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We looked inside some of the posts by ailishlinskeyblog-blog and here's what we found interesting.
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Last Seen Tumblr Blogs
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Celebrities use Tumblr as well.
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Ready for submission!
I have finished all of my work for the upcoming submission on Monday for Creative Platforms. I am very happy with my hand in and my final work. Below I have listed where each document is:
CV - In folder
Business Card - In folder
Showreel - Burnt on DVD / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Knv4pjj-HM
Website - https://www.ailishlinskeyfilms.com/
SWOT - On blog
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Consistent style across all elements
In the blog post I want to discuss the style throughout my marketing materials to show it has been consistent. First off all, I have only used the font “Cardo” on all of my work, this includes my website, CV, business cards and showreel titles. Secondly, I have stuck to the same colour scheme, everything is always on a white background with black text. Thirdly, I always have my name in capital letters, with a line underneath and then my industry. I have also always labelled myself in the same way, on my CV and showreel disc I have labelled myself as “Filmmaker: DOP | Camera Operator | Director | Writer” because they are a physically object that can't be animated, moved and is the only place that shows my industry. On my website I have labelled myself as a Filmmaker in the header because it looks to cramped to have the full description, but in the footer and on my about page I add the “DOP | Camera Operator | Director | Writer”. On my Showreel itself and my business cards, I have labelled myself as a “Filmmaker”, then on another slide of the showreel and the back of my business card I have put a more specific description as “DOP | Camera Operator | Director | Writer” as there has been room to animate. In the final Creative Platforms session I spoke about this with Claire, we both agreed that this is the most appropriate and stylistic way to label myself. So every time I have labelled myself on a marketing material, they may be shown slightly differently but they all have the same information. Finally, I am consistent in having all of handouts printed on card. Overall, I think I have shown a consistent visual style across all elements of my work. Below is a picture of my work showcasing the consistent appearance:
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Printed showreel design
I have picked up my burnt showreel today with my design printed onto it! I am very happy with the final design ahead of the upcoming submission. here are some pictures of the printed work:
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Industry Feedback : Phillip Naylor
Yesterday I received some feedback via email from Phillip Naylor on my website. Naylor owns his owns the production company Insolent Entertainment, he is also an executive producer of the upcoming feature film; The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul. I have been working with Naylor in this project since last august. I thought he would be a great industry contact to get some feedback from as he has a lot experience in the industry and always good feedback. On the whole, I was very happy with the positive feedback that I was given. Naylor said “I love the site. It is very pictorial which is excellent, perhaps particularly so given that you are in the ‘pictures’ business. It gives a professional image…as you might imagine I am not surprised, well done!”. However, he did seem to have some technical issues when viewing my site on the server ‘Firefox v53.0.2 (32-bit)’. So I need to revisit my site to make sure it is suitable and compatable on all formats.
I found Naylors feedback very helpful, he went through each page and gave me notes. Below I will go through the pages:
Home - Naylor wanted to make sure that I have licenses for all of my pictures, which I have. He said the page looks really good which i’m very happy with.
About - He thinks the picture on this page looks professional which is great, as far as he could see he liked my bio. But as he was having some issues on his computer they were slightly shifted.
Showreel- The notes for this page were brief, but he said the page works well and the film was great. I trust his opinion and expertise and am happy that he enjoyed my showreel.
Gallery - He said that the drop down and links work correctly, he likes the look of the Stills and Behind the Scenes page, again he wanted to make sure I had the rights for the photos. He thinks the Short Films page is great and contains good information.
CV - First of all, he thinks my CV looks great which is really good as I am using the same format for my printed CV. But the download link does not work, so I need to check this. He also said that my reference email for Johnny Lochland only picks up the “port.ac.uk” and not the whole address. Finally he checked to see if my email address works and it does.
Contact - Naylor said that the page wouldn't open in Firefox, so I need to check this issue out.
On the whole I have found the feedback very helpful, I know need to revisit the site and make the relevant changes. Hopefully my site will be done within the day. Below I have inserted a screengrab of the email Naylor sent.
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Setting up social media accounts
Today I have been linking my social media accounts to my website, this is because social media is a big influence it today's society, so it’s important to have them listed on your website.
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At the printers!
