Presentation Slides

Our presentation is available to download HERE

Thoughts and reflections

From the research gathered for this research blog and it's presentation, a greater understanding of the animation and visual effects industry has been achieved. The main findings being as follows:

• The visual effects industry as a whole has never been better, with it's total worth estimated to each a total of $2.2 trillion by 2012

• Advancements in both 3D and Motion Capture technology have had a drastic effect on he industry over the past decade, consequentially effecting it's direction. The 3D movie business is estimated to make over $5.5 million dollars over the next five years from movie theatre ticket sales alone. Motion Capture is becoming more commonplace within the industry, with a recent decision by AMPAS (Association of Motion Picture Arts and Science) recently ruling that an animated film produced using Motion Capture techniques, is no longer eligible for the 'best animated feature' academy award, confirming this.

• Despite the lack of government funding and support, the UK continues to be a leader within the European VFX industry, with companies such as Double Negative in London currently employing around 650 people.

My personal thoughts from researching into this topic can be summed up as follows:

• The Animation and VFX industry is constantly changing, and it is our job to adapt. However, it's important not be weighed down by constant changes in technology, but to focus more on the industries direction. Research what companies want from prospective employees, and work on tailoring your skills to meet their demands.

• Be prepared to work from the bottom up. It is rare for anyone to fall immediately into their dream job. A job as a Runner or Match-mover is one of he most common doorways into the industry.

• Be passionate, don't give up. The animation and VFX industry is a tough industry to crack. A little passion and drive can take you a long way, and even help you stand out in the ever more saturated graduate crowd.

Interview with Curtis Jobling

Interview with local born animator, author, producer, Curtis Jobling. Curtis's claim to fame is as creator of the children's series 'Bob the Builder' and 'Frankenstein's Cat'.

1. Your first experience at industry work was with Aardman studios working on ‘A Close Shave’, what advice would you give young graduates at gaining that essential first industry experience?

Be prepared to start at the bottom. Nobody goes straight into the industry as a director. It doesn’t matter what you studied, where or with whom, the first foot on the ladder is usually work experience, running, gophering etc. If that hurts your pride too much then you’re in the wrong business. I found it fascinating.

2. You’ve definitely worked on a variety of projects, from Model painting, to illustration, to directing, and now as an author. Would say it’s better to have general skills in this industry, than to pigeon hole yourself by specialising in one specific field?

Having numerous skills has always helped me – I wear a lot of hats – but that’s not to say that’d suit everyone. I’m lucky that I have a few strings to my bow and I can move between writing and designing, concepts and painting, but I know there are many who are more comfortable specialising. If you KNOW you want to be an animator then that’s what you need to focus on – having a little knowledge of other areas/disciplines can’t hurt either.

3. For a long time, you’ve worked with young people, giving them an insight as to what it is to be an animator. What are your thoughts on this early exposure? Would you say animation finding a place in today’s education system?

I’ve been very fortunate that – via what I said previously re: wearing lots of hats – I’ve been able to work with and inspire young people into working in animation. I’m always amazed when I meet 13 and 14 year old kids who know clearly that they want to work in the industry, so for that reason I think its terrific to see them get that early exposure. I wish I’d had that when I was at school but times do change – animation and creative industries are now recognised as being feasible career paths for young people today. Those paths were harder to find twenty years ago. Animation can be used cross-curriculum in the hands of the right teacher or mentor – with animation one can turn young learners onto any subject, from punctuation through algebra through soil erosion – I’ve seen it happen first hand!

4. Where in the UK does most of your work take you? Would you say there’s a future for the industry in the North of England? Or is the industry still pretty much based in and around the capital?

Being a freelance creative and developer of intellectual properties I’m fortunate that I get to do most of my animation development work from home. The studios and broadcasters I work with do tend to be in either Manchester (Chapman, Liddell, Mackinnon & Saunders) or London (HIT Entertainment, Disney). I don’t see a huge industry in the north sadly, but hopefully that’ll change when the BBC move up to Manchester in 2011.

5. After graduating from Cleveland College of Art and Design, you pretty much landed straight into work. What would you say you did differently to other graduates? That got you recognised and consequently, hired?

I had a hunger and a burning desire. I’d flunked my way through my A Levels and getting onto the illustration course at CCAD was my last roll of the dice. Two years on a HND left me with a sink or swim attitude. I briefly got onto a part time degree course in Wolverhampton but it wasn’t for me – I was stalling, putting off the inevitable. I needed to work in the industry. So I wrote a polite letter – letter, yes, written on paper, none of this e-nonsense! And sent the letter to Aardman with some photos of my models. That got my foot in the door and ever since it’s been a case of looking for the next foothold, going through model painting, then designing, then creating my own shows and now writing my own novels. It’s all about having a clear career path and having the dedication to put the hours in. I’ve always pushed myself, not just as a designer but also as someone who can think up ideas. And then you make sacrifices to see those things come to fruition.

