Industry facing Material

Animation Pipeline Breakdown:

I liked this design and the style of animation of the Penguins of Madagascar and also this helped me to focus on the aspects of animation i want to work on and the ones i forget about sometimes which i plan to learn in the future. This aided me in choosing my specialism of a 3d artist and generalist for my CV and cover letter.

Overall Industry talk Reflection:

The lecturers that we have seen this semester have been very diverse and has been a mixture of different forms of animators from varying different backgrounds with different pathways they have taken working in different fields within the industry or creating their own business or working as a freelance artist. Some have impacted me and have helped motivate me and produce better work and strive to be the best while others i did not understand at the time as i was bombarded with the project work. Some of the stuff i have added to my blog so that i may go back and revisit the stuff i didn't understand so i have the sources to look for the information and i can backtrack and all the information is in a convenient location on my blog. Some where not as impactful to me i think this is just my own personal interest and helped me narrow down my specialism and what i want to do as an animator which helped.

I really enjoyed engaging with some of the lectures and getting to know what type of people they where and learn what they do and their work patterns and their history from humble beginnings to where they are now being incredible successful and renowned in the industry. They have added me in generating a tailor made CV for my specialism and helped me to analyse my own work and expanded my field of vision for alternative aspects to animating or ways to create an animation like using games engines and such. I has also helped me improve my work and i think this is event in the jump it has made since last year as i am producing it to best of my ability with more set backs and problems than normal which i resolve and learn from on a daily basis and save time in the future as i will have resolutions and quick fixes devised so i don't have to be delayed.

Through the semester i began too narrow my vision of what i wanted to do and then came to the conclusion that i liked would like to work as a 3d artist and a generalist being well versed in the different aspects of animation like modelling texturing and focusing on aspects like composition of a scene focusing on lighting and styles etc. I came into the course expecting myself to stick to the simplistic 2D but found out i had a natural talent for the roles i have undertaken thus far and am really good at problem solving and i like to dabble and change as working in the same format can get boring i like a change of scenery and something new and challenging to work on. I enjoy things like model assets and creating environments along with idea generation and developing a story or narrative so that it can be developed into a story board then the 3d development can begin. I also recently looked at post production which i have worked on in the past and video editing software which i have re-learnt and picked up really quickly. I know what i am good at and what i struggle with and aim to change these so i can make the work less of a chore and use my passion and efforts to produce work that shows my interest and the time i have invested into my project which i am finding increasingly difficult as i always feel like am doing my work on top of other people in my group and if i don't then the work wouldn't get done this really stresses me out and pisses me off as i am working my best and others are doing the bare minimum.

I feel like they have helped me develop my styles and software to use and the most effective ways to use it and helped me develop and structure my CV so it is off a higher standard as i have followed all the instructions i have been given.

I feel like my future lies in either the games industry or animation and with a possibility that i would like to work in VFX or as a 3d artist and compositor as i am talented and feel like i could apply myself to learn more by myself and i will develop my workflow around these and may decide to follow down one of these pathway .

Inspiration and Artists i looked at to help my work flow :

I looked at the artist Raf Grassetti Art Director at Sony Santa Monica Los Angeles, United States of America to help me with character design and sculpting along wit character design and painting textures and posing a sculpt to make it interesting and getting the best lighting to showcase your work in renders or in Sketchfab or marmoset.

https://www.instagram.com/rafagrassetti/

https://www.artstation.com/grassetti

God of war concept and character designs:

https://www.iamag.co/the-art-of-god-of-war-4-30-concept-art-and-character-designs/

This also helped me look at the character process that has interested me for a while now but i have yet to create and rig my own character which i hope to do for my personal project.

Within the course i have been wanting to learn how to be a better sculptor, rigger and animator and try to incorporate and create my own visual effects so that my project isn't static like a statue but a character that can be brought into other software and games engines to be animated and grounded in scenes. I want to refine my workflow so i can become faster and better in multiple areas rather than a singular specialism and i want to focus on areas i have yet to explore so that i can experience the different components and stages so that i can have a wider knowledge base and so that i can work in any area as i will have at least a basis understanding of each process and the best techniques to accomplish specific tasks. I also like the challenge and being overly ambitious as i would if it wasn't i wouldn't feel like it would be worth doing as i am not challenging myself. Also i fear that i may not complete the whole personal project but i will try to complete at least have the concepting and start modelling for the deadline. I don't want to rush it as i want it to be done right so it is a professional standard. I enjoy learning and want to find out how the components concept together and see the progression from one aspect to the other and using / teaching myself new software to help improve my work for the future.

