Industry insiders

Thoughts & opinions from the experts

Sharan Bassi Recruitment consultant, Aardvark Swift www.aswift.com

“Some courses are designed to build a student’s capabilities and skills, and it’s only in their last project that they’ll specialise in one area, so they’ll be good at environment, good at characters and vehicles. If you want to make it as easy as possible to get into a studio, keep brushing up those skills. Don’t let any skills drop down. However, you’ve always got to go beyond your degree. Networking and getting your name out there is really really important.”

JM Blay Head of motion graphics at Escape Studios www.pearsoncollegelondon.ac.uk

“Keep working, keep working, keep working. Create something, put it together in a showreel, then start calling people. We’re in a creative industry, so what that means is, be creative. As a regular guy, my advice is for regular guys, so if you’re amazingly talented and you’re going to be the next big name in the industry you’re going to make it work and you’re not going to need to go to university, but that happens one in a million. For the rest of us mortal ones, you have to work. Professionals have knowledge about the world and the different skills, and that’s something that university can provide you with. It’s like an honorary profession.”

Hasraf Dulull Filmmaker www.hazfilm.com

“A lot of my career was to do with timing, but also because I was very hands on. I didn’t rely on other people. If I wanted something done, I’d get it done. Anyone can make movies, and it’s the ones that get there first who make it, and I got there quicker because of my skill set.”