Future Steps

With my work on Unit 3 wrapping up, now seems like a good time to outline what the next steps are and how I’d like to get into the industry.

Having my final mix back from my sound mixer and tweaked it, I’ve uploaded my project to YouTube unlisted and submitted my project onto FilmFreeway. Jenny Wright has suggested looking at grants for international festival submissions to travel but I should be making a list of important festivals worth looking at and submitting to. This will be my focus for the next couple of weeks.

With the degree show upcoming, I’ve made preparations for how I want my work to be displayed. I have a poster and process book printed so visitors from the industry can have a look at my development work and know what went into making this film. I’ve also sent my business cards off to be printed so they can take one away with them.

Other events my tutors have arranged are a private screening of our films as well as a showreel event. The private screening from my understanding is not just friends and family but potentially some industry folks, so hopefully when the screening ends, I can have a chat and network with them. The showreel event definitely has industry folks (I vaguely remember hearing Nexus and Strange Beasts potentially coming along) where we all show off our showreels, get feedback and have a chance to chat and possibly find job opportunities, so this is definitely something on my radar.

Beyond that, I’ve continued sending off emails and keeping an eye out for job opportunities. Lupus Films recently put out a call for training in CelAction which I applied for, unfortunately it seems I wasn’t selected since I haven’t heard back. I’ve sent my showreel off to The Line Animation, Golden Wolf and Sun and Moon studios in case they need new talent, but at the moment it seems to be quiet on those ends. My mentor, Paul Nicholson, alongside Sacha Beeley and Margaux Tsakiri-Scanatovits have all said my showreel should net me a gig pretty easily, so perhaps I’m just looking in the wrong places or need to network more in person. There’s an event called “festivus” that takes place at The Betjeman Arms on June 8th so I’m keeping an eye on that to chat and socialise all things animation.

Recently (June 1st), Lobster Studio have put out a call for animation interns, so I’ve applied as the skill set they asked for matches much of my skills. And having emailed them before for freelance work, this seems like a good opportunity to get my foot in the door.

I’ll see how my festival run goes and continue sending out showreels to as many people and companies as I can, but at the very least, the graduation film grind is now over.