All Animators Welcome
The 4^th Annual Aniboom Awards, sponsored by Sesame Street, is an open international competition that offers animators the opportunity to win development deals and cash for their winning entries.

What the Contest Wants
The sponsors are seeking animation content that is geared towards specific categories. According to Sesame Street there are five:

1. School readiness skills: Numbers, Letters and Shapes
Sample videos: Numbers - Ten Tiny Turtles
Letters - Plain White T’s Song
Shape - The BridgeKeeper Triangle

2. Pro-Social (emphasizing socialization aspects for children)
Sample video: TJ Meets Margarita

3. Pinball (new animation set to at least 30 seconds of a music soundtrack, you can use the original track or mix it to create a new version)
Sample video: Pinball Count Animation
Sample soundtrack: Pinball Count soundtrack

4. “Sky’s the Limit” (open category that is up to the animator’s imagination)

5. Community Favorite (chosen using Aniboom’s unique ranking system)

Other Details
This contest is offering awards totaling $50,000 in prizes and development deals. There will be five category winners plus one overall Grand Prize winner. For the complete rules and guidelines for this contest, click here.

To submit your entries a free account must be opened at Aniboom. Click here to register.

All entrants must agree to and read the submission agreement. Click here for the complete details. The deadline for this contest is April 26^th, 2010.

Take the Open Door
In last week’s article we presented various tips and advice on how to prepare for a job as a graphic designer.

There were three things that were identified as being important for qualifying for a graphic design job—education through a qualified graphic design school, a good portfolio of your work and a variety of work/intern job experience.

In part two of How to Get Noticed When Applying for Graphic Design Jobs, we’ll go over some practical advice on how to handle a job interview.

Simple Rules for Your Job Interview
Hiring managers see many individuals for job interviews. After a time applicants start to all look the same. This is not a good thing if you are one of the many who are applying for that specific graphic design position.

Here are a few tips on how to stand out and prepare for your job interview:

* Do Something Memorable - Since there are a good number of people applying for the same position you are applying for, it is a good idea to do something that will make your interview memorable for the hiring manager. At the conclusion of your interview you can give the interviewer your business card or something that you designed, a pen or pencil with some graphics you created for the barrels for instance, as an attention getter.
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* Groom Properly - This should be a given but not everyone takes this advice to heart. When you show up for a job interview be certain to dress properly. Each firm will have its own style or dress code but take the safe route and don’t dress too informally. When in doubt, dress neatly.
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* Be Prepared - In virtually every interview you will be asked the question, “Why do you want to work for this company?” The reason that you do not want to give is, “I need to find a job.” What you can do is to emphasize what you can do for the company–how you would be an asset to the overall operation, how you can contribute, and what you want to accomplish while working there.
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* Be Yourself - An old-school comedian once said, “If you can fake sincerity, you’ve got it made.” Although the statement was made cynically, the truth of the matter is that being sincere and being yourself is better than trying to be overly confident or aggressive. Many job interviewers are highly tuned to the situation that job applicants often “embellish” upon their accomplishments. Be straightforward about your abilities and talent. If you have limited work experience emphasize what you have learned while going to graphic design college.
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* Communicate Freely - Be sure to answer all questions in a thorough and concise manner. If there are periods of silence during the interview while you struggle to answer questions, this is a red flag to the interviewer that you may not be able to work in a team situation where lots of communication between co-workers is needed.

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Next Time
In the conclusion to this series we’ll delve into what sort of mindset you should have while seeking employment such as how to handle discouragement and maintain a positive attitude. Until next time, take care.

Jobs
According the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics graphic design jobs will increase about 13 percent in the decade 2008-2018.

The good news is that there will be available positions in advertising firms, websites, print and electronic media for graphic designers and graphic design college graduates.

However the BLS also states that the competition for these available jobs will be very high.

So what can you do to increase your chances of being noticed by prospective employers? In this three part series we’ll discuss various methods and tips on how to distinguish yourself from other job hunters and to help you qualify for more job opportunities.

