Study Task 4 - Exit Strategy

My Exit Strategy

Before Graduation: 

• Online presence - updated website, logo, schedule time and set budget for the maintenance
• Show-reel - keep documenting my work and update my show-reel to be relevant to my area of practice. 
• Focus on networking with scriptwriters, directors etc. and professionals that cover areas that I do not.  
• Separation of Personal life and Work. Dealing with pressure of using social media for communication. I am working on being consistent with the communication across different media, at the moment it triggers anxiety in me, when I have a mix of University work and friends conversations in one place. For example - Facebook is my personal account only, if someone approaches me regarding work matter, I will redirect them to my WhatsApp or Email. 
• Continue working on an assertive work pattern - keeping steady pace, no burn outs. 
• Managing mental health and healthy relationships in personal and work life. Work on my messaging anxiety. 
• Get in touch with potential spaces for providing workshops as a freelancer, such as the Aire Place Studio. 

After Graduation:

• Part-time/full-time job, any area is OK at this stage to support myself financially. 
• Getting industry ready. Due to my recent decision (beginning of the academic year) of specialising in what comes most natural to me, stop-motion, I would like to take some extra time after graduation on building my expertise and portfolio. Then compose the portfolio to each of the Universities specifications for Postgraduate studies applications. 
• Exhibitions, screenings, workshops, getting out there - think of the location. 
• Stay with the Leeds Animation Workshop and gain more experience in sourcing funding and writing Project Proposals. I will need this for Postgraduate studies. 
• Continue building network for British Sign Language animation projects. 
• Apply for Masters at the University of Edinburgh, Sheffield Hallam University and continue research about Postgraduate studies at other Universities. 
• Complete the rest of the modules and final assessment for Professional Diploma in Graphic Design with Shaw Academy.

Philip Taylor Cinema and meeting Birgitta Hosea

Thanks to the Leeds Animation Workshop, The Bins and The Bees 2019, mine and G. Dixon Lynch's film got screened at yet another Leeds location. A screening at the Phillip Taylor Cinema, University of Leeds campus preceding the next day's Speculative lunch with attendees including 'VIPs in the world of animation/film/archiving from London & elsewhere' one of the most important meetings fin the process of archiving LAW's over 40 years worth of work. 

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend this meeting, however, I have visited LAW after University that day and met Dr Birgitta Hosea at her visit of the Workshop, which resulted in a very nice conversation about Dr Hosea's practice and my final year work, including that of Shadow puppets, topic in which Dr Hosea holds a lot of expertise.

 I had the honour to be on the panel with Birgitta Hosea at the Rio Cinema event back in 2018

Study Task 2 - Future Plans Exposed

All plans include Cherry

My future plans are a bit bizarre, putting lifestyle first, but in the last three years, I have learnt a lot about myself as an artist and becoming a practitioner as well as a young adult, my needs, skills, aspirations. I have also learnt a lot about maintaining my physical and mental well being. Something I did not expect from a University student life. 

Aspirations: 

I have a love for the city of Edinburgh, it makes me feel at home. I also have an ambition to produce animated fairy tales in British Sign Language or Sign Supported English, depending on resources and connections I can build with people who know either, but eventually, hopefully, both. With already 4 years of work experience in 4 different jobs, truly, I would rather do a part-time job and leave time for making an animation I believe in and can emotionally connect with. Before I even joined the course at LAU, this was really important to me and I can see that I have still a long journey to walk before I can do commissioned work and recognise the difference between art that I do for my own emotional satisfaction and commissioned live briefs. 

Side note: I look up to Pat & Mat  (1976 - present) creators and their 130 episodes of entertaining, silly and engaging slapstick-comedy animation. In my opinion, very meaningful animation and would love to be part of similar projects if I ever get a chance in the future. Unlike Smelf the Elf series that somehow made it on Amazon Prime and left me jaw-dropped. So that is an example of work I do and  work I do not connect with. 

I would love to end up in Edinburgh

Ideally, I would like to study BSL Animation again at Postgraduate studies, it is very extensive and little-explored as I have learned through my Context of Practice in Year 1 and 2. If I could do so in Edinburgh, that would be great, but I feel that I need to scan the horizon more for the suitable University facilities and opportunities to network within the city. I am worried that I may not achieve the entry-level grades to do so (2:1), in which case, the university does also consider the portfolio and 'relevant professional experience'.

Screenshot of Entry Requirements for Masters in Fine Art, Animation at University of Edinburgh

• Completed film - tick, The Bins and The Bees 2019 and working on my Final Film. 
• Life drawing - tick, sessions at the Fenton Pub.
• Storyboards - some old work, my final film storyboards are not done by me. Needs updating. 
• Very little character design from me. I do not consider myself a character designer. Needs updating. 
• I do have schedules for my Final Film so that is covered but will benefit from more work.  
• I believe to have a fair range of animation techniques, I am not quite sure how much they require from a stop-motion artist so I will have to contact the University for clarification. 
• Again, software, I  may have to clarify this with UoE to see more specific requirements. I would assume - Dragonframe, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Storyboarder Pro. 

For this I would also need to produce a film proposal and the year out of education will be perfect for doing so and to carry out networking and applications for funding. I may try developing a project proposal on Crowdfunding and look at other potential funding opportunities.

I also went to the Getting Animated With Young Audiences Content Fund talk at MAF 2019 and I can see this topic being relevant as they are looking for projects specifically for British audiences, however, I may be looking at younger audiences than this is focused for. It also requires a certain amount of funding to be sourced from elsewhere before applying. Also, I am not quite sure how does funding work for student projects - area for further research

So, for the upcoming year I am staying in Leeds, to continue to be part of the collective at Leeds Animation Workshop, live near my friends and family and work on my portfolio. I will be registering as a freelancer and aim to learn a thing or two about funding applications while continuing to rent out the spare room in our house as a little studio space. 

Networking:

I will continue going to Manchester Animation Festival, they do not disappoint with the amount of stop-motion orientated programme and I can afford it - location, accommodation etc.. Including great pub event, Northwestivus that has proven to be great networking event for me at MAF 2019.  I will also be going to LIFF and LYFF, Sheffield Documentary Festival and Aesthetica Short Film Festival.

Other festivals - it will depend on the programme and my financial situation. I may have to spend a decent amount of money and time of getting a citizenship, but if the wallet allows, I would love to go to Animarkt. 

I will aim to engage in Stop-Motion Forum more too.