As I’m coming towards the end of my course I am starting to research for studios producing 2D work so that I could start contacting them once my showreel is done.
These are a handful I have discovered over the years and where I’d like to work at some point. Particularly for the ones in London, I know I would need to be ready to accept a freelance position, as I noticed that in some years, internships are hard to come by and end up being extremely competitive to get.
I have been advised to just try and a apply for whatever position matches my current= skills, and not to worry too much about specifying that I’m looking for a junior role, as that would be evident by my showreel.
Shotopop, London.
Shotopop is a small studio in London specialising in animation and illustration content for a wide variety of applications. 2D digital animation is heavily featured on their website, and it’s so varied that I don’t think they might be looking for a specific style in a showreel, but rather prefer versatility.
I discovered this studio by looking at an alumni profile on Linkedin. He had done some clean up work for them so I decided to reach out last summer asking whether they offered any kind of internships. In the same email I also mention I was happy to assist with animation, clean up and colour and sent them my showreel.
I received a reply when I was starting university back in September and they seemed really pleased with my work and where looking forward to collaborate with me.
As I knew it would have been difficult for me to balance my university project with a contract job in animation, I mentioned my availability would be over summer. In the next few weeks, I think I will reach out again with a new showreel and also mentioning my availability for the future.
Studio AKA, London.
I was introduced to Studio AKA during my Batchelor’s degree when my course invited Philip Hunt and Grant Orchard to give an industry talk. I have been following their work ever since as they have worked on quite a lot of advertisement and idents, and I’m always quite in awe with the quality of their work, considering it’s still a small studio.
I tried to apply for an internship a few years ago and they haven’t offered them ever since. I remember contacting Ren Pesci, who’s till the production coordinator at the studio, but unfortunately the news were not positive. I got the impression they might have a good database of artists and I’ve been told they usually employ them on a freelance base, so I know it’s not the easiest studio to apply for as a junior.
Also. having no contacts there makes it even harder considering the size of their productions. I think it will be emailing the studio in the near future asking if a visit to the studio can be arranged. It’s mainly because I’m curious to see the studio, but it would probably be better to introduce myself without the expectation of a job. That way I would also ask what kind of projects they will be working for in the future and the best way and time to apply for a position there.
Blinkink, London.
Blinkink is a multimedia production studio which works on a wide variety of projects. 2D is well represented, and I have encountered quite few opportunities for internships and junior roles. I came to know the studio as a word of mouth and I was given one of the production coordinators email a few years ago. I have had them reaching back a couple of times, unfortunately when I couldn’t take on the job (most time I was giving a very short notice), but I overall tried to keep a good relationship with them without having done any work for them. I hope that in the future I will be in a position to be contacted for a job I can accept, and in a few week’s time I will email the production coordinator again with a new showreel and availability dates, hoping that they will have some 2D assistant role I could take. As mentioned, this year’s internships where happening at a time when I couldn’t work full time, so I hope the studio will offer more of them in the future.