Guest Speaker - Iain Grey 27/03/23

Iain Gray - Independent Filmmaker

Key things Iain Mentioned

Be open to learn new things

- By interest

- By necessity

Make a good portfolio

- Whether online or physical

- Have categories?

Undergraduate

Post Grad

Pet Portraits

Biro sketches / digital styles / general works to show my variety

Listen to clients

- Get on well with clients

- Know who you are and present clearly to your client

- Be clear about your identity

- Don't lose yourself to the client - Know your value!

Schedule your time well and keep track of everything

Price right

- Take time into account

- include interacting with the client

- Include time to do paperwork

- Include all materials

If they aren't happy with your prices it is up to you whether you want to go ahead at a lower price.

- A company you like?

- A company you know has the money and is a 'cheapskate'

- Find out their budget

Apply to the companies and areas that you want to

- You don't have to just go with anything or the first thing that comes up

- You may need to be pushy and stand up for yourself

- TALK YOURSELF UP!

Look into what companies you would potentially work for

Find people you can work with and make connections with.

Sketchbook page

Guest Speaker - Intellectual Property 23/03/23

- Stops people from copying you

- Barrier to competitors

- Freedom of action

Trademarks = words/ logos

Designs = distinctive looks and designs

Copyright

Patents

Trademark

- Name to promote the business

There are lots of design help companies who will help you if you think your designs/ work has been stolen.

UK design registration = £50

EU registration 350+ euro

- Design practicalities

Make sure to retain evidence of originals and the creative process

Copyright

- Don't need to apply for it

- It is the execution of an idea - the finished product

- The image is your copyright

- They cannot buy your painting and do whatever they want with it - it is still your image

You can assign the copyright to someone else

If they don't specifically ask you to assign the copyright over it is still yours no matter if they paid or not.

ie. a website design is done for a client and paid for but they forgot to ask you to assign copyright across

Derivative works

- Borrow small parts of other works to create something ie. collage

- Painting from a photograph - can't copy straight from one photograph

Copyright lasts 70 years after death for literary, musical, artistic and dramatic works

Publishers rights (typographical layout etc.) lasts 25 years

Non-disclosure agreement doc.

- Keeping info confidential

- Can be important if you want to patent in the future or instead of the patent.

- Patent lasts 20 years - then it's open to everyone

- By keeping it a secret and confidential you don't have to get a patent and open it to the public domain in 20 years

- Designers will often have to sign a non-disclosure contract whilst creating the design so it is kept secret until published.

https://www.gov.uk/search-for-trademark

GOV.UK = search for a trademark

- Gives a list of similar, current trademarks