Gavin Spoors

***Are Cold Calls Still Relevant In Todays Animation Job Searching Methods? *** I’ve heard from both young and old, those in animation and not that cold calls are the next thing to do in your job search journey. But the question is, does it help? Places like LinkedIn and so on are saturated with applicants. Hiring posts get bombarded with hundreds of people daily, it can feel like you don’t stand a chance. I’ve been wondering in what other way we can stay relevant and available asides from just applying through job posts and messages. Social Media Algorithm can leave you burnt out, and direct emails to companies seem to be thrown into the abyss. Howelse should we as artist bring people to see our work? Should we go back to old school? Is the cold calling market so empty that perhaps we might stand out as individuals? Should we start handing out physical sheets of our resumes? Let’s get a discussion going and perhaps give some tips and tools for those of us looking for work. #openforwork #openforworkanimation #animationindustry #jobsearchingtips #coldcalls #artjobs #FAQ #animationtips

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Following a busy day of "ask me anything about getting into VFX and post production", our founder Debra Coleman (PCC) shares her top-tips and useful resources in this post. #vfx #postproduction #careercoaching

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Avo training... get your Avo training here! Get brushed up on your Avo skills in the North(ish) East!

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To the many many freelancers and people looking for work who get in touch with me on a daily basis, I'm really sorry that I'm often not able to respond to you. Especially VoiceOver artists. SO MANY VoiceOver artists. The sheer volume of these enquiries means that I'm just not able to take the time it would need to respond to them all, and I know the same is true for many other people who run similar businesses to mine. Especially VoiceOver artists. SO MANY VoiceOver artists. And I really sympathise with how frustrating it must be to send out email after email and message after message and get no response. It's tough out there for freelancers and people trying to break into the industry, but there are amazing opportunities out there. So what's my advice? Well there's no silver bullet and really the key factor is timing. If your email happens to land in my inbox at a time when I'm looking for someone then that could make all the difference. So keep plugging away. My only other piece of advice is that show is more powerful than tell. I'm always looking for evidence of what you're capable of so when you're contacting people the easier you can make it for them to see your work the better. So keep going, keep making good stuff, keep getting better and talent will out (with a little dash of luck).

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There’s no such thing as transferable skills…. … or at least, that’s what it feels like at the moment. With up to 70% of TV & film freelancers out of work at the moment and thousands looking to leave, myself included. After 15 years in production, I’m struggling to find work outside of TV and branded content. It does make me wonder. Do these so called ‘transferable skills’ we supposedly have really translate in the real world? I’ve been lucky in my career - over a decade without having to worry about work and often with a choice of which job to go to next. I’ve lead both small and large teams, worked on budgets up to £2m. I’ve had to figure out HR issues, legal compliance, contracts, talent and location negotiations. I’ve worked internationally and across the UK. Worked out how to shut down a shoot for a major broadcaster with kids, over 12 cameras, presenters, and cooking elements because of COVID, only to put it all back together again with testing and strict regulations in places months later. I’ve worked on events and live streams with platforms who have never worked to such a scale before….and yet these skills seem to not be useful outside of the world of content, TV and film. Perhaps because companies are looking for “industry specific” experience? Perhaps because the job market is so hard right now? I know many others are in the same boat as me right now. How can we make employers see that great experience is just that and transferable skills are not just a term to be thrown around but a real thing to consider? 

