Happy New Year to all our staff and students at BNU! The New Year brings new challenges but also opportunities - the animation and VFX industries continues to thrive, with remote working now fully established as an alternative to the traditional in-house model.
This year, top of our list of New Year's Resolutions, is to experiment with the new Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, such as OpenAI and MidJourney. AI is changing the face of the animation and vfx industries in a way that challenges everything we do, offering new opportunities - as well as threatening to make obsolete many of the traditional ways of doing things.
1. Experiment With AI
2. Update Your LinkedIn Profile
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| Animators should be on Linkedin |
3. Update Your Demo Reel
Your demo reel is your calling card, and it should always be up to date. Potential clients will judge you on the quality of your reel, so take a hard look at your reel, and embed it at your LinkedIn profile (see above). To see our post on how to cut a great reel, follow this link.
4. Be Online
Be easy to find online. You should have your own blog or website, ideally with your name in your url. Your url should be something like
"joebloggsanimation.com". That way if someone enters the keywords Joe + Bloggs + Animation - they will find you. As an alternative, be easy to find on Artstation. Also, make sure your demo reel is easy to find at Vimeo or YouTube.
5. Enter the 11 Second Club
A well-animated acting shot will help sell you and your work to studios that specialise in character animation. Enter the online 11 Second Club competition; it's a great way to get noticed and to polish your skills, and (hopefully) get a great new shot on your demo reel.
6. Stay in Touch With Us at BNU
I do my best to keep in touch with all my students and graduates, mostly through LinkedIn, and I regularly post new job opportunities as they come up. I also regularly recommend students for jobs, matching opportunity with talent. So - stay in touch, and let me know how the job search is going, and what kind of work you are looking for.
7. Send your reel in to ten studios.
The only way to find work is to keep sending out your reel, and apply for jobs. Keep an eye on the jobs page at animatedjobs.com, and call your friends in the business. Do they know of anything coming up? Remember that recommendations are the life blood of our business. Your friends and former colleagues are often your best chance of getting a job.
Be the Rhino. Even if you don't feel qualified for the job, apply anyway - you have nothing to lose by applying. Eventually, you will be successful.
8. Take on a Small Freelance Job
Ask your friends and family if they need some animation work done. Perhaps someone needs a logo for their company, or an explainer video, or a small piece of digital art work for a project. Doing live briefs is an excellent way to learn how the industry works - pleasing clients is what digital artists do for a living.
For more on the experience of studying at Bucks New University, come and visit us at one of our Open Days, take a virtual tour of one of our animation studios, check out what our students think of our course, and see why we're ranked in the top 12 creative universities in the UK.
Your demo reel is your calling card, and it should always be up to date. Potential clients will judge you on the quality of your reel, so take a hard look at your reel, and embed it at your LinkedIn profile (see above). To see our post on how to cut a great reel, follow this link.
4. Be Online
 |
| Free websites |
"joebloggsanimation.com". That way if someone enters the keywords Joe + Bloggs + Animation - they will find you. As an alternative, be easy to find on Artstation. Also, make sure your demo reel is easy to find at Vimeo or YouTube.
 |
| Enter now! |
A well-animated acting shot will help sell you and your work to studios that specialise in character animation. Enter the online 11 Second Club competition; it's a great way to get noticed and to polish your skills, and (hopefully) get a great new shot on your demo reel.
6. Stay in Touch With Us at BNU
I do my best to keep in touch with all my students and graduates, mostly through LinkedIn, and I regularly post new job opportunities as they come up. I also regularly recommend students for jobs, matching opportunity with talent. So - stay in touch, and let me know how the job search is going, and what kind of work you are looking for.
7. Send your reel in to ten studios.
The only way to find work is to keep sending out your reel, and apply for jobs. Keep an eye on the jobs page at animatedjobs.com, and call your friends in the business. Do they know of anything coming up? Remember that recommendations are the life blood of our business. Your friends and former colleagues are often your best chance of getting a job.
Be the Rhino. Even if you don't feel qualified for the job, apply anyway - you have nothing to lose by applying. Eventually, you will be successful.
 |
| MoCap animation |
Ask your friends and family if they need some animation work done. Perhaps someone needs a logo for their company, or an explainer video, or a small piece of digital art work for a project. Doing live briefs is an excellent way to learn how the industry works - pleasing clients is what digital artists do for a living.
