Assignment 1 – Reflective Research Blog – 30%
For this assignment, I was tasked with preparing the following materials I will need to promote myself to the animation industry and others alike.
- CV- what makes a good/clear CV? What makes it stand out?
- Cover E-Mail- what should go into a cover e-mail? What makes a sincere e-mail? Local studio research (the type of work they do, what interests you, who to contact for job applications etc.)
- Showreel Design- what makes a good showreel edit? What should you include or not include?
- Other Areas to Consider- where to look for animation related jobs and how to prepare for interviews.
CV
When it comes to writing a good CV, I think the main thing to keep in mind is that you are trying to “show off without bragging.” In other words, your CV should consist of as much information as you have about your past that makes you stand out, while also avoiding going into too much detail. A good CV should be short and sweet yet full of information about yourself.
The first thing that stands out to me when looking at each of the sample CVs on blackboard is the logo in the top left corner. I had a look at some free logo makers online and found this website: https://looka.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAwJWdBhCYARIsAJc4idBM7LM1zcRglPswy4SyLwuawI21IBHVOeIw4PM9p3cNOkPKXi7DnQwaAtxOEALw_wcB
I used some of the logos on this website to create my own logo in Procreate. It is simply just my initials with the phases of the moon above because I love the moon!
Another aspect of a good CV is having the most essential information be one of the first things people look at when reading your CV. Referring back to the example CVs, they have the most detailed information (e.g., “about me,” education history and work history) in bigger text, taking up most of the space on the page. Meanwhile, when it comes to listing other things that do not require as much detail, such as software skills you have and achievements, these are usually kept to the side the side of the screen, like a page margin.
I learned from some lecture slides we were shown in class that it is a clever idea to keep a list of everything you might want to include in your CV in a separate word document. That way, it will be easier when it comes to designing your CV to have all your materials together and it also means you can choose what is best to include and what can be left out.
We were also shown what makes a ‘good statement’ or ‘about me’ paragraph. Including a short paragraph about yourself gives the reader/employer an idea of who you are and what your interests are, rather than just what you have accomplished.
Lastly, it is important to include a few of your contact details for any employers to be able to contact you if they happen to be interested, as well as one or two reliable references who can confirm you are who you state you are.
Cover e-mail
From reading the lecture slides on Blackboard, a cover e-mail should take up either half or three quarters of the page. Another thing I have taken from reading the lecture slides is that a good cover e-mail should be targeted at the employer of the company you are applying for. To start off, you should briefly introduce yourself, who you are and what you do. Next, you should talk about why the job role interests you, compliment what you like about the role or company. It’s good to try and use key words and sentences relating to the information provided in the job description. This will prove that you have properly read the application and that you know what you are in for. If possible, try to include some details to show that you have researched the company e.g., where they are or how old their company is.
Another recommendation from the lecture slides was to include information on where you heard of the job and/or if you know anybody who is already working for that company.
After introducing yourself and explaining why you are contacting the company, you should explain how your skills relate to what they are looking for in a perfect candidate and try to tie it in with what is further explained on your CV. Make yourself stand out from the other applicants.
For my cover email, I will be pretending to apply for a job I found on Indeed for a ’Middle Weight 3D Designer/Animator’ for a company called Harleys Global Limited, in Clevedon, England.
The job is full-time, Monday to Friday, and only requires GCSEs or equivalent. They are looking for “someone who can get stuck into a diverse range of projects and work closely with out in-house team of writers, designers and strategists.” the job role mentions they are looking for experience in animation and modelling, more specifically, experience with Maya, Unreal Engine and Adobe apps.
They also mention a range of benefits like hybrid working at home and in the office, a pension scheme, employee discounts and a fun working environment.
Showreel Design
A showreel is like a short trailer to show off what projects you’ve accomplished and how much your work reflects your experience. If possible, it’s beneficial to try and base your showreel on the job roles you wish to apply for. For example, if I was creating a showreel to promote my work to the company I was pretending to apply for in my cover e-mail, I would want my showreel to mostly consist of any 3D animations or models I’ve made using the same software the company use such as Unreal Engine or Maya.
If possible, try to find out about any other animators that have worked or work within the company you’re applying for, they may have a link to their showreel that could be used as inspiration.
It’s also important to remember to only show off your best work and avoid showing unfinished or sloppy work.
I’m aiming to make my showreel exciting and intriguing, hopefully the viewer will be curious to see more of my work and what else I’d be able to create using their concepts and ideas.
Another thing to bear in mind while creating a showreel is what audio to use. It’s best to use a soundtrack and/or sound effects that best suit what is happening in the showreel. For example, if your showreel is fast paced and consists of combat and fighting style animations or models, you should maybe use some type of heavy metal or rock music (songs without lyrics are best) and possibly some gunshots or car sounds in the background too, to help set the tone of whatever work you’ve included.
One other tip I’ve learned from the lecture slides is to annotate and title the work you’re including. For example, if I was showcasing a short clip of a character id animated, I would title it; “character model, created in Maya for project a, group assignment, 18/12/22”.