Computer Animation Arts

The Careers & Employability SPECTRA programme is a series of events including talks and workshops, designed to help you progress in your career. Are you considering being self-employed or freelancing? This workshop will take you through the pros, cons and things you need to know before you get started. An Introduction to Freelancing Wednesday 6th February 14.00 - 15.30, Lecture Theatre 1 All students welcome! 

'Your brain hates you.  Your body hurts. The ideas aren't coming. No one ever seems to pay you.  And here comes another panic attack. You're having a creative breakdown. You are also not alone.' Come along to Lecture Theatre 1 on Wednesday 5th December at 14:30 and meet Imogen Dall, a freelance writer working in film, advertising and games who is passionate about the issue of mental health in the creative industries.  Imogen is the creator of Creative Breakdown Insurance: How to survive your worst days of creative freelancing. Imogen will be giving an inspiring talk followed by a Q&A and networking. Light refreshments provided.

As part of UCA's SPECTRA Careers and Employability programme, next week on Wednesday 14th November...  The Beginners Guide to Freelancing. 12.30 - 14.00, drop-in in the Foyer Did you know that 47% of workers in the creative industries are freelance? Find out about UCA alumni who have set up their own businesses. Get ideas on how you can get started. No need to book, just turn up! 

Bee Grandinetti of Motionographer offers her thoughts and advice on some of the 'do's and don'ts' of working freelance, advice that would be just as relevant for those working in studios too!  She says we would '...all benefit from learning how to communicate clearer, better, and potentially build healthier work relationships.' Read her full article  HERE

An interesting article in The Guardian by journalist Abby Young-Powell, on taking the plunge and going freelance. 'What I wish I had known about freelancing in the Arts'.

This is you standing out from the crowd... This is a reminder we've scheduled a 2 day workshop for you in regards to thinking about yourselves as creatives - and getting other people to think about you in the say way! Some official blurb: "Understanding Branding theory will allow you to more clearly gain an insight into how Creative Professionals can clearly and successfully define who they are. You will then be able to apply this theory with regard to who you are and how you communicate this to the wider world. The use of Branding is common in today’s world and marketplace. Branding is more than designing the correct logo or website with the right design and colours. It can have, at its core, a far more psychological basis. One could argue that much of today’s commercial world uses branding to one degree or another. If you don’t therefore have an understanding of branding, it can be hard to know where and how to pitch yourself.  This two-part workshop will g...

The Sky Blue programme from UCA's Creative Enterprise Dept. are hosting a number of workshops in February and March for students wishing to learning more about going freelance.  Take a look at the timetable above and add the dates to your respective diaries - and spread the word.   You need to email Stephen Davies at sdavies14@uca.ac.uk to book your place.

"Concept-Art-Jobs.com is a resource for concept artists that onlydisplays paying concept art jobs". Go here!

As seen on Flooby Nooby - 10 Top Tips For Perfecting Your Showreel

''PeoplePerHour helps people start and build their own businesses and live their dream of being independent'' I've been asked to share this post about a  very neat website, called People Per Hour . It is a great platform for creative freelancers because it offers wide range of  projects to take part in! From logo design to 3D visualisations, animations and even filmmaking!  It is  similar to Guru Elance but focuses more on England-based clients .  All you need to get you going is set up a profile for clients to find you or s end direct proposals instead. W hen a proposal is won, you arrange deposits and invoices before starting your work for the client . Few other tips from would be to get people endorse your skills as well as making sure you deliver top quality work so there are some 5 stars reviews on your profile!  I have just finished a project, which you can read more about here . It was  a brilliant experie...

My life as a freelance CG Artist has been going well in the past couple of months. After a few shorter projects I had the pleasure of working with Matthew Noel-Tod again for an animated installation at the Canary Wharf Screen. Matthew's latest piece will open tomorrow night, Tuesday 6th November from 6.30 pm and run until December 2nd. The event will be open to the public so pop along and take a look for yourself. The final part of LUX: The Adverts, A Season in Hell: Fall / Winter 2012 is an animated winter warmer for Canary Wharf Underground Station. In a blazing inferno turns an image of the world orbited by four cartoon children. Encircling the globe is the Latin palindrome; In girum imus nocte et consumimur igni (We go in circles into the night, we are consumed by fire). The phrase is originally attributed to the behaviour of moths around fire. In A Season in Hell: Fall / Winter 2012 the children are in constant movement, never landing, never leaving. Purgatory is ove...

Liam Scarlino graduated from CGAA in 2010... ...and completed his Masters Degree in 2011, which culminated in Liam devising an installation exploring and expressing 'The Digital Sublime', which earned him a Distinction.   Liam is something of a renaissance man, a freelancer who moves confidently between different mediums - illustration, photography, film, animation, installation and performance.  Showreel 2011 Liam's interdisciplinary way of working was already evident during his three years on CGAA.  One of the course team's enduring memories of Liam is the time, as a first year, he dressed as a red blood vessel and green-screened himself into a cgi simulation of an artery while playing a miniature guitar... Follow Liam's blog here and visit his website here .   A while back, I invited Liam to share with the CGAA community his experience of CG Arts - a survivor's guide. It proved a very popular post, prompting lots of ...

Getting Noticed: Social Networking for the Freelance Artists from Creative Talent Network on Vimeo .