Task 5: Create your brand

1) Online presence – 

online portfolio (this could be a website or a profile on a creative platform) 
I have created an attractive website, where I have re-branded slightly, from last year's branding. Firstly, I have updated the Avatar/profile picture to be more dynamic - it is now on a three-quarter pose as opposed to a two-quarter head shot. Later, I will re-visit the colour pallet and as i am considering changing this from pink to red, black, grey and white.  I also want to introduce a comic book style to my website.

This is my website
https://cathyjayart.wixsite.com/cathyjart

I have also changed my user name from Jenny_animates to Cathyj art as I decided that my previous user name sounded too generic. Options I considered for my user name included variations of my own name, such as: JayC Art, Jaylee Art, ArtByJenny and JC Art

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-leece-2a9650174/ - 

I will use online professional media to promote your practice, publicise my work and engage with national and international practitioners, clients, studios and communities of practice. By using Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn; posting regularly; posting work I am most proud of; up-dating my work and keeping the style consistent with only posting digital work.

2) Printed materials – 

business cards (a digital design and one printed copy for submission) - I created a business card - on one side it has my Mary Annings' interior room design.  On the other side is my character design alongside my contact information. to my sure it looked goof in both colour and in black and white i only used the line art for side with my character designs on. 

Back/front: Mary Annings B&W Background 

Designing my website/business cards. What went well?

• Both business card designs work well in letting the audience know what my profession is without me actually telling them.
• Both make good use of the space
• they look good is black and white as well as i colour. 

Back/front: Mary Annings Colour background 

Back/front:: Character design and Vis Development/illustrations

Back/front: The Dragon and The Moon

What could be improved?
The background on the 2nd one could be a little sharper. However I can't physically change the resolution/DPI I just have to hope it will look good once it's sent to print.I could have used more imagery from my final film so that people would associate that with me.
I also have made a website using Wix. I'm using mainly to show off my different portfolios. It has a minimal aesthetic, like an art gallery. It scales well when accessed on my phone. It has all of my contact information on.

Back/front:: Character design and Vis Development/illustrations

I have also made a creative CV. As I state I earlier posts. I am willing at the moment to just to do anything creative when I graduate. Although this is a creative CV. If there is a specific job role I want to apply for I will tailor it to be more specific to that role. 

Bonus Post. Thoughts On Teaching

Teaching

If I where to go into teaching I could only reasonably teach either art or IT. I’d have more of a chance of teaching IT because it is a stem subject. I’d be more likely to get a job as an IT teacher because I'd be a woman teaching a STEM subject. On the other hand, my degree is arts related. So, I guess I’d have a decent chance of being able to teach both.  As for universities I’d like to study at, I think this time around I’d like to stay within Merseyside as it is closer to what little family I have left and is closer to my home town friends. So, it would be easier to access support should I need it.

My top choice would be Edge Hill University. It used to be a specialised teaching uni, so they have really high standards. Wirral Met College and Southport college are my second. My 3^rd is The City Of Liverpool College as it has a bit of a bad reputation but it’d be easier to get into.

I’d fund my studies by working part time and taking out a small loan to cover 25% or ¼ of the cost. The cost of a PGCE is around £9000 so the loan would be around £2250. If I teach a STEM subject or decide to go into SEND teaching I can apply for a bursary/scholarship which will also help. But I defiantly need to look more into funding. There are also other types of teaching courses available that don't cost as much. 

Task 3: Network

Part 1: Set up or update your LinkedIn account

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-leece-2a9650174/



Here are the people i have pestered so far
I asked them what sort of things they'd put specifically in a concept art/visual development portfolio I feel like I have all of the basic things like character design and turnaround, backgrounds. But is there anything else I could add or that I should take into consideration. 
I changed what i said slightly for each person then, after contacting  around 8 or so I changed it more so again by asking them for how they got into the industry and do that have any tips for me? In total i must have contacted around 

