Anna D.
About me
| Anna D. | |
| Theatre, Film and Television | |
| Postproduction with Specialisation in Visual Effects | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Halifax | |
| 2009 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Motion Graphic Designer | |
| Bloomberg Television | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Broadcasting | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2010 |
Like this profile?
Add this profile to your favourites so you can return to it later from your account.
A day in the life of a Motion Graphic Designer in the United Kingdom
My career history
After graduating I did some short work experience placements at smaller post houses in London and some freelance jobs before securing a long term contract doing graphics for the 24 hour news channel at Bloomberg in London.
Where I hope to be in 5 years
I'm always hoping to expand my skills, I've taught myself to use 3D software at my current job, so I'd like to develop that further.
I'm happy that my job has taken me to New York, and I'd like to continue to develop contacts in the industry here and work on as many high profile projects as possible.
My advice to students considering work
If you're doing the same MA I did, chances are you will have a fair bit of independent study time. My advice is to take full advantage of the facilities and equipment you have available to you. I spent a great deal of time in the lab, even if I wasn't working on a course project, I was learning the software through tutorials, or booking out the studio space and equipment to test out ideas. Once you graduate and are working full time, you'll find that you have much less time to do these things and often buying software or hiring stuff is expensive, so make the most of the opportunity and expertise available to you. You'll miss it once it's gone!
In terms of getting work, contacts are valuable, even if you don't know anyone in the industry, try to keep in touch with fellow students or society members who could send work your way in future. Also get together a decent reel and put it up as many places as possible. I didn't even apply for the job I have, so having a current reel and CV online can be valuable. Also try to get together a website to promote yourself. Even if you're not into web design, you can get a basic portfolio together using sites like Cargo Collective.
Don't be afraid to send in speculative applications to companies you like the look of, even if they're not hiring, but don't be disheartened if you don't hear back from them. They're inundated with reels, but you could get lucky if you send one at the right time, also don't be afraid to follow up if you haven't heard back from them (obviously don't pester them, but if you have an updated reel to show them, then there's no harm in a little persistence). You'll probably apply to many jobs before you get one, and it's often not necessarily a reflection of your ability. While you're waiting, try to get work experience or do your own projects to keep your reel fresh.
My advice about working in my industry
Do your research on prospective companies and try to keep up to date with what's going on in the industry. People skills are invaluable as you never know who might offer you your next job, so be friendly!
There are plenty of VFX, motion and design blogs out there, use them to get inspired, use tutorial sites to build your skills, but whatever you do, try to develop your own creative voice. Avoid copying or ripping off tutorials or other people's creative work just because it's in trend. The people hiring you will spot it a mile off, and individuality and innovation are what will make you stand out from the crowd.
There are no fixed ways of getting into this industry, everyone I know had a different experience. The traditional route of starting as a runner in a big post-production house and working your way up through rotoscoping to compositing can work for many people, but it's not the only route. Most of all let your work speak for itself and promote yourself online. Lastly, whatever you do, keep your reel short!
What I do
I design and animate motion graphics for television news, using After Effects, Cinema 4D, Photoshop and Illustrator. My job is varied and can involve channel and show branding, digital and promo work, long-form infographic explainer animations, studio/set design, interactive touchscreen graphics and sometimes going on film shoots.
Skills I use and how I developed them
Degree skills:
Definitely the technical and theoretical skills gained during my MA have proved very useful after graduating. I mostly learnt Shake, which I don't use in my current job, but the theory was very transferable to other software. Learning the basics about how the processes work and not just how to use them was particularly important and makes a real difference when it comes to problem solving in the real world. Things like learning about studio lighting have helped me understand and improve virtual lighting in a 3D scene. Also, studying film theory and history gave me a greater appreciation for the art of narrative, which is as applicable in animation as it is in live action.
Extracurricular skills:
I was quite active in the film making society at York, which not only expanded my knowledge of other areas of the industry such as camera work, directing or SFX makeup, but also gave me a wide variety of contacts. Many of the people I met through the society have gone on to careers in film and TV in London, and it's great to be able to call in favours for assistance on a project, or get freelance work through them.
What I like most
I'm lucky that my company is international, so I've been given the opportunity to travel and I'm currently working in their New York office. No two days are ever the same, the work changes as quickly as the news! I enjoy short form (as opposed to, say feature film work), as I found I get more of an opportunity for creative input and don't, for example, spend six months working on a single shot. I also enjoy that the work and deadlines can be very challenging, pushing me to constantly improve my software skills as I go.
What I like least
It's quite high pressured in live TV, and the deadlines can be daunting at first. But on the other hand it's taught me to work and make creative decisions much more quickly. I would always like to have a little more time to improve and tweak my work, but that's probably the case in most of this industry! You also need to be prepared to do shift work and might have to work some unsociable hours.
What would I change? I probably would have waited until I had a little more experience and contacts before attempting to rely solely on freelance work. When coming straight from uni, my advice would be to apply for contracts or full time work until you've got more of an idea how the industry works and can build up a good network of contacts. Although, saying that, an excellent reel speaks for itself, so make sure you put your work out there as much as possible.
Next steps...
If you like the look of Anna’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Anna a message to find out more about their career journey.