This SWOT analysis of myself will allow me to identify my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities for the future and threats that may get in the way of this.
Strengths of my skills - My skills mainly lie within the post production side of a project. Putting the clips and scenes together as a sequence and making those final touches. My strengths also lie within the planning and paperwork stages as I can get it done in a short amount of time.
Weaknesses of my skills - I may miss a few things out with the paperwork or the editing may not be as good or complex as I or my client wanted it to be.
Opportunities for my skills - My skills give me the opportunity to look into a direct university course to study at degree level for further employment. It is also something I am able to study and practice in my own time by teaching myself.
Threats to my skills - The threats of doing visual effects and editing at university and as a career, is that it may be very hard to get into. It is mainly freelancing which is not a permanent wage which can be very risky and it will be hard to find clientele to work for as most people already have their own visual effects artist. Working for a company also requires plenty of experience and knowledge which is hard to get into at a young age.
Strengths to my communication ability - The strengths to my communication ability would be that I can work in a group and with clientele, very well. This is my strength due to easily being able to have a conversation and speak with the group or single clientele meaning I know exactly what they want from me and how I may be able to give them that. Communication is key, especially when working for or with someone. You need to know exactly what they want and how you can give them that.
Weaknesses - The weaknesses to my communication ability is that I'm not very good at speaking to an audience. I can speak to them as a group and individually but when I am presenting to people to show what I have done or what I can do, that is where I struggle. I will need to practice my presenting skills a lot more in order to speak with confidence to a big or small audience.
Opportunities - The opportunities of speaking and communication with an audience is very big. Especially in the media industry as it mainly starts off with freelancing when going down the editing and filming routes of the industry. Being able to show off your work and communicate with your clients, is key as this is what will attract my clients to you.
Threats - The threats to finding presenting very hard is that I will struggle when freelancing due to not being able to show off my work as a freelancer. Meaning I cannot advertise myself or get my name out there to intrigue clientele.
Strengths to my abilities - The strengths of my standing abilities is that I am able to produce standard quality products for my clientele. The work experience I have had previously when working for clientele, both said that they are very happy with the final product they have been given. We communicated a lot so I knew what to change and make better and they have been very pleased with the end result. My abilities are yet to be improved but as of now, I am still able to produce a standard product of filming and editing with planning paper work for my client.
Weaknesses - The weaknesses to my abilities would be that I cannot produce a high standard creative production for my client yet. I am still experiencing cinematography and I am still practicing editing and post production. I have not yet fully developed these abilities although they are my strong points.
Opportunities - With post production and planning, I will have the opportunity to be working in the industry and potentially on a film while working with a big company such as Disney. This may be out of my reach in the near future but may be something to look forward to a little later. Right now, I have the opportunity to be practicing and learning what I love while gaining A levels from it.
Identify my skills gaps and and explain how I will rectify this
I believe my skills gaps begin with After Effects. I am slowly becoming more and more confident with Premiere Pro as it is pretty straight forward. However, After Effects is much more complex as their are plenty more outcomes with what you can do in it. Although I can work in after effects to complete products such as typography of a song, standard motion graphics, colour grading, animating masks and motion tracking. I am still at the beginning stages of everything as I am still discovering the software on my own and with YouTube's help. I will also need to build my confidence into speaking and presenting with an audience as this is a major part of the industry and something I will have to do at university.
I will be able to rectify these gaps by keep on practicing, getting help from friends in my class at college and watching YouTube videos and tutorials into how to do things. There is plenty of help out in the internet. I am also able to ask people at college and hopefully do a degree in it at university which will help me massively.
I believe it is just practice to knowing ow to use a software. The more familiar you are with the software, the more easier and natural you will become with it.
What are my Goals?
My main goal is to work as a professional visual effects artist for a company such as Entertainment One productions, Dreamworks, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pixar and many more. I may even decide to create trailers and teasers for films, advertising videos or the after effects or music videos. My other goals would be the smaller steps to achieving this career. Such as, my A levels at college, my degree and potentially masters, having experience in the industry, contacts in the industry, becoming recognised for my work and earning money freelancing as a side line to start with. Maybe even being able to travel abroad and work in other countries such as America in Hollywood or California or even Canada.
Critically evaluating my ambitions
Are my ambitions valid and am I likely to achieve my ambitions and goals or are they unrealistic?
I believe that my ambitions are realistic although they will be challenging to get to. I do not like to set myself goals that are too easy because if they are easy then anyone can do them. I like to set myself goals and deadlines that are outside the box yet realistic if I work hard and keep my focus. My current ambition to complete my A levels on the last year of my course, is a very important ambition in order to take the next step of my career plan. The next step of my career plan is to go to university. The university requires me to have a triple distinction meaning if I do not get it, I cannot go to university to do my degree or masters.
Another specific example of my ambitions is to achieve the best I can at university if I get there. So getting the best I can in my degree and same with my masters. Completing the degree to progress to a masters course and having work experience in the industry, starting at lower position roles and working my way up and having contacts in the industry.
So, I do think that my ambitions are valid, I just believe they are a challenge and that I am going to have to put a lot of effort into succeeding my ambitions.
Are they relevant to my current subject I am studying? will my college course have an impact on my ambitions for the future?
My ambitions and goals are relevant to the subject I am currently studying which is very helpful as A levels will be very beneficial to me in the industry and to get into university. It also allows me to have a practice and knowledge into what I will be doing in the future. On this course, I have been able to become more independent, practice speaking and presenting to people, have a look into what I want to do in the future and how I may get there, practice and take a look into visual effects and editing and work with friends on the desired career position I wish to go down.
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