VFX Festival Final Thoughts

So the VFX Festival was three weeks ago and I have to say that there was a lot less going on, in terms with what was shown compared to the BFX festival which was in Bounrmouth, where they had much more detailed breakdowns of different studios showing their work.

VFX Week 2

I enjoyed the recruitment advice the most as this was cancelled in the BFX festival, so it was good that I was able to hear from industry professionals on how to work yourself up the ladder in the VFX studios. 

I also have to admit, that I didn't network as much as I had initially planned before booking this event. I honestly didn't feel comfortable and at times I know that I would be forcing myself to talk where i could slip up and etc. But, that's not to say that there isn't a flip side to this story.

Covent Garden- Needed a break from the VFX Festival

I was able to stay down with my cousin in London for the duration of the week and though he may not be part of the industry I was going into, he and his girlfriend was able to offer some advice on my next steps in life. Just hearing the words "patience" in the conversation with them, really struck a chord in me, reason being is because,  I have been giving myself a hard time on how, and where I should be rather where I am right now, with no job in sight of an animator anytime soon.

A discussion with VFX head studios about the future on the industry

I was also very lucky to have then been able to meet my other cousin in London, as I never thought that I would be able to see her until the Christmas holidays. She has a boyfriend  named "Ash" who has turned out to have worked on the recent blockbuster film this year, Man of Steel. I was shocked. I was then able to talk to both of them and I must say, I felt an uplift of confidence. Some of the things which stuck with me was how Ash said to me that "Andy, you're pretty lucky with the extra time you have now, in terms of improving your showreel". I was confused on how he could be as he had worked on a film like Man of Steel and is now working for The Foundry. But, I slowly realised what he was talking about when I got back home. I have all the tools to make and improve my animations.

With these few but memorable conversations that I had during the VFX festival, I have found that passion and resolve to once again strive towards my goal, which is to entertain people, through the performance of my animations, as an animator.