You Are Here: Symposium Notes PUBLISHING

I was really disappointed that a representative from Macmillan couldn't attend but publishing is definitely the talk I was most looking forward to as I knew it was relevant to my interests in children's books and storytelling.

Publishers: ItsNiceThat

• Has expanded from a uni project to an online journal of everything from photography, illustration, graphic design, film, animation and motion graphics. 
• Something for everyone.
• 13 stories a day x 5 days a week!
• Twice a year they publish Printed Pages (reflection of best bits republished in print)
• TheGraduates - Molly Fairhurst won last year! Apply...?
• They advertise to survive but still have small independent ethos, small team.

Publishers: NoBrow

• Physical books, made to cherish and celebrate illustration.
• Independent, high production value.
• Left-field ideas & personal projects (several were university final major projects).
• Flying Eye Books is children's book imprint.
• The Non-fiction children's market is BOOMING.

What Publishers look for:

• Bring personality.
• Doesn't matter what your interest is, but show your PASSION.
• Bravery, confidence.
• Understand what you're trying to say/comment on.

Advice for illustrators:

• Social media is key.
• Lead with images but be selective about the work you do show.
• If there's someone you want to work for, be human, put your work first!
• Bologna book fair is worth visiting.
• Be unique
• Have persistence
• Keep creating and developing.
• Intern
• Meet with art directors. Make working relationships.
• Get in contact.
• Do your research - no repeats of books.

Advice on setting up a publishing company/press:

• Print is expensive! But appreciated and valued.
• Not particularly financially viable, but a way of making work, putting it out there and experimenting.
• Group together.
• Find a gap. Belleville Press - price of a pint!

You Are Here: REFLECTIONS

What did I want/expect from the Symposium?

• Networking with professionals, giving out business cards.
• Tips about getting into publishing.
• Whether an agent is the right thing for ME.

I had a fantastic time in London. I was very worried as it's a huge city and I have had panic attacks the last few times I've been. I find the noise and busyness of the city so overwhelming but this time I felt a lot more comfortable and relaxed once I got there. It was brilliant to spend time with my friends outside of the studio too.

I felt bad that I wasn't asking any questions in the pannels. I like speaking in public and I did feel that I was letting the team down by not contributing at all in that respect, but I wasn't needed as all the host roles were filled. I tried my best to ask questions post-interview (such as one about Mister Finch to Nicola from Anthropologie) and mingle with practitioners after the event.

I didn't get a chance to read my poem at the end of the day but I saved it for the bus home on the way back and read it aloud to wake everyone up when we were nearing Leeds. 

What did I learn?

• Use instagram in uploads of three, curate and style the page as a portfolio.
• Personality is key.
• Blink Ink do internships which sound perfect for what I want to do... interns help with MAKING in the production of stop motion animations. Only issue is that this is in LONDON.

What did I gain?

• I gave my business cards to the speakers, networking with professionals and building my 'who you know' circle.
• I got an email address for the lady in charge of internships at BlinkInk.
• I gave handmade mini dolls to Lucy from ItsNiceThat and Harriet from NoBrow, hopefully this will spread the fairies and leave a lasting impression on them about what I do.
• A new follower! Thanks Lucy from ItsNiceThat. 

Responding to advice: 

• Spending more time curating and choosing which photos to put on instagram, including the order and time I upload.
• BEING MYSELF and not being afraid of showing my PERSONALITY!

What's next?

• Prepare for the July event! Have something SHOW STOPPING.
• Look into where I DO want to work. What sort of company, where in the world, what do I need to have for that etc.. or if a sole trader then what do I need to HAVE and KNOW to set this up.

You Are Here: Symposium Notes THE DOTS, ANTHROPOLOGIE, RICKY RICHARDS & B+A

The Dots
I'm not a member yet and this really did feel like a sales pitch. I almost feel less inclined to join now that I've been marketed at like this but it does look like a useful tool and definitely more relevant than LinkedIn.

• Coined the term 'No Collar' professionals (instead of blue collar/white collar) for creatives who work project-by-project in a non-linear path through employment.
• Use the page to let your personality come through in the interview and your work.
• Curate your page. Striking images, make them remember you.

Anthropologie

I'm not a customer of this store, but I am a big fan of Mister Finch who exhibited in the Leeds store on its opening week. This is what I asked questions about and what I was most interested in learning more about from Nicola. Not so much interested in product/apparel design but definitely in exhibiting and window displays.

• All about artisan finishing.
• They are ALWAYS OPEN - if you're a good fit for the brand then they are always open to ideas/collaborations.
• You can approach them/they do look for talent and will approach (instagram).
• King's Road exhibition space available to rent.
• Mister Finch had an exhibition at Kings Road, was approached again when store opened in Leeds as he is LOCAL. Ongoing relationship.

