I have found social media to be very useful throughout this year.
I already had a Tumblr, although this course has helped me fill it out a lot more. It gave me something to show Kilogramme when I asked about work experience, rather than having to bring a tonne of sketchbooks or sift through a million different pages between 3 different college blogs. Our front page could serve as a portfolio, but it is so awkward to see the images - and to have people find your art on it anyway, that it is not worth the effort. On tumblr you can tag work making it easier for people to find you, and all it takes is one reblog from the right person for thousands of other people to be able to see you art. I have even had Giancarlo Volpe, the producer of Green Lantern The Animated Series 'Like' my Green Lantern fanart on the site.
Through Asks on Tumblr, I have also spoken to quite a few animation students from America, particular third years who have given me tips and advice for my work and the rest of my uni experience.
Twitter makes it very easy to talk to people who would not necessarily even look at your messages on any other site. I have been able to ask about work experience, and find out about the sort of projects that other people and companies have been working on. The notification system lets you know whenever you have a reply, and it a very easy way of talking to people.
I have more people seeing my art now and it is a lot less intimidation to talk to big names in animation on the internet. I will definitely continue to use my social networking accounts throughout and after university, and hopefully I will have enough contacts on both to have learned a lot and to be able to find out about things that could be very useful to me.
Showing posts with label Absorb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Absorb. Show all posts
Wednesday, 21 May 2014
Presentation Anxiety
We have a presentation coming up at the end of the year to help us reflect on everything that has happened and what we have learned. I am not a fan of presentations - in fact, I used to start hyperventilating at just the thought of it. I have slowly been getting better at it throughout the year, and despite still feeling quite nauseated as I wait for my turn, I do seem a lot more confident while I am presenting. The main thing I do to help this is not overthink it. That gets me even more nervous. I do not write a script, otherwise I sound robotic and trip over my words because I am talking and reading at the same time, or making sure it goes 'right'. The way I tackle it now is to write down a few points per slide that I need, and then don't look at my notes while I am presenting. I just remember the subject I need to be talking about that then treat it as a conversation (albeit a one-sided one). This makes my speech much more natural, and come on - how much passion and excitement can really come out of a rehearsed word for word presentation? Of course there is always a chance for me to forget one or to things, but I definitely sound a lot more like I know what I am talking about and that I am interested in it.
Although I do have a strategy now, I still find it nerve wracking while I am waiting for my turn, so I am going to look something we discussed earlier on in the year about fighting that anxiety;
1. Get Blood Flowing!
Excercise has a positive effect on your nerves for up to 12 hours (and don't you always feel better after exercising?) I will definitely try to keep moving before my presentation and get myself pumped up.
2. Rehearse, Don't Memorise
Practice - but don't memories. Be able to improvise, but know what you are talking about. Memorising 'implies that you are dependant, lack confidence and are controlled by your talk'. I have this one down, I think.
3. Show Appreciation
If you show that you care for your audience, they will care for you. Speak about things relevant to them, and look them in the eye! But not for too long. That would be a little bit awkward.
Although I do have a strategy now, I still find it nerve wracking while I am waiting for my turn, so I am going to look something we discussed earlier on in the year about fighting that anxiety;
1. Get Blood Flowing!
Excercise has a positive effect on your nerves for up to 12 hours (and don't you always feel better after exercising?) I will definitely try to keep moving before my presentation and get myself pumped up.
2. Rehearse, Don't Memorise
Practice - but don't memories. Be able to improvise, but know what you are talking about. Memorising 'implies that you are dependant, lack confidence and are controlled by your talk'. I have this one down, I think.
3. Show Appreciation
If you show that you care for your audience, they will care for you. Speak about things relevant to them, and look them in the eye! But not for too long. That would be a little bit awkward.
Thursday, 6 March 2014
Effective Presentation Tips
Presenting is about communicating something, and in a lot of cases, an opportunity to get constructive criticism and feedback from peers or an objective audience.
Be concise!
Know your audience - and assume they know nothing. Always put things into context, and inform your audience about what you are talking about.