I have always been very good at idea generation and story boarding and i feel like i am very good as a 3d artist and i can visualise things logically and ca n plan what they will look like and create assets from my head rather then using reference images for dimensions, I do look at inspiration but i want to make my work my own and not just a replica or copy of something else i want it to have a twist or have my own signature flair.

I feel like my future lies in as a 3d artist / generalist and compositing and VFX in any industry that will take me be it Film, TV or games or the Animation industry.

I am really enjoying alot of the aspects of the Animation course and feel like i am constantly learning changing developing and adapting i have got alot of experience in alot of the different areas and lie to dabble in new things and enjoy a change in scenery as things can get stale and boring.

I liked his work and the aesthetics and the process in creating and designing work from start to finish. It helped me in to look at progress and look at my work in a more productive manner as if you run into errors or if things go wrong then you learn and take something away from them and develop and become better as a result it mainly inspired me to create my personal project and a character and set my aim to create something very realistic like Kratos using all the same methods in his producing of his latest incarnation in the game.

For idea generation and illustration and concepting:

I looked at the late Adam Adamowicz a video game concept artist, best known for his work on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Fallout 3, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim at Bethesda Softworks. He died in 2012.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47857688@N08/collections/72157629320914591/

https://kotaku.com/the-life-and-creativity-of-a-great-bethesda-artist-1740993491

I love the aesthetic and style of his work and his concepts which have came to life and are so iconic in the games he has worked on.

This has helped inspire me to develop my own style and helped me to explore more loose drawing and sketching in my free time and will work on creating more of my own personal work with this in mind. It his his attitude to concepting characters and architecture that is so detailed and inspiring and the depth and story he can convey in a still image is jaw dropping. Sadly he passed away in 2012. It was most of his concepts which dictated the aesthetics and final outcome for most of Bethesda games for both the Fallout and Elder Scrolls series.

For animation and to improve my 3d workflow i looked at Sir wade Neistadt:

Independent Content Creator, Animator & YouTuber.

Animation techniques using spline time lines editors and graph editors long with exploring the mechanics of rigs and conveying movements of the body and facial features along with lip syncing animations.

I like his pointers and breakdowns which help me on a daily basis from reminders for short cuts and te latest breakdowns for the latest updates to Maya. He is very lively and has an infectious attitude to animation that has inspired me to do more and find enjoyment in my work in what ever i am working in and he makes learning fun and exciting. He has worked at Dreamworks and shared the same dream goal with myself of wanting to work on How to train your dragon. Also he helps give you an insight into the industry and provides helpful tips and pointer s for your show reels and portfolios like the video below. It is alot like the industry talks we had this semester but with people from bigger industry and more recognisable roles working on bigger and more renowned projects like full feature animated films and people working in VFX and CGI.

For the industry stuff i also followed his playlist which helped provide more insight into the field and what to do and what not to do when readying yourself for a job and used this along with the industry talk consider when creating my CV, Cover Letter, Showreel and Portfolio..

For 3d workflow and special effects and aesthetics i looked at some of Bioware's stuff from the Dragon Age series as i love the design and it is still one of my favourite game franchise to date but i still think the first game dragon age origins was the best. Then in the second game the graphics improved and the character design looked amazing from when it was realised in

http://pixologic.com/interview/dragon-age/1/

http://pixologic.com/interview/dragon-age2/1/

https://www.pluralsight.com/blog/film-games/making-character-art-dragon-age-inquisition

https://www.neoseeker.com/dragon-age-ii/concept_art/

https://www.pluralsight.com/blog/film-games/bioware-talks-art-dragon-age-inquisition

http://pixologic.com/interview/dragon-age-inquisition/

The best parts of the games where the cinematic cutscenes and trailers which looked amazing and i always felt like that is what i wanted to do as i felt like it was better than any life action film as you can do and convey anything with visual effects and a 3d workflow and are only limited by your imagination.:

Jonathan Perry the Cinematic Lead on the Dragon Age franchise

http://blog.bioware.com/2012/01/09/jonperryinterview/

I also love image engines final fantasy Kingsglaive film and the realism , design and action that was conveyed and felt inspired by the visual effects and the amount of detail that was visible.

