Linked In Secrets

Another post! This one came kind of suddenly... I'll try to make the most sense of it so you guys can get the most out of it.

This one is indirectly about networking. I attended a webinar by Greig Wells (for the sake of continuing this blog, here's a link so I don't get in trouble XD) on Linked In and how it can help you find a job. Well, I was yawning at this, too... however, this one in particular emphasized how a little work now will yield the recruiters CALLING YOU to GIVE YOU a job rather than you applying endlessly. Um yeah. So for the hell of it, I got up at 8 in the morning and took notes. Granted, the whole point of the webinar was to suck you into $400 worth of other merchandise you would need, however, I'm going to tell you why you should read this and not worry about purchasing anything... the free stuff actually works. I spent 5 minutes tweaking some things after the 2 hours session, and a recruiter from a very very well-known company contacted me within 24 hours of the webinar (and that particular job posting) and asked me if it was a job I would be interested in. I NEVER APPLIED TO THIS COMPANY. Hello? Welcome to 2012! This NEVER happened in your parents' generation of job seeking, and I have the feeling this wasn't an accident.

So below is my summary of what you can do to improve your Linked In Profile and get noticed before everyone else applies. Enjoy :)

The Basics:
If you do not have a Linked In Account, go home. Right now. And don't read the remainder of this blog until you have a profile that is 100% complete.

Seriously. Go home.



So assuming you all now have an account, I need you to look at your connections. These are very very important. Before you continue, I want you to go into your email account, facebook, twitter, or sidebar of linked in, and find 5 people that you know and ask them to join your network. Now repeat this at every moment you remember to. Make this your goal every week. Consistently add people you know and build your network.

Ok, I promise that's the last of what I'll ask you to do before the end of the post. Maybe.

-Keyword Strategy:

Recruiters nowadays have an interesting job. They have to fill positions (in their entirety) without spending too much of the companies' money. Meaning, they have to get the most qualified applicants to apply in the least amount of posts. Posts on popular forums cost money per day of posting. How do they accomplish this? Well, there's always Craigslist... we all know how many nuts apply for those positions... And, there's Linked In. They can dig through their connections by searching for a few key words, and voila! they have a few hundred applicants that they can contact to see who would be interested in that position. You can gear your profile to come up more times than not in their searches by using a simple tool. You can find it here at Wordle.Net. Gather about 5 job postings all from different companies (all different levels: entry, mid, and senior) and c/p all 5 into this app. Take the top 5 biggest words and remember write them down.

In your Linked In Profile, incorporate these words in every possible way into these categories: Tagline, Current Title, Past Titles, Specialties, and Summary. Re-use these words in our descriptions of what you've done and what you are doing. Exaggerate the tasks you were given on particular projects to let these words shine out above all others. This is part of your resume optimization and should be second nature by now, but if it isn't, start making a habit of it.

Here's an example of one I did. This is the only step I did to get that email. That's it. But, there's 4 more steps you can do to help yourselves along the way. Continue on, my friends, continue on...

-Profile Optimization:


Now that you know what key words to use, you can start filtering out all of the things you don't need in your profile. That one time you worked at Target? Gone. Get it out of there. This is your chance to start building your portfolio of RELATED experience. Worried you don't have enough? That's ok. If you're still in school, keep taking production classes that increase your experience in projects. Go to webinars, workshops, seminars, networking events, conferences, and add those classes to your level of experience. If you're an artist, go to life drawing sessions and add those to your curricula. Literally, anything that will increase those words and your experience in your own field will help. Join the Computer Graphics club, volunteer for a conference (there is more than just GDC and Siggraph...), start your own game on the side... they don't need to know that it was particularly a group of fellow classmates or that the class was free. Just show that you are learning and thirsty for more. Also, adding related classes is ok at first, but once you get your first internship or job in the industry, start slowly filtering out anything that reminds them that you just recently graduated. You are a professional. Prove it.

