Bits ‘n’ pieces

The overall impression that resonates from the readings I have conducted and the people to whom I have spoken has been that the quality of the work you can produce is only half the battle. If your work astonishes, yet your drive to improve and you personality are lacking than your chances are still diminished. If you have the cliché of passion and enthusiasm about what you want to achieve then you will get recognised.

Be aware that the people doing the hiring were once on the other side of the desk as well. They will want somebody who fits well into the mould of the teams already established there. When it comes to the crunch time of spending eighteen hour days at work in order to complete a clients project nobody wants to be with someone they don’t get along with.

If you don’t have any industry contacts don’t fret. They are a phone call away, be friendly and honest and keep in mind that they are more than likely to be extremely busy. Don’t be offended if they turn you away. Being assertive and out going in your approach not pestering and annoying, be memorable for the right reasons. Even if you do not get the job, the work experience or meeting if you leave a positive impression you will be remembered the next time around.

Putting it in Practice

Over the past semester I have attempted to put these things into practice, and this has been my experience thus far.

 

After researching a few visual effects house I sent an email to “The Lab” in
Sydney asking as politely as possible if I could get work experience or even just a look around the facility. I received no reply to my inquiry. Not content with that outcome I rang the receptionist at “The Lab” and asked who I would talk to about getting work some work experience. It’s much harder for people to say no to you in person. Unfortunately the receptionist had no idea who I should speak to so she gave me the contact details of one of the producers. Now I could have sourced this info off of their web site but by establishing contact with the facility in person I was able to say in my email request that person X on reception advised me to contact you. After a week goes by and I get a response, the producer says she would love to have me visit and suggest what dates I would be available. I got my in. In November I have a personalised tour of “The Lab” with one of its producers.

 

During the semester I was fortunate enough to meet with Doug Whip, Presentation Manager of Southern Cross Ten Broadcasting Canberra. The uni had organised a meet and great where we were able to talk to him as a group and then on a personal level. He invited all students to visit
Canberra and have a look around their play out facility. I took him up on the offer and went for a day trip to
Canberra. This was invaluable because I knew that two departments there were hiring and I had the opportunity to sit in with both and chat to the teams already their. Well two days latter I got a call from Doug asking me what I thought of the facility. He then invited me to apply for a job that was only being advertised internally within the company. As with most places they promote within house so I was lucky enough to be one of few who actually knew the job was going and was able to apply. I received an interview and travelled back to
Canberra.

 

The interview stage, I thought, went well. There where two interviewees and I was able to communicate to them in a friendly manner. Unfortunately I did not receive an offer of employment however all was not lost. With my two brief experiences at the facility I was able to give a resounding impression of myself. I now have a few contacts within the company who have readily requested that I maintain contact with them in order to be at the forefront of any upcoming positions.

The Catch 22

Applicants “must have, minimum five years experience . . .”

It seems to be the catch twenty two of visual effects industry. How do you get experience if no one is willing to hire you so you can get experience? Bigger studios have the luxury of being able to head hunt whomever they want, and they have no qualms about this either. Amy Bendotti from Nintendo had this to say,

“What we look for is experience, 100 percent. We hardly ever hire entry-level just because we don’t really have to. For artists, we don’t really look at anybody that doesn’t have at least two years experience and hasn’t at least published one title.”

So the majority of the time it is better off to start at a small boutique studio. This also allows you to be more of a generalist than a specialist, which allows you to determine which areas you are fonder of and allows for a greater understanding of how each potential role interacts with one another.

Apart from advertised jobs you’ll probably have to rely on who you know and cold canvassing. So how do you get contacts in the industry? Well the best way is start at your training institution. The alumni of grads preceding you will determine your future. If there is a position available within a company you stand a much better chance of landing the job if you have someone on the inside who can give the boss a first-person testimonial to your character.

As Lindsey Adams said, “if you send me your show reel I’ll do all I can to show it to the right people within my company and others . . . but don’t send me shit! By recommending you it’s my reputation on the line as well as yours.”

It’s for that reason that a recommendation is such a boost, because nobody, no matter how close your friendship with them is going to risk their job for you.

Brain Freisinger at ESC said this, “three guys I hired out of school, and three other guys I knew. Two of them I’d worked with before and one was a friend of a friend who came highly recommended. You glance at their reels to ensure their genuine then you grab them, you cut through 90 percent of the stuff you have to deal with.”

If you don’t know anybody in the industry then all you’ve got are your peers. The industry is that small and it always will come back to your attitude and relationships. Be pleasant and outgoing and get to know the people around you because if they respect you and your work then the likely hood of them to clue you in when something comes up is increased. Don’t burn your bridges; the people you went to school with may be responsible for your income one day.