I found this do interested and captivating and could see myself in an area like this in the future once i have developed my skills to a professional level and would love to work on something like this or create a world with this amount of depth and populate it with stories, characters and narratives by myself if i was to create my oen business or company in the future. Which i may consider after i will be in the industry for over a decade with better references and contacts along with a wider base to communicate with people and alot more work under my belt as it would only fail if i was to do it know as i am not good enough yet.

Placement options and Research for Cover letter:

Flixr Pix:

https://www.flickerpix.com/

Street Monkey:

https://streetmonkey.tv/

Sixteen South:

https://www.sixteensouth.tv/

Jam Media:

http://www.jammedia.com/

Italic Pig:

https://elk-gazelle-h3s2.squarespace.com/

Boulder Media:

http://www.bouldermedia.tv/

Paper Owl:

http://www.paperowlfilms.com/

Krypton Runner at the new paint hall Northern Ireland Screen:

http://www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk/news/general/superman-prequel-series-krypton-flies-belfast/

Game of thrones prequel in titanic studios supposedly coming and filming in February at Titanic studio.

Dog Ears:

http://www.cheersdogears.com/#/

360 production:

https://www.360production.com/

NI Screen Animation Internship:

http://www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk/skills/animation-internship-programme/

Freelance work:

Black Shamrock:

http://www.black-shamrock.com/

Kavaleer:

http://kavaleer.com/

ALT Studio:

https://www.altanimation.com/

SPA Media in Barcelona:

https://www.thespastudios.com/

Animation Ireland:

http://animationireland.com/?fbclid=IwAR3US275DvFb24HES91hpZYL0rrxLRY9QeYor6CRuAY-di9MjqV2j-ZIiRc

I will not be applying to:

Enter Yes

http://www.enteryes.com/

Double Jump:

https://www.doublejump.com/

No to these ones because i have talked to some of the final years and they have advised me on the best places to find a placement here and have told me about some of the experiences they have had and there seems to be a lot of problems in these two studios.

I ended up looking at image engine website as a place to write my cover letter for but thought it would be set to stay local and use my networking skills and the experience of getting to meet and learn more about William Barr and his company that i would choose there .

http://image-engine.com/

The One i choose was Billy Goat Entertainment:

https://www.billygoat.tv/

I ended up going with billy goat entertainment and designed my cover letter towards it as William Barr seemed very friendly and took out time of his busy schedule to sit and chat for a few hours even after the lecture had ended. He has also worked with Alec in the past as they attended University together and he was telling us stories about their time together, he seemed very chilled and laid back and his games was fun and whimsical which i loved and i wanted to work the games industry but am still undecided as to if i still want that or want the opportunity to chop and change. His work looked interesting and i thought it would be a stepping stone to other things in the games industry also he operates and runs his won successful company which impressed me alot as he seems to be very young and this make me think he was very prosperous and would be a good person to use as a role model and shadow so to better myself.

Billy Goat Entertainment are a video game studio stationed in Belfast that focus on creating fun indie games designed to provoke laughter and humour from the players. William established the company in in 2010 with some of the workers from Enter Yes and even recruited some of the graduates from the Ulster University. They are currently making supermarket shriek but their previous work "Her Majesty's Spiffing The empire Staggers Back" won TIGA’s 2017 Creativity and Heritage Award.

It is clear that William is passionate and dedicated to his work and brings great enthusiasm to the company and it shows in the many hours of work his company has invested in the projects over the years.

Currently the company is working on another lighthearted and fun game one that the class was allowed early access to play “Supermarket Shriek”, labelled to be released in march of 2019 on the Xbox games pass.

Tutorial and interview with William at Gamescom showcasing supermarket Shriek:

https://www.gamereactor.eu/news/697873/We+scream+in+the+weekend+with+Supermarket+Shriek/

I had a keen interest in games as i am was an avid gamer in the past and in recent history i feel like i should start creating my own games rather than just playing them. Having grown up and being influenced by games over the years grown as i always found them as a sense of escapism and a way to get away from my problems and boring daily life and it would even help relieve stress.