• I will defiantly be going to MAF next year even though I will be paying the full price. I may conciser volunteering there the year after next. https://www.manchesteranimationfestival.co.uk/
• There is also Manchester Experimental Film Festival, which I believe (although don't quote me) is a separate thing from MAF http://www.maniff.com/experimental-film-festival
• I will continue to volunteer at Threshold festival in Liverpool for as long as it is going https://thresholdfestival.co.uk/
• I will also go to Chester animation festival (parts of Chester International Film Festival) https://www.storyhouse.com/chester-international-film-festival
• I will possibly also be going Cardiff animation festival. http://www.cardiffanimation.com/
• London International Animation Festival http://www.liaf.org.uk/
• Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival https://www.encounters.film/
• Leeds International Film Festival https://www.leedsfilm.com/
• Edinburgh International Film Festival https://www.leedsfilm.com/
• i should tale advantage of the university start up Wednesday

I have also networked/ collaborated with students from Leeds College of Music. I have them all added on Facebook so that I can continue to keep in touch and network with them, with the potential of working together in the future. 

I also have the dance students that i befriended from my search for a new dancer for extended practise. I have a few of them on Facebook and I have have their emails. If an opportunity arises to collaborate in the future I can contact them easily. 

I also have all of my creative peers added on both LinkedIn and Facebook so I can continue to keep in touch with them after university. 

I went to Manchester Animation Festival for the first time this (academic) year and I got to talk with Shaun the Sheep. He wouldn't give me a job on his farm but he did let me smoosh his head fur. It's all lies its not actual fur! I talked with his director, Will Becher, about what it was like directing/managing such a big production. I gained some useful information that has inspired me on my own projects. 

I was 'fan girling' too much to talk with Michaël Dudok de Wit. I was too shy to even ask a question. I did want to ask him what it was like collaborating with Isao Takahata, and how he dealt with that kind of pressure, and what were some of the things he did to cope.  I would have found this conversation useful if I'd have had the confidence to ask these questions. 

I also said hi to Terry from The Animation Workshop; we spoke for a while about traditional animation and I told her about why I couldn't work with watercolour animation for my final film (it was too expensive).

Task 4: Exit strategy

Before graduation

• Re brand online presence as Cathy J Art. Done!
• Make business cards. Done
• Make website. Done
• Make a creative CV. Done
• Put finished designs on Redbuble. In progress
• Put creations, paintings and prints on Etsy. In progress
• Put together portfolio. Done
• look at and go to open days for masters in visual communication. In progress.

After Graduation

• Move back in with parents
• look at flats/studio apartments to move out again
• Apply to studios in Liverpool and Merseyside. Doesn't have to be animation. I'll do anything creative at this point.
• Also apply to retail jobs
• Maintain Etsy and Redbubble shop
• Maintain social media prescience and website. 
• Apply for masters in either visual communication or teaching. 

Task 2: Scan the horizon

Where would I like to work, short & long term 
Long term, not that interested in animation. To be honest. The last 3 years have taught me that my mental health should be the priority. Working in the creative sector with all of its job insecurities makes me anxious. I also don't think I'm good enough witch makes me depressed. I would like a job with more stability. Probably in teaching, although I know it isn't completely stress free or stable. I might do freelance on the side. I've always wanted to set up my own Etsy shop. I might do that. I defiantly want to do a Masters. More to prove to myself that I can do it than anything else. Any Masters will also benefit my teaching pursuits. (refer to The Master Plan) 

Short term, I'd like to try and get a job in something creative although I don't think I'll last. I want to set up a website so that I can sell things. I also want to attend craft fairs and sell stuff there. So pretty much freelance? Overall, I'd like to have a job in something creative, but if not teaching will be my fall back. 

