props and vehicles. Design original concepts to fit in with style guide, translate high level ideas into production-ready art packets, maintain a high level quality of art, with variety of ideas, in depth research, reference material and develop conceptual ideas. Create lighting schemes and colour palettes to capture the tone of the world, create storyboards and dynamic keyframes that illustrate the sory and/or gameplay, ability to create photorealistic work. Qualifications: 5 years of concept experience, shipped video game titles is a plus, ability to create concepts from scratch and create colour studies, environment and component ideation and design, very strong traditional illustration skills in a variety of media as well as excellent drawing skills, matte painting experience is a plus, ability to think in 3D, strong fundamental skills including good use of line, light, shadow and colour, storytelling and concept development, ability to work within specific styles, including style set by other artists etc.

I didn't actually expect to these to ask for so little experience, compared to some other job opportunities I have soon. I assume this means that they rely a lot more on portfolios then, especially since a lot of what they are looking for is specifically drawing skills.
I feel as though I should definitely concentrate on showing my skills when it comes to drawing and designing in different styles, practice a lot more drawings in different perspective and experiment a lot more with colour. Experience collaborating sounds like it would be extremely useful when looking at other requirements, which I hope to do more of in Extended this year, although it would be good to look for possible collaborators if I do decide to enter any competitions.  I think that designing many different characters and different worlds will help me to get my confidence up and give me more experience for these kinds of jobs; if I'm not confident in my skills, no employer would be, and I need to do everything in my power to be prepared. This may mean building my portfolio a little bit more when I finish college as well and/or undertake projects that could count towards my experience in this area. I'm going to keep an eye on any other job opportunities that may come up as well, as these are only some open positions that I have found at the moment.

Requirements for Certain Job Positions (1/2)

What exactly do certain jobs want? Finding a job is one thing, but actually being able to carry out every duty and meet every requirement is another. In this post, I am going to look at certain jobs and the roles the require so that I can see what skills I am lacking and should think about in the future.

Job: Character Designer for Nickelodeon - working closely with supervisors and directors, complete character designs and make them appropriate for CG models to work from, work on schedule, must be able to match the quality and style of the show. Responsibilities: strong design and construction/mechanical skills, be able to replicate style, time management skills, multitask, work well under pressure, knowledge or willingness to learn software and hardware. Qualifications: Relevant drawing experience, BA in Fine Arts or equivalent work experience.

Job: Feature Character & Prop Designer 2D for DHX Studios
Responsibilities: Work with art director and other designers in style of the production, translating character from script to visual design, submitting multiple design variations based on feedbackCreating models sheets of character turnarounds and facial/anatomical expressions.
Qualifications: Experience designing character and/or props on a series preferred, strong drawing ability and a solid sense of design, degree/diploma from recognised animation school, able to work digitally (PS, Flash, Sketchbook etc), experience in 3D design, strong understanding of perspective, proportion, balance, dimension and dynamism. Able to work collaboratively within a team, able to communicate professionally and positively, well organised with good time management skills.

Job: Background Designer, Nickelodeon
Responsiblities: Review script for backgrounds, complete rough, revised and final designs necessary with assigned deadlines, resolve design problems with creative supervisors, meet deadlines, communication with production staff, ensure work is backed up, ensure shipping materials are prepared and ready on time, be available for questions until department's shipment is complete. Multiple views of environment and specific elements within it. Assist with special projects, make shadow and colour indications, floor plans, shadow and colour guides, overlays in the style and quality of the production. Qualifications: Strong background design skills, relevant drawing experience needed, thorough understanding of perspective. Knowledge of or willingness to learn applicable design software and hardware. Strong time management skills, work well under pressure, ability to multitask. Qualifications: BA in Fine Arts or equivalent work experience highly desired. Understanding of architectural schematics a plus.

Finding Jobs in Games/Animation

It would beneficial for me to already be aware of what kind of jobs and opportunities are out there and where they are, so I'm researching into games companies and websites to help for recruitment.

Gamedevmap is a very helpful website that allows you to click on different locations on a map that then gives you information on games companies throughout that location. It also includes the type of things they do, for example: online games, mobile games, if they are a developer or a publisher, and what city exactly they are located in.  This means that I can see where exactly the job opportunities may be for me if I am looking the stay in the North which is extremely useful.

Aardvark Swift is, according to them, the first video games recruitment agency. The companies they have worked with includes Square Enix, Activision, Ubisoft and Microsoft among others, all of which appeal to me. There is not much information about working with them but they appear to have decent social networking links that I could possibly get some more information from.

Amiqus is another recruitment agency for the games industry, including both consoles and mobile gaming. Companies that have worked with them include Ubisoft, EA, Sony and Konami which again shows that they can provide jobs at large, successful companies. They ask for a CV which will then allow you to discuss possible career options with one of their specialist consultants, which means that I need to get a finished CV sorted out if I would like to talk to them.

Animation Jobs is a service that I have been following on Twitter since first year, and I've seen quite a range of different jobs pass by on it that sounds interesting, for example - "Character Designer (for CC Animated Show) At Nickelodeon Animation Studio" is a job that is available on the website at the time of this post. Though this website is for animation rather than games, there are still many positions that I would enjoy on there as well.

