An ex-Vis Com student, graduated this Summer, and before I continue, take a quick look at his show reel please...
SHOW REEL 09 from Matt Saunders on Vimeo.
I emailed him to hopefully get in touch and check out his studio/see how an animator works in the freelance environment... he emailed back within half an hour which was very much appreciated, he said I wouldn't gain much from seeing his studio's, but he gave me a bit of info and some honest advice....
"My first bit of advice would be just to make something...do anything..It really doesn't mater what programs you use or don't use (I didn't get any lessons on after effects or in animation), they will not make your animations. If anything the limitations of technology should help your work to be more creative.
Freelancing and the animation industry is just hard work, pure grafting. You need to have lots and lots of patience and then more patience. Some of my projects Ive been doing with tight deadlines meant that Ive had to work from 9 in the morning till the early hours in the morning and do the same again for a week or two and Im doing freelance illustration as well. So I guess thats the first test and you are also working for way below what you should be charging as well. So it has to be about the Love of it. "
Freelancing and the animation industry is just hard work, pure grafting. You need to have lots and lots of patience and then more patience. Some of my projects Ive been doing with tight deadlines meant that Ive had to work from 9 in the morning till the early hours in the morning and do the same again for a week or two and Im doing freelance illustration as well. So I guess thats the first test and you are also working for way below what you should be charging as well. So it has to be about the Love of it. "
Matt's currently working on 4 main animations ... "one for a channel four doc, Leeds films ident/horror one and an animation for Jeffery brown and probably something else..."
We had our After Effects induction today, it went better than I imagined. However, after having the mini intro to the software though, I'm still struggling to comprehend just how long Matt must have spent on his animations - I guess I'm going to be locked in my room for the next 3 weeks fiddling around with little bits and pieces..
Take a look at some more of his work, with links to Vimeo/Flickr on his website...
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