Recruitment
Written By Leanne Loughran, Independent VFX Recruiter – Check out her Website www.vfxrecruiter.com
What do Recruiters look for?
This is a question I get asked everywhere – at industry events, on podcasts, at universities from everyone – at all levels!
The Process: A recruiter has been briefed on the role and usually has a good idea of the job or slate of work the company has this vacancy for.
When looking for specific skill sets as a recruiter i tend to break down the criteria as to what i am looking for; into industry disciplines. I wanted to share with you some quick points that may help have an insight through the recruitment window. For full transparency…… (sorry not sorry!)
Within the VFX + Animation industry there are a huge amount of disciplines from production, art departments, 3D/2D through to Tech roles and beyond!
I have made a list of some of the roles and short key tips I look for in applications when hiring for these specific skill sets. I could write an essay for each but tried to keep it short and snappy.
Production Assistant / Coordinator – experience in the industry at entry level and relative training / education background.
Production Manager – Progression from a Coordinator role. Strong background and relevant training – precise and clean professional application material.
Producer – Progression through production ranks and recognisable companies. Ideally progressing from PM to producer at the same company is a good sign.
StoryBoard Artist – High drawing standard, understanding of perspective and scale. Visually well put together self promotion/application.
Concept/Visual Development – Excellent painting ability, background or experience in Art, Strong style and expression of colour. Understanding of light is essential.
Matte Painting – Exceptional painting ability, background or experience in Art, Strong style and expression of colour, solid understanding of the built environment. Breakdowns are important to see, including references if used. VFX – i look for paint integration on live plates. Anim/Full CG – painting integrating into the CG Environment, colour space and style.
Rigging – Able to rig a variety of creatures, characters or props (DOE) Crossover with animation or experience around animation a bonus. Rigs shown to full extreme in reel (sped up etc) Ability to rig in Maya essential plus other rigging systems desirable.
3D Character Animator – Humour, timing and foundation of core animation principles. References for character work helpful. Lip Sync experience usually needed for character work so good to see examples. Avoid soundtracks to distract from this!
VFX Creature Animator – Quadruped animals experience vital- with a reference if possible. Looking for realistic animation, weighted movement and believable creatures.
2D Animator – Variety of styles on reel to show adaptability. Excellent core animation basics such as timing and weight. Humour if hiring for a styled show – strong reel needed. Ability to Rig would be desirable.
Modeller – Hard and soft surface depending on role. Clean turntables showing topology. Showing a reference will help see progression of the model through the pipeline if also showing rendered or final shots.
Texture Artist – High quality textures, UV’s laid out if showing wraps, Textures on hard and organic surfaces or specialist in either. Realistic if VFX – Animation i would like to see the texture fit into the CG environment style.
Lighting TD – Beautifully lit environments, props, creatures in a variety of subject matters. Clean and polished, strong attention to detail. Understanding or experience of compositing is a bonus. Wide array of software and lighting engines is a plus. Inclusion of a reference or art work helps when viewing the reel / portfolio.
3D Generalist – Experience across modelling, lighting, texturing pipelines or a similar variety. Strong problem solver both creatively and technically.
FX TD – Creative and technical sims, Knowledge of dynamics and physics in the real world vital -Strong technical understanding of extremities of FX software. Branching into crowd/groom a bonus. Evidence of an exceptional liquid is always a plus!
Groom Artist – Variety of Hair and Fur in different settings. Breakdown of process useful and including a reference will help. Realism in VFX and a matched creative style if in the animation world.
Paint / Roto – Clean paint examples showing breakdowns. Roto again clean plates – show breakdown if possible and integration into live plate.
Compositor – Breakdowns are important!! CG Integration needs to be exceptional. Background in Roto/Paint a good foundation. Main thing is I am looking for is quality comp shots on a reel. Shot selection is so important!
CG Supervisor / 2D Supervisor / VFX Supervisor – All about experience, problem solving, leadership and highly skilled backgrounds. I am looking for polished reels. Strong shot selection included in the reel is an indication on a well trained eye.
Tech – With tech roles i am looking for a match in skills to the hire brief so this needs to be clear and informative when applying. The software, C++, Python etc.
Experience in a VFX/Animation environment is usually essential. Technical problem solvers and getting this across will help any tech application. More versatility in software knowledges and systems will benefit the application.
My VFX Recruiter Application Checklist
When applying for a role, whether it be speculative or for an advertised position your first port of call is sending in your details: Usually your CV/resume, Showreel, Portfolio with links to specific social media handles such as LinkedIN plus a cover email.
CV/Resume
- Keep to one page if you can
- Readable format such as a PDF
- Well laid out and visually clean.
- Name and skill set should be on the header ie. Joe Bloggs, Creature Animator
- Working hyperlinks to your showreel, Website, Social handles (check!)
- If your reel has a password include it!
- Include contact details such as a mobile number and email address
- Add your current location and include your nationality or Visa status if relevant to the role you are applying for.
