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Help & Advice needed - Finding work abroad


AFK_Matrix
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Hi,

 

I am currently working for a Housing Company in the UK and have been here around 4 years now and I litterally started the CGI's for their brochures. I love the company but unfortunetly they only do Houses and then these are usually the same as they have there standard house types. I have improved my still images for them greatly but they don't seem in a hurry to get onto Animations. So I am looking to expand my skills and go into commerical renders/animations.

 

To date I have sent out a lot of emails to American companies as this is ideally where I would like to go (good oportunities imo). Recently thought I have started to look for Australian companies as I do have family there and it looks to be a great country (never been there, but have been to the US). I have not had any luck yet but I have found some more companies in both countries so am going to be emailing them this week.

 

I was just wondering if you could give me any tips or advice?

 

Here is the my website which i link to in my emails:

 

http://kds-cgi-portfolio.co.uk

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When I'm looking for someone I want to see hard copies of their work, seeing a web page is good especially for animations but noting beets printed materials in your hand. If you really want a job I'd send each company a portfolio packet including hard copies of all your best work along with a DVD of your animations. Make sure your sending the information to the right person or else they may just chunk it as soon as they get it.

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I was in exactly the same situation as you 1 year ago and the way I got to the states was by sending over 200 applications. Its getting harder and harder to get the H1B visa approved and thats the legal way of getting you here. Do you know where-abouts in the states you want to work/live? H1B visa applications must be submitted n May/June latest to be considered for the October annual issue.

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Hi Tom,

 

When you say application is this the same thing as Maxer suggested? Ie actually sending them a printout of my work and a DVD?

 

As for where in the US I have no real preference, obviously would like to be situated in a nice area etc. I have family in Arizona and a friend of the family on the West Coast so I won't exactly be alone. Still a bit daunting, but if i don't do it know I will never do it.

 

I am also wondering at the moment I have images from when I started work at this Housing company and that progresses up to now, so that it shows how my images have improved. Is it worth doing this or just concentrate on the images I have done recently?

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Your current standard is the main thing. If you have 30 images on your site, you dont know which the prospective employer will look at. Id just put work youre happy with on there. No-one is going to analyse things very much, It'll be a snap judgement on your ability I think.

 

When I applied, I sent email applications to companies all over the world. I didnt just apply for advertized positions, I just copy/pasted email addresses into an short email saying I was looking for work, attached a couple of images and then said go to my site to see more. You're definately right to have your work online, but be selective about what you show. Maybe a bit more variety in your work would help too. Its not always easy to motivate yourself to do extra work for the portfolio, but I think its a good investment in this case.

 

I'll PM you some other stuff if you like, about visas and stuff. If you like the looks of chicago, Ill ask around.

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Thanks Tom. Yeah any information is greatly appreciated. I would love to work in Chicago :) And yeah have just downloaded Blender and also going to do some work with sketchup. Gonna take a bit to learn Blender unfortunately but as you say there needs to be some variety in my portfolio.

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Well, not so much software variety, I was thinking more the subject matter. Do some tall buildings, big glass facades, some interiors, fancy camera angles, stuff like that. 'wow factor' images (for lack of a better turn of phrase) really impress straight away.

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