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Chroma 0154 - In Which You Might Be Better Off Going to School to Study VFX - Part 4 Learning to Deal with Criticism Learning to handle criticism is essential for young artists. When you're working from home and have never had any clients before, you probably think that what you're doing is the best. However, contrary to what you may think, your work might not meet the standards of a modern visual effects facility. In a studio setting, various opinions will surface about different aspects, including your projects. Regardless of what others think, the VFX supervisor ultimately has the final say, determining whether your work is good, not good, needs improvement, or is approved. Before your work reaches the VFX supervisor, it must first be approved by either your lead or department supervisor. Thus, several layers of review occur before it even makes it to the VFX supervisor. When artists begin their careers, they invest their heart and soul into their work, striving to make each shot outstanding. And this is quite common for artists from overseas. They might have worked in a lot of different industries and this is their chance to finally show what they are capable of. This deep personal investment can make it difficult to accept criticism. Defensive reactions are common and can lead to decreased productivity and morale, making you feel as though your efforts are constantly being undermined. Your work will be screened daily in front of your peers, and when a supervisor highlights something you've missed, you might want to disappear, regretting not considering every aspect of your work. Worse, you might become frustrated with yourself for not scrutinizing your work more thoroughly. Sometimes, this frustration is misdirected at others, including the supervisor, who may be judged for their perceived lack of insight. It's important to remember that a VFX supervisor has to consider every shot in the sequence to ensure the overall quality of the film. Your focus shots differs significantly from the supervisor’s broader responsibilities. Thus, it’s crucial to listen and refrain from arguing. Effective listening is a vital skill in this industry, allowing you to direct your efforts where they are most needed. Training in a reputable school is invaluable. A good program will regularly screen your work, providing frequent feedback which is essential for your development. Not all feedback sessions need to be in front of your entire class. Regular one-on-one reviews with an instructor are critical for your growth as an artist. 💬#AlphaChromatica #Chroma #HeyGanz #GotoAGoodSchool

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Over the last few posts I've mentioned the 'unique' workflow that was developed to create Angel Eyes, so I thought it was worth a moment to talk about that in a bit more detail. As a group, the team behind Angel Eyes are all fans of animation and graphic novels but less so of the one use workflows predominantly used to create them and in the case of animation the cost and time it can take, so we wanted to see if we could make use of Game Engine technology to create a multi-format output for Graphic Novels. We targeted Motion Comics (a form of animation) but for VR/AR, which was something new, and 16x9 as well as traditional print - a Three for One sort of deal. Using this new approach the VR/digital versions were produced in 2023 and now thanks to the upcoming Kickstarter Campaign the Print version in 2024, which you can support here: https://lnkd.in/eH4kTPyQ Many folks contributed to this new workflow, Andy Lanning, Anthony Williams, Daniel Stankowski, Richard Stegmann which I believe offers a viable, innovative approach for people looking to grow or create story worlds for global audiences.

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Warning to all artists about “job” scams! There has been an email going around targeting jobseekers, they will use a fake name to claim that they are an “academic event organiser that found your details online who needs the service of an artist or illustrator/cartoonist to work on a project for an upcoming workshop.” They will offer $950 per illustration for a total of $7600 for a “PANDEMIC: PRECAUTION AND PREVENTION.” They will go into intense detail about each illustration and claim to pay upfront by certified bank draft, cashier check or bank certified check. They even offered a billing address, which was strange since it was overseas, wouldn’t they have offered it to a local? DO NOT ENGAGE, this is a fake cashier cheque scam, they will overpay and demand you give the remainder as a refund as phase 2 of the commission has been cancelled and then the check will bounce, taking thousands of dollars from you. These people have also posed as needing art for an art gallery, or artwork for their spouse as an anniversary gift. In the past one even made a job post on Upwork, made me do a full interview only to demand I open a bank account under these list of banks and get angry when I said it was too late at night. Even doing a fake PayPal commission that doesn’t go through but sends you a fake PayPal email saying limit reached to get you to type your account details. Remember, a legit job offer will never ask you to open a new bank account, pay them to apply, pay for office supplies, or offer to pay you only in bank cheques. It is a highly sophisticated scam, ALWAYS google the content of the email first before responding to job offers. Especially the address they give you is just some random warehouse or someone’s home with no social media. They can even pose as real companies/LinkedIn profiles. The sponsor of the event is paying for this and can only send a check. He said he was happy to send me full payment upfront and wait to be sure the check cleared. This is the email address for reference "tony224perry@gmail.com"

