Association of illustrators + actor presentation

Association of illustrators

We got a really interesting and helpful presentation from the AOI, presented by Lou Bones. There was so much I gained from this, that I honestly wish it could have been longer.

The association are somewhat like a trade association, catering to illustrators. They help by offering advice, portfolio consultations, legal and pricing guidance. It is £160 a year for sign up, but for students its £55, need to keep this in mind for when Im about to leave uni.

What was really great about the presentation was that they didn't just come to advertise their presence to us, Bones gave some really great insights:

- When making a website, keep it simple, don't let it overload, and make sure all information for the client to contact is on the front page.

- For social media, have separate personal and professional accounts, upload more, probably daily as a recommendation. 

- Mail work to clients, keep it letter sized, and use around three images. Keep it unique and memorable.

- Client lists, AOI has one, biniklists.com also. Social media can also be seen as a means for this.

- Register for income tax within three months of leaving uni

- Keep up to date with accounts

- Keep claimable receipts i.e. work in movies, keep film tickets

- Keep all job paperwork

- Illustration is licensed based, so you are lending a client your work, that is what they pay for. For further use they have to pay more, or buy the copyright. 

- Its not usually good to fully assign copyright to a client, do not relinquish it. Licensing is always preferable and is how the industry works

- Always use a contract

- If the client provides the contract, be careful and ensure it fits you.

- Ensure termination fees are included 

- Generally, who, what , when and why should be in the contract.

- Accept commissions in writing

- Include clear dating of all steps of the process i.e dated roughs.

- Don't work for free

- Illustration has set fees, don't de value the industry

- Think of yourself as a business

- Don't work with day fees, license 

- No rights are transferred when licensing

- You have the right to information on a company and job prior to quoting

- Relicensing is a possibility, but the fee is less

- Advertising is extremely lucrative

- The only time you should work to a day rate is when working on a mural or live drawing

- You should charge for any amendments made in addition to those agreed upon

- No rights are transferred when licensing

- You have the right to information on a company and job prior to quoting

So much useful and necessary information, by far the best presentation received yet, and I can pretty confidently say I will be re visiting this blog post a lot in the future.

Actor presentation

Im going to be much more concise with this one because, it really wasn't for me. We were presented with what the actor made out to be a definitive method of presenting. Id be inclined to disagree, as his manner and methods kind of irritated me. The audience interaction thing gets to me, shouting numbers in different voices and pitches, it was all a smidge cheesy, for lack of a better term. I feel like presenting is more of a personality led thing than he would say, its like telling Elvis Presley to stop his dance during his performances, despite that being a key part of his act and his character. What if someone decides to be more theatrical or musical in their presentation method? Surely that will be more successful than copy and pasting exact same formats?

Everybody else seemed to have really enjoyed the presentation though, so maybe Im just a grumpy bugger.