In the second half of the term following the Christmas holidays, the school invited some alumni back to share their work experiences in the animation industry. As there were several Asian graduates among them, I paid particular attention to these talks, hoping that their experiences might serve as a reference for my future career planning.
However, after listening to their stories, I gradually realised that the career path in the animation industry is actually very difficult to replicate. Everyone follows a different career path depending on their particular strengths, the opportunities that come their way, and their individual abilities. Yet, despite these differing life experiences, there is one constant: the constant refinement and improvement of one’s work.
I was beginning to realise that ‘redoing’ might well become a long-term part of my future as a creative artist.
As well as the guest lecturers invited by CSM, I also know an alumnus named Eric, who also graduated from UAL. It was actually him who recommended CSM to me. He graduated a few years before me and is currently experiencing the job-hunting and visa process in the UK. Even though he already has work experience, he has spent months refining his CV and portfolio while continuously preparing for various interviews.
This made me realise that in the British creative industry, professional competence alone is not enough. Designers also need to know how to present themselves, market their value, and ensure others can quickly grasp their strength.
At the same time, I’ve noticed that as Eric has been preparing for interviews and refining his portfolio, his professional skills have actually matured. I can understand this progress. Art design is often not merely from inspiration but from a process of constant practice, experiment, and refinement, which gradually forms a more stable design awareness.
This perspective comes not only from my friend but also from alumni who have graduated from MACA. They all mention that continuously updating personal portfolios is almost the norm in the design industry. A portfolio is not something that is finished once and for all; rather, it needs to be constantly adjusted as one’s skills evolve.
Consequently, I have also begun to reorganise my portfolio and career direction. While studying UI/UX design as a minor, I started learning Figma and have been trying to make my portfolio closer to a genuine industry-standard level, rather than simply a student portfolio for university applications. I also plan to set up my own personal website in the future so that I can organise my projects and work more systematically.
While studying animation, I have gradually come to know that reworking and revising is always a painful process, but with every painful start, I become more proficient than before and gain a clearer understanding of where the issues lie; perhaps this is simply part of the growth process itself.
I also hope that, through this continuous process of refining and improving my work, one day someone will truly notice my work and be willing to offer me the opportunity to enter the industry.
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