6. What advice would you give any graduates out there, looking to make it in the freelance industry?

Always be working on the next thing. Don’t think for one minute that you’re in a job for life. Consider where you want to be in ten years time, think about what it’ll take to get you there, set up a plan of action and then get a wiggle on. It’s down to you to make it, nobody else. Nobody owes you a living when you’re freelance. There’s being in the right place at the right time – but you can PUT yourself in the right place at the right time by your actions and work ethic.

7. Finally, looking back at when you got that first job with Aardman, to where you are now, is there anything you would have done differently during your career?

Not a single thing! I count myself tremendously fortunate to do what I’m doing for a living – it’d be a hobby if I had a “regular” job. If anything different had happened down the way then who knows where I’d have ended up?

I think Curtis leaves us with some sound advice we could all learn from. Thanks Curtis Jobling.

Interview with India

India is currently working as a Junior animator at Framestore based in London, UK. The following are the interview questions I've sent her. Big thanks to India for her time.

Can you describe how you got your job as a junior animator at Framestore? 

I started at Framestore as a Runner during my summer breaks at University. I attained this by doing work experience when I was a lot younger and keeping in touch with the HR department. University of Teesside gave me the opportunity to catch up with these people at Animex. Then after graduation I went back as a Runner. During this time, the commercials department set an animation test for anyone interested in being promoted into animation. Following an interview, I was the successful candidate. 

What are the entry requirements for a graduate animator in the visual effects industry? 

A quality (not quantity) showreel. Only ever include your best work, and if that's 30 seconds then that's 30 seconds. Don't try to pad it out to make it a minute or 3, just for the sake of it! The CV is essential part of the process too, as it needs to show who you are, illustrate your passion, but also other interests to show that you are a rounded person. 

Can you describe what the “runner” job position entails? 

Depending on the company it certainly varies, so I'll just talk about the Framestore positions. In the Commercials building the Runners priority are the clients, taking care of their every need. There is also a café to run, runs from dispatch and to keep the whole building tidy and in working order, sometimes working weekends too. In the VFX/Film building the Runners priority are the rushes and the up keep of the building. This building is much bigger, so there is much more lifting and tidying here. Then there are two production runners on one particular film, which carry out more administration and production work, like going on set. 

What have you got out of this and how does this correlate to leading to a better position in the industry? 

I got an animation position! Without that foot in the door, I would have struggled to get past the 1000's of applications they receive. Also, I got to know a lot of people in the company, which I think makes it much nicer to feel comfortable with the surroundings, because you already know most of the people in the team that you are aiming to get promoted into. It's all about the networking opportunities! 

How many animation graduates do Framestore take on a year? 

Well, straight out of University, They are probably more looking at the big ones like Gobelins. But if you work is good enough and the right timing, then there's always a chance! As for Runner's at the moment there are about 4 people wanting to get into animation. It's a waiting game. Just have to work your socks off and show how dedicated you are, oh and network! 

Describe what your work entails on a typical day. 

I usually get in between 8-9:30am depending on what time dailies are (morning or afternoon). Then I would load up the shot or shots I have been allocated and look at the feedback notes on our system we have that the producer of the project records from dailies. Then I will just animate up until lunchtime around 1-2pm. In the afternoon I will usually check if there have been any updates or changes, and then work on those. Sometimes I'm moving around props for the characters to use, changing textures and looking at the render settings, just to make sure everything is set up correctly for the renders to go through for dailies. Then back to animating, before rendering again when it's the end of the day, which is usually between 6:30-8pm. 

What kind of projects are you currently working on and do you get credited for your work? 

As I am a commercials animator, I'm on commercials and the first one I have worked on comes out soon! The deadlines are very tight. For example, the current commercial, I started on at the beginning of November, and the team have had a month to animate the whole thing, and not much more time on top of that to develop the FX. 

How much creative freedom do you feel you have when working on projects? 

So far, quite a lot. As I was working on background characters, I was allowed to come up with little ideas and scenarios for the characters. The storyboard and live action is already laid out by the client and director. Having one to one time with the director is great too, as you get to bounce ideas around and improve all the time. 

What are some of the statistics of a company like Framestore? How many animators are there in the company? Are there any freelancers working with Framestore? 

- According to our intranet there are 65 animator's currently at Framestore across film and Commercials. Our team at the moment is about 7! 

- There are 45 runners, including NY, film and commercials. This also includes Casual runners, which tend to work 2-3 days a week. 

- There are freelancers from time to time, but I'm not sure how many right now. 

What kind of material is expected for an animator’s showreel? Do we need realistic creatures or cycle animations? 

For Framestore, most definitely! Realistic creature work is number one here! As there isn't much cartoony work on. But, saying that, it doesn't hurt to include it (as long as it's on of you best pieces). I had a mixture of creature and cartoon on mine. You just have to keep your mind on what they are looking for and what jobs they are working on currently. I recommend taking a look at their website www.framestore.com and looking at their current/recent work and seeing what it entails, and base your show reel around that. You don't need to be a generalist, just a simple clean render to illustrate your work. 

