my work experience report

Francesca Matthews N0517629

1

MY WORK

EXPERIENCE

REPORT

Francesca Matthews

NO517629


2

SUMMARY.

This report will consist of a detailed documentation and portfolio of the activities I

participated in throughout my thirty-hour work experience. On the 15th February

2015 I contacted a Mr. Ryan Harvey following a casting call advertisement he had

posted on the NTU Drama Society’s Facebook page, hoping there would be positions

available on his production team for graphic or concept design work. As it turned out

after a brief interview on the 3rd of March he was happy to allow me the privilege of

designing a logo for his company, The Long Introductions Productions.


3

CONTENTS

1. Introduction………………………………........................……….p.4

2. Project Requirements………………......….....………...............…p.4

3. My Personal and Professional Goals……..............……................p.5

3.1 My Personal Goals………...………......….……................p.4

3.2 My Professional Goals…….........……………...............…p.4

4. Work Placement / Execution……...…......………..……................p.6

4.1 Communication………….....……...….…..……................p.6

4.2 Challenges………………….....…...….…..……................p.7

4.3 Activity Evaluation………...............…………........…..…p.8

5. Personal Attributes/Intellectual Agility…....……..........................p.11

5.1 Personal Development………...……….....……................p.12

6. Conclusion…………………………...…….…......……................p.13

7. Appendices

8. Bibliography


4

1. Introduction

On the 15th March 2015 I first contacted a Mr. Ryan Harvey about undergoing a 30-

hour work placement for this module. After a short interview I received a brief and

carried out a variety of tasks working towards creating a logo for Mr. Harvey’s video

production company “The Long Introductions Productions”.

2. Project Requirements

My design was to create a graphical logo to represent ‘The Long Introductions

Productions’ to use on the company website, YouTube Channel and to feature in film

credits. I also had to research existing logos for inspiration and consider the target

audience. During the course of design development, as a graphic artist I was required

to confer with the client regularly to discuss concepts, so it is essential to maintain

regular and comfortable contact with them throughout the process. My task involved

preparing initial sketches of ideas and layout the logo design, and pitching these ideas

to the client, before receiving and acting on feedback regarding the final design. The

finalisation of the design involves both traditional and digital art skills, and an

advanced understanding of digital art software’s in order to produce a final product

that is professional enough to be used to represent the company. Also, as I wasn’t

required to work in an office and was able to work from home, so I had to make use

of my own judgement and time management.


5

3. My Personal and Professional Goals

When I first chose this module I did so in the hope that I would have to opportunity to

develop and gain some personal and professional skills. I wanted a work placement

that would prove to be relevant and valuable to my chosen career, so that I could add

something to my CV that would be taken seriously by employers and professionals

from my discipline.

3.1.My Personal Goals

On a personal level I hoped that this module would give me a clearer insight into the

media industry so that I am more prepared to start my career when I leave university.

Furthermore, I can be quite nervous and introverted around new people, so I was

hoping to gain some confidence in professional communication. Furthermore, I hope

that through this experience I will be able to begin networking and make some

valuable friends within my chosen field of work.

3.2.My Professional Goals

On a professional basis I chose this module because I aspire to become a concept

designer for films and one day hopefully video games, so sometimes I feel that my

English and Media Joint Honors course doesn’t offer me that much practical

experience. By using this opportunity to help expand my portfolio and gain relevant

work experience, I hoped that it would help me to find full-time work a little bit faster

once I have completed my education.


6

4. Work Placement – Execution

The tasks undertaken during my placement are as follows (Further information can be

seen in my reflective diary- see Appendix 15):

