(My notes)

 

The media industry:

 – VFX and animation

 – Films and TV

– Games

– Music

– Advertising

– Photography

– Journalism

– Publishing

 

Ways to get into the industry:

1. Apply for an entry position and work upwards.

2. Through social media (have an engaging online presence could get you scouted/noticed on certain platforms).

3. Through an apprenticeship, or any sort of training

4. University

 

Companies that encourage media work in the industry include BBC, ITV, Disney, Channel 4, Screen Skills, Access VFX and NFTS (national film and television school).

 

Job Contracts:

Full time: fully employed, expected to work a minimum of 30 hours a week.

Part-time: fully employed, expected to work a reduced amount of hours a week.

Fixed Term: full time/part-time, only that you work within a certain time frame.

Freelance: You are your own boss and dictate your own working hours, contracts and payrate.

 

How to be a successful freelancer:

Network – Regularly attending events, taking opportunities wherever possible and being active on social media

Keep up – Keep up to date with the industry, new software and hardware, tech, terminology and trends

Communicate – Talk about you and your work when on a job, and always update the client on your progress

Confidence – Be honest, resilient and proud of your work. And never work for free! (Except for charity)

 

As a freelancer, you often get asked what your hourly/day rate is, or to provide a figure for a total job. What has been recommended is £20 an hour or £160 a day. This information is provided by the BECTU, which is the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications & Theatre Union. They give great advice for charging and say that the weekly pay for an animator is £805, and for a 3D generalist, it is £575. They also recommend using contracts and agreements where possible, getting a percentage upfront as a deposit, and creating an invoice for proof of work. Anything that is sent to the client – watermark it!! This protects your work until you are paid for it.

 

What is an invoice?

It is a breakdown of cost to individuals or businesses. It indicates what the job was and how the cost is broken down.  It should be traceable via names and addresses and should be kept as a record for legal protection and to pay income tax.