For more on the experience of studying at Bucks New University, come and visit us at one of our Open Days, take a virtual tour of one of our animation studios, check out what our students think of our course, and see why we're ranked in the top 12 creative universities in the UK.
What
should an animator's new year's resolutions be? Animation is a huge and
growing business, a far cry from the cottage industry it used to be
even twenty years ago. But it is a competitive world, and good animators
need to work smart to stay on top of their game. So here's a checklist
for some simple ways to maintain your edge.
1. Polish and re-edit your demo reel.
Your demo reel is your shop front, your calling card. It needs to be good, and it should be up to date. Potential clients will judge you on the quality of your reel, so take a hard look at it, weed out mistakes, and polish what is left.
2. Learn a new piece of software.
New software is coming out all the time, and you can never know too much. Whether it's Maya, Max, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Premiere or Final Cut, clients will expect you to know the basics of these packages, or else be able to pick it up fast. The good news is there are free tutorials all over the web to help you get started and learn the basics.
3. Start a website or blog
If you haven't done this already, you need to do it right away. Your reel and any associated art work should be hosted online, at a website or blog, It doesn't really matter which. You can build a free website at Blogger or Wix - try it. You'll be surprise how easy it is.
4. Do a new piece of animation, just for fun
Start something new, perhaps a short piece of dialogue, or a bit of creature work. You could enter the online 11 Second Club competition; it's a great way to get noticed and to polish your skills. We encourage all our students at Animation Apprentice to keep on touch, and send us their work for review. We are always happy to take a look and give a critique.
5. Send your reel in to ten studios.
The only way to find work is to keep sending out your reel, and apply for jobs. Keep an eye on the jobs page at awn.com, and call your friends in the business. Do they know of anything coming up? Recommendations are the life blood of the business. Your friends and former colleages can be your best chance of getting a job.
- See more at: http://www.animationapprentice.org/blog/new-years-resolutions-animators.html#sthash.JBD2T3nb.dpuf
1. Polish and re-edit your demo reel.
Your demo reel is your shop front, your calling card. It needs to be good, and it should be up to date. Potential clients will judge you on the quality of your reel, so take a hard look at it, weed out mistakes, and polish what is left.
2. Learn a new piece of software.
New software is coming out all the time, and you can never know too much. Whether it's Maya, Max, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Premiere or Final Cut, clients will expect you to know the basics of these packages, or else be able to pick it up fast. The good news is there are free tutorials all over the web to help you get started and learn the basics.
3. Start a website or blog
If you haven't done this already, you need to do it right away. Your reel and any associated art work should be hosted online, at a website or blog, It doesn't really matter which. You can build a free website at Blogger or Wix - try it. You'll be surprise how easy it is.
4. Do a new piece of animation, just for fun
Start something new, perhaps a short piece of dialogue, or a bit of creature work. You could enter the online 11 Second Club competition; it's a great way to get noticed and to polish your skills. We encourage all our students at Animation Apprentice to keep on touch, and send us their work for review. We are always happy to take a look and give a critique.
5. Send your reel in to ten studios.
The only way to find work is to keep sending out your reel, and apply for jobs. Keep an eye on the jobs page at awn.com, and call your friends in the business. Do they know of anything coming up? Recommendations are the life blood of the business. Your friends and former colleages can be your best chance of getting a job.
- See more at: http://www.animationapprentice.org/blog/new-years-resolutions-animators.html#sthash.JBD2T3nb.dpuf
What
should an animator's new year's resolutions be? Animation is a huge and
growing business, a far cry from the cottage industry it used to be
even twenty years ago. But it is a competitive world, and good animators
need to work smart to stay on top of their game. So here's a checklist
for some simple ways to maintain your edge.
1. Polish and re-edit your demo reel.
Your demo reel is your shop front, your calling card. It needs to be good, and it should be up to date. Potential clients will judge you on the quality of your reel, so take a hard look at it, weed out mistakes, and polish what is left.
2. Learn a new piece of software.
New software is coming out all the time, and you can never know too much. Whether it's Maya, Max, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Premiere or Final Cut, clients will expect you to know the basics of these packages, or else be able to pick it up fast. The good news is there are free tutorials all over the web to help you get started and learn the basics.
3. Start a website or blog
If you haven't done this already, you need to do it right away. Your reel and any associated art work should be hosted online, at a website or blog, It doesn't really matter which. You can build a free website at Blogger or Wix - try it. You'll be surprise how easy it is.
