#those ‘legitimate’ non-freelance jobs | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

btsgotjams27 · 2 years

Text

Sweet Tooth ~ JJK | 1

✨ title: sweet tooth (On going) ✨ pairing: vampire!jungkook x f!donor reader ✨ rating: m/18+ ✨ genre/au: fantasy au, vampire au, eventual romance, slow build, slow burn, eventual smut ✨ warnings: blood drinking, vampire bites, compulsion/mind control, mysterious jungkook | will add tags as chapters continue ✨ summary: Bills and rent are piling up, so your roommate suggests you look into a gig she stumbled upon. But it's not what you expect. OR Jungkook runs a vampire blood bank and you service clients with your blood. ✨ a/n: this is my first fantasy au, so please bear with me as i write it :) there are some elements borrowed/inspired by the vampire diaries. ✨ playlist | ✨ read on AO3 | Wattpad

[ SERIES MASTERLIST ] | next ~ the first bite

✨ chapter one ~ the mystery job | word count: 4.6k

The bills on your desk were beginning to collect dust because you could see the small specks floating into the air, as you were trying to make room for your laptop. You knew that ignoring those student loan bills were not going to pay themselves.

You had a four-year plan, a college career mapped out. Everything was in place and ready to go until you couldn't land your dream job. Who said being an adult was fun? You were completely lied to.

Preferably, you needed something that would pay well and didn't require a lot, probably non-existent, to be honest. The only thing you could think of right off the bat was selling your body, but that was out of the question.

Or maybe you could donate your eggs. You pondered it for a while before typing it into the search bar.

"How to donate your eggs."

The ads immediately popped up for 'how to be a surrogate, compensation starts at $50,000'. As you continued researching more on the topic, you realized the requirements were extreme. You read, 'willing to take injections', and immediately shook your head no. Nope, no needles.

"Well, that was a waste," you sighed, feeling defeated.

Now, onto the real job search. You typed in "graphic design jobs." Sure, you had a consistent amount of freelance jobs coming your way, but you wanted something solid. A job that would pay your bills and rent and give you some spending money for your new expensive photography hobby.

"Hmm...this one looks interesting," you think.

"Are you looking at porn?!" Ji-na, your roommate snickered as she peered over your shoulder.

You jumped back not realizing Ji-na was behind you.

"Jeez, Ji-na. No, I'm not," you scoffed as you showed her that you were looking for jobs.

"Ah, I see the hunt for the dream job continues," she said, plopping herself and her belongings on your bed.

The plethora of shopping bags filled your bed. How the hell was she spending all this money and where was it coming from? Maybe she found a sugar daddy.

"I need money ASAP." You focused on your laptop and began bookmarking jobs that had potential.

Ji-na was rummaging through her bag for something. "Ah, here it is." She walked over and handed you a business card.

"What is this?" you asked with a curious face. So this was her sugar daddy, you guessed.

"You said you need money. Well, call this number and you'll make some good money," she smirked.

"Ji-na, I swear to god this better be a legitimate job," you huffed as you tossed it on top of your laptop, not taking another glance at it.

There's no way this was a legitimate job. She must be dreaming or way in over her head.

"It is. I promise. A little unconventional, but it's legit," she grinned devilishly as she made her way back to the bed.

You picked up the card again. It was matte black on both sides with an embossed white winking bunny. And on the back of the card, it had the initials 'JK' and a phone number. You had to admit, the design was right up your graphic designer alley. It was cute and minimal.

"How do you think I've been able to afford all these nice things and pay our rent?"

"Ji-na! "Are you a sex worker?" you whispered.

"Oh god, no. It's nothing like that. Just call the number," she said, grabbing a few items from her shopping bags to look at them.

You stared at the card again, intrigued but not that desperate. Eventually you tossed it on top of the dust collected bills.

You observed Ji-na as she was curled up on your bed in fetal position, making herself at home. What the hell was Ji-na doing, making so much money and it wasn't selling her body? Then you noticed a purple bruise on her neck.

"I-is that a hickey on your neck?" you yelled.

She quickly covered her neck with her hand and mumbled, "No."

"Oh, you're definitely doing some kinky stuff I know it. So, what's his name?"

Ji-na sat up and scooted towards the edge of the bed. She lowered her head and her eyes became dark, which scared you a little. You've never seen her look like that.

"Call the number on the card and find out. Trust me. It'll be worth it."

After two weeks of applying to several jobs and not hearing back from anyone. You weren't feeling great about yourself. You sat in front of your laptop, refreshing your email hoping something would come in from one of the jobs you applied too. You even seriously considered the 'whole donating your eggs' again, even though you hated needles with a passion.

"Someone, something, anything, please come in," you said aloud as you clicked the cursor over the refresh button repeatedly.

You opened up your resume and combed through it again, looking over anything you could add or change to spruce it up even more. But there was nothing, it was the perfect resume.

Most of your freelance work was completed. There was one last project to finish. Opening up a drawing program and then you heard a notification ding from your email. You hoped it was a job, but it was actually from the company you were finishing the project for.

"Thank you for your initial ideas for our company rebranding, but it looks like we will be going in a different direction. We will of course compensate you for your time. We appreciate everything you've done."