School
Until the advent of the personal computer, graphic design remained relatively static as far as technological advances –if you had good talent, design skills and a good grasp of aesthetics as your foundation, a career in graphic design was accessible.

However in today’s world, there is rarely a graphic designer that isn’t familiar with at least two or three of the more popular design/image editing software programs. Understanding and using these programs is essential in graphic design work.

In order to receive the important career training you need in graphic design, methods, and computer skills, go to a graphic design school that ranks high in the quality of its curriculum and broad range of design classes and programs.

Graphic designers who have additional skills in web design and animation will have the best prospects for jobs in their field.

Presentation
Your portfolio can be one of the deciding factors that can help you land a job in graphic design. Your portfolio should be professional looking and consist of examples that not only reflect your best work, but is geared towards the firm you are applying for.

Don’t be afraid to rearrange and restructure your portfolio from job interview to job interview.

The needs of different design firms can sometimes vary. If you do your homework by finding out what each company’s particular design needs are you can emphasize this type of work in your portfolio.

Be prepared to give your interviewer an Internet link to a website that shows off your work. Put as much care into designing your website as you do in assembling your physical portfolio. First impressions really count and you want to put your best foot forward in presenting your work.

Experience
A good graphic design education is essential for learning the skills of the trade but experience in the graphic design industry can also be an important part in your real-world education.

Graphic design students will especially benefit by taking on as many internships and outside work experiences as possible to fill this gap.

Increase your chances for landing a job by getting as much job experience as you can while still in school.

Next Time…
We’ll go over some practical tips on how to establish yourself in a positive way when going to a job interview. Until next week, take care!

One Frame at a Time
If you are a fan of Wallace and Gromit films or have fond memories of Gumby and Pokey you know that these animations are done in the technique of stop-motion photography.

If you are a budding film student or fan of this method of movie making here’s your chance to show off your talent in Zeigeist Films’ Stop-Motion Animation Contest.

What the Contest Is About
This competition is seeking entries that are done in stop-motion animation. The film should be no longer than three minutes in length. The theme of the work is “panic.”

The Judging
Although the technical merits of the entries will be a factor, more importantly, the pieces will be judged upon their entertainment value and originality. The judges of the contest will select their top 10 favorites from all submissions received.

The Prizes
The winning film will be included in the US edition of “A Town Called Panic” DVD which is scheduled for release sometime in 2010. The winner will also receive 5 copies of the DVD. Nine-runners up winners will receive one copy of the DVD plus a movie poster. Winning entries will also be featured on the “A Town Called Panic” YouTube channel.

Tips on Making the Film
The contest sponsors have provided two links for those who want tips on how to produce stop-motion animation. These instructions can be accessed by clicking here and here.

The finished animation must be in .mov, .mp4, .wmv, or .avi format and should not be larger than 100MB in file size. Entries can be submitted via disc or uploaded to the contest site. Retain the original files for your animation as the winning entry will be included in the “A Town Called Panic” DVD.

Guidelines and Other Info
Submissions should be in the style and flavor of the stop-motion animation film A Town Called Panic. The theme of “panic” is open for interpretation but should be a key element in the subject matter of the film.

All work must be original and must not have been part of any other film festival, television presentation, or DVD. The contest is exclusively open to residents of the USA.

The deadline for this contest is March 1, 2010. The complete rules to the contest can be seen by clicking here.

Different Stokes for Different Folks
If you are studying to be an artist through a graphic design school or graphic design college, there are many fields within this category that you can specialize in.

In some cases the duties of one career overlaps into another one, but this can be considered beneficial because it allows the opportunity for artists to crossover into other areas.
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What’s Out There?
The following list of artist careers can help you to understand the function and job description for each position. There are more categories but these are among the more commonly recognized:

Multi-Media Artist - Artists in this line of work are usually found in the motion picture industry, television industry, and computer-Internet industry. Multi-media artists produce animations, graphics, and images used for movies, television programs, computer games, and advertising/marketing companies. The extensive use of image design software and computer hardware is typical for artists who decide to make a career in multi-media.