Today I have visited the Anglesea printing team and sent my showreel off to be burned on the disc alongside the front cover. I have also given them my CV to be printed, but I didn't want my CV to be printed on paper so I picked up some card from the Eldon art shop with a 300gsm to be printed on. I think this is a good paper weight because unlike paper, it isn't easy to rip nor is it flimsy. As well as this 300gsm is the max paper weight that the Anglesea printers will use.
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Interactive CV
Recently I have been working on my website, more specifically the CV page. As I have previously discussed, I want my CV page to be interactive. When I have listed my filmography, under the films title, I have linked it to the film. This is a really good way for potential employers to have quick access to my work.
Here is a screen grab of me in edit mode adding the links:
Here is a screenshot of what the finished product looks like:
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DVD design
As I have now finished my showreel it is ready to be burned on a DVD disc. But I want the design of the disc to still be marketed and pitched, so I have decided to make a design on Photoshop. I want the isc to be very basic, but portray my style. So I have created a design that is coherent to my other marketing products, this means I have my name in capitals, a line underneath and then my desired industry. For the disc itself, I added the text “Showreel 2017” to make it clear what the disc is. Then for the front cover of the DVD case, I again used my name in capitals, a line underneath and then my desired industry but I added my contact details. On my business card and showreel I have listed my website, phone number and email address. So I have done the same for my DVD case. Here is a screenshot of my design:
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LinkedIn
Today at university I found a handout discussing top tips for your Linked In account. It was quite interesting and reminded me that I need to be spending time updating my account.
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Showreel export
Today I have been in the edit suite giving the final touches to my showreel. I am really happy with my reel and think it has a consistent style with all my marketing materials and the intercut style fits perfectly with my industry. I have explored my showreel and am currently uploading it to Youtube.
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Revamping website
Recently I have been revamping my website and making small changes to each pages. Below I have a screenshot of every page and discussed the pages layout and style.
Header / Navigation bar:
Seeing as on my business card, showreel titles and CV I have a line separating my name and industry, I decided to add the same line on my website to create a cohesive style. I have then made this appearance all over my site by using lines in my titles. I really like my header, it's very simple, but for me, it looks very elegant and professional.
Home:
I'm still not completely happy with my home page, I can't seem to find the perfect picture that captures the audience. So I am going to keep on having a look and see what image looks best on the site.
About:
For my about page I have splitted the page in two, one section a picture of me using the Cinie C300. The other a short biography about me. As I have titles myself a filmmaker, on this page I have narrowed down my specialties so it's clear for a viewer to see what I do.
Showreel:
I wanted this page to be very simple and just have my showreel.
Gallery - Short films:
This page is new, I have added it because after a discussion with Claire and Steve Whitford, it seems like a very good idea to have all your films in one place, it makes your work very accessible and employers don't have to jump from site to site to find your films.
Gallery - Stills:
On the stills page, I have rearranged all of the images. I think they flow better in this layout. Overall, I am very happy with this page.
Gallery - Behind the scenes
Like my Stills page, I have rearranged all of the images so they have a better layout.
CV:
This page hasn't had a lot of work done to it, but I want to make a downloadable version of my CV available on the site. So I need to create a download button, I will do this in the upcoming weeks.
Contact:
I wanted my Contact page to have the same style as my About page, this is so my website has a consistent theme.
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Possible industry feedback
Today I have emailed the owner of Insolent Entertainment; Phillip Naylor. I have been working with him since last August and he has agreed to be my mentor. I have asked if he would be able to look over my website and offer any feedback and advice. Hopefully I will hear back from Naylor soon. Here is a screengrab of my email:
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Final CV
Now that I have bought a domain name and email address, I have updated the details on my CV and its now finished and ready to complete. After multiple mock CV’s and edits, I am finally finished! I have put a lot of effort into the piece of work, I have thought about every detail. I have picked a font that is elegant and easy to read, chosen an industry pitched format, used buzzwords and carefully picked the way I list my filmography. I am very happy with the final outcome and the feedback I have been given.
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SWOT Analysis
Strengths
• What are your advantages?