- Order for experience:
- 1. Work Experience: working backwards chronologically (most recent first)
- 2. Qualifications: chronologically starting with the most recent
- 3. Honours / Voluntary
- List your relevant software knowledge / Skills Sets
Cover Email
- Address the email to a person or correct team
- Keep the email short one or two paragraphs
- Check spelling / grammar
- Include Link to showreel/website/socials (not forgetting passwords)
- Remember to attach CV/Resume – (yikes!)
Showreel
- Duration between 1min – 3min
- Include title frame with name, specialism and contact details
- List software used and role involvement on each shot
- Include references if you used them
- Breakdowns where you can
- Keep relevant to the company or industry you are applying for
- Open with your best work but don’t end on your weakest
- Use a professional video platform like Vimeo to host your reel
Hopefully these tips or pointers will help in some way when applying for roles in the VFX + Animation industry. Each recruiter will have a different process or checklist when filtering candidates. Remember to tailor your applications to each role you apply for there is not one showreel that fits all! Be as creative as your work and you will stand out from the crowd.
Disclaimer
My views are my own and do not form any of the criteria of any VFX or Animation studio i have worked at.
SUSAN O’NEAL JULY 13, 2020
By now you’ve refreshed your reel, updated your resume, and have been applying online. Hopefully, you’ve received loads of interest and recruiters are beating down your door for a chance to meet you. Are you now prepared for your interview? You are likely to have an interview via telephone or video call in today’s climate – all of these tips will help you prepare so you can look and sound your very best.
General Interview Advice:
- Research the Company – look for information in recent news releases, on LinkedIn, on the company’s site (maybe a blog section?), and familiarize yourself with their products, projects, and competition. You might also take a look at the company’s reviews on Glassdoor – keeping in mind that people are more apt to leave a note when they’ve had a negative experience than when everything went well.
- Research the Interviewers – be sure to ask for a list of everyone you’ll be meeting with and use Google, LinkedIn, and the company’s own website to get to know them. Note any connections you may have and use those to garner more information or to put in a good word for you.
- Try to Anticipate the Questions You’ll Be Asked – standard questions include specifics about the tools you use, how you like to work, where you’ve worked in the past, why you left your last job, salary requirements, etc. You may (or may not) be asked the typical “what are your strengths/what are your weaknesses” type of questions – but be prepared just in case! Be sure to have two or three questions to ask of your own – these may be questions about the size of the team, reporting structure, or questions specific to the workflow.
- Be Prepared – to talk through your reel and your resume.
- Google Yourself and Check Your Social Media – be sure to delete any social media postings that might embarrass you, and a google search just prepares you for questions that might come up if the hiring manager should do the same.
- Ask for Any Next Steps – as the interview is winding down, feel free to ask if the interviewer needs anything more from you, and inquire as to next steps (if any) in the process.
- Say Thank You – be sure to thank everyone for their time, and express your enthusiasm for the opportunity.
For Phone Interviews:
- Try to Use a Landline – to avoid potential interruptions due to faulty technology. If you must use your cellphone, be sure it’s plugged in and disable any phone features that might distract you.
- Choose a Quiet Place – you don’t want any distractions.
- Computer? or No Computer? – many people like to have the internet handy so they can look things up as the conversation progresses. Do this ONLY if your keyboard is relatively quiet and if you are not easily distracted by what you might find online.
- Have Your Notes and Questions at Hand – your interviewer likely has only 15 – 30 minutes – be prepared to make the most of your time with them.
- Answer the Phone with Your Name – a simple “Hello, it’s MY NAME” sounds professional and keeps the interviewer from having to ask for you.
- Be Honest – if something happens to take you out of the moment, admit to it. If you need to reschedule due to something catastrophic, don’t hesitate to do so. It’s better to have a distraction-free conversation.
- Smile – believe it or not, your smile can be heard in your voice – smile naturally and try to keep the conversation flowing in a natural way.
For Video Interviews:
- Test the Technology – be sure everything’s downloaded and working properly. Most video platforms have ways of checking the audio and video.
- Choose a Neutral Background – you don’t want to distract with a busy background. Ideally, you are in your home office or maybe at a table with a blank wall or bookcase behind you.
- Raise your Computer – this helps avoid the dreaded double-chin up the nostrils shot. Raise your computer with books or blocks so your camera is at eye level.
- Keep Distractions to a Minimum – this includes the barking dog, the playing child, or someone else’s phone conversation in the background. If possible, use a headset with a mic to ensure you’re truly focused on the conversation.
- A Note on Lighting – avoid being backlit – natural light is best, or find a soft light to aim at your face.
- Dress for Success – dress as though you are meeting in person – professional but not stuffy but still uniquely you.
- Plan for Technical Difficulties – keep your computer connected to power and be sure the interviewer(s) have a phone number to phone you as a backup.
- Be Early – see the note above regarding testing the technology. Allow for some hiccups. It’s better to be early than late.
For all types of interviews, a thank you note should go out as quickly as possible. A separate note should go to each of the interviewers (if you met with more than one person) and should include something you particularly enjoyed about your conversation.
Interviewing is an acquired skill – we hope these tips and tricks help you prepare and succeed.