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Calling all budding Trainee VFX Junior Compositors. Get your reels ready! Two roles up for grabs; https://lnkd.in/ekyYkSzM. Top tips below; Hiring teams at Aardman are busy and compassionate people who love to match individuals with amazing career opportunities. We receive many, many applications, and frequently see basic mistakes that prevent candidates moving to the next stage. Here are some top tips that we hope will help you stand out from the crowd! 1/ Give yourself plenty of time to put together your application. 2/ Read, read, and read again the job description. What is the studio looking for and how well do your skills match the role? 3/ Make sure you tailor your application to the specific studio you are contacting and include any required key skills/level of experience/software knowledge and personal specifications. 4/ Keep all your contact details/reel information and passwords together in one place – your CV! 5/ Always include a covering letter. This gives you the opportunity to support your application and make it personal to you. Include one or two brief paragraphs about yourself and include what you do to support your creativity and passion for animation. 6/ Do your research about the company, people, projects, and policies. Dig deep and find something unique to mention in your covering letter. This shows interest and attention to detail. 7/Many roles require you to have a portfolio and/or reel. Make sure it is well-put together to highlight only your very best work that captures the viewer in the first 10 seconds, and demonstrates your skills, level of experience and personal style. 8/ For CG/VFX specific roles, make sure you include shot breakdowns. Detail your artistry and credit studio production names, “baking” text into a horizontal banner in each shot/sequence. For students who have collaborated on a group graduation film make sure you include your specific shots to showcase your individual skill. 9/ Test your reel link – make sure it works! If it is password protected remember to share the details and include it in all correspondence. 10/Don’t submit your application at the last minute or too near to the closing date as recruiting teams may interview as they go. Good Luck!

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Music+ @The Great Escape Brighton 2024 A private professional network for all those who identify as either marginalised or minority by their gender identity and/or sexual orientation working in within the music industry. Music+ will aim to offer a meet-up of events across 2024, and WhatsApp group for networking and connection. Music+ is open to all who identify as being a minority or marginalised around the personal axis of either gender and/or sexual orientation. Music+ intends to be a space to network. It has no aim to have a business model, research purpose or “membership” and will be entirely open door. Music+ is for those who identify as LGBTQI+ and those who may not publicly be "out" or defined by an identity term. Attendees may wish to remain private outside of the meet-ups, so please no content capture or photography. Whilst visible representation is important Music+ doesn’t aim to fulfil that role. Please respect our differences as we find strength in our similarities. Meet-ups are planned to take place at The Great Escape 17th May at 5pm – 7pm at The Actors. Refreshments will be provided by the Musicians Union. The hosts for the first event are John/Paul/Saskhia/Kemal etc etc (I want it to have a few names confirmed) with social links #music #musicbusiness #mmf #ukmusic #tge #musicindustry #musicbiz #musicislife #inclusion #lgbtqia+ #lgbt #musicindustrynews #musiceducation #networking #musicmatters #creativeindustries #equalopportunities #progress #changemakers

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I’ve never seen so many talented people going full-time after years of freelancing, so why are we still taking the p*ss with salaries? I’m seeing more people recently who are 10 years+ deep in the freelance game moving into full-time roles, either due to a lack of work or simply feeling a bit exhausted by the freelance market over the years and needing a break. As a company, you should 100% be snapping these people up because the likelihood is that when things pick up, you won’t be able to afford them. BUT!... I’ve stepped away from the full-time market in more recent times while building out Unorthodox, but there still seems to be a lot of undercutting and piss-taking with some of the salaries I have seen popping up, particularly at senior level and above. As a company, is that not counterproductive in the long run? I mean, sure, you get a discount on someone right now because they aren’t in work. But that discount is likely to be short-lived until things pick up and the person bounces back to freelancing, at which point you have to replace them and pay a higher rate in a more competitive market anyway. I’m hearing a lot of agencies, in particular, coming to a breaking point internally with the amount of resources they are having to bring in to support their stretched core teams. Which means that another industry hiring push is just around the corner in the coming months, in my opinion. The usual rush to over-hire for internal teams, take on a load of full-timers to cover the workload, and attempt to shoehorn a square peg into various round holes in the form of workflows. But the best places, which have the best teams in the world, hire with a purpose. They also often pay more money than others for the right kind of person because they see the future value of that person and where it can take their offering. Is that not what hiring is about? Looking into your freelance bookings over the past year, picking the highest five, and then going to hire anyone with those skill sets is lazy. As I’ve said before, outsourcing shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing, quite the opposite! If you properly understand the kind of department, work, and culture you want to have in your agency, then you should be going all out hiring at the moment. The talent pool is literally better than I have ever seen it! People you would never have had a chance of getting before can now be persuaded for the right opportunity. BUT don’t bother if you aren’t doing it properly. Ask more of your internal talent team to supply bespoke hires that have been matched to specific criteria for the kind of team you want to build. Let’s just stop taking the piss with some of these salaries though, yeah? Note to job seekers –If a company is lowballing a salary, they aren't doing any of the above, which means it’s a shitshow, you won’t be there long even if you do get the job. So just swerve it and save the time ;) Unorthodox #contentproduction #industryinsights #thoughtoftheday  