4. Do a new piece of animation, just for fun
Start something new, perhaps a short piece of dialogue, or a bit of creature work. You could enter the online 11 Second Club competition; it's a great way to get noticed and to polish your skills. We encourage all our students at Animation Apprentice to keep on touch, and send us their work for review. We are always happy to take a look and give a critique.
5. Send your reel in to ten studios.
The only way to find work is to keep sending out your reel, and apply for jobs. Keep an eye on the jobs page at awn.com, and call your friends in the business. Do they know of anything coming up? Recommendations are the life blood of the business. Your friends and former colleages can be your best chance of getting a job.
- See more at: http://www.animationapprentice.org/blog/new-years-resolutions-animators.html#sthash.JBD2T3nb.dpuf
1. Polish and re-edit your demo reel.
Your demo reel is your shop front, your calling card. It needs to be good, and it should be up to date. Potential clients will judge you on the quality of your reel, so take a hard look at it, weed out mistakes, and polish what is left.
2. Learn a new piece of software.
New software is coming out all the time, and you can never know too much. Whether it's Maya, Max, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Premiere or Final Cut, clients will expect you to know the basics of these packages, or else be able to pick it up fast. The good news is there are free tutorials all over the web to help you get started and learn the basics.
3. Start a website or blog
If you haven't done this already, you need to do it right away. Your reel and any associated art work should be hosted online, at a website or blog, It doesn't really matter which. You can build a free website at Blogger or Wix - try it. You'll be surprise how easy it is.
4. Do a new piece of animation, just for fun
Start something new, perhaps a short piece of dialogue, or a bit of creature work. You could enter the online 11 Second Club competition; it's a great way to get noticed and to polish your skills. We encourage all our students at Animation Apprentice to keep on touch, and send us their work for review. We are always happy to take a look and give a critique.
5. Send your reel in to ten studios.
The only way to find work is to keep sending out your reel, and apply for jobs. Keep an eye on the jobs page at awn.com, and call your friends in the business. Do they know of anything coming up? Recommendations are the life blood of the business. Your friends and former colleages can be your best chance of getting a job.
- See more at: http://www.animationapprentice.org/blog/new-years-resolutions-animators.html#sthash.JBD2T3nb.dpuf
What
should an animator's new year's resolutions be? Animation is a huge and
growing business, a far cry from the cottage industry it used to be
even twenty years ago. But it is a competitive world, and good animators
need to work smart to stay on top of their game. So here's a checklist
for some simple ways to maintain your edge.
1. Polish and re-edit your demo reel.
Your demo reel is your shop front, your calling card. It needs to be good, and it should be up to date. Potential clients will judge you on the quality of your reel, so take a hard look at it, weed out mistakes, and polish what is left.
2. Learn a new piece of software.
New software is coming out all the time, and you can never know too much. Whether it's Maya, Max, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Premiere or Final Cut, clients will expect you to know the basics of these packages, or else be able to pick it up fast. The good news is there are free tutorials all over the web to help you get started and learn the basics.
3. Start a website or blog
If you haven't done this already, you need to do it right away. Your reel and any associated art work should be hosted online, at a website or blog, It doesn't really matter which. You can build a free website at Blogger or Wix - try it. You'll be surprise how easy it is.
4. Do a new piece of animation, just for fun
Start something new, perhaps a short piece of dialogue, or a bit of creature work. You could enter the online 11 Second Club competition; it's a great way to get noticed and to polish your skills. We encourage all our students at Animation Apprentice to keep on touch, and send us their work for review. We are always happy to take a look and give a critique.
5. Send your reel in to ten studios.
The only way to find work is to keep sending out your reel, and apply for jobs. Keep an eye on the jobs page at awn.com, and call your friends in the business. Do they know of anything coming up? Recommendations are the life blood of the business. Your friends and former colleages can be your best chance of getting a job.
- See more at: http://www.animationapprentice.org/blog/new-years-resolutions-animators.html#sthash.JBD2T3nb.dpuf
1. Polish and re-edit your demo reel.
Your demo reel is your shop front, your calling card. It needs to be good, and it should be up to date. Potential clients will judge you on the quality of your reel, so take a hard look at it, weed out mistakes, and polish what is left.