Initial inquiry 15th- 16th February 2015. See Appendix 1

The interview 3rd March 2015. See Appendix 2

Initial research (5hrs) 5th March 2015. See Appendix 3

First concept sketch (4hrs) 7th March 2015. See Appendix 4

First concept design (8hrs) 8th March 2015. See Appendix 5

Feedback from first concept 9th March 2015. See Appendix 6

Change in direction 9th March 2015. See Appendix 7

Secondary research (6hrs) 13th March 2015. See Appendix 8

New concept designs (7hrs) 18th March 2015. See Appendix 9

Feedback on concepts 26th March 2015. See Appendix 10

Continuation of employment 20th April- Present. See Appendix 11

4.1. Communication

Communication was such an essential part of my project. Mr. Harvey first advertised

a casting call on the NTU Drama Societies Facebook page, and I contacted him using

the email he included in the hope that he would have some positions available in


7

concept art as a pose to in front of the camera. (See appendix 1) In order to create

something that best represents the company you are trying to portray it is vital that

you have a strong working relationship with the client. Following a brief meeting to

discuss my role and for me to get an idea of what Mr. Harvey’s business wanted to

portray, I received a written brief by email (see appendix 12) and began creating my

first basic concept designs. A week after my initial interview we began to discuss

concepts on social media as a pose to emails to decrease the time taken in between

replies because the client didn’t check his emails very often. It is commonly known

that “in communication at least some of the “meaning” is lost in simple transition

from the sender to the receiver” (Wertheim Ph.D, 2002); therefore, it is necessary to

be clear and direct when discussing professional matters in order to prevent

misinterpretation. I did this effectively by maintaining a professional and friendly

attitude, especially as I was also required to receive and interpret and reflect on

feedback, and to take criticism with a positive attitude and act upon it. Referring to

the Graduates Attributes Checklist (see appendix 14) I feel that as regards

communication (ISOS3) I worked at a Graduate Level.

4.2. Challenges

The first challenge I encountered was the speed of communication via email as

mentioned in the previous paragraph. This was quickly resolved following a

mutual decision to transfer conversations to social media, as Mr. Harvey did not

check his emails often. A personal challenge I faced was that I sometimes

experience anxiety around unfamiliar people, this made my initial meeting with


8

the client a nerve-wracking experience, however, I was proud of the way I dealt

with my nerves and felt that I presented myself professionally and confidently

once I became more comfortable. Time management was a challenge during this

placement, as I was not required to work regular hours and was given the

opportunity to work from home, provided that I kept track of the time I was

putting in. This meant that I had to stay highly self-motivated and make sure that I

was avoiding all forms of distraction while to ensure my hours were being logged

fairly. Another issue that affected my ability to manage time effectively was

having misplaced the pen for my graphics tablet, which prevented me from

transferring any concepts into the final stages for a few days. Luckily, after

explaining this to the client he was understanding and patient, and I was able to

continue as normal as soon as the new product had been delivered by post. I rated

my time management skills as satisfactory (ICOS5) due to this delay. (see

Appendix 14)

4.3. Activity Evaluation

My initial inquiries regarding this opportunity were valuable because they

educated me further in how to write professionally in order to give a good

impression of myself. I think in the future it will aid me to feel more confident

in progressively approaching potential employers when I leave university and

seek to begin my career.

The interview was a challenge on a personal level as mentioned earlier. I feel

that I managed to represent myself professionally and effectively despite my


9

nerves, and as I began to feel more comfortable I became confident enough to

instill confidence in the client, and I was offered work experience on the day. I

received my brief the following day, and spent an hour carefully reading the

requirements, considering the target market and the best way to represent Mr.

Harvey’s company. This allowed me to develop my critical thinking and

problem solving abilities as seen in the Graduate Attributes list (IA2, appendix

14). Especially as Mr. Harvey’s initial brief was so vague, it was really hard to

know where to begin. This meant I had to look at the issue from as many

angles and perspectives as possible, and to consider modern media in a much

greater depth than I would have had he had a clearer idea of what he wanted.

My initial research was mainly to gain inspiration. However, it was beneficial

for as it allowed me to gain further knowledge surrounding my field,

developing my intellectual agility as seen in the Graduate Attributes list again

(IA1 appendix 14). I was able to increase my understanding of what makes a

good logo to represent a business, to study and reflect on existing pieces that

already function on a professional scale, and to consider the target audience

and popular culture in my own designs. (GS1 Graduate Attributes Appendix

14) My initial brainstorm also allowed me to create a visual display of my

thoughts for myself and to help the client to follow my creative trail of

thought. During design work it is particularly beneficial to create visual

brainstorms and mood boards (see Appendices 3 and 8 ) because it helps to

organize ideas and inspiration into collateral patterns.

