UNIT 11 Progression & Industry
Below is my Personal Statement for the UCAS application: Animation is my fascination, I’ve always asked, “how was that made? how can I do that?” and eventually I found myself drawing characters and recreating films from my own imagination, even doodles became a moving pictures in flip book, and over time learning from my mistakes, I learned how to improve my drawing abilities. I found I had a passion for art in my last years of primary school, but I never knew where it would lead me, so as my enthusiasm grew I was adamant I would take GCSE Art at secondary school and that is when my eyes where opened up into a new world. It highlighted to me that I wanted to be far more creative in my career and be able to work on something alone but also combined with others. I want to create something that I could be proud of and bring joy to others, like animation did for me. When I first applied to attend college, I was originally taking fine art however because I achieved higher GCSE grades than were anticipated, I had the chance to follow my animating dream, and so far I’ve not been disappointed and I feel there’s so much more I can achieve and do. Having done two years at college in Animation and Game design, I have learnt how to use different kinds of programmes, such as Maya, After Effects and Photoshop. During this experience, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the tasks of learning how to use and create with these programmes and develop my abilities in evaluating my own work in essays and improving my life drawing skills. Attending University will give me the opportunity to develop these skills further, allowing me to work closely within the animation industry such as on films, adverts and advertisements. I will be able to use up to date technology and extend my knowledge of wireframes, 3D modelling, rigging and recreation of different environments whilst making them look and act real such as a character walking in snow scene storm or in the heat of a desert island. I’ve also had the chance to attend a BFI (British Film Institute) residential programme, where I stayed a week with professional animators and learnt how to create stop motion animation. During this time I realised that I wanted to have a more computerized aspect of a career in animation and the effects I could achieve through it. It was from talking to the animators, that I know where I wanted my carer to go, from student, being employed and then becoming a freelancer and so on. From this camp, we made short clip films which were screened at a small Bristol theatre, where we received a certificate and DVD of our work, from a leading animating director of Aardman. In education I’d been told that I would never achieve or go very far, because I was too shy, quiet, unconfident and an underachiever. This never stopped me from doing what I wanted to do, such as playing the guitar by myself and within a group to an audience, being involved in the history re-enactment group called ‘The Sealed Knot Society’ with my family and walking my dogs, as this helps me clear my mind and gain inspiration, to my story writing and drawings. Being the youngest child in my family, I’m grateful for this opportunity in going onto higher education; my mother encourages me to reach my goals just like she did when she gained her degree as a mature student. So going to university and being able to study animation will be the first of many steps towards my dream career, and help me in being able to become an executive and director of my own game and animation design company, to take my family name and make it well-known, famous or even celebrated which is something I’ve always wanted and said I would do and to prove to others that I can be someone and achieve great things.
Out of the five options for universities, I chose to only select two; Bournemouth and Portsmouth University. I chose these two Universities due to the fact they both offer a course in computer animation with a motion caption on-suite, on the campus. I made Portsmouth my firm choice because it suited me better, the course allowed me to take life drawing lesson as an extra curriculum, also it made more sense to have accommodation in Portsmouth when I had family living in that area, it give my parents ease to know, that I wouldn’t be alone.
As a animator/artist I have many dreams, but two stand out the most. I wish to see myself as a director of my own animation/film, with my family name rolling up the credits, and if that doesn’t seem right, then I would like to be a CEO of my own business, with my own branch in the gaming industry. I find Its better to dream big, then to not dream at all for my future. Both these two aims are big responsibilities, both needing high education and knowledge, but I believe with my good leadership and listening skills, I can achieve these goals, of course with the help of further education. If I was successful and achieved the goal of being a director, then my job would consist of; Coaching actors and directing them towards the required performances that I foresee, Coordinating staff on set, Overseeing the cinematography, Interpreting a script and creating it into a film, and directing the shooting timetable to ensuring that deadlines are met on time. However no one starts of as a director straight away, if I wanted to reach that goal I would start of as a runner and learn what the business entails or what should be expected from a director. Then slowly I would take my first step in the path of a director, by being a animator and learning what it is like to be directed, the pressure and the joy of helping create the film. Eventually, after a few years of experience, (not to long, because I still want to be a young) I would apply for my first directing job and create a film that everyone could enjoy.
What i did for the Show
On June 17, we had our show in our classroom; everybody was assigned a computer which would have our show reel playing on loop, also I had print outs of renders that I pinned up around my computer and a name tag which included the university I would be attending, stuck on the computer below the screen. The show officially started at 6pm, however my class and I arrived at college around 11am; to set up our computer and boards in the middle of the room with our print outs pinned up, any unfinished work, and set up the drinks outside the classroom for refreshments as people walked around watching our show reels. I had invited my parents to the show, to which I explained my work and the process it took me. When I was allowed to leave with my parents, I shook my lectures hand, thanking him for teaching me for two years; before leaving we walked around the other expeditions at the college, to which I felt relieved to be finished and feeling rather lost now that I had finished college.
Major Final Project 