Illustrator - Illustrators are usually employed by publishing or product companies to create pictures, scenes, or other images. The illustrations that are produced can be used for commercial purposes, consumer products or books and magazines. Illustrators are usually required to have a good working knowledge of digital imaging techniques and computer software and hardware.

Medical / Scientific Illustrator - Artists in this field of work use their knowledge of the sciences in the creation images for use by the medical and science disciplines. They draw pictures to illustrate human anatomy, scientific data and experiments, and other graphics for illustrative purposes. Illustrators in this field also produce images for educational and teaching purposes.

Fine Artist - This is the classic definition for a career as an artist. In this field an artist creates works of art in oil and acrylic painting, sketching, printmaking, art restoration or illustration. Fine artists specialize in portraiture, scenic, still life, or abstract art. They use a variety of medium to produce their pieces and can utilize sculpture or electronic means for their art.

Craft Artist - Artists in this career make various handmade objects and creations that are sold or displayed in art museums, craft fairs, and art galleries. They work with a variety of materials such as glass, textiles, ceramics, paper, metal or other media to produce their art.

Educational Requirements
The educational background for a career in art varies according to the field you are in. For individuals who want to go into the fine arts or crafts, a formal education is not necessarily required but it can still be of assistance in learning design theory, art techniques, and related skills.

For those who want to become art directors, illustrators, or multi-media specialists, earning a bachelor’s degree at a graphic design college is usually required for entry level positions.

Salary Ranges for Artists
Jobs for artists are expected to grow 14% - 20% from now until 2016, which is faster than average when compared to other job categories. The median annual wages for the following job categories in art are (Bureau of Statistics 2008):

Craft Artists:     $29,080
Fine Artists and Illustrators:    $42,650
Multi-Media Artists and Animators: $56,330

Next Time…
We’ll investigate what it takes to become an instructor in graphic design. We’ll see you then.

The List Goes On
We continue our list of Top Characteristics of Creative Designers according to the opinions of those within the industry.

Not everyone has all of these traits, but we can all learn from the list to understand what design companies look for in their staff.

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Here are the rest of the traits that design firms would like to see in potential hires:

• Care about clients. If a design job is nothing more than a product to the graphic artist, it takes on an impersonal feeling and disconnect from the client. A recognition and understanding that the final creation is for people helps to provide added impetus to do a better job.

• Be able to multitask & juggle projects. In the perfect world, a graphic designer should be able to concentrate on one job without distractions or additional duties not directly related to project at hand. But this rarely, if ever, happens. Being able to intently focus is a good thing, but the ability to multitask is virtually indispensable for successful designers.

• Be deadline oriented. Imagine a graphic design firm where everyone could turn in their work whenever they felt like it. This would not only be a formula for instant failure for the business, it communicates a lack of professionalism. Design firms are driven by deadlines, and so should you.

• Find ways to “break through the clutter. In a design job, there are lots of things to do, but not everything has to be done. The ability to sift through the unnecessary or less important tasks is often the difference between meeting deadlines and missing them. A good designer knows what needs to be done and what needs to be put on the back burner.

• Keep an open mind about things. If the art world maintained that realism was the only way to paint, Picasso, Monet, Dali and many other artists could not have created their unique styles of work. Design is also like this–there is more than one way to approach a solution.

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Desirable Traits and the Real Job World
The attributes that professional designers feel should be inherent in people who work in the industry is varied but can be broken down into these categories: teamwork, professionalism, communication, and work ethics.

Graphic design schools educate graphic arts students on how to design, create, compose, and use various tools for illustration, graphic design, or other fields in design work. But the traits that set a successful graphic designer from a mediocre one sometimes boils down to the personal characteristics of the individual.

Design firms need to hire qualified people for their art departments, but as was stated in the Top Characteristics of Creative Designers articles, employers are looking beyond talent and towards potential hires that have many of the traits that make a designer truly successful.