PRE-EASTER CHAT WITH BEN

I was feeling really anxious about what I'm going to do after uni but had a great chat with Ben this morning about my options and I now feel a lot more confident/excited about it.

Website feedback:
Cut down words. Doesn't need to say my age or specific location. Maybe put words on a separate section so gives viewer option of looking at the words or just the pictures.
This will be your hub for your work and the first thing you will show a client.

Collaboration will be important - keep making connections and use these people! Make puppets for someone else to animate? Get involved with bigger projects.

Three main options:
Freelance / In-House / Children's Publishing

Freelance:
FIND CLIENTS - make a list of people you would like to work with. Use the AOI list to find contact details. Use LinkedIn to search for art directors in that company (I don't really understand LinkedIn and get frustrated by the amount of spam accounts that add me, but I hadn't thought to use it to search in this way and I might be able to use it to find/make contact with people in the industry)
Send BESPOKE emails - be personal 'I like the stuff you do, here's a link to my online portfolio. Feel free to have a look...' Attach a few LOW RES photos.
Always nice to send a physical gift!
Most art directors don't work full time so send something that they can TAKE HOME.
If you don't get a reply it's not a REJECTION, it's just not the right job or not the right time. It also might be that they keep your details on file and will contact you later.
If I went freelance I would probably need a part time job too!

In-House:
I think this is what I'm most attracted to at the moment as it would provide me with more experience, more job security and more stability. I wouldn't be working alone (I enjoy working alone but so much more can be done with a bigger team).
Find out what's happening!
RESEARCH companies that NEED MAKERS!
Find INTERNSHIPS. ASK for INTERNSHIPS or a PLACEMENT.

Children's Publishing:
For this I would need a printed portfolio
Ask for specific advice form Teresa or Matt
Go to publishers and MEET THEM. Have a SPECIFIC DATE  and ask if they have time.
'I'm hoping to come down to London for this date if you have a bit of time...'