Working for an Agency

There are a lot of responsibilities when it comes to freelancing, which is one reason why becoming a part of an agency could be a good idea.

In the most basic of terms, agencies find you jobs that you may not or have more trouble finding otherwise. They have the experience and networking to provide opportunities that you may not usually get, which means they are definitely a feasible option for getting hired.

It isn't as easy as just walking up to their door and getting a job however; they still need to see your portfolio, and decide if you are suitable to work for them. This means consistent but unique work to a professional standard is needed. Building an online presence help these people to find you earlier on, and can at least help to show that you are a professional with your own connections.

Working with an agency means compromise - there are less duties involving business that an artist has to undertake, at the expense of some of their earnings. If this results in getting much more work with a higher standard when it comes to payments then this seems well worth it, but it depends on the efficiency and time of the artist; if they are very strong with networking and the business side of things, then doing everything on their own may be more beneficial.

I would be worth having a look at how specialised some agencies are - there is certain work I would prefer doing over others, so finding a company that may help to find more design or concept kind of jobs may be a good idea. At the same time, a more general agency could give me the opportunity to expand my skill set and try new things, so going for that kind of option may not be a bad idea.

Financial Side of Freelancing

The financial side of freelancing is what I know the least about, so I've researched a little bit about what is involved and other things to think about when freelancing.

A lot of freelancers seem to have a fair few repeat clients which helps to support them, so it is important to treat them well. Bad reputations are easier to spread than good ones, so no matter the situation, one must always act professional and accomodating. Time estimates will need to be given to clients in regards to the completion of work, which will also help in writing invoices.

Agree payment terms up front in writing - contract. Will it be paid in instalments, or all at once?  Save copies of the invoice, and email as well as post the invoice to the clients.

I found a useful sounding list of things to consider in your invoices from http://www.goingfreelance.com/10-simple-ways-to-get-paid-faster/

As a rule, you should be including the following information on all your invoices:

• Your full company name (and logo).
• The invoice date
• The invoice number (This should be unique to each invoice, and preferable sequential).
• Your registered address.
• Your company number (if applicable).
• Your postal address.
• Your client’s company name or name.
• Your client’s address.
• A job reference or purchase order number (if the client have provided one)
• An itemised list of the services you have provided (see point 5).
• The invoice due date (see point 3).
• Your payment details (see point 4).
• A detachable payment advice slip.

And if you’re in the UK and VAT registered you also need to include:

• Your VAT registration number
• An breakdown of the VAT which has been added to each item on your invoice, and the rate at which this has been charged.
• The total amount of VAT charged

Giving vague descriptions of the services you have provided will make it easy for the client to query the invoice and delay payment, whereas providing a detailed breakdown of the work carried out will remind the client and anyone within their organisation exactly what is being invoiced for. It’s also a requirement if you are charging VAT.

I thought it would be useful to look into VAT as well, and the VAT Registration page at give.uk tells me that:

You must register for VAT if: your VAT taxable turnover is more than £82,000 (the 'threshold') in a 12 month period. you receive goods in the UK from the EU worth more than £82,000. you expect to go over the threshold in a single 30 day period.
If you are UK based and not VAT registered then you cannot add VAT to your service charges.

Freelancing

I need to start thinking about my practice in the future, and where exactly I want to go in the next few years. Especially as a designer/illustrator, the main kind of work I could take on is Freelance work - but what exactly is that?

Freelance workers are generally self-employed, and don't usually commit to companies or employers long term. To me, this sounds like a terrifying prospect - if not planned and prepared for, then there may be periods of time that would mean not earning much money and having to rely on other options to live off.

I'm not going to be naive enough to think that I could earn a full-time living once beginning freelance work, or if I'd even enjoy freelance work enough to do it all of the time. It involves interacting with many people who may be unreliable or hard to work with, and has a lot more pressure than if you were working under someone else or a produce who would take care of the less interesting sides of the job.

If I was to work freelance, I would have to find another job on the side that could support me even when I am not earning much from freelance work. A lot of people would settle for any job they can find with the intent of moving to earn a lot of money through freelance ayer a short amount of time, but I want to be cautious enough to keep myself out of trouble, and find a job that I could do for a long period of time without losing motivation and getting bored of. I believe that in keeping all other aspects of my life positive and enjoyable, it would help relieve some stress or pressure that Freelance would bring, and would ultimately benefit myself in the long run.

Pros
Flexible hours
Opportunity to try out different jobs/roles
Location etc is less of a problem
Networking

Cons
Possible lack of financial stability
Huge responsibility
Lack of guidance
Need some kind of back up
Accounting responsibilities - tax, invoices etc
Constant access to technology or materials needed whether or not they are available.

An important thing to consider freelancing is keeping my online presence up to date and competitive. With the experience I have had and the projects that I've done in college, I would like to concentrate on design/concept. I plan to continue animating for fun in my spare time, which I think I might enjoy more once I start learning it in ways I learn best, but I do not want to consider that a possible skill to use in freelancing until I do enjoy it and have the confidence. This is the same with writing, but I plan to continue making my own stories etc and perhaps if these were to get enough interest online I might consider including this as a sellable skill.