-Create a Group:


This is especially beneficial to those who are unemployed. Creating a group and being the lead manager of it allows you to create your own title and increases your chances of being found in a search (remember those keywords?). It can be a group of fellow classmates that you were in a project with and want to keep in touch about that particular project and where it's going, an interest group (localized or global), anything that you can add people to that would have the same interests as you. Make sure to name yourself intelligently based on a previous step ;)

-Build your network to 500+ :

This one's a little tougher. I'm a firm believer in the importance of blooming a relationship instead of collecting business cards. But, here I am, a "master networker" as some call me, and only at 265 connections. What gives? Well, the webinar suggested just adding anybody and everybody that had at least 500 connections... but honestly, that will help with the recruiting and not so much with you actually building a physical network of people that you can have coffee with. Those people will be there for you when the recruiters don't call. So, I suggest a little of both. Most recruiters of companies will add anyone because their network needs to be large enough to get the job done, quickly and cheaply. Start adding recruiters, directors of marketing, and the like of the companies you are following on Linked In (you ARE following companies... right???). This will help in the next step.

Also, find people that you have met physically, but not necessarily talked to. Introduce yourself and add a little of where they know you from when you connect to them on Linked In. Make certain (even if you think they would remember you) to include how you met them, or where you know them from--- I can't tell you how many people I can't remember how I met them, or if I know them, and they never mentioned a word about why they are connecting with me. This step will probably double your current network. In addition to this, make certain to always get a business card (and have one on you) at every place you go. Especially if you are in major cities. You never know who you might meet. These are the people that will start expanding you out of your college cushion and it may surprise you how small this industry is. No position or industry should be out of the question. Industry companies need lawyers, caterers, and they rent out offices in the same buildings as advertisers, restaurants, clock repair shops, and jewelry makers. Ok, the last two were a bit of a stretch, but anyone that you have a good conversation with will always be worth it. You never know who they might know. Just mentioning that you are in entertainment gets most people excited, anyways. "I want to be a game designer". "Hey! My son works for EA!" How familiar does that sound?

-Signal/ Social Media


Last, but not in the very least, taking advantage of social media. LinkedinLabs.com has an app called Signal that will allow you to see the feed on your network. Basically this allows you to listen in on the conversations people are having about jobs. Recruiters post when their company has a position (remember we added them in the last step?). They post so people can apply before the job is up in the market of forums, and they also begin their search to find people who qualify. Comment, Like, interact with these posts on Signal and you will be shot to the top of the list for these people to call in for an interview because you will be fresh in their mind.

Social media in general is becoming so powerful. Search.twitter.com allows you to search for tweets in the last 36 hours from recruiters that are related to your industry. That should give you an edge over the competition, because hey- it was in the last 36 hours. Follow these people on Twitter, Like their Facebook Page... anything that will get you exposed to their updates immediately when the happen. FOLLOW THEIR COMPANIES ON LINKED IN. I can't stress this enough. Anytime a company is hiring a wave of people is a good time to apply, whether your position is posted or not. This industry revolves around projects. One position being filled is not the end of the world, and being connected on a level in social media with all of the right people is what will get your resume to the top of the pile.

Want to know why the position is filled before you even apply? Because everyone else has already done the last 5 steps. Do the work now and save yourself an enormous amount of headaches in the future. There are 5 more advanced steps, but you can all start here and email me for the last 5 (they are super complicated and take a lot more time). Ultimately, the first 5 should be enough to wrap your head around how fast this industry hires and get you noticed enough to get that first job.

And now... here's your last task: Come up with 1 more step that will increase your chances of getting a job... just through Linked In. Post below. I dare you.

Babe Lab with Paul Richards, and R & H

Hey All! I hope you are having a fantastic winter so far! Some of the Alumni are in Los Angeles right now for their first winter and tbh, it doesn't feel like winter here at all! Beach anyone?

Anyways...

Today's post is about two events that were attended in the last week. One of the great things about LA is there are so many things to do in the industry and most of them happen right here in lovely So Cal. So if you ever happen to find yourself working down here, there is literally a major event going on a few times a week, you just have to develop a way to get your eyes and ears in the right places to be informed! Personally, for me, blogs, newsletters, networking, and just overall enthusiasm for meeting new people and seeing new things is what got me into all of it. So! Look no further, the first event of the week was *drumroll please*...

Rhythm & Hues!