Cv and Cover letter Research :

These are some of the examples i looked at for inspiration for CV's some where very basic and straight forward and had a plain boring straight forward format that looked boring. Others made me think about methods for making mine stand out like a frame an image and font along with the size and text orientation and the ways to structure the information logically and in the correct order. I also thought it should be consistent in aesthetic for both the showreel and CV as they should complement and be recognisable.

Image engine pointers:

Demo Reel:

The first 10 seconds of your reel is crucial. Put your best work first.
Ideal length of your reel should be anywhere between 30-90 seconds.
Your reel should be good quality (480p minimum, 720p or higher preferred )
Group your work by project; leading each group with the best shot
Quality over quantity – We would rather see one or two well-executed shots than ten average ones.
Make sure your reel is easily accessible and that you include a password if there is one. Video sharing sites such as Vimeo are preferable
Only include work you actually did yourself
Make sure your breakdowns explain what you did. Provide a separate concise shot breakdown (PDF) or include short text captions within the reel to reference what you did in the shot and what project it is from. If you have them include, breakdowns, wip montages, passes etc to illustrate your work.

Resume:

Make it a one-pager. It should be short and easy to read.

Cover letter:

Make it a one-pager. It should be short and easy to read.
Identify the position you’re applying for, how your experience makes you a good fit, and why you want to work at Image Engine.

Other recommendations:

Do put in a general/speculative application if you don’t see an open position that suits you. Our production needs are always changing, and it’s helpful to have your details in our database when a suitable job comes up.
Don’t get the name of our company or recruiter wrong.
If you’re just starting out in visual effects, know that it can take time to get your foot in the door. We recommend that while you’re looking for a job to continue developing your skills and updating your portfolio with personal projects. That shows passion and motivation.
If you get to the interview, do some research about our company and bring your passion and enthusiasm!

I also asked Aodhan McNicholl for his CV to see what way he had formatted it and the content he showed:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PN1S_xxxoGp_7mQ-zwGjX_jWrI_IYgHZ/view?fbclid=IwAR2u7SNoKYheXPOVoCGQOh5n3fz88e2h7P72fegZUHOr7vfnPvKgfLCzMRw

http://aodhanmcnicholl.com/

CV pointers:

Name and role clearly visible and centred making it stand out, format the content to help readability. Never have text over an image. Choose a specialism this can change and can be amended at a later stage. Use what you have been researching and what you have been doing in your work and what you like. Make sure grammar is correct and there is punctuation. Take out any irreverent information streamline the content and save some of the information for the cover letter. Have all relevant work experience clearly labelled and the length of time you worked there. If you want use any references you may have in case an employer wants to contact a previous employer for a recommendation. Alter the designs so that it stands out and separate the different text with dividers to break up information into segments relevant to certain areas. Also try to make the colours complementary and the font to look professional. Include at the end of the CV my most recent education and any awards or programs i have been won or been on or any certificates i have been awarded. Make sure everything is accurate and the dates are correct and update it every so often or create a new one for every job application you apply for. It is optional if you want to say you will be going on placement year in 2019 but isn't advised as they will already know.

Cover Letter pointers:

Be friendly and inviting and warm but professional don't ramble on, give a brief introduction and state your intent or interest and your area of inquiry asking about any jobs or opportunities available even if it is volunteer work this could lead into a full time job so don't discredit it as the company will see your value and worth and my decide to offer you employment. Check grammar and punctuation and pretences are correct and use the correct phrases that employers want to see.

My Cv and Cover letter Files:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-19bBbDqUPQmyvX9x1zP8_G8RsPwi3Av?usp=sharing

My Showreel Research:

I looked at this and realised i need a logo and a title to be clear and recognisable and memorable.

This then helped me to develop my style and the format for the title and end screen along with using proper contact information having it clearly labelled.

I really liked this one and eventually wanted to create a showreel like this with my own work whenever i have a bigger portfolio of work to choose from. It also looks professional and showcases off a range of skills at the same time.

My Showreel: