The client for our B1 brief is an industry-led, non-profit, global organization comprised of 40 leading companies, industry bodies and educational establishments. They are known as:
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Access VFX
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The VFX, animation and games industries are in need of more awareness, general knowledge and inspired youth who are hoping to find their place there, which is exactly what Access are dedicated to doing. Under their four pillars of Inspiration, Education, Mentoring and Recruitment, they provide opportunities for a wide range of diverse groups to discover their potential or simply learn more about the creative subjects. Access focus on actively pursuing and encouraging inclusion as well as expanding the community and breaking down misconceptions. With over 50 events run, thousands of future employees of primary school age and above have been reached across the UK, US and Canada. Companies like We Are Stripes, Into Film and This Ability have worked with Access around the common goal of addressing the lack of diversity in the VFX industry.
Now that I have outlined who they are, I want to take a look at what they do. Access has a very up-to-date website, both literally and in terms of the industry. My first impression when entering the site was that it has a fun, informative vibe, which is something I got purely based on the background, the graphics and the colours (no reading yet!). I wanted to take note of this because of how important branding and online presence is in this brief, and clearly, Access VFX know that the future is an interconnected web online, since that is where some of the current and all of the future generations get their information.
They have taken care to communicate their goals and identity through the visuals of the site, which is a very central source of information for the audience, from their company. This is clear because of how much they travel, hosting events all across the UK and in other places around the world. It makes sense that after attending one of these events or hearing about them through other means, a person would want to find out more, leading them straight to their website. And upon seeing a colourful, geometric title with icons such as 3D glasses, graphics tablets, VR headsets and paint palettes on a purple background, they would know they’re in the right place! All of these things convey the themes of the industry and the sort of thing Access wants to showcase: a creative space where art and technology meet. This is furthered by the gallery of images that are displayed, all scenes from some of the biggest VFX blockbuster movies. Underneath are some links to the most useful/relevant/visited parts of their site and the bar at the side has categories with all of these and more, where I could find everything that the organisation does.
●・○ Events ○・●
The events section of their website gives us ‘recent access’ to some of the talks hosted by the organisation. There are quite a few options, all with an eye-catching title and shot description underneath to tell the viewer what the event was about. The topics are all very industry-relevant and give the viewer a clear insight into what Access explores and how dedicated they are to spreading useful, true information. I looked into the events titled ‘Explore Our Non-Artist Roles’ and ‘Overview of the VFX Pipeline’. I was amazed to see webinars over an hour long, looking into subjects that the industry generally brushes over, showing attention to detail and a genuine desire to make VFX more accessible. Not only does this make Access more trustworthy but it also gives those interested in the industry a great place to begin learning!
●・○ Q-VFX ○・●
I next looked at the ‘Q-VFX’ section, which introduces an inclusive LGBTQI+ community hub that Access has helped launch. There is a brief introduction that goes into what the hub consists of, such as mentorship and support, followed by a paragraph detailing why Access are a part of the Q-VFX. I like the explanation since it highlights “ACCESS: VFX’s core mission of actively pursuing and encouraging inclusion, diversity and opportunity”, reaffirming that they stand firm in their values and take action in bringing about positive change. Once again, this makes perfect sense when we think about the progress of the LGBTQ community in recent years and how it is helping the world grow in a positive way. Access understands that the future of VFX runs in parallel to this and wants to ensure that any new potential candidates know that they are accepted and welcome, no matter their sexuality, gender and more.
●・○ X – VFX ○・●
‘X-VFX’ is similar to the above section in that Access wants to bring more diversity into the industry. Although there is less detail, this section tells the viewer about the organisation’s hopes for the future and current action being taken to make their goals happen. X-VFX is a space where Practitioners of Colour are able to network, find information and support, as well as create a platform that the next generation can tap into for inspiration and inclusivity. There is a mailing list for their events that the viewer can sign up for if they wish as well as links to all of their social media where up-to-date info would most likely be found. By putting this and ‘Q-VFX’ on their website, not just their social media, Access declare their pledge to the minor communities that deserve to have their voice heard more in VFX. I feel that there should be more there, but I also imagine it is hard to establish something like this anyplace other than online considering how much the organisation travels to spread their message.
●・○ Routes to Work ○・●
This category is an absolutely brilliant source and I believe that a lot of new VFX entrants are going to find it useful. Access describes six different methods of entering the industry, with a short summary for each that goes over some reasons to consider that option, how it differs from the others and what skills you can acquire when choosing it. By having some of the major routes into VFX laid out clearly with key facts underneath, viewers are able to deepen their understanding of the industry with some quick reading and possibly even get their foot in themselves! This is because the first two options ‘Internships’ and ‘Apprenticeships’ have links to separate pages with actual opportunities from companies available, either upcoming or ongoing. Considering how hard it is to find such things in VFX, this is a huge help for those looking to learn or further their skills using these methods. It’s probably also why Access has only accumulated links for those two routes specifically since the rest (e.g. runner and university courses) are much easier to find.
●・○ Careers ○・●
In ‘Careers’, Access VFX elucidate different industry job roles by including an image and short description. Each example goes through the most fundamental and basic aspect(s) of the role, giving the viewer an insight into what the main focal point of their job is, such as with the matte painter who “digitally paints photorealistic interior and exterior environments” or the coordinator who “performs a variety of administrative tasks to support a film crew”. I think that the lack of extensive detail here is purposeful and that each box acts as a small window into that particular job. Even so, there are a few ways that this page could be improved in my opinion. Perhaps when hovering over each, a gallery with more images could be shown. That way, more information is conveyed without there being another massive chunk of text, which might overload the viewer and push them away. Younger viewers especially, seem to be adverse to info-dumping and large blocks of text, which is why a small gallery would be more effective here.
●・○ Podcast ○・●
Perhaps one of the more active pages of the website, Access’s podcast episodes are laid out chronologically and all available to listen to. They have casual conversations with artists, producers, parents and more, to get the inside view on issues of inclusion, diversity, awareness and opportunity within the VFX, Animation & Games industries and how they can make them more progressive. There are some debates, but the discussions are mainly laid-back and informative, giving the general public interesting facts and opinions whilst also providing the aspiring artists with some wisdom on what it is like to work within certain companies. Based on the research of some of my peers, I also discovered that they cover more serious topics such as one of their podcasts titled ‘Support for the recently furloughed and redundant’ which talks about the period around the pandemic and how it took its toll on the industry.
I like the fact that they have something more round-the-clock within their organisation since listeners can tune in whenever they want some more information or hear about something specific from someone with experience in VFX. Personally, I would use this page more often if I knew that it was about relevant updates only, but I understand that it is focused more on how the industry could be improved. Whilst I do like learning about the ways it progresses, I would rather read such news from time to time, preferably in an article rather than repeatedly in podcast format (simply personal preference here).
As I continued my exploration of their site, I quickly realised which were my favourite aspects and which I would be most likely to use. For example, their blog archive is one area of the website that I didn’t go over in detail since I wanted to talk about why I find it so useful. It is wonderful that Access have information set out in different media formats, such as a podcast which relies on listening rather than reading and gives people with disabilities an equal opportunity to obtain information. However, having a blog extends their reach dramatically since these articles can be found on the internet! They have documented events, support & information and career advice, all explored within various topics and anecdote-based posts. This is a page that I know I will be coming back to because of the rich variety of handy advice and experience accumulated.
For example, I had a quick skim of ‘Starting Out in Animation & VFX – Wellbeing and Mental Health‘ and I found myself in awe of the stories and relatable viewpoints shared, the tricks of the trade that I didn’t know and the professional manner in which concerns for the future and current problems were addressed. For someone who gathered knowledge from many different videos, websites, and books, an article like this would have been like a miracle to me a couple of years ago! They truly open your eyes and tell you the good and the bad, focusing on preparation and building a foundation of knowledge, something I greatly appreciate today since I feel like my journey has just begun.