What is the recruitment process like at Framestore? How long does it usually take an application to be processed? 

Well, I'm not quite sure from my point of view (for running). But for a couple of my friends, I would say if you get the timing exactly right, from when they start looking at showreels and CV's, about a month. They tend to need to replace people quickly, once someone has been promoted. For the animation position it was about 5 weeks as the test was a 3 week deadline. 

What are the work hours like? 

Probably between 10-11 hours per day, but it flies by! 

Can you tell us a little about the studio environment and how the structure of Framestore works? 

It's great! Everyone in Commercials sits in open plan seating, apart from the editing suites which the clients rent out to view the progress of the work. The Open plan seating means you can hear everything that's going on, and talk to everyone that you need/want to. It really is useful, say if you get an error, the debuggers and programmers work on the same floor. Structure? The Framestore producers and directors see over the whole project and organise the schedule for the deadlines. The producers also record the minutes for dailies and keep everything up to date. Then you have got everyone working on the project itself and most importantly the clients. The clients, obviously drive the whole vision. 

Do you see any rising trends in technology advancements that are affecting the visual effects industry? What can we expect to see in future? 

Well there has recently been a lot of experimentation with the new motion capture department, but I think the main thing now will be 3D TV and the development of commercials in 3D.

Some interesting figures.

Some interesting figures from The Times Online and The Royal Television Society.

" At the beginning of 2004, about 84 per cent of all animated television shows for children were made in the UK, but that number had dropped to 28 per cent over the five-year period to 2009."

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article6579368.ece

"UK animation is at a “tipping point: it either survives or dies”, campaigners warned in a recent letter to the Daily Telegraph. They want the British Government to extend the Film Tax Credit to animation companies working on TV programmes to ensure local producers can compete against overseas animation companies, where tax breaks range from 28% in Ireland to 65% in Canada."

http://www.rts.org.uk/Info_page_two_pic_2_det.asp?art_id=8170&sec_id=3898

3D Growth

There is no denying that 3D technology is impacting the visual effects industry. With the recent releases of a number of 3D films, many films are now being released in 3D to go with the hype because it is thought to be where the revenue is at.

Some of the most recent 3D movies include Avatar, How to train your dragon, Toy Story 3, Saw 3D, just to name a few. In fact, even older movies to date are being re-released in 3D, just like Toy Story 1 and 2.

"Firms operating in the media sector expect that they can greatly increase their future revenue growth by utilizing 3D. Frost & Sullivan (News - Alert) states that eventhough 3D technology just started to flourish in the market, delivering a more immersive and persuasive consumer content experience with the addition of 3D significantly augments market expansion, both from a device sales perspective and from content subscriptions." - Carolyn J Dawson on Business Video

3D Technology has come a long way since the beginning and has started becoming mainstream again from 2003 onwards. You can find out more about the history of 3D in films here.

"3D technologies will be a significant part of a number of industries' future evolution. Advances in display technologies, graphics processing and software are creating a large and growing wave of change coming to and from the world of 3D computing." - Billy Yackey of 3D Digital Signage

It is apparent that as technology advances and becomes faster and better and cheaper to produce, they will become more widely available. And as such, these opportunities will allow for exponential growth.

The graph on the left shows the screen industry growth in New Zealand.

According to the source, The industry grew by $600 million on the back of James Cameron’s 3D film Avatar between 2008 and 2009 and there’s more to come from the company responsible, Weta Digital.

"Wayne Stables, Weta Digital’s VFX supervisor, says digital animation will continue to grow and develop in years to come."

The State of Things.

SkillSet's Saint John Walker talks about the state of the UK Visual Effects and Animation industry.

"In terms of the health of the animation industry – we’re still quite a world leader in some of the activities that involve animation. Our computer games industry is still fourth in the World Table, which is incredible considering size of country we are. There’s still a powerful advertising animation block – the likes of Studio AKA, Passion Pictures etc. And we’ve got Europe’s biggest visual effects (VFX) industry in London. Double Negative have around 650 people for instance. So we are quite strong, but it’s just not thought of as an animation industry in the same way it used to be.

On the other side of the scales, there’s obviously the lack of broadcast commissions, the lack of TV advertising because of the current economic situation, the lack of children’s TV commissioning etc. So it’s swings and roundabouts. But we see it as still a very positive and very strong industry, made up of around 5,000 people. Two thirds of that are micro-companies and sole traders. "

He raises some interesting points. Perhaps the UK industry is not failing, but evolving? Studios seem to be adapting to the current market, specialising more towards advertisement production. The pressure for studios to adapt and broaden their employee's skill range seems to be more of a pressing issue than ever.

Saint John Walker is the Computer Games, Animation and Facilities manager at. Skillset

Source: http://www.apengine.org/2010/06/the-state-of-things-skillset%E2%80%99s-saint-john-walker/