Presentation

S.W.O.T Analysis

S.W.O.T Analysis

Strengths -Creative -Very motivated -Organised -Good communication skills -Hard working -Deal well under pressure -3D skills in Autodesk Softimage -Can meet strict deadlines. -I am willing to travel for work. -I have 3 years of university education in computer animation.

Weaknesses -Lack of knowledge in other software (e.g. Autodesk Maya, 3Ds max) -2D animation. -Presenting to a large group. -No work experience in the animation industry. -Don’t have a lot of substantial work to put in a portfolio. -Don’t have a personal website set up. -Have no professional contacts within the industry.

Opportunities -Learn software programs such as Autodesk Maya, 3Ds max to improve overall knowledge. -Practice presenting work to people. -Opportunities to build up a good portfolio. -Set up a personal website where, show reel can be displayed. -Make business cards to hand out to employers. -Attend film festivals and trade shows to try to attain contacts within the industry, also email companies and send out show reels.

Threats -Lot of competition in freelance animation. -Not many local freelance animation jobs. -May be long periods without work -May have to work for free at the beginning. -Lack of job security -May get taken advantage of by potential clients.

Pitching Research

I have looked into pitching ideas and advice so that I can develop the most efficient pitch possible.


From a website I looked at I gathered some good information that I think will help me in my final presentation.
I found that "A pitch should be concise,compelling,targeted and a directional series of statements, designed not as much to sell, as to convey to listeners that it's author is the best person from whom to buy."

I also discovered that " A pitch should focus on who you are, how you do it, what you do differently and why you should be hired."

Aswell as " A freelancers pitch should have three main parts, an introduction with a few choice facts about yourself, an experiances section, and a skills and capabilites section."

These facts were all very helpful to my research. They highlighted some good points that will be useful in creating and presenting my final pitch.

I got these quotes from ..... "www.freelanceuk.com"

Primary Research - Seed Animation

I contacted the company Seed Animation to get some information as to whether they hire freelancers and what they look for in potential employees.

I got a response from Neil Kidney with some helpful information.

 

Does your company hire freelance animators?

Yes, we hire only freelance animators on a job by job basis. Most of the industry is freelance now.

If so, what technical skills do you look for in potential employees?

We try to hire people who specialise in their chosen field as you tend to get better results. However, if a project is small we may look for multi skilled people/generalists. If the job is big though we definately hire on a role by role basis.

Also what other skills or personality traits would you look for in a freelance animator?

Other skills and personality traits-anything extra they bring to the table outside of what they are primarily hired for is a bonus. Personality traits, just someone who is positive and a team player, easy to get along with and eager to work to high levels of quality.

And Finally, how long on average would a freelance contract last for an animator?

Length of contract depends on the jobs. Sometimes we keep people rolling from job to job. Contracts can be as short as a week, as long as 10 weeks.

Questions to ask about the business

-Is your idea commercially viable?



-Is there a market?

• The 3D animation industry is continously growing, as new technologys are discovered and new ideas created. Animation is featured in a lot of film, commercials and TV series. In general, most productions are produced featuring a team of animators who work together to produce the animation. Therefore there is a need for animators in the industry today and for the future.

-Is someone else doing it?

• There are lots of freelance animators out there, some will be recent graduates and some may have years of experiance, so there is a lot of competition in this specific industry.

-Is it realistic?

• This specific job as a freelance animator is realistic, it is hard to get into as you need a good client base and a good work ethic. But it is achieveable.

-What are the risks?

• There are a few risks that come with becoming a freelance animator,

1. one being that there will be a lot of competition and alot of other animators all going for the same job.
   
2. Also there may be long periods of time where a freelance animator may be out of work.
3. Another risk is that you have to deal with all your own finances, there is no set wage, or constant income.

-What is your unique selling point?


Refining the business idea

-How will you fund the idea?


-Is location important?

• Location is important for a freelance animator, it helps to be near the companies you want to work for as this will cut travel costs. It also helps to be in one of the areas where animation companies are based. The main areas in the UK for animation companies are, London, Bristol, Cardiff, Dundee and Manchester.

-Are you going to work on your own or in a team?

• I plan to start out on my own, but have not ruled out the idea of developing a team further down the line.