Ricky Richards

Ricky's quick presentation made some valid points about pronto projects. Being relevant, up to date and involved with the world.

B&A

• When applying/submitting UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMPANY DOES and WHO THEY ARE. Do your research.
• Use Dribble/Giphy/Behance. Everything you can! Will these replace Instagram? Stay current.

BBC Children's Puppet Internship

This would be a really ideal internship for me! Unfortunately it's expired (2013), but perhaps something similar will turn up again.

Here's why it would be perfect:

• Location - Salford (NOT LONDON, AS MANY INTERNSHIPS AND JOBS SEEM TO BE. Salford is near Manchester so not too far)
• Working in a studio - a creative and hands on experience
• Working with puppets and TV - suits my interests
• Intended audience of children
• Working with an established and recognised organisation.

What I would need:

• Understand the company
• Be familiar with the company's work
• Be adaptable and useful!
• Be a team worker

I've been leaning more towards illustration and publishing than television and animation recently, but I do still find it fascinating and the two do definitely overlap in my work. I think this would be a really valuable and appropriate internship to do, even if I don't end up going into this industry.

You Are Here: Symposium Notes AGENCIES

Agencies: Big Active (Greg)
I don't think my work is suited to this agency, since it is mostly very graphic, digital work. Definitely more internet/editorial/adult publishing centred. Although the fact that this agency doesn't represent anyone who does anything similar to my puppet illustration could be a good thing in that I would stand out and be something new for this agency, I don't think I have a shared 'language' with them or that I would be getting work that I'm interested in from them.
Anyway, some interesting points from Greg:

• Noticed a shift from print to digital.
• Adapting to context: digital has immediacy and is measurable through time spent viewing and engagement with media.
• Instagram has peaked. What's next?
• NDA (non disclosure agreements) - make sure you're not signing away intellectual property, just agreeing to secrecy.
• Contracts: estimates first. Small amounts which add up to quite a lot in TOTAL. Then charge for USAGE - licensing where, when, how long.
• Agents PROTECT YOU.
• Always get client to sign for 2 rounds of amends - then you can charge if they are indecisive/waste time.
• Always ask: Am I the only person you're considering for this job? Charge test charge.
• Always ask: what is it about my work that you really like? Capitalise on this.

Agencies: Blink Art (Helen)
I still don't know how to feel about agencies and whether I would want to be represented by anyone other than myself, but Helen was very friendly, human and down to Earth. She seemed to have a passion for storytelling and illustration which I found encouraging.
The agency currently represents only 2 model maker illustrators (Hattie Newman and Kyle Bean), both of whose work is very refined and neat - funky but not for child audiences/as much about character as mine are so this could be a gap in their catalogue for me. I was mostly interested in their animation and how Blink Ink offer internships for graduates to help with making props and models, which is definitely the kind of thing I'd like to do if I don't go full time with my own illustration practice.

What Blink Look for:

• Unique, individual
• Don't try to be/look like other artists.
• Intelligent, clever ways of communicating
• IDEAS PEOPLE!
• Can work in a group, especially with animators.
• STORYTELLERS.
• Having a large social media following makes marketing easier.
• Reputation - this reflects on the company as a whole.
• PERSONALITY - be true to yourself.
• Involved & engaged in promotion - Sell yourself!
• The get-up-and-go (motivation)
• NETWORK - it's very hard for one artist to do everything.

What is the relationship between agent and artist?

• Used to be the ONLY way to client, but not anymore.
• Like Estate agents but with different clothes on.
• Almost a parenting role.

Website Further Developments: Video, cut-out characters...

Using my favourite outcome from 601 to introduce myself on the website: the video 'maker as magician' in which I am shown working in my studio, making dolls and casting spells.

My fiance James has been making the website under my direction, and even though we started 'simple', thinking that it 'just needs to point to social media/be a portfolio of work' it has morphed into something much bigger but much better. Collaborating with James has been really useful because I wouldn't have had a clue as to how to make any of this work. As a result, I have a really immersive and exciting website that reflects me as an outgoing, individual practitioner.

As you scroll down the page, I wanted my characters to 'pop out' and meet the visitor. Although this website would probably be visited mostly by clients, I wanted to make it suitable for a child audience and suited to the charming children's book tone of voice that recurs in my work. The pop-out characters make the site really engaging and friendly, something different to the sea of conventional sites of portfolios out there. Standing out a little bit!

It does still need some work. I'm not sure on the colours and the featured work thumbnails don't all sit well within their formats, some are cropped or only show part of the image so I need to consider and select images which work well in this format. They can be clicked to see the full image but it looks odd to have just the body of Jack Skellington on the second thumbnail.

