{"id":10722,"date":"2019-06-14T10:48:21","date_gmt":"2019-06-14T09:48:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/undergraduate\/?p=10722"},"modified":"2020-10-26T16:21:54","modified_gmt":"2020-10-26T15:21:54","slug":"my-placement-overseas-in-vancouver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/2019\/06\/14\/my-placement-overseas-in-vancouver\/","title":{"rendered":"My placement overseas in Vancouver"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a guest blog by current student Si\u00e2n<\/span> Venables<\/p>\n

Hello<\/span> there<\/span>! <\/span>My name is<\/span> Si\u00e2n <\/span>and I am <\/span>a placement student <\/span>currently studying Computer Visualisation and Animation at B<\/span>ournemouth University<\/span>. <\/span>I <\/span>have spent<\/span> the past eight<\/span> months working in industry<\/span> as a visual effects artist<\/span> and<\/span>,<\/span> come September<\/span>,<\/span> I will be returning <\/span>to BU <\/span>to complete <\/span>the<\/span> final year of my degree<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Here<\/span> is a little about my experience working for Encore VFX in Vancouver, BC<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What <\/span><\/b>tool\/resource <\/span><\/b>did you find the most helpful in your placement search<\/span><\/b>?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My LinkedIn profile \u2013 I set up my LinkedIn profile <\/span>before<\/span> I applied to<\/span> university,<\/span> but only started <\/span>making <\/span>use of it when I<\/span> began<\/span> properly<\/span> networking<\/span> there<\/span>. <\/span>University organised talks I attended in my first and second years as well as events such as the BFX festival provided me with many contacts that would become vital to my placement search.<\/span> When researching companies in the industry I used LinkedIn to check whether I<\/span> already<\/span> had connections with producers and recruiters at <\/span>said<\/span> companies, based on who I had already met from the industry. <\/span>Some of th<\/span>ese<\/span> mutual<\/span> connections opened up <\/span>conversations<\/span> with<\/span> industry artists <\/span>and supervisors <\/span>that<\/span> then<\/span> aided in my search.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

LinkedIn also allowed me to contact <\/span>a handful of my<\/span> colleagues before I began <\/span>work <\/span>at the studio<\/span>, <\/span>which <\/span>definitely <\/span>made my first <\/span>day a little less daunting!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hardest aspect of your placement<\/span><\/b>:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One word <\/span>\u2013<\/span> d<\/span>ailies<\/span>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All the way through school, especially <\/span>during<\/span> more <\/span>student<\/span>-l<\/span>ed projects, we<\/span> are <\/span>encouraged to keep our lecturers <\/span>up to date with our progress and to ask for help when we come across issues <\/span>that <\/span>we can\u2019t resolve<\/span> ourselves<\/span>. Likewise, in a visual effects studio constant communication is vital.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

W<\/span>hile I had some <\/span>prior awareness<\/span> of<\/span> \u2018dailies\u2019 and \u2018rounds\u2019<\/span> culture<\/span> before beginning work, I didn\u2019t appreciate quite how <\/span>frequent<\/span> this stage of feedback was. Initially, the process of having to constantly <\/span>present versions of my work to producers, supervisors an<\/span>d<\/span> fellow artists was daunting (especially if<\/span>,<\/span> like me, <\/span>you\u2019ve grown up telling people \u201c<\/span>-d<\/span>on\u2019t look! It\u2019s not done yet!\u201d<\/span>)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I quickly <\/span>learnt t<\/span>hat this contact<\/span> was<\/span> not only<\/span> for my own benefit, but for those running the show (pun intended)<\/span>,<\/span> and that the more versions I shared<\/span> and <\/span>the more<\/span> conversations<\/span> I<\/span> started, the easier it got<\/span>. <\/span>Despite<\/span> my initial anxieties and <\/span>nerves,<\/span> I soon learn<\/span>ed<\/span> to be less precious with unfinished work and actively tried to communicate with my coordinators and leads<\/span> mor<\/span>e.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Most enjoyable aspect of your placement<\/span><\/b>:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Working as part of such a wonderful team! I hope I get to work with <\/span>many of my colleagues<\/span> again <\/span>sometime in the near future.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

The women of Encore VFX and Method Studios gathered for International Women\u2019s Day 2019<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One example of how your course prepared you for the <\/span><\/b>placeme<\/span><\/b>nt<\/span><\/b>:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout my second year, as I became more<\/span> interested in <\/span>FX<\/span> simulation, I found myself choosing to do <\/span>FX<\/span> whenever I had the chance; be that in <\/span>research-based<\/span> projects or when choosing my role in group assignments. <\/span>As an FX artist at Encore I was<\/span> actually joining a \u20183D team\u2019, many of wh<\/span>om<\/span> worked as 3D generalists. While I did mostly focus on <\/span>FX<\/span> during my time <\/span>here<\/span>, my course\u2019s \u2018generalist\u2019 approach to teaching gave me the skills necessary to communicate with other artists and make pipeline hand-offs smoother<\/span>.<\/span> This is why<\/span> in my final year<\/span> –<\/span> while I still have a particular love for simulation<\/span> –<\/span> I want to ensure I keep<\/span> up<\/span> my generalist <\/span>learning<\/span> and not specialise too finely, t<\/span>o<\/span>o soon<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Two tips for future placement students:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Persevere! This is especially relevant for those <\/span>looking for animation placement<\/span>s as a<\/span>t some point in your search <\/span>it <\/span>may<\/span> start to <\/span>feel like there is nothing out there<\/span>! I secured my placement by sending my reel to studios I was interested in<\/span> and<\/span> expressing what I wanted to do<\/span> – t<\/span>here was no actual advertisement for a placement student or intern!<\/span> Hence, d<\/span>on\u2019t be afraid to go outside of the formal <\/span>applications<\/span> and just <\/span>ask<\/span><\/i>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wh<\/span>ile you\u2019re<\/span> on placement, take every opportunity you can to learn. Ask to sit in on meetings<\/span>,<\/span> ask co<\/span>–<\/span>workers what they are working on and how they achieved certain things<\/span>, etc. You\u2019ll be amazed at how generous people are with their time!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What have you learned that you never thought you would have this year?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