I know about my dream role 
My dream is to have a stable job as a concept/ visual development artist, background designer/painter but also tell my own stories on the side. Whether that be though animation, comics or illustrations I don't know. I'd be looking for jobs around Merseyide, to be closer to family and within a 2hr commuting distance from wherever i'm living. That gives me plenty of scope. It means Leeds will still be on the table as well as Manchester, Chester, Huddersfield, Birmingham  and some (if not most?) of Wales. To do this I need to get better at drawing, specifically perspective and human proportions/anatomy. I also need to get better at colouring/shading and lighting 

Who I know that might help me get a foot in the door.
Industry contacts? 
Collaborators? Friends from uni.But also, i have quite a few friends from back home that have jobs within the creative industry. Everyone is someone to potentially network with. So that includes friends made on the course. Especially certain ones who have decided to set up there own studio. 
Commissions and Potential clients?I can get commissions by attending networking events and selling my work at comic cons, conventions, raft fairs and flea markets. Liverpool Baltic Triangle would be a great place to do this as well as Liverpool comic con and Wirral comic con. 

Networking opportunities based upon where you want to work 
Festivals (and Comic Cons)
Threshold, Chester Animation Festival, Manchester Animation Festival, Wirral Comic Con, Liverpool Comic Con
Networking events and Industry meetups?
Social Media Meetup, https://twitter.com/Social_Meetup 
I can lean how to better manage my professional social medias and use them as a tool to build an audience
Connect The Dots https://the-dots.com/
This is a networking event aimed at connecting freelance people to each other and to company's.
FACT https://www.fact.co.uk/
FACT always has things going on with regards to networking. They primarily a cinema but they do loads of cool networking stuff and they work closely with the BFI.
Opportunities for chats and pubs where people go after work?
Everyone and everyone in Liverpool that works within the creative industry has been to or at least heard of Peter Kavanagh's Pub. I could ask in there if anyone  knows if there are any job openings or creative opportunity. I can also meet people to collaborate and chat.

The other place people go is the Baltic Triangle.Its full of small local creative business.There is the Baltic Creative and The Baltic Social where all the cool arty-hipster type like to hang out. This would provide many networking opportunity. 

Task 1: Review your presence

My practice
I don't consider myself to be specifically an animator. My practice involves visual development and background design but I'm also a visual storyteller. I think I'd want to tell stories on important or current topics that people might not necessarily be aware of.

I just don't know if I want them to be animated. This will be achieved either digitally and traditionally by Photoshop, Illustrator , After Effects and TvPaint. I want to make and tell stories like Isao Takahata.  I want to get other people to create them for me, whilst I take a more producer/directorial role. 

My skillset 
Academic writing, comic and concept art, storytelling, background and set design. Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects and TvPaint

The Master Plan (very original, I know) 
So I have a plan A ,B ,C and D, because I like to over think things. 

Plan A) Leeds is dead to me. To be honest it never felt alive so I want to move back to Liverpool for a year, where there is much creative opportunity at the moment at places such as, Littlewood Studios, the Baltic Triangle etc. I would like a position in a retail job, whilst working freelance at the same time, probably setting up an Etsy shop and attending art/craft conventions or have 1 year to get into industry, if that goes to plan then yay! Carry on, if not then...

Plan B) after that year, go back to university to study a Master's in Visual Communication. I've been to a couple of open days already. I was thinking of applying to at least Teeside, Hull and York St John. My Master's research will be focused on examining Japan's society and culture through different lenses and seeing what stories I can tell from that and how best to tell them. It'll also give me an excuse to travel to Japan which has been a really big dream for me for a really long time. I would also be the 1st person in my family to get a Master's degree. 

Plan C) all of the above, but after my Masters, if I still am not able to get into industry. I will go back to school yet again, and get a PGCE and become a teacher. 

Plan D) if everything goes wrong this year and I fail miserably, by the University's own regulations, I should still be awarded a Degree. Although, it just won't be with Honours . So that should be enough to allow me to go onto an Open Masters, which I will take in creative writing and teaching . After that, I'll try to get a PGCE and become an assistant teacher or tutor. 

My online presence in light of my earlier responses
I feel as though i had an unhealthy relationship with social media. I would go on it and compare my work to others. It made me anxious and paranoid that I wasn't doing or working hard enough to improve or that I wasn't posting enough. But I do need to post more often in order to build an audience for my practice. I need to engage with that audience by using features, such as Instagram stories. I also need to cross-post on multiple platforms, such as, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.