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The End

This is my final post…ever! This post marks the end of my college career so I’m beyond excited!

Anyhow, I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed taking this class and had a lot of fun. It was a rewarding experience. It definitely helped me see the bigger picture of why I enrolled in to college in the first place. Glad I took it.

My digital presence can be found on Hastrideportfolio.com. I took it upon myself to create a personal portfolio website this past summer and I’m so happy I did it. I spent a lot of time customizing the layout and made every detail exactly how I wanted it to look. In the end, all that time & effort paid off as I was able to land in internship & even job offers from the school just from seeing my website. If someone wants to create a website that represents them, I recommend using the Elementor Editor. Elementor makes life soo much easier if your are very particular about your designs.

Based on all the future peers research I did such as searching how they display their digital presence and what platforms they are using, I decided that a portfolio website is a must first step. My future peers also use social media but I won’t start on that right now. I did created an Instagram to display my animations but I deactivated it because I find social media very overwhelming and stressful for me. I’ll try to use it again next year…maybe.

Lastly, please see the basic checklist of my readiness below.

To summarize, I really need to email Larry soon so I can make sure I graduate next semester. I’m not trying to spend another year in York…no offense. I need to get on with my life already!! I’ll admit I’m a little lost of how exactly to get approved to register for CT 490. This is the time I wish we were in person so I could have a face to face meeting with Larry as my situation is different. I already have an internship and want to apply that internship as a class credit for the internship class next semester. The internship may end early next April and that worries me that it may not be approved because of that. I hope I don’t have to look for a new one.

But That’s a conversation I need to have with Larry. Happy Holidays everyone! Happy New Year Too! 2020 is finally over. Lets cross our fingers 2021 will be the best year ever!

Final Project

Internship

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Digital Presence

Credits: Animation Glitch GIF By Ryan Seslow

In our second to last class, we were asked to find some future peers who had good and stable digital presence. I found many but I think the three I stuck with really look like they are already in the direction I’m heading.

jakobhauser have a pretty solid digital portfolio where you can see all his animation works and graphic design skills. He is a graphic designer, animator & illustrator like me. I plan to be the jack of all trades and he is somewhat close to that right now. More on his work is posted on his Youtube page as well.

The other two honorable mentions are more successful in the animation field than a future peer but I really love their work and hope you’ll check them out. I’ll also use their level of skills as inspiration to keep practicing animation. I don’t feel like I’m experienced at all right now to land a job as a animator.

agungugang…yes, that’s the name he goes by. I don’t know he’s real name but I do know he lives in Indonesia and that he is a very talented 2d motion graphics designer. I found him through YouTube when I was looking for Chinese New Year animation inspirations. He also has a Vimeo page and Tumblr page, where he post his extensive list of animations he has done. He even sells animation templates, which I found so interesting and will look how I can do that too in the near future. It would be a great way to make some extra income while potentially adding the templates I make as freelanced work on my resume.

Zoe Hu is the last person I found with a very nice digital presence. I stumbled upon her work on a random but very mesmerizing website called moreofsomethinggood.com. I think I was just looking for website inspirations then I found it. The website is pure art and an online market to get cool snacks. I recommend visiting the website to find some very cool artists and unique Asian snacks. Now back to Zoe Hu. I chose to add her to the list because she doesn’t use many platforms like the other people I found. She only shows her reel on her portfolio website and then link her instagram. I like the minimalist approach and think I can learn a few new design tricks from her.

Our very own Ryan Seslow is also an honorable mention. The way he displays his work is soo appealing and just satisfy the senses. He’s website is very organized and have a clear mission. I will definitely see how I can incorporate some of his layout techniques to my website. More of his master pieces can be found on giphy.

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The Email Inquiry

Today’s class made me realize the power of networking. I’ll admit, before this class, I didn’t like this idea of networking as it made me feel odd to start an friendship/ a simple conversation with someone for the sole purpose of getting a job. I thought it was a cold approach at first. This class thought me that networking it a must. Of course I can always stay stubborn and try to land job opportunities on my own but I realized that someone who networks will always have a higher chance of getting that job then someone who is independent and relying on their resume to speak for it self. Networking is a skill and I need more practice in obtaining that skill. Having a shy, quiet, but observant demeanor kind of makes it hard to put myself out there and make contacts with future peers but I’m going to start trying.

Since I have the email format now, I plan to use it one day in the future. Maybe after 1 or 2 years after graduation. It never hurts and the least someone can do it say no or just ignore my email. But yes, I learned the power of Networking today. I even realized the power of LinkedIn. One of my classmates thought me the tricks on how to properly use LinkedIn. She has over 500 connections. Basically, the trick is to send a “hi I would like more information on you job” type of message and then building a conversation so the connections are actually familiar with you instead of being a stranger that randomly adds them.