As a final year university student, I think I have acquired a few advantages that will be beneficial when applying for creative jobs. Although I have minimal industry experience which is a weakness, my position at Insolent Entertainment as a Assistant Producer in the music department is a major advantage. This is because I have expanded a broad range of knowledge in other aspects of film and have developed a very good working relationship with my boss who acts more as an industry mentor. For example, I am now familiar with film funding. My employer; Phillip Naylor explained investment banking and the legal side of film. So on top of my work experience, I have really grasped a better understanding of a production company and the different sides of filmmaking. This should be an advantage in my career as I have a well rounded understanding of film production. But one of my main advantages from my work experience is that my boss/mentor is happy to be a reference.
• What do you do well?
One of my greatest professional skills is my versatility, I find that I am able to easily adapt to different work environments and am motivated to take on new job roles. This is something I do very well, I am confident and good at pushing myself to learn new things whilst adapting to new environments. I think this is a key skill because each set and job will differ and have new requirements, so being able to adapt and quickly learn is a great asset.
• What is your greatest asset?
I believe that one of my greatest assets is my interpersonal skills. I can clearly and cohesively communicate to my peers, this is essential for any industry and general life skills. But I can communicate in a friendly, professional and approachable way, whether this be face to face, on the telephone or via email. Another aspect of my interpersonal skills is that I am also a very good listener, this helps avoid miscommunication in the workplace. With good communication and listening skills, I am able to negotiate, build professional relationships and solve problems faster. This is all due to my interpersonal skills which is why I believe it is one of my greatest assets.
To what do you attribute your success?
I attribute my success to a few things, I credit it to my upbringing. My family work in creative job roles, e.g. a drama teacher, cake maker and media teacher. So I have been raised in an environment that focuses on the arts more than than academic subjects such as maths or science. So I have felt supported by my family to study a BA in film which has developed my confidence and attributed to my success. Another attribute has been my university Film Production course. This is because over the three years I have really engaged, learned and developed my understanding of the mechanics of film. Whether this is through practical or written work, I feel prepared to go into the industry in a entry level role.
Weaknesses
• What could be improved?
One of my main weaknesses is my lack of industry experience, although I am very proud of them, I only have two credits in the creative industry. Both of which are work experience. Apart from this, I have only worked on student films. My lack of credits needs to be improved, this is because it could be a drawback when potential employers look at my CV. To work in the camera department, I have found many employers look for an applicant who has at least a year's experience to highlight their technical skills and an understanding of the mechanics of a varieties of cameras. With minimal credits, it’s hard for me to stand out and showcase my industry skills. However, this can be improved as I start to build up my filmography. I see this weakness as a challenge to improve myself and help develop my career in the creative industry.
• What do you do badly?
I'm not very good at managing my time efficiently, at university, I often get caught up in one module and put all my time and effort in it. This then means I spend less time focusing on my other units as I cannot manage my time and distribute my work load easily. This is a weakness in the creative industry as you often work on multiple projects at a time making it crucial to have good time management skills.
• What are your professional weaknesses?
For the Creative industry, it is vital to have good technical knowledge, although I am a competent user with some software and filming equipment, I still have a lot of room for improvement and needs to become more familiar with the equipment which is a considerable weakness.Another notable professional weakness of mine is a lack of industry contacts, I am aware that in film and TV, it's more the people you know rather than what you know. For example, employment opportunities can arise from contacts through word of mouth, people recommending you and being the go to person for your contact. Making friends in the industry is key for all the above reasons, but for a new recruit, they can also offer you guidance, advice and act as a mentor. As I have a lack of contacts, this can be seen as a professional weakness.
• How do they affect your job performance?
Referring back to the question above, a professional weaknesses of mine is a lack of technical knowledge in the creative industry. This could have the capability of affecting my job performance. As I aim to work in the camera department and work my way up into the role as DOP, I need to learn the mechanics and technicalities of the equipment and supporting software to ensure that I can complete my job role. Therefore I need to work on this weaknesses urgently to make sure I have a professional knowledge and understanding of the technical aspect of a camera department.
Opportunities
• Where are the promising prospects facing you?
Currently, I have a few promising opportunities in the pipeline. I have been working for a small production company called Insolent Entertainment for just under a year and have developed a good working relationship with the company’s founder. This has created a few potential prospects, he has said that if the company gets more funding, I may be eligible to come on and work at Insolent Entertainment on a paid basis. This would be great, if not, Naylor has said he will give me a reference for potential employers.
• Would an MSc/MA or another graduate degree add to your advantage?
