SKM 4200 Computer Animation Chapter 4: Animation (3D Computer Animation – Part 2)
Business Overview - h8072858.files.wordpress.com€¦ · Web viewMy services will be aimed at the...
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Business Plan
CONTENTS1 BUSINESS OVERVIEW............................................................................1
1.1 Business Overview...........................................................................11.2 Service Features................................................................................11.3 Marketing Analysis............................................................................11.4 Marketing Strategy............................................................................21.5 Key Objectives and Financial Overview..........................................2
2 DETAILED PLAN......................................................................................32.1 Market Analysis.................................................................................32.2 Competition.......................................................................................42.3 The Service........................................................................................42.4 Marketing Strategy............................................................................52.5 Service Production............................................................................62.6 SWOT Analysis..................................................................................62.7 Business Structure...........................................................................72.8 Management and Ownership...........................................................82.9 Key Objectives...................................................................................82.10 Financial Information.....................................................................8
2.10.1 Start Up Costs.........................................................................82.10.2 Running Costs.........................................................................92.10.3 Additional Costs......................................................................9
2.11 Action Plan.....................................................................................93 APPENDICES.........................................................................................10
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1 BUSINESS OVERVIEW
1.1 Business Overview
The business idea is myself working as a freelance 2D animator and illustrator
within the arts and media sector. The main benefit for someone employing me
would be that there would be no fixed term contract and I would have a
flexible working schedule to suit their needs.
I will be offering my skills as a traditional and digital illustrator and a 2D
animator. My service could be bought by company’s anywhere. In two years
time I would like to have made good connections with companies and clients
and be working on a portfolio of work. In five years time I would like to have
established a good reputation with company’s and be well known in the
industry and to have built up a good portfolio of work, this will be achieved by
building up a portfolio of work and making contacts within the industry.
1.2 Service Features
I will be providing a service as a freelance illustrator and 2D animator. I will
work within companies as well as from home. The benefits I offer over other
competitors are that I have skills throughout the whole animation process
rather than specialising in one area. Also I am not stuck to one style of
illustration and can give a variety.
1.3 Marketing Analysis
My services will be aimed at the UK animation industry as there are many
different 2D animation companies in the UK that will require freelance
animators to join a team of animators. My illustration skills will be aimed at
people needing illustrations for books and story’s. I will also use my illustration
services for advertising as there is a strong industry for this in the UK.
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1.4 Marketing Strategy
I have designed a website to show my work and I have also produced
business cards that I will distribute to possible employers. I have created a
facebook page for my services which also links to my web site. I will also be
producing photo books to show my illustrations.
1.5 Key Objectives and Financial Overview
My key objective is to create industry contacts and gain a well known
reputation. I will also produce a portfolio to showcase my work. The start up
costs would be the cost of hardware and software to create the images and
animation. Also there would be start up costs of creating marketing materials
and advertising. The running costs would be updating software, maintaining
the website and producing more business cards and photo books when
needed.
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2 DETAILED PLAN
2.1 Market Analysis
In the 2D animation industry in the UK at the moment the majority of jobs are
in pre production, as the animation is being done over seas. Due to this the
main jobs I will be hoping to get will be in pre production. This will be anything
from script writing to a storyboard artist and character designer. Securing
these jobs will depend on the strength of my portfolio and the contacts I have
made. I may have to work as a runner to begin with to make connections
within the industry.
I will also be providing my services as an illustrator as this is a steady industry
with many different types of work. Whilst contracts will be extremely short it
will build up my portfolio and reputation. I will secure these jobs by advertising
and sending marketing materials to potential employers.
I will be based in the north east of England but I will be able to accept work
from anywhere as a lot of the work can be completed from home. There are
also more company’s developing within the northeast as the industry expands
and moves out of London. A down side to this location will be the state of the
economy, as grants and funding are lost clients will look to hire overseas as it
is cheaper. I would like to counter this by offering reasonable prices and a
more personal service. Also when working with local clients I will have an
edge as I live locally and know the area well.
When contacting potential clients and customers I will do so by arranging
meetings and by contacting them through emails and telephone calls. Also
with the use of programmes such as Skype I will also be able to use this to
have business meetings with clients I may not be able to meet in person.
I have used website such as Skillset to find out this information and I have
also looked at local companies that may hire freelancers. As I may struggle to
find work, also working as an illustrator as well will give me an extra edge as I
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can do this job from home and work with clients anywhere. I will use the
internet to show my illustrations and put my portfolio on illustration sites where
employers search for illustrators.
2.2 Competition
My main competition will be from other graduates looking to work as
freelancers, graduates with qualifications such as a master’s degree will also
be my competition as they are more qualified than I will be. Also I will have
strong competition from freelancer’s already working within the industry as
they will have the experience that I will be lacking. An advantage may be that
as I am a graduate I will have fresh skills and ideas and will also be paid less
than an established freelancer, which may appeal to employers.
2.3 The Service
I will be providing a service as a 2D animator and an illustrator. By working as
a freelancer I will be working for many different companies on a short term
basis. I will be willing to work on any part of the 2D animation production
process although I have the most experience in pre production. I will also be
offering my services as an illustrator and as I have no set style of illustration I
can work for anyone needing illustrations.