2. Learn a new piece of software.
New software is coming out all the time, and you can never know too much. Whether it's Maya, Max, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Premiere or Final Cut, clients will expect you to know the basics of these packages, or else be able to pick it up fast. The good news is there are free tutorials all over the web to help you get started and learn the basics.
3. Start a website or blog
If you haven't done this already, you need to do it right away. Your reel and any associated art work should be hosted online, at a website or blog, It doesn't really matter which. You can build a free website at Blogger or Wix - try it. You'll be surprise how easy it is.
4. Do a new piece of animation, just for fun
Start something new, perhaps a short piece of dialogue, or a bit of creature work. You could enter the online 11 Second Club competition; it's a great way to get noticed and to polish your skills. We encourage all our students at Animation Apprentice to keep on touch, and send us their work for review. We are always happy to take a look and give a critique.
5. Send your reel in to ten studios.
The only way to find work is to keep sending out your reel, and apply for jobs. Keep an eye on the jobs page at awn.com, and call your friends in the business. Do they know of anything coming up? Recommendations are the life blood of the business. Your friends and former colleages can be your best chance of getting a job.
- See more at: http://www.animationapprentice.org/blog/new-years-resolutions-animators.html#sthash.JBD2T3nb.dpuf
What
should an animator's new year's resolutions be? Animation is a huge and
growing business, a far cry from the cottage industry it used to be
even twenty years ago. But it is a competitive world, and good animators
need to work smart to stay on top of their game. So here's a checklist
for some simple ways to maintain your edge.
1. Polish and re-edit your demo reel.
Your demo reel is your shop front, your calling card. It needs to be good, and it should be up to date. Potential clients will judge you on the quality of your reel, so take a hard look at it, weed out mistakes, and polish what is left.
2. Learn a new piece of software.
New software is coming out all the time, and you can never know too much. Whether it's Maya, Max, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Premiere or Final Cut, clients will expect you to know the basics of these packages, or else be able to pick it up fast. The good news is there are free tutorials all over the web to help you get started and learn the basics.
3. Start a website or blog
If you haven't done this already, you need to do it right away. Your reel and any associated art work should be hosted online, at a website or blog, It doesn't really matter which. You can build a free website at Blogger or Wix - try it. You'll be surprise how easy it is.
4. Do a new piece of animation, just for fun
Start something new, perhaps a short piece of dialogue, or a bit of creature work. You could enter the online 11 Second Club competition; it's a great way to get noticed and to polish your skills. We encourage all our students at Animation Apprentice to keep on touch, and send us their work for review. We are always happy to take a look and give a critique.
5. Send your reel in to ten studios.
The only way to find work is to keep sending out your reel, and apply for jobs. Keep an eye on the jobs page at awn.com, and call your friends in the business. Do they know of anything coming up? Recommendations are the life blood of the business. Your friends and former colleages can be your best chance of getting a job.
- See more at: http://www.animationapprentice.org/blog/new-years-resolutions-animators.html#sthash.JBD2T3nb.dpuf
1. Polish and re-edit your demo reel.
Your demo reel is your shop front, your calling card. It needs to be good, and it should be up to date. Potential clients will judge you on the quality of your reel, so take a hard look at it, weed out mistakes, and polish what is left.
2. Learn a new piece of software.
New software is coming out all the time, and you can never know too much. Whether it's Maya, Max, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Premiere or Final Cut, clients will expect you to know the basics of these packages, or else be able to pick it up fast. The good news is there are free tutorials all over the web to help you get started and learn the basics.
3. Start a website or blog
If you haven't done this already, you need to do it right away. Your reel and any associated art work should be hosted online, at a website or blog, It doesn't really matter which. You can build a free website at Blogger or Wix - try it. You'll be surprise how easy it is.
4. Do a new piece of animation, just for fun
Start something new, perhaps a short piece of dialogue, or a bit of creature work. You could enter the online 11 Second Club competition; it's a great way to get noticed and to polish your skills. We encourage all our students at Animation Apprentice to keep on touch, and send us their work for review. We are always happy to take a look and give a critique.
5. Send your reel in to ten studios.
The only way to find work is to keep sending out your reel, and apply for jobs. Keep an eye on the jobs page at awn.com, and call your friends in the business. Do they know of anything coming up? Recommendations are the life blood of the business. Your friends and former colleages can be your best chance of getting a job.
- See more at: http://www.animationapprentice.org/blog/new-years-resolutions-animators.html#sthash.JBD2T3nb.dpuf
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