There are a range of MSc / MA courses for cinematography, DOP and filmmaking, I think that I can make the most progress in my career by going straight into the industry. Normally, a specific degree isn't a requirement, so to have a Creative Skillset accredited BA Film Production degree is already a bonus. But the three years I have spent at university hasn't given me much industry experience, so I think it will be an advantage to get into the industry and start building a strong filmography. Although, I have previously looked into different postgraduate studies, I attended an open day at The London Film School for a tour of their facilities and information on their MA Filmmaking course. It is a two year course based in London. Although the course looked great, it’s total price for the two years is £55,362.00. This is without living and travel costs and Student Finance will only cover up to £10,000. Along with my undergraduate debt, I think in the long run, it wouldn't be time or cost efficient to go straight into a Postgraduate study. But by working in the industry I will be able to pick up essential industry skills and start to make contacts. My aim is to start as an assistant Camera Operator and work my way up to a DOP job role. Just to back up my desicion of going straight into the industry, I have also looked on the creative skillset job profile pages including DOP (http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/759_director_of_photography) and Camera Operator (http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/3073_camera_operator ). Each profile says that a degree is not necessary and
• What formal training and education can you add to your credentials that might position you appropriately for more opportunities?
As I have previously discussed, I think I am better off going straight into the industry rather than applying for postgraduate study. However, there are a few short courses and formal training that I could undertake to help with my employability. For example, The London Film Academy run a 5 day course with a certificate in cinematography, the short course offers vital training in the Arri Alexa and lighting set up. This would look great on my CV as it highlights and reiterates my understanding and experience using industry level equipment. Here is a link to the short course: http://londonfilmacademy.com/courses/cinematography-certificate.asp
• How quickly are you likely to advance in your chosen career?
For my desired industry, it won't be a quick and short process to assume a professional role as a DOP. I have conducted a lot of research and am aware that it will take time, to begin with, I will have to start as an assistant camera operator, work up to head camera operator and then start to build a strong filmography. Build a strong and close network with my peers and then slowly transition into DOP roles. But I will be able to advance in my career if I make the right contacts and show my knowledge, skills and enthusiasm in the art of filmmaking.
Threats
• What obstacles do you face?
One of the biggest obstacles I face at the start of my career is finding employment, the film industry is notoriously hard to get into to. I have little industry experience and not many contacts. There are hundreds of applicants all applying for the same job, so one of the biggest challenges is trying to stand out to an employer. I know I need to offer myself as a package, seeing how competitive the industry is, it is no longer enough to have one key skill, instead you need to know a variety of eclectic and transferable skills. To try and overcome this threat I want to work on how I sell myself to employers, I need a strong CV, website and showreel. I need to network and make employers know who I am. I once attended a Go Think Big session where a high up employe at Bauer Media said he once employed a man because he tweeted him his CV everyday for months. This shows the power of social media and is an option to overcome my obstacle. But it is clear, that one of the biggest obstacles and threats I face is trying to get on the employment ladder and gain some much needed experience.
• Are the requirements for your desired job field changing?
I believe that the desired skills in the filmmaking and DOP industry is changing. It is no longer enough to know your job role, you need to have skills and knowledge on a variety of postions as companies want to hire multi-talented employes. For example, as a camera operator, it's a desirable skill to understand lighting and / or DIT. But I don't see this as a threat, I know I will need these skills and experience to become a DOP, so I want to embrace these desired requirements and build a strong understanding.
• Does changing technology threaten your prospective position?
Like most of the job roles in the creative industry, as technology advances and new equipment is brought out, the skills required for the job field are changing. It will only threaten my position in the industry if I don't keep up with the changes. So I need to ensure stay on top of the developing filmmaking technology otherwise I could be less employable.
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My business cards have come!
I have recieved my business cards from Moo.com, I am really happy with the final design and the thicknesses of the paper. The only thing I would change is the size of my contact font, so if I was to order again I would increase the size. Here are some pictures of the finished and printed business card:
(The picture is slightly blurry but shows the design)
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Editing showreel titles
Today I have Edited all my titles for my showreel in Photoshop, this is because the title tool in Avid sometimes comes out slightly blurry or pixelated. So I have redone them in Photoshop to make sure there isn't any issues when exported.
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