When beginning my career I will accept illustration and animation jobs but I
will also be happy to expect jobs as a runner for companies. This will be a
good way to get experience working within a company and to expand my
skills and also to create good contacts for future work. Wages for my services
will vary between different companies and will increase with the amount of
experience I gain and the strength of my reputation. After I have gained
experience in the industry and have some good contacts I would like to move
on to more difficult and challenging projects as this will help me to progress
and demonstrate my ability which will enable me to gain higher paid work.
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To create an advantage for myself I will be keeping up to date with all the
software and techniques used within the industry and any new software that is
produced. I will also make availability one of my selling points as I will be
willing to work at any time and I will work long hours. I will also keep up to
date on changes within the industry and what sectors are expanding so I can
direct my skills towards it hopefully gaining more work.
2.4 Marketing Strategy
I have created a set of marketing materials that I can give to clients, this will
help to make contacts in the industry and make me stand out from my
competitors. I have also produced marketing materials that will show my work
and that the clients can use to view my work without looking at a portfolio or
showreel.
I have created a set of professional business cards that each show images
taken from illustrations I have created. All my contact information and my
website address are on the back of the business cards. These give a potential
client a small view of my work and all the information they need to find more
or to contact me. I will also be getting photo books printed that will show my
illustrations so that I can present them to possible clients in a professional
way.
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I created a website and a facebook page to showcase my work. This will
make my work easily viewable and will allow potential employers to view my
work without having a showreel sent to them. It also enables me to show work
that is not part of the finished animation so employers can view my steps in
the pre production process.
I will gain industry contacts be sending out show reels and business cards as
well as advertising my website and inviting people to view my facebook page.
I will keep my website up to date and print business cards and photo books as
needed. I will also update my showreel with new work as it is needed.
I will market myself by appearing as a very employable person when in
contact with companies and also in interviews. I will do this by acting
professional and polite and friendly and displaying that I would be a good
candidate for a job.
2.5 Service Production
When agreeing to a job I will work out the price of the service with the client
before starting the job. When starting out as a freelancer this will be relatively
low and will increase I get a larger portfolio and a better reputation. As all the
software will be covered in the start up costs the price will be based solely on
the labour of creating the product.
2.6 SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
I have a good knowledge of the 2D animation process and the
programmes used for this.
I have a varied drawing style that can be changed to suit a product.
As I can work from home I can have a flexible work schedule and can
work unsociable hours.
I would have no fixed term contract which would allow employers to
employ me on a short term basis.6
Weaknesses:
I have no previous experience working in the 2D animation and
illustration industry.
I do not have the contacts needed that would help me gain work.
I will be competing against many other graduates many that may have
higher qualifications of a stronger portfolio.
Opportunities
I have skills in different areas, which allows me to work on different
things.
The north east is developing and there are more company’s opening in
the area.
I have a strong portfolio and different ways to access my work online.
Threats
The industry may change with the economic state which may result in
there being less jobs and businesses.
It may be difficult to create contacts in the industry and to gain clients
and a good reputation.
There are many other graduates that I will be competing with for a
small amount of jobs.
2.7 Business Structure
I will be working as a sole trader working under my own name. As I will be
working freelance for many different companies and clients this was the most
logical option.
I will be applying for advertised jobs and after establishing myself within the
industry I hope to have clients approaching me looking for a freelancer. I will
also network on sites such as Imagine to hopefully create contacts.
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2.8 Management and Ownership
I will be the only person in this business and the issues I may have with this is
that I will need to keep learning new skills to keep up with developing
technology and software. I will also be in charge of my own marketing and
maintaining my website which can be a time consuming process. The main
issue though will be keeping a steady flow of work and income as there is no
guarantee of jobs as a freelancer.
2.9 Key Objectives
Within the first year of operating of a freelancer I hope to have secured the
start up costs needed to function as a freelancer and have marketing
materials that can be distributed and a functioning website. I would also like to
be making a steady income.
I would also hope to create good contacts within the industry and to have
gained work as a freelancer and because of this I would like to have gained a
good reputation with clients.
2.10 Financial Information
2.10.1 Start Up Costs
The start up costs for my business will be any software that I will need and the
appropriate licenses for this. I will contact the license providers to get a yearly
licence cost. I will also need marketing materials which will be business cards
and photo books when needed. The initial costs of starting up my website will
also be included with marketing materials. My start up costs may be helped by
a new business grant.
2.10.2 Running Costs
The running costs for my business will be the maintaining of my website which
will be a minimal cost and also the upgrade of any software that is needed.
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Other costs will be producing more marketing materials when needed which
will also be minimal.
2.10.3 Additional Costs
The additional costs of running this business will be possible computer
updates as software develops and faster computers may be needed. Also
internet costs as I will be using the internet to host my website and to contact
employers.
2.11 Action Plan
Objective Task Completion Date Achieved
Marketing Business Cards 01/03/2011 yes
Website 01/05/2011 In production
Photo Books 01/05/2011 no
Show Reel 20/05/2011 no
Set Up Get software 01/06/2011 no
Contact clients 05/06/2011 no
Run Portfolio 01/03/2012 no
Good contacts 01/03/2011 no
3 APPENDICES
Marketing Materials
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