On Hollywood Blvd, there is a restaurant called "Osaka". We arrived a little later than expected because of traffic and deadlines at work, but sure enough, in a little room, Jill Gilbert greeted us at the door (she is in charge of most of the major events in LA via One Plus Hub. SUBSCRIBE NOW if you are in the area, because this is where all your networking events for the year will be. She kicked off the night with some thanks and announcements, introduced some of the R & H VIPs, and then let us continue to a lovely night of meeting talented and well-known people. And did I mention how good the free sushi and drinks were???

So, I can't go into too much details about the night, however, I did meet two animation producers, and animation writer, someone who works for Sony, and an enthusiastic artist that could potentially be hired by my company in the future. Now, if I was lazy and decided to stay home, would all of this had happened? No. Get yo butt to an event and meet the people that will make your progress your career!

Ok, I'm done.

Not really. The next event, is the Gnomon Workshop: Babe Lab. I know some of you artists in APCG think you are exempt from all of this artsy fartsy stuff aka life drawing... NOT! Every artist I've talked to in the field has some connection to drawing, painting, sculpting, etc. in some way to keep their brain active and their analytical receptors fresh ;)

Life drawing can teach you so much. Even if you don't consider yourself to be "an artist", if you are in the business of games, mobile development, movies, etc. guess what! You are helping create something, and thereby making you (yes, even the programmers) artists! So rather than sitting here lecturing about it, I'll just cut right to the chase, and give you the awesome details of the night with Paul Richards. He has truly inspired me to draw, no matter where I am or if I'm in a class with a model.

So basically, he had Stacy (the model) up on stage with him, doing demonstrations and poses that supported his lecture. This was pretty awesome because normally (most teachers I've had anyways) the teacher just has a powerpoint or a lecture in their head, and will sometimes use some sort of visual, but this was a great way to show exactly what he was talking about. AND he even had little props that explained what he was referring to in 3D space. Some were arrows to show the axis and angle of the particular body part he was pointing at, stickers to explain the proportions of the body parts in relationship to one another, squishy props to demonstrate the interaction between soft and hard surfaces, and others were just visual sketches he had up on the projector to give you a more illustrated analysis of what he was saying. So awesome. Why can't the Art Department be more like this???

Some of the subjects he touched on (again, summary and paraphrasing- not quoting here):


-Create geometry in your mind, based on the axis that appears for each surface. If the torso is facing one way and the head another, define those figures in space as boxes or 3D objects that simplify what is going on. The Axis is a tremendous help when defining how the form will appear on 2D space, as long as you understand what is happening in 3D space.

-The foot creates a check mark. This is most apparent when the figure is wearing heels of some sort. Define those flat planes and just look for the check mark, and it will simplify how you approach the feet. Feel free to add your own heels to the drawing if she has her foot in a suitable for it, or you're drawing from your head.

-He noticed one day when a model was holding herself up, that the hand is a distorted version of the check mark. The thumb is the stiletto and the flat planes still exist. Something to think about.

-When defining the shape of the fingers, it's always important to define what side of the finger the nail is hugging. If you can answer that, it will define the planes of the hands and fingers a little clearer and help you portray the hand more accurately.

-When drawing anything on the figure, even if you are drawing from life, pretend like the figure was animated. Imagine a "frame" before and a "frame" and connect the dots by exaggerating push/pull, squash/stretch, anticipation/drag, etc. If her arm looks like it was come from one direction, drag the fingers behind as if the force of movement was defining the shape of her hand. Same for hair, and any other things you can think of that would make the pose more interesting. The sky is the limit!

-The head pose can tell you a lot about how interesting the rest of the pose will be. Look at pictures of people online and ask yourself if it's an interesting photo. Even the most graphic porn (!) can be boring and uninteresting if the head is straight forward. The straight on photos of someone taking a picture in the mirror are usually the least interesting. But there are still some fashion and advertising photos taken by amateurs that can demonstrate how important it is to avoid symmetry and straight on head poses. He bled into another discussion about silhouettes and how the composition of the photo is clear, so I'll explain that next.