The idea sounds superficial but the method actually works. As my classmate is a living proof. She has gotten job offers just for being connected with one person that the hiring manager also have as a connection. Anyways, what I learned is networking is important and that I really need to start building a networking circle to fall back on when finding job offers get hard.

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Final Project Proposal Tips

October 30th class focused on final project proposals. Since I’m currently taking the class, I gave some of my group members advice on how to create a successful project proposal. It was a really nice experience and it’s crazy sometimes for me to think that I’m actually a senior now. Anyhow, my group members have some really cool ideas. One is thinking of doing CCS animations. That would be awesome to see. Another needed help with thinking of a topic to make a film about. The group helped him with possible making a news feature about the pandemic and it’s effect on businesses in Jamaica,Queens.

Since I am already in the final project class, I thought I’d give some advice on what information you should add in you proposal. First, make sure you do a lot of research. Research never hurts as you get more ideas the more you do it. When I was drafting my proposal, I included a lot of visual examples of what I hope my final project should look like by the end of the CT401 class. You can see examples in my google slides presentation here. Even though I have since reduce the work load of my final project and just focused on only 1 out of 6 mini projects, I still think my presentation can help you. You can use my Questions & Concerns portion as a reference for your future proposal. In all, you first proposal should include as much details as possible to helps Michael to get a clear idea what your plans all. After all, nobody can read your mind.

Good Luck with making your proposal!

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Operation: Find an Internship

The last time CT 399 class met, we were assigned to practice our researching skills to find some internship opportunities. Although I did find a few that interested me on LinkedIn, most of them were looking for at least 1-3 years of working experience in the animation field (Surprise… Surprise).

Luckily, I have already landed an internship so I’m confident that I can quickly stock up on some of that working experience my future employers are asking for.

I first learned about CUNY Cultural Corps through a promotional email Michael had sent out to CT students who were in need of finding an internship to complete the CT 490-Intership course. After reading the email, I quickly brushed up my resume & portfolio website and then applied to the program. I can’t tell you exactly what I did to get accepted because I really don’t know. I’m not a high achieving 3.0 GPA student so I know damn well my very low 2 point something GPA was not a key factor. However, I can tell you about the process, my personal experience and some tips I’ve learned so far because I’m still in the hiring/orientation process and have not officially started working for a cultural institution yet.

I applied to the program on August 27, ten days before the Sept. 6th deadline. The application was similar to when you’re apply to college because you had to write an 400 word response on “What does a cultural institution mean to you” or something similar, I don’t remember the question word for word.

Soon after the Aug. 27th submission, got a request for an online group interview on September 4th. The Sept. 4th interview date threw me off guard because it means hiring managers pick candidates way before the actual application deadline. So one tip I can give is try to apply to any job/internship as soon as you feel ready, don’t wait till the deadline.

The online group interview was interesting. There were about 30-50 CUNY students in the group interview via Zoom. The main goal of the group interview, in my opinion, was to test how well you work with others and how you react under pressure because the interviewer split us into groups and we had 15 minutes to do a google slides presentation on a topic related to current events. Furthermore, the group members were each responsible for a role such as researcher & etc., and had to work collaboratively to create a final presentation. Throughout the whole interview and the miniature groups we were split in, each of us were being monitored and evaluated on our leadership, teamwork, and overall attitude. We couldn’t see those who where monitoring us but we were told they were “evaluating everything we are doing”. So I guess, another tip is to always present your best self in an online interview as you would in a normal face to face interview. It’s common sense but people sometime assume the online format can be more laid back than the face to face interview.

To keep this post short, I will summarize the process after I passed the interview process and was official a member of the program. After the interview, we were assigned to attended 3 mandatory workshops and orientations to get us prepared for working at which ever worksite we would end up with after interviewing with the companies. The workshops span over a two month period. The workshops were also helpful as they thought you resume building, what to expect in an interview, and working remotely. However, one negative I can say is that this program is not suitable for someone with a busy schedule because you had to attend the workshops and the Job fair at whatever day and time it was schedule, which means you had to miss class or call in sick if you are employed. Luckily, this is my last semester (only one full day of classes) and I’m unemployed, so I pretty much stay home all day and never have schedule conflicts. Other than that, I recommend the program. It’s a great learning experience and will give you a head start in your career of interest. Lastly, one last tip is just apply to a job you’re interested in, you never know. I really didn’t think I would had been accepted because my GPA is so low, a senior, and have never participated in any school clubs or exudes any school spirit.

The worksite I will be working for is called The Museum of Chinese in America and I’ll be a Graphic Design intern. I’m excited because I plan to have a career in both Animation and Graphic design. This internship will definitely help with gaining those skills and experiences my future employers are asking for. More importantly, I can use this internship to freaking graduate already! It’s been a long, stressful, but rewarding five years…….

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Final Project

Although I am already enrolled in CT401-Final Project, I still felt last week’s class was helpful in motivating me to keep working on my project. I had fun sharing my progress so far with my classmates. We learned a lot more about our career goals and they are all somehow seem similar, which I found very interesting.