My first concept sketch came about when I was pondering iconic/popular

logos in modern society, and I thought about the Rolling Stones logo. I noticed

then that an abbreviated version of “The Long Introduction Productions”


10

could be “LIP’s”. (See appendices 3 and 4). I drew up a rough sketch so that I

could transfer it into digital art software at a later date.

Spread out over the next few days I transferred the sketch into Manga Studio

8. This allowed me to add even colour coverage, and to refine the design and

bring it to a professional standard. My further education in digital art help to

exhibit my ICT and computing skills, which is a revered skill in the modern

day work place. (ICOS2, see appendix 14)

The feedback from my first design was mostly positive. (See Appendix 6)

However, when I showed my mood boards the client expressed an interest in

the animal symbolization that I had discussed while brainstorming.

(Appendix) It was slightly difficult for me to accept this feedback as it meant

that I would have to start the process from scratch. But my chosen career

involves a great deal of teamwork and acceptance between designer and client

(ICOS4 see Appendix 14), in order to achieve a final product that best

represents the clients wishes, so it was not unexpected to me. I was glad to

receive some level of guidance on the client’s preferences.

The change in direction meant that I had to start the process again, beginning

with research. The client expressed an interest in designs that involved a

dragon and a puppy to represent the youth and innocence of his first business

while the dragon represents the fierce sense of humor and quirky style that the

company possesses. As there were no existing logos featuring similar content,

I had to research both the puppy and the dragon aspect separately. The dragon

aspect was particularly hard, as I had to try and find a way so as not to make

the design too complicated so that it remained easily transferrable and iconic.

Secondly, it was particularly difficult to find a method in order to incorporate


11

both elements, as stylistically they are not very compatible. However,

following further research and deep thought, I managed to create 2 (very

rough) concept sketches in order to show to the client. (See Appendix 9)

The feedback from these designs was much more positive despite my initial

concerns about them being so rough, the client managed to still get a clear

grasp of the direction I was headed, and provided me with some really useful

commentary on how to proceed with the final designs. (See Appendix 10)

5. Personal Attributes / Intellectual Agility

Working for The Long Introductions Productions made me more able to “identify

skills, values, interests and other personal attributes’ (The Association of Graduate

Recruiters, 1995, p.19) that I had to offer a potential employer in my chosen career

discipline. I am naturally very passionate about my chosen field, and possess “an

enterprising and creative mindset” (IA3, See Appendix 14), this allows me to become

very inspired by visual stimuli, and to quickly and effectively come up with ideas. I

also “thrive in rapidly changing work and social environments”, because my

creativity means that I am enthusiastic about variety, and am positively influenced

and inspired by diversity in my surroundings, and take delight in unusual or unique

tasks. I also found that I work best when I am challenged, and have a talent for

‘rational inquiry’ and ‘problem solving’ (IA2, see Appendix 14). By working from

home I realized that I was quite advanced in my “ability to prioritize, plan and

manage work and time’ (ICOS5 see appendix 14), because I had to motivate myself to

get work done as a pose to having set hours. I already had exceptional “Digital


12

literacy and the ability to use ICT effectively” (ICOS2, see Appendix 14), as it is

obviously a key part of working in digital art to be able to efficiently use and

maneuver both specialist hardware and software’s, in unison with basic computer

skills. This also involved an extensive prior understanding of my “chosen profession

or discipline, including the associated practices, technologies, research,

methodologies, values and ethics.” (IA1, see Appendix 14). Perhaps one of the most

vital skills I had to offer was my “capacity to appropriately judge self-efficiency and

to give and receive feedback effectively” (ICOS6, see Appendix 14), because my

project was exceptionally client orientated, and my soul purpose was to find

something that the company felt was perfect to represent them.