BU graduates are everywhere! Meeting alumni from my course successfully working in the roles I am aiming towards<\/span> has been a huge motivator as it has taught me to think,<\/span> \u201c<\/span>If they can do it, why can\u2019t I?<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Three words to describe your placement:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Teamwork; learning; laughter<\/span>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Any other comments:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The opportunity to complete a placement year was one of the reasons I applied to study at BU in the first place and I can\u2019t even begin to describe how happy I am that I was able to secure and complete this <\/span>placement<\/span> AND have such an amazing time while doing so. That being said, even if the placement year <\/span>wasn\u2019t at<\/span> the <\/span>fore<\/span>front of your mind when applying<\/span>, or if<\/span> you\u2019re on the fence as to whether <\/span>to <\/span>pursue it<\/span> or not<\/span>, I <\/span>for one would <\/span>highly recommend doing so.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I have grown so much this year; <\/span>I have learnt many new technical skills<\/span> and have gained insight into<\/span> current <\/span>industry practice<\/span>, but I have also learnt<\/span> more<\/span> about myself as a worker and an artist. I\u2019m returning to BU with an even greater drive to do well in my final year<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Super<\/span><\/b>visor Q\/A<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Name:<\/span>Adele<\/span> Jones <\/span>Venables<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Job Title: <\/span>Executive Producer (Deluxe Entertainment Services Group)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What was it about your placement student that secured them the position with <\/span><\/b>you?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We were impressed with Sian\u2019s demo reel- she showed real creativity and natural talent given her limited experience.\u202f She also took initiative to get in touch with whomever she could, <\/span>luckily<\/span> she found the right person!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What has it been like having your placement student on the team<\/span><\/b>?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sian has been lovely to have on the team- she\u2019s made some really good contributions to the current project we\u2019re working on.\u202f She\u2019s become part of the team, working on the pipeline and outputting sims and renders that will be used in the show.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u202f<\/span>What 3 essential things do you expect to see on a student CV applying for a placement<\/span><\/b>?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>In our VFX industry what stands out to me is a clean, clear CV design.\u202f I am looking for a list of software proficiencies and talents\/interests.\u202f <\/span>Also<\/span> important- what have they done in their spare time?\u202f Whether it\u2019s learning on their own, volunteering, interning, etc.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u202f<\/span>As an employer would you rather see a short or long placement on a graduate CV, and why<\/span><\/b>?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are benefits to <\/span>both<\/span> but I\u2019d rather see a longer placement of 3 months or longer.\u202f I feel that this provides ample time to get into the flow of the workplace\/project and after that amount of time they would have a good handle on their own tasks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What has been the best thing about having <\/span><\/b>your<\/span><\/b> student on placement<\/span><\/b>?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A great attitude!\u202f Seriously though, after many years or on more difficult projects many artists get jaded or fatigued.\u202f It\u2019s really refreshing having someone here <\/span>wh<\/span>o is eager to learn- it\u2019s uplifting for the other artists around them.\u202f It also helps keep more senior artists on their toes- the new students have usually trained on more modern software and bring their own bag of tricks to the studio.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Any advice for students wanting to apply for a placement at your company:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spend the time on a demo reel- in many ways it\u2019s almost more important than your CV.\u202f Employers in the VFX industry want to see new artists who are able to do all of the basic tasks and then some- spend the time learning how to properly roto, paint, track- and then get something creative on the reel.\u202f I strongly encourage people to do a personal project or sequence that is outside of a school project so that they have something different on their reel from the rest of the class. \u202fThere are local schools here in Vancouver that tend to output many artists each year who all work collectively on a sequence- and what happens is that 20+ people end up with the same shots on their reel. It gets very difficult for a prospective employer to know what each person has done.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Also<\/span> important- having a banner\/title on the shots to tell us what you did is very helpful.\u202f Make sure it\u2019s consistent across the reel.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What do you think students should focus on when applying for a <\/span><\/b>placement?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Find ways to stand out- a clean sleek resume\/cv and a demo reel that showcases your best talents.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t include work on your demo reel if you aren\u2019t proud of it- I\u2019d rather see a short reel with wow factor than a long reel with less-strong work.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u202f<\/span>If this has been your first experience with a sandwich placement student, would you do it again<\/span><\/b>?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It would greatly depend on the student, timing, and space on our end- but <\/span>yes<\/span> it\u2019s been a great experience for all involved.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u202f<\/span>Any other comments:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sian has been lovely to have on board! We\u2019ll be sad to see her go!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is a guest blog by current student Si\u00e2n Venables Hello there! My name is Si\u00e2n and I am a placement student currently studying Computer Visualisation and Animation at Bournemouth University. I have spent the past eight months working in industry as a visual effects artist and, come September, I will be returning to BU… Read more » about My placement overseas in Vancouver<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1268,"featured_media":10725,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[499,496,798,12,1638],"tags":[662,130,323,586,104],"class_list":["post-10722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-computer-animation-visual-effects","category-ug-courses","category-placements","category-student-blogs","category-undergraduate","tag-animation-degree","tag-bournemouth-university","tag-bu-placement","tag-bu-students","tag-courses"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1268"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10722"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10722\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10839,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10722\/revisions\/10839"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10725"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/student-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}