-Avoid tangents. Simple? I didn't get it at first either. The worst thing you can do as an artist is make the definition of space unclear. If, from the perspective of the drawing, the boob meets the arm, which meets the leg, the eye has a difficult time immediately recognizing what comes first in space, and what is the furthest in space. Even if this is literally what you are looking at from your perspective of the figure in front of you, CHEAT. Drop the boob down a little farther, extend the arm out so it is more resting on the ground than right behind the leg, etc. Cheat it to make everything more clear. The best artists are the ones that see friction in the system and avoid it by using their artistic license and freedom of being able to draw whatever they like.

-Always emphasize highs and lows of the figure. If one arm is posed high than the other, exaggerate it. If everything is parallel, add subtle highs and lows to make it more interesting. Same with thicks and thins. There are thick portions of the body, and thin portions that create these tapers. Exaggerate them to make the figure more interesting (and less like a stick figure).

-When something is flushed up against another body part, think about what the geometry is underneath and treat the top geometry like it's paper and has no thickness. This will help you define the shape a little better. The contact will naturally mesh the two things together (unless it's two hard surfaces).

-If you are having a difficult time understanding a pose, or creating one, remember that appendages like to rest in corners. When an arm is on the hip, it is probably resting on the hip bone. When one ankle is behind another, it is probably resting on the Achilles Heel. When laying down, if one leg is up and behind another, her ankle is probably interlocked with the back of her knee. Some common resting places: the knee (back and front), the elbow (back and front), hip bone, etc. Watch people out on the street and find where else is a common resting place for certain parts of the body (even hair!).

-A good idea is to cast shadows for contact points to define when they contact each other. Also, certain body parts will bulge out when they contact another. Think about hard surfaces contacting soft ones and how they would interact. Exaggerate it. Also, contact points create pooches and creases. Kind of the same thing, but it depends on the contact points, again. Pooches are the bulging out, and creases are the cuts in (usually a bone sticking out farther than the skin can stretch- like the hip bone).

-When creating proportions that are not exaggerated to push away from realism, there are arcs that you can follow to define how far out certain appendages go. The neck will rotate down to the center of the clavicle. The wrist will come up to the top of the shoulder. The ankle will come up to the base of the hipbone. watch people extend and contract their arms, legs, and head to find more. There are tons! But ultimately, you want to make sure that when your proportions look off, create an imaginary arc from those points and see where they would end up if they were contracted and see if you are off by a few inches in your drawing.

-POV can make a pose more interesting or define a message you are trying to convey. If you split a figure down the middle, you can also create perspective by recognizing that the body is symmetrical by nature (usually).

-William Hogarth emphasized that there is beauty all around the body in the form of  "S" curves (also called the Line of Beauty). Look for them in the figure and exaggerate them. Sometimes you must "connect the dots" and extend the curve to something other than the silhouette (say a shoulder blade around to the bottom of the buttocks), but they are usually there. Even if the tapering of the "S" is subtle, it's there. You just have to find it.

-In Life Drawing, it's apparent that the body posing for you, is not an apple on a table. There will be movement. Which is why it's important to capture the pose immediately with gestures and then emphasize what might not be there anymore. Never blame the model for moving something that you didn't draw in the first place. The beauty is there for a split second, and then could be taken away. Capture it early (angles, S Curves, planes, etc.), and use what you have to create something later.

-Connect lines from the extremes of the figure to create a silhouette/negative. You can define the whole of the figure with just a negative.

-"You have to REALLY TRY to fuck up the human design. Some of these photos are just BAD."

-Cranial Real Estate. There is only a certain area that the head will grow hair. Be aware of it, and allow that to define the position, thickness, and physics of the hair.

-A famous artist (I didn't catch the name) always emphasized a "3 Point Story" in his work. Adjective + Archetype + Action. Like a Sexy + Actress + Climbs the Rope. There's always a story to be told in his work.

Lastly, he suggested these books to be the best out there for improving your analysis of the human figure. Walt Stanchfield's "Drawn to Life" Volumes 1 and 2, and Force. I just got Walt's books in the mail this week, and I already own Force. Super stoked to read more about the human figure!

So, in conclusion, I wouldn't have learned any of this if I didn't go out to these events. The learning never stops, and the networking never stops. Until next time, I hope all of you enjoyed your Winter Break, and I look forward to the next post! If you have questions about anything I've discussed today, please feel free to email me!

Have a great weekend :)