5.1. Personal Development

Though I already possessed the above attributes upon starting my work placement, it

also made me more aware of other skills I didn’t realize I had, and those that I was

developing. Through pushing myself out of my comfort zone I realized that despite

initially being nervous, I am more skilled in communication than I gave myself credit

for, as I was successfully able to pitch my ideas and convey my thought patterns

accurately to explain each of my concepts. I proved to myself that I was competent in

“communication skills in spoken, written and visual media” (ICOS3 see Appendix

14), which is not only an achievement in my professional life but for me it is a

personal one also. Throughout my process I also became more aware of the amount of

paper I was using and the importance of recycling due to ‘environmental

sustainability issues’ (GS2 see Appendix 14). In order to combat this I made sure I


13

was wasting as little paper and doing as much design work on the computer as

possible.

6. Conclusion

Overall I am thrilled that I chose to participate in this module because it has been an

exceptionally valuable learning experience. I felt that I was consistent and dedicated

to this project, and I was delighted to be able to put a part of myself into the final

product, and proud of myself for the way that I managed to overcome my fears and

adapt to a professional situation. This experience enabled me to get a glimpse of

where I could be in a year or so following my graduation, and it gave me an honest

and worthwhile insight into both the challenges and the rewards of working within my

chosen field of specialization. Most of all, I am proud of myself for pushing myself

out of my comfort zone and for allowing myself to develop new skills and network

slightly within the local media industry. Participating in this module has assured me

that it is the career path that inspires me most, and perhaps most exciting is the fact

that Mr. Harvey has displayed an interest in continuing to work with me on his next

project. (See appendix 11). This means that I will be able to continue developing my

skills and to become a part of the team at The Long Introductions Productions, which

is very exciting for me, as the next project will enable me to contribute towards the

concept art for a fantasy film, which has always been an ambition of mine. I was very

happy with the reference that he provided also (see appendix 13), as it made me feel

much more confident in my abilities, especially as a creative. The sense of reward you

feel when you receive positive feedback from a client is truly inspiring to me, and


14

enjoy knowing that my logo will make a difference to the marketability of the

company inspires me further. Though I did not manage to complete the final logo

within the 30 hours experience I have undergone, I am excited to resume working on

it until the client is totally satisfied.

7. Appendices

Appendix 1:-


15

Appendix 2:-


16

Appendix 3:-


17


18


19

Appendix 4:-


20


21

Appendix 5:-

Appendix 6:-


22

Appendix 7:-


23

Appendix 8:-


24

Appendix 9:-


25


26


27


28

Appendix 10:-

TLIP Logo design Feedback

The Dog

Lets start with this adorable little critter, indeed, these

two fully captivate what I had in mind for the little

puppy;; the picture on the left may be a bit too grown

though?

In an animated sequence I’d probably have the dog move between these two positions, or

even howl from a snuggled position like the picture on the right. I want the dragon and the

puppy separate, not in the dragons arms. In a rectangular space, landscape, the puppy,

small, would inhabit lower left third, and the dragon, the larger portion, top Right two thirds. I

have drawn a paint image to help with that retarded set of instructions, on to…

The Dragon

I liked this first image, it was on the right lines,

but too maternal. Too caring. Na fuck that, I’m an

aggressive mother fucking dragon! I want the

dragon to stand proudly guarding the puppy,

perhaps roaring, the dragon, not the puppy. I

have luckily found an image which I think lies

pretty closely to what I had in mind.

However I dislike the colour, and bottom

half, and generally the look of this dragon,

but It’s pose is nearly spot on!


29

TLIP Logo design Feedback

The Dog

Lets start with this adorable little critter, indeed, these

two fully captivate what I had in mind for the little

puppy;; the picture on the left may be a bit too grown

though?

In an animated sequence I’d probably have the dog move between these two positions, or

even howl from a snuggled position like the picture on the right. I want the dragon and the

puppy separate, not in the dragons arms. In a rectangular space, landscape, the puppy,

small, would inhabit lower left third, and the dragon, the larger portion, top Right two thirds. I

have drawn a paint image to help with that retarded set of instructions, on to…

The Dragon

I liked this first image, it was on the right lines,

but too maternal. Too caring. Na fuck that, I’m an

aggressive mother fucking dragon! I want the

dragon to stand proudly guarding the puppy,

perhaps roaring, the dragon, not the puppy. I

have luckily found an image which I think lies

pretty closely to what I had in mind.