Another one of my favourite parts of the site is the Search page because it allows you to pinpoint exactly what information you want by searching their entire site! Not enough info-based businesses do this online when it is such a time-saver and is more likely to keep the viewer coming back. For example, I immediately know that I wanted to find all of their blogs and resources on animation specifically, and instead do hunting through older records endlessly, I simply had to type in the keyword and scroll through the presented options. Access chooses convenience and clarity whenever they are able, simply because their goal is simply that – to make information more accessible.
Interestingly, their ‘About Us’ page is also on-theme. I can honestly say that I predicted nothing out of the ordinary when clicking on the ‘About’ category, and their introductory paragraph and even video all seemed quite normal. I scrolled down and saw all of the companies that are a part of Access listed with their logos. At first, I thought that this was to showcase their reach since a lot of companies use their tactics to impress potential clients and increase credibility (flaunting well-known clients by adding their logos to their site). However, when I clicked on one of the companies and a little window popped up detailing who they are and what they do, I was amazed to find that this list was in the fact, yet another tool for the viewer!
I can think of no other place where so many companies in one industry are grouped together with a summary and included link to their website, and I can’t say just how much I love this find. I have wanted something like this every since I realised just how much an individual needs to keep track of the industry, especially when you are a freelancer and you need to know which companies are hiring, which are producing media that is ‘in’ for the moment and which ones are even relevant to your desired position and place for the long-term. It can be quite nerve-wracking, which is why Access has made it so much easier, perhaps without even realising it. In addition to the practical side, having numerous companies in one place also has emotional and mental benefits since the industry is far less daunting when everyone seems to be a part of this great big community. If I was a 13-year-old, trying to find my dream job, I would much more likely to want to go into VFX/Animation if I knew that it was less like a competitive war zone and more like a connected web of creative allies. Even now, as I am on the cusp of a degree in animation, I find it incredibly reassuring that these companies have at least one common link because it makes me feel like there is a place for me somewhere.
I suppose now is the time to ask the question – do I feel represented and supported by Access VFX? Since that is one of their main goals and four pillars after all. I think I can answer that question in halves since I definitely feel supported but represented, only to an extent.
Access clearly has a vision in mind and they aren’t afraid to express this in their slogan, their events and their actions: include everyone, and spread awareness and knowledge. However, and this may be simply because I haven’t talked to any of them in real life and have only been looking at their website, it still feels like there is a slight disconnect between me and this organisation. It really depends on what kind of representation we are talking about since as a VFX and Animation student, it’s all there, but as an 18-year-old who still isn’t even certain on what specific job role she wants within the animation industry, I don’t feel like there is enough present. I would have loved to see a section dedicated to student experiences, to the hardships that young people who were entirely new to the industry had to face. Success stories are comforting, but also those who realised that their chosen career wasn’t for them, who changed their minds and still made it. Student forums, links to other useful sites and more, all could have been a great addition and acted as an echo for our voices too.
Even still, I cannot emphasise enough what a great organisation Access is and how important their website alone is, in the grand scheme of things. The support is quite strong with tools in almost every part, designed to give the viewer access to essential info and even opportunities that might aid their job-hunting or skill development. Access VFX has created, what I see, as a good launchpad of information – a place to start, which has things simplified and laid out in an easy-to-understand manner. Their database gives the viewers a taste, such as with the job role descriptions, but if they want to know more, they need to do that in-depth research themselves, elsewhere. Of course, the simplicity is understandable; the idea is to inspire curiosity and interest and spread basic knowledge – something that the general public does not have enough of. Even still, some links to other sites that have a larger quantity of topic-specific detail would be helpful (for example, in the job roles section, a link to a site that is just about VFX job roles).
Overall, the client is very knowledgeable and in the loop and is a good source of inspiration when considering how I am going to fit into the industry as a junior animator and perhaps, a freelancer one day if I find that is suitable for me.