We hear this term so much, the creative industry, among others, seems to run quite a bit on networking. However in practice, networking for students like us felt very new and elusive. What do you talk about? How will one conversation grow into any work relationship or opportunity? In the last few months, I think I am beginning to get a grasp on what it means.
One of the highlights of this term was being able to attend Brighton Animation Festival in April. It was an achievement to be able to get a festival selection for our sting and it is quite a different experience than visiting as a spectator. After our home screening for our one minute films in February, I now knew some of the Guildhall composers in person and I met them again at Brighton. Having known faces in the crowd made it feel less nerve wracking. The film screenings were incredible and I met some more new filmmakers and animators behind the films. Turns out its really easy to talk to someone when you are talking to them about their film, everyone appreciates their hard work and ideas being seen and validated. I approached someone because their outfit was cool and turns out they are studying filmmaking in my home city, we became online friends and I got to see her film later even though I missed her screening.
Also being at the festival also gave me a context as to how selections probably work and what it is like having an audience react to your film.
In the easter break, the lovely Xiaoyu had organised a studio visit to BlinkInk for some enthusiastic people in the class who had been to Nexus instead at the start of last term. We were joined by some more animation students from Middlesex University and we attended the talk and the tour together. Nicola Strinas and Jac Clinch hosted the introduction session and took us through some of latest projects and the wide host of departments under the production house. It was partly amazing to see the studio and see familiar names and projects on their house project board, at the same time it felt a little hopeless hearing them say they want applications to ‘stand out’ even referring to someone sending them a mug with their contact details on it. It is hard to play the game when you don’t know what the rules are anymore.
I also had a chance to attend the UAL graduate career fair in January and met studio founders and talent representatives from studios like DNEG and Sliced Bread Animation. I also had a chance to get a portfolio review as a part of the fair. It was a little overwhelming and while I had some valuable conversations, I felt very lost and confused as to what I am supposed to be doing.
However, I found a little bit more faith in the process when I had posted online looking for volunteers to help with the grad film, four people reached out enthusiastically and I happened to know one of them from my Indian college, and another artist I had met at last year’s The Line showcase.
The more artists and animators I encounter, meet and talk to, the less intimidating it seems to get. Hopefully soon ‘the industry’ will be more and more familiar faces and I will feel like I am a part of it.