This week, I have put a lot of thought into what I want to do for next year. This is related to work placement and the specific job that I wish to apply for even after my university course. Ultimately, I have decided that it would be more beneficial on my behalf to get a placement and this is because the pros weigh out the cons. Regardless of costs, and travel expenses, the experience would give me a step above and a further chance of getting employed easier. Below, I have worked out these results by using a pros/cons list which definitely has helped me in my decision thus far.
Pros/Cons list of work placement for 2022
Pros
- More employable
- Gets a better experience of life after graduation
- Possibly will earn money for my time
- An in-depth idea about how the schedules and pipelines are properly used in a workplace
- An opportunity to specialise in my area
- Might get taken on as an employee by placement studio
Cons
- It will extend my time at university
- Competitiveness for placements probably will be very stressful
- I might not want to return to university once I’m used to work placement
- Placement might be disappointing
- Depending on where, it might be expensive
In summary…
For the placement year specifically, I have decided to apply for 2D animator vacancies. Although I am also interested in character design roles, I feel that getting some experience in animation will allow me to determine if I actually like it as a career path, and if I do, it would further eliminate any other considerations and provide security for the future. This will be a really good chance to figure out if this career works for me.
Studios that I will look out/prepare for
Whilst we were in class, we were given a placement talk- basically, a rundown about what to expect when choosing this option. Halfway through this presentation, we were shown a good amount of studios throughout the UK that takes students on for placements. Down below, is a screengrab from this slide, and will further research into some of these studios to prepare for possible interviews as well as my CV and cover letter.
I have considered JAM Media as one of my options, although their main style is mostly targeted towards younger audiences which my style doesn’t quite cut it. However, this is something that probably will prevail for a lot of these studios and the only solution is to include a sample of animation in a similar style in my showreel. This would show that I am very capable of being flexible with my style, and I can attain to a younger audience if needed.
One of the main studios I have fond interest of is Paper Owl Films. They mostly work with 2D animators and I adore the style they consistently present throughout in their shows. Moreover, I absolutely adore some of their shows, particularly Mr Dog, Sol and Pablo. As the studio itself isn’t as known as some others, it might give me a higher chance of being hired- that saying, it doesn’t mean there will be less competition and I will have to adapt my style of work to fit their standards. For my portfolio, I will probably create a quick animation based on some of their works, perhaps this will work hand-in-hand for JAM Media too! The reason being the similarity in style and audience.
Things to take into consideration (notes from today’s session)
– The placement year would be under a different module named, ‘Diploma in Professional Practice’ and consists of a 3 part coursework system.
– Coursework includes a 2000 word placement report (60%), placement presentation (20%) and supervisor feedback (20%).
– The placement strikes opportunity but also can be competitive so it is advised to do the best I can with my CV, portfolio and interview
– Deadline of the placement year ends at the end of July- so before this would be most ideal
– It is important to notify student finance about this year.
– Research into the company of application is key, ensure I know what they are looking for, what I’m looking for and I will be set.
My backup plan
I have also thought about what might happen if I cannot secure a placement for next year and I would be lying if I said the thought of being unable to get placement stresses me out. Despite this, I have to prepare for the worst nevertheless and my solution as a backup is to forward into the third year of my course. Not just that, but if I were to do this, I would consider doing freelance work after the ending of my course. Although this doesn’t equal the amount of experience I would get from the work placement, it still would show for something in my portfolio/CV. Regardless of whether I get a placement or not, I probably will attempt to get a job in my chosen role but this might have to be in a junior/assistant vacancy unless I get lucky.
Researching into CV Layouts
In order to help myself come up with my CV design, I had a look into some of the CV examples shown to us in the second week of this module. These gave me a greater perspective on what I should also aim for and although they present different skills/professions, the presentation and text layout definitely has given me inspiration for my own CV. Below are the examples I looked at, as well as some break-downs.
Example 1
Here is the first example I have included. I really like this one as it has a very consistent and clear layout that is simple but very effective with putting its point across. The contrast between the purple and white, particularly with the text is the first thing that pops out with this CV design, which makes it look very professional but also quite creative – fitting for the experience shown on the CV. In addition, this person has also included a Logo, making this even better. It further emphasises that this person is serious about their career, and has made attempts to get themselves out there in the industry. The information is shown backs this up with the experience, previous experience and achievements, which proves to the employer they are qualified for the job. In summary, I really like the design and content mentioned in this CV and it has definitely made me think more about how I’ll go about my own. It has also made me more motivated to bump up mine with clever colour choices and a logo that will suggest that I am prepared and have a professional manner towards my work and my brand.
Example 2
This one is a lot more simple and less text-heavy than the last CV. One thing I really like about this CV, in particular, is its use of widgets and a great example of this is how he has used them to imply the software he is experienced in. I feel like this is quite a clever way to show off these skills and it also spares the CV from the more cluttered text. Moreover, this artist has also added a showreel link and this is something I wouldn’t have considered adding to my own until now. It provides the employer with easy access and again, it is quick and efficient- which is an ideal approach. Unlike the first one, I am not really all that fond of their font choice or the black and white contract as it makes it less exciting and creative. The main influence I will take from this CV design is the use of imagery (e.g. the logo and widgets) as these will indicate that I am passionate about being an artist, that I am visually based.
Example 3
This particular CV caught my eye the most out of the four examples and this is how the text, imagery and colour choices complement one another. I really like the choice of palette in this CV as is visually appealing without the eye strain or harsh contrasts. A huge aspect of why I chose this as an inspiration is due to how this artist has used up all the negative space without it appearing cramped or too overwhelming. I believe this is due to how they have spaced out their text, included widgets/logos as well as giving the headings a background fill. Overall, these small but important choices have made a huge difference and my ultimate takeaway from this is to consider everything when designing my own CV. In order to ensure my final design is effective, I plan to show it to others and get their feedback which will ultimately give me additional preparation.
Example 4
This CV definitely gives me 80s/90s art vibes, especially with the colour contrasts and bulky headings. I am not exactly sure if I am too fond of these choices as I feel they don’t exactly match each other, but regardless I do adore the effective use of text and logo placement which works very well with this CV. In conclusion, looking at this CV as an example has made me think more about how I want to present my own and I have decided I want to make it simple and clear but effective with its design. I will further do this by sampling different fonts and colours to ensure that they all work well together because as much as I like the sample shown above, I do feel like it has some elements that don’t work well together (the headings don’t go well with the general text, colours are kind of inconsistent) and this is something I will want to avoid with mine.
In conclusion, looking at these CV examples have given me an idea of what I will want to aim for with my own. After coming to the conclusion of what I should aim for, my design choices at the moment are focused on a bold, clear and simple appearance whilst also being effective, of course. In order to do this, I will advance forward by sampling colour choices, font combinations and by creating a logo for my brand.