Now on to the technical stuff and my Final Project update. I had originally planned to create six short 18 seconds long animations showcasing different skills I learned from taking CT345 and then using all the six animations to create a Reel. However, I have since realized that the 18 seconds time frame I had set is too long for some of the animations. I have changed directions now. After meeting with Michael for the Final Project class meetup update, I was inspired to try and make a stop motion typography animation with a punk style theme. Michael showed me some very cool fonts from world war one soviet propaganda posters and a very creative Punk Rock Instant Art Photobook and the book looks amazing. In all, all credits due to Michael for this new project idea. It will be a fun experience and I’m excited to see what I can come up with my the end of the semester.

Here’s is an example of the technique I have in mind.

Jacques Lacan Cutout Animation

Kanye West ft. Daft punk – Stronger (moving typography) 

Just imagine those two styles mixing together, except darker and messier looking.

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Future Peers

I found my future peer on LinkedIn. His name is Taylor S. Aside from his LinkedIn profile, he has a big online presence on Instagram, Artstation.com and webtoons.com. He job title is Animator, Illustrator and Sequential Artist.

I gained several tips and insight on how I can start on my own career path from looking at his LinkedIn profile. Taylor interned at the Glimpse Group while he was still taking classes at the Fashion Institute of New York and his roles were to design characters, and create comic pages for the company. After he graduated FIT, he also interned at Etomon, where he created illustrations for their email list and website.

Furthermore, Taylor also created and manages his own comic series on the website, Webtoons. His work is very impressive and visually appealing. He also posted all his past and current work on the website Artstation.com. I didn’t know about that website until I stumbled upon Taylor’s profile. I plan to do more research on the website and may even post my work as well. Taylor also created an Instagram page dedicated to his work and comic series.

In all, from studying Taylor’s online presence I’ve learned that its better to present yourself on many different platforms so you can reach more potential employers and get more networking opportunities. It’s also useful to start early in your career by interning while still attending school. 

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Goals

That classic “What do you want to be when you grow up?” have always been a question I’ve dreaded since I was in elementary school. One reason is because I absolutely had no idea what I wanted to be but my past teachers along with family members never accepted “I don’t know” as an answer. So you can only imagine the amount of anxiety I would get every time I was asked that question in life. Fast forwarding to fifteen years later, I’m happy to say I finally know what I want to be doing in the next 5 years of my life.

My Big Goal:

  1. Having a stable income from using the design skills I’ve learned in college
  2. Work as a full-time Graphic Designer/Animator after I graduate
  3. I want to create designs for both the Web & Print

How will I accomplish my big goal?

  1. Research, ReSEARCH, RESEARCH!
  2. Find Companies I will be interested in working for
  3. Look at Linkedin profiles of Junior Graphic Designers & Animators
  4. What are their listed skills? Their previous experiences? Education or Certificates? Their connections? Career Timeline? How long after college did they land their job?
  5. Explore the new AND old design trends employers are interested in
  6. Look at job listings and see what exact skills employers are asking for
  7. Will certain companies offer training?
  8. Keep learning Adobe AE, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, CSS & HTML, JavaScript
  9. Land an internship in the Marketing, Graphic Design, Web Design, or Motion Design Field
  10. Make an animation Reel
  11. Add more work to my online Portfolio
  12. Add a resume to my “about section” in my online Portfolio website
  13. Volunteer for small companies if I’m having trouble landing an internship
  14. Contact some people I know who work in the field already
  15. Have a back-up plan (find a variety of careers that may ask for designs skills but may not be as demanding or competitive as graphic design nor animator career field)

Helpful Blog posts I’ve found.

photo credit: https://learn.g2.com/graphic-design-skills

https://learn.g2.com/graphic-design-portfolio – Design Portfolio Tips

https://learn.g2.com/graphic-design-skills – Must Have GD Skills

https://learn.g2.com/famous-graphic-designers – Famous Graphic Designers

https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/design/blog/animation-skills/ – Animations Skills to Succeed

https://marionettestudio.com/essential-animator-skills-required-to-become-an-animator/  -Becoming an animator

 

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Goodbye Classroom, Hello Discord

I had a blast on the first day of class. Although the new method of teaching via discord will get some used to, I prefer using it over blackboard’s collaborative ultra and Zoom. I personally feel like Discord makes communicating with my classmates and the teacher faster and more “human-like”. It reminds me of being in a group chat with friends. It was fun reconnecting with some old classmates too. The Discord app has a nice welcoming energy.

As far as my first impression of the class goes, I think it will be easy to pass and it will be helpful for me. Portfolio gives me the impression that “I’ve finally reached the last stage; and this is where I’ll figure out what I want to do with my college degree” type of “vibe”. I’m excited to see how this class will shape my perspective/expectations for the future.  

My favorite part of it all is that I get to wear pajamas!