The purple is very garish! And not a colour I use often in my work.

We had the idea of including a fairy with an envelope, delivering mail for the contact page but this was a really rushed photograph and looks very rough compared to the other two characters. She looks a bit out of place. She's just a placeholder for now anyway.

Symposium: Goodbye Speech

It was a typically dark and gloomy morning in Leeds

When we stood waiting for the coach, Doc Martens in puddles, soggy backpacks. Damp sandwiches.

But with a cuppa in your hand and the promise of a pint, the artists straighten up and trod on down the bus.

On our way, motorway. Intermittent naps. Wobbly travel sketches.

Four hours and cramp in your legs.

We made it! This is the place. You are here.

After a budget night’s sleep in a hostel bunk, we pretend to be adults. Look our best, be profesh.

Setting up. Preparing. Will they arrive?

But you did. You gave up your time to talk about your practice, show us what you do. Answer our questions, mingle..

And all for the soggy artists from Leeds.
Thank you for coming, letting us pick your brains – thanks for talking and being here with us today.

And if you’re ever about and you fancy a brew… or shelter from the inevitably dismal weather, you know where to find us.

And we’ll be around, soon enough out in the wild. We’ll see you again.
Here we are.

Gifts for Hanbury

People have made some really gorgeous self-promotion packs, business cards and items to give away to professionals at the symposium. I already have business cards but a piece of card just feels like something you could lose, throw away or forget about.

I decided that giving away one of my dolls would be a nice gesture - something physical with a FACE that you would feel guilty putting in a bin... however, these can't be printed and made in mass, they take time and that's the beauty of handmade objects. They're one of a kind. The professionals should know that these took a while for me to make and were made with love but that means that I only have a few and will have to be choosey about who I give them to!

I have these little brown gift boxes too which fit the business cards in and printed some stickers to brand the front. They can be carried home/back to the office easily. These dolls could sit on someone's desk or be brought home to a bedroom and I hope they'll start conversations.

I think they look really special and like a great gift to receive, I just hope that I don't have to miss anyone out because I don't have enough made. I should have started earlier and made more!

Symposium Research

Flying Eye Book Submission Details

1. Know what you want from us. We are a publisher, not an illustration agency! You should have a specific type of work collaboration in mind when you submit work to us. In other words: would you like to submit a picture book for consideration? Or perhaps a graphic novel? Or maybe a non-fiction picture book for children? Whatever it is you submit, make sure it is in line with something that we actually do.

2. Be clear and concise. We have to sift through a lot of submissions, so please try to be clear and to the point in your pitch, whatever it may be. If you have a long manuscript or a long form graphic novel to submit, or even a completed picture book – that is fine, please send it in attachment. However, in your email please provide us with a brief summary and overview of your project so that we can quickly review the pitch before delving into the main body of work.

3. Look at what we do.  Look at our body of work and think, does what I want to pitch fit in with the Nobrow & Flying Eye canon of works? Even if it is something we have never done before, if you think your project is in line with our core values as a publisher, submit whatever you want!

General technical guidelines:

– Please make sure your emailed submissions are less than 5mb and preferably less than 3mb and that any images attached to your pitch are jpegs or in pdf format.
– Please ensure your text documents are Word or rtf format.
– Please make sure to provide your contact details, including your phone number so that we can contact you if we need to.

Picture Books and Illustrated Non-Fiction for Children

email your submission to: flyingeyesubs [at] nobrow [dot] net

Guidelines for submission:

1. We will accept submissions for picture books that are 24 pages or 32 pages long (story) with a word count 500 words (1000 max) for picture books. For children’s non-fiction submissions we will accept pitches for books of up to 90 pages.

2. We will require a brief synopsis of the story and the complete first draft of the text, this must be sent in attachment.

3. If you are an illustrator/author or an illustrator author duo, you should supply a minimum of two finished double page spreads. In the case of a picture book submission, the remainder of the pages should ideally be visually roughed out as a first draft.

BBC NEWS: £60m fund to make more British kids' TV

Great case study to show that the British children's TV industry is LACKING and there is a GAP IN THE MARKET.

MORE ORIGINAL TV SHOWS ARE WANTED AND NEEDED.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-42513685

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said it would give the children's TV sector "the boost it needs to create innovative content for a wider audience that would otherwise not be made".

The money will be available for programmes shown by commercial public service broadcasters - including ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 - as well as other "free and widely available" channels and streaming services, and potentially other online platforms.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said the fund could be used to pay for up to 50% of the production and distribution costs of original TV shows.

Programmes from new and diverse backgrounds, and those made in the nations and regions, will be "a particular focus", it said.