Talk about;
- What you are doing
- How you got there
- How you plan to get there
- How you are planning to move forwards
A presentation should not be stressful... if you are prepared.
Be prepared!
Enjoy yourself!
Know your subject and keep it simple. Use imagery to illustrate a point... when necessary.
Be concise!
Know your audience - and assume they know nothing. Always put things into context, and inform your audience about what you are talking about.
Talk about;
- What you are doing
- How you got there
- How you plan to get there
- How you are planning to move forwards
A presentation should not be stressful... if you are prepared.
Be prepared!
Enjoy yourself!
Know your subject and keep it simple. Use imagery to illustrate a point... when necessary.
You should not use too much text. The audience is here to listen!
Each slide should be important and communicate clearly.
Avoid bullet points!
All slides should be readable from 8ft, or 2.45m (at least).
Be enthusiastic!
- You don't look as anxious as you feel.
Make a mistake?
Correct yourself and carry on!
Use cue cards, paper, post its, lecture notes etc
Don't leave it until the last minute!
Practice!
Give people time for questions!
Thursday, 6 February 2014
Understanding Copyright
Copyright is "the right for the owner/creator/publisher to control how their material can be used".
Copyright covers films, games, animation, music, computer acts, drawings/illustrations - anything that is the result of an independent intellectual effort or a collaborative effort.
Author can object if their work is mutilated, defamed or distorted in any way. Sometimes though, copyright rights go to the company or employer involved with the property in question.
Copyright can be transfererd or sold to another party. In the UK, copyright is automatic. Literary, dramatic, artistic and photographic works are copyrights for life + 70 years of the creator.
Sounds recordings and copyrighted for 70 years only. (Cliff Richard got this changed from 50 to 70 in 2011).
Getting permission to use properties - you can contact the owner/organisation/company representing them directly. Otherwise, they can object and possibly sue.
If the thing you want to use the property for is commercial, you must ask permission. Non-commercial, education, research of private study does not generally need you to ask permission, although you may need an agreement for multiple copies.
Claiming Copyright
- Watermark etc
- Leave it/deposit it with a bank or lawyer
- Post it to yourself sealed with a date stamp.
If someone is breaching your copyright, talk to them first!
Any legal action would take place in the country where the infringement happened. Social Networking can have complex terms and conditions and may claim your work as their own.
Copyleft is like the opposite; they are a novel use of existing copyright to ensure work remains freely available.
Creative Commons - non-profit, providing legal framework to let people share, remix and reuse legally. Simple, standardised and an alternative to the "all rights reserved" paradigm of traditional licensing, as long as you credit everything.
There are also alternative that:
- do anything commercially but again apply credit
- Redistribution, commercial and otherwise usage is fine as long as it is unchanged with credit to you
- Remixing, tweaking and building on for non-commercial use as long as they are credited and also licensed under the same terms.
Copyright covers films, games, animation, music, computer acts, drawings/illustrations - anything that is the result of an independent intellectual effort or a collaborative effort.
Author can object if their work is mutilated, defamed or distorted in any way. Sometimes though, copyright rights go to the company or employer involved with the property in question.
Copyright can be transfererd or sold to another party. In the UK, copyright is automatic. Literary, dramatic, artistic and photographic works are copyrights for life + 70 years of the creator.
Sounds recordings and copyrighted for 70 years only. (Cliff Richard got this changed from 50 to 70 in 2011).
Getting permission to use properties - you can contact the owner/organisation/company representing them directly. Otherwise, they can object and possibly sue.
If the thing you want to use the property for is commercial, you must ask permission. Non-commercial, education, research of private study does not generally need you to ask permission, although you may need an agreement for multiple copies.
Claiming Copyright
- Watermark etc
- Leave it/deposit it with a bank or lawyer
- Post it to yourself sealed with a date stamp.
If someone is breaching your copyright, talk to them first!
Any legal action would take place in the country where the infringement happened. Social Networking can have complex terms and conditions and may claim your work as their own.