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Is being a Production Assistant (PA) the dream job you've always imagined? I know you will say NEVER! While it might not be the most glamorous role in the film industry, it's undoubtedly one of the most crucial. Often overlooked, the PA position offers a unique set of benefits that can propel your career forward. As a PA, you're essentially a sponge absorbing information about every aspect of filmmaking. From pre-production planning to post-production magic, you'll get a front-row seat to the entire process. This hands-on experience is invaluable for anyone looking to climb the industry ladder. The film industry is all about who you know. As a PA, you'll interact with a wide range of people, from directors and producers to actors and crew members. These connections can be instrumental in landing future jobs and securing mentorship opportunities. PAs wear many hats. You'll learn to juggle multiple tasks, problem-solve under pressure, and communicate effectively. These skills are transferable to any industry and will serve you well throughout your career. Working on various film and TV projects can help you identify your specific interests within the industry. You might find yourself drawn to directing, producing, or even acting. While the PA role can be demanding, it's a solid foundation for a successful career in the film industry. With dedication and hard work, you can progress to more senior positions and ultimately achieve your career goals. Remember, every great film starts with a strong foundation, and that foundation is often built by the unsung heroes – the Production Assistants. A fellow Filmmaker TUNMISE is Coming!! #Filmmaker #filmtraining #Director

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BEING AN ARTIST - RUNNING BEFORE YOU CAN WALK. I have seen so many artists with potential crash & burn since working in the music industry from 2016. A lot of it comes down to inflated fees when they’re not worth serious hard tickets. Being surrounded by yes men who are afraid to have an honest conversation with their client or agents and managers that are trying to milk you short term / don’t know what they’re doing with no long term strategy in mind is a killer. Build your career organically and increase the fees territory to territory once you’re a proven hard ticket seller. You’re better off having a 15-20 year career playing for solid & steady fees instead of outpricing yourself & having 5 mins of fame. Promoters are taking less risks in the current economic climate so it’s about working together between the promoter - artist - manager - agent dynamic. #musicindustry #musiceconomy #musicbusiness

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Is Film School Necessary to Become a Successful Filmmaker? This is a question every creative deals with at least once in their life. I've been on both sides. Starting as a self-taught filmmaker and later studying film production uni abroad in UK. Today there is a limitless amount of resources available to learn virtually anything you can think of on your own. One of the advantages of university is that they organize knowledge into small parts, which you get over time, with the added benefit of guidance from tutors and feedback from fellow students. Do I regret going to university? Not at all, because there's a difference between attending and truly studying. During my three years, I was proactive, taking every opportunity and resource to get the most out of my education. On the other hand, there were a lot of people who just attended and did not do much until they had to. That approach wastes both time and potential. So, if you choose to pursue something, commit to it fully. Go all in or don't bother. Half efforts won't cut it today. Go get it! ✊ P.S. Here's a link to an awesome course that can kickstart your journey for FREE:

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😅 Ever dreaded hearing those words from clients: 'Thanks, but...'? Well, here's some good news - that 'but' could be the key to taking your work to new heights. Just look at the Sonic movie! Despite initial criticism about the character designs, the team listened to feedback and completely revamped Sonic's appearance, leading to an overwhelmingly positive response from fans. Not only did this success pave the way for a second movie, but it also opened doors for a third instalment and a Knuckles TV series. Talk about turning critique into triumph! It’s not just about fixing what might be wrong—it's about uncovering new possibilities that can take your work to the next level. ☀ However, not all suggestions lead to gold. We’ve all faced those changes that just didn’t quite resonate as expected. Share a change that transformed your work for the better—a revision you ended up loving more than the original OR a revision that missed the mark and didn't pan out as hoped. Let's embrace how feedback can both challenge and enhance our creative projects! Leave your thoughts below.🔥 #FeedbackInAnimation #ConstructiveCritiques #Creatives #Animation #Revisions

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