Tue, 24/09/2024 - 12:53
Albert Arthur Animations – New Student Residency Tenant
Tell us about your business!
Albert Arthur Animations is an independent freelance animation business that focuses on creating hands-on multimedia animations. Using traditional materials and physical objects I bring animations to life in a different form.
What University did you graduate from? What course did you study?
I went to the University of Derby where I studied animation for three years and achieved a Ba Hons Animation degree.
What’s the inspiration behind your business journey and the story of where you are today?
Inspiration for Albert Arthur Animations first started out when I was studying animation at the university of Derby. Over the three years I created a variety of different animation projects that were mainly hands-on using traditional art-based materials. Since this is an uncommon way to make animations with most animations currently being made digitally, I was intrigued to continue on with the project's concept and see where it could lead.
Graduating from university with my animation degree, I began to slowly build up a portfolio for myself overtime. I began working on my social media accounts and a website. Later in the year I won a commission for ‘What is Swan?’ to complete. This expanded my inspiration for creating a freelance animation business.
What University services have you used for your business, if any?
During my last year of university, I managed to get an internship at Sparky Ink Studio Ltd in Chesterfield through the university Careers and Employment agency. After University I got another internship at Pink Alien Productions Ltd also in Chesterfield through the University Careers and Employment agency. These internships taught me more on how independent businesses work and people's experiences from it.
How have the University of Derby’s services helped to support your business so far?
The Be the Boss program helped me understand and gain some tips on how to create and run your own freelance business. My previous animation lecturer Stuart Poynton also helped and gave me advice for what types of commissions and business ideas I could make.
How will being based at Banks Mill help your business?
Being here at Banks Mill studio gives me the opportunity to focus more on my business ideas and take them to the next steps. Now I have a shared space dedicated to working on my freelance work, I feel like I can focus and engage in my work with no distractions and get projects finished easier and quickly with the bonus of having this space.
My animation work heavily revolves around creating multimedia and hands-on animations which tends to use up a bit of space when it comes to production which I did not have before. Now working here in Banks Mill I’ll have the space I need which means I can expand on these projects and potentially have more than one project on the go at the same time.
Another way Banks Mill will help my freelance business is that I now have the opportunity to share my work, through both the Banks Mill website and Open Day Events. Not only this, but with there being other studio tenants in the building as well I can make connections and get to know other artists and their work.
What other work experience, support or training have you gained that’s relevant to what you’re doing now?
Currently I work part-time at Sparky Ink Studio in Chesterfield. It is known for its multiple creative people centered workshops and events such as animation, film-making and gaming. I work as a Lead Animator, Production Assistant and team member. The studio is a safe space for children and adults who have Autism, ADHD and SEN. The work experience I gained here has been a great insight into future projects I could work on and the communities I could connect with. Working here has given me more ideas into the types of projects I could make and animations that could help support other communities.
What are you currently working on in the studio?
Currently I have been working on my business logo and website. I’m preparing to take commission work enquiries and to start emailing local businesses to see if I could potentially create an animation for them. I have also been looking at The Prince’s Trust and the Arts Council Funding for potential ideas I have that could benefit local communities such as SEN or Derbyshire County. Other than that, I am planning on creating my own short animations and art for my social media accounts and websites.
Can you tell us a bit about your work and the techniques you use to create your animations?
My animation work is heavily hands-on. My work tends to be a bit varied in terms of media I use to create an animation but, in most cases, this is just how I work. In my animations I use a variety of different materials depending on the project I’m working on. Some materials I animate with are; Charcoal, Chalk, Watercolour, Pencil, Ink, photography and physical media. Most of my animation projects are a blend of certain medias/materials.
Once I have gathered the materials and media and drawn out all of my frames in production I can start animating. Usually for animating I will use my kaiser stand which is a big piece of tec that allows me to take well-lit photos of each animation frame using my camera attached to the stand. I take the photos taken from my camera and export them to my desktop which I can then start preparing for editing.
When I’m at the post-production stage I collect all my photographed animation frames and start ordering and blending bits together on After Effects. This usually takes quite a long time to do until everything is edited and in place where it needs to be. After this I’ll add the last effects needed and add the sound. Finally, after a week or so of editing I can finally export the finished animation film.
The whole process’s length will depend on the size of the project and the detail of which materials are being used for it. For example, a one-minute animation film could take anywhere between two to three months to finish.
What are your plans for your business for the next 12 months?
My business plan for the next twelve months is to prepare my website and to design a logo and print business cards preparing for any potential commission enquiries and connections. I will email local companies/businesses about whether they need an animation project creating for them. In the meantime, I plan to do my own personal short animations that I can use for my social media accounts.
I’m really pleased to have been given this opportunity at Banks Mill and I cannot wait to get started on growing my business, meeting new artists and enjoying my time here. I am looking forward to seeing what the future could hold for my freelance business career.