Copyleft is like the opposite; they are a novel use of existing copyright to ensure work remains freely available.
Creative Commons - non-profit, providing legal framework to let people share, remix and reuse legally. Simple, standardised and an alternative to the "all rights reserved" paradigm of traditional licensing, as long as you credit everything.
There are also alternative that:
- do anything commercially but again apply credit
- Redistribution, commercial and otherwise usage is fine as long as it is unchanged with credit to you
- Remixing, tweaking and building on for non-commercial use as long as they are credited and also licensed under the same terms.
Thursday, 10 October 2013
Reflective Practice
Why you chose to study on this programme?
Over the last few years, there have been a few things I've wanted to do as a career; these changed between game designer, animator, comic book artist and illustrator. It depended on my interests and course at the time. In early high school when I first started reading comics, I wished I could make art as gorgeous as the art I saw in Infinite Crisis. The I wanted to be an animator, after getting into anime for a year or two, and then back into western cartoons. I got an Xbox in early sixth form, and I had always loved to look at concept art already, but the games I found on that console made me really wish I could make them. Towards the end of sixth form and into my foundation I realised how much more versatile my work could be if I was to do illustration - that could cover so much of the stuff I wanted to do in one neat course. I applied for all illustration courses in the end, with the aim to go to Leeds since the course sounded like it involved a lot of what I wanted, and had the opportunity to collaborate closely with the Animation course. On my interview I was told I was better suited for Animation, and after some consideration I thought that sounds about right - I want to be able to make characters that last for more than one or two images, with the chance to bring them to life and put them in a world of their own, and I think that Animation would probably be the best medium to do that it.
What do you want to learn during your time on the programme?
First and foremost - to animate. But beyond that, I want to be able to make great character designs, and also get better with anatomy and consistency. I think learning to manage my time and to motivate myself would be great to learn as well.
What skills do you think are your strengths?
I'm very versatile when it comes to my work; I'm always happy to try new things and experiment, and I can switch between styles to suit the task at hand. I'm also very organised, and I'm good at prioritising things I need to do.
What things that you want to improve?
Mostly what I said two questions up - anatomy, consistency, time management and designs for characters.
What ways you will evaluate your progress?
I will mostly use peer/teacher input and put my work online to get input from other people as well. I will also use grading and formal assessments to see how well I am doing.
Over the last few years, there have been a few things I've wanted to do as a career; these changed between game designer, animator, comic book artist and illustrator. It depended on my interests and course at the time. In early high school when I first started reading comics, I wished I could make art as gorgeous as the art I saw in Infinite Crisis. The I wanted to be an animator, after getting into anime for a year or two, and then back into western cartoons. I got an Xbox in early sixth form, and I had always loved to look at concept art already, but the games I found on that console made me really wish I could make them. Towards the end of sixth form and into my foundation I realised how much more versatile my work could be if I was to do illustration - that could cover so much of the stuff I wanted to do in one neat course. I applied for all illustration courses in the end, with the aim to go to Leeds since the course sounded like it involved a lot of what I wanted, and had the opportunity to collaborate closely with the Animation course. On my interview I was told I was better suited for Animation, and after some consideration I thought that sounds about right - I want to be able to make characters that last for more than one or two images, with the chance to bring them to life and put them in a world of their own, and I think that Animation would probably be the best medium to do that it.
What do you want to learn during your time on the programme?
First and foremost - to animate. But beyond that, I want to be able to make great character designs, and also get better with anatomy and consistency. I think learning to manage my time and to motivate myself would be great to learn as well.
What skills do you think are your strengths?
I'm very versatile when it comes to my work; I'm always happy to try new things and experiment, and I can switch between styles to suit the task at hand. I'm also very organised, and I'm good at prioritising things I need to do.
What things that you want to improve?
Mostly what I said two questions up - anatomy, consistency, time management and designs for characters.
What ways you will evaluate your progress?
I will mostly use peer/teacher input and put my work online to get input from other people as well. I will also use grading and formal assessments to see how well I am doing.
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