However I dislike the colour, and bottom

half, and generally the look of this dragon,

but It’s pose is nearly spot on!


30

Appendix 11:-

Appendix 12:-

Logo Brief.

The Long Introductions Productions

We are a Film and Tv production company specialising in comedy, fantasy, an

d science fiction. No genre is safe as creativity and good story telling using th

emes from all inspirations.

The name comes from the band name, The Long Intros, our comedy graphic

can be tackled later.

It's also really wordy. So abriviations or representative logos may work! But I

do like the words, it sounds ridiculous.

It's a brand identity at the end of the day. Simple and effective works great. B

ut you can be as creative as you want!


31

Good luck, all you need are ideas by Monday!

Appendix 13:-

To whom it may concern,

My name is Ryan Harvey, a Director and Producer at The Long Introductions

Productions. We are an independent film production company; creating short films,

and professional quality videography and content for businesses and other

professionals. Since early March 2015, Francesca Matthews has been working with

us as Graphic Designer and we are more than happy to recommend her work.

Francesca joined us as part of a university module in which she needed to undergo a

work placement; and with us, she has helped provide solutions for logos designs,

storyboards for music videos, and concept art. Her process and enthusiasm for each

project speaks volumes for the love and passion she has for her work.

Communicating well with myself to make sure she is clear on my vision and ideas to

bring them to life in ways which I can not; consistently returning for feedback to

create the vision we intended. She shall be continuing to work with us over the

coming months to finish a few more designs for us; and we hope she can join us in

the future for larger opportunities.

One area where Francesca has excelled is within the design process for our

company logo; not having many ideas ourselves, Francesca has guided us through

her creative process to create various options, allowing us to explore ones we felt fit.

Through her creativity and flexibility working with us; we have taken our designs in a

new direction, and one we feel much more comfortable with now. This has shown

that she not only understands her field, but understands how to read our needs and

apply them to the project.

She has been a pleasure to work with, and most importantly puts herself into the

project, which we believe is key to any creative success.

If you wish to contact me regarding this reference or to ask any questions, please

email me at;

[email protected], or call; 07703 150121.

Regards,

Ryan Harvey

Director/Producer

The Long Introductions Productions

mailto:[email protected]


32

Appendix 14:-

Intellectual Agility (IA) N S A G IA1. Extensive understanding of their

chosen profession or discipline,

including the associated practices,

technologies, research, methodologies,

values and ethics.

IA2. Aptitude for independent, critical

thought and rational inquiry, alongside

the capacity for analysis and problem-

solving in multiple contexts.

IA3. An enterprising and creative mindset,

able to thrive in rapidly changing work

and social environments.

IA4. Intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm for

learning and an aptitude for self-

directed learning.

Information, Communication and

Organisational Skills (ICOS)

N S A G

ICOS1. Proficiency in finding, evaluating,

analysing and applying data.

ICOS2. Digital literacy and the ability to use

ICT effectively.

ICOS3. Effective communication skills in

spoken, written and visual media.

ICOS4. Good team and collaborative

working skills.

ICOS5. Ability to prioritise, plan and

manage work and time.

ICOS6. Capacity to appropriately judge self-

efficacy and to give and receive

feedback effectively.

Global Citizenship (GS) N S A G GS1. International awareness and openness

to the world, based on appreciation of

social and cultural diversity, respect for

human rights and dignity.

GS2. Understanding and appreciation of

social, economic or environmental

sustainability issues.

GS3. Leadership capacity, including a

willingness to engage in constructive

public discourse, and to accept social

and civic responsibility.

Name……………………………………………………………………………….


33

Appendix 15:-


34


35


36


37

Bibliography:-

Wertheim Ph.D, E. G. (2002) The Importance of Effective Communication. Available at: ysrinfo.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/effectivecommunication5.pdf (Accessed: 9 May 2015)

http://ysrinfo.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/effectivecommunication5.pdf

my work experience report

Documents