You groaned and curled your hands into a fist, and slammed it onto the desk. Then you glanced at the winking bunny business card. Out of curiosity, you reached for it and flipped it over, grabbed your phone, and began dialing the number listed.

It rang a few times before a low husky voice answered, "Hello?"

"Oh, um hello. I'm a friend of Ji-na and she gave me your card. She said you have a job opportunity."

"Are you available tonight around 7?" The man asked.

"7? Yes, I am. Where should I meet you?"

"I'll text you the address. I do ask that you come alone."

Alone? Not suspicious at all. Maybe you should leave Ji-na a note in case you end up dead.

You were desperate at this point. "Sure, I can do that. I'll see you tonight."

As soon as you hung up, a text message came through with an address. You immediately looked it up and it was an hour away outside of Seoul. The clock read 4:30PM, which meant you needed to get yourself ready and out of the door before 6.

You probably should have asked what the job actually entailed so that you would be ready to answer any questions they had. But you just prepped for the usual questions interviews asked. You had your resume in your hand and ready to go as you left your apartment.

On the drive, you began asking yourself questions, 'What are your greatest strengths', 'What are your weaknesses', 'How do you handle conflict'? As you were answering these questions, you realized you weren't very good at selling yourself. You knew what you're capable of but it was hard to actually put it into words.

"Oh gosh. How am I ever going to get a job if I'm not even confident in myself?"

The GPS was telling you to turn onto a gravel road, which was odd but you didn't question it and went along with it. To be honest, it was starting to creep you out a little, the location was very suspicious and this whole ordeal was so mysterious.

A ringing went off in your car and you jumped in your seat, and realized that it was Ji-na calling you. You answered on your car screen.

"Hello? Ji-na?"

"I saw your note. Are you meeting with JK?"

"Uh huh. Are you sure this is a legitimate job because I feel like this might be my last night alive."

Ji-na chuckled. "You'll be fine, I promise. Just make sure you don't freak out, or otherwise I'm going to lose this gig too."

"What do you mean, don't freak out? I'm meeting some random guy in the middle of nowhere!" you exclaimed.

"When you meet him, just be open minded, okay? That's all."

"This is definitely some kind of sex thing. I'm going to come back and haunt you as a ghost if I die tonight," you huffed.

"That's fine by me. Trust me, you won't regret meeting JK. Bye."

Click.

After what seemed like another thirty minutes on the gravel road, you finally reached a gate. You drove up to the keypad and pressed the red button.

"Yes?"

The voice speaking was not the same person on the phone earlier today. His voice was much softer and lighter.

"Hi, I'm meeting a Mr. JK at 7 tonight."

"I'll buzz you in."

You gulped as you continued driving up the now paved road. You pulled up to a giant mansion. The exterior was a stone grey with massive glass windows and wood panels to break up the monotony of the grey. It was stunning.

Parking your car, you took a big breath. You grabbed your portfolio and resume and walked up to the front door. As you arrived, a young man was already waiting there for you. He was absolutely breathtaking, almost angel-like with his coiffed blonde hair and pale skin. He looked immaculate in his black suit.

"Hello, you must be Ji-na's friend."

Word must have traveled fast. Did Ji-na tell them? Was this some kind of set up? You were definitely on guard now, but then you realized you didn't have your pepper spray on you. Great, you were really going to come back and haunt Ji-na now.

You nodded.

"I'm Jimin. Please, come in."

You hoped you looked presentable, in your blazer, black turtleneck, cropped trousers and loafers. You probably should have taken out your nose piercing, but oh well. Too late now.

Quietly, you followed behind the beautiful man, the clacking of his black Chelsea boots echoed throughout the hallway. The interior of this house was gorgeous. Everything was very meticulous and intentionally put in their place.

"So, what do you do here exactly?" You questioned.

"A little bit of this, a little bit of that," he answered vaguely as he looked back and smiled at you, which frustrated you.

You smiled sheepishly and continued to follow him to a pair of double doors.

"You can go on in. JK is expecting you."

Jimin opened one of the doors and you nervously stepped in, holding tightly onto your portfolio. The room you stepped into was vast with high vaulted ceilings, the walls were painted charcoal gray with intricate wainscoting paneling, dimly lit gold sconces, the deep and rich brown colors of the leather furniture matched perfectly with the aesthetic of the room. Then you spotted a figure who you assumed to be JK, standing next to the crackling fire with his hands in his pants pocket.

His eyes raked over you, going from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. You smiled timidly and bowed politely towards him, hoping you looked presentable. He gestured for you to sit in the chair in the middle of the room and you obliged. You observed him as he settled into the chair across from you.

Like Jimin, he was breathtaking, but his features were the opposite of Jimin's. His sharp jawline could probably cut you in half, and his big doe eyes were absolutely immaculate as if they held the whole world in them. With his clean-cut look today, you weren't expecting to see an eyebrow piercing peeking from underneath his hair and a lip piercing on someone like him. You noticed the tattoos on his hand and a few creeping out from under his shirt sleeve, supposed he wouldn't be your typical boss since this wasn't a typical job, per se.

He held out his hand to shake yours. "I'm JK," he says, a very handsome smile swept across his face.

You reciprocated the handshake. "I'm ___."

Wincing from his ice-cold touch, you quickly pulled your hand back. Seeing your reaction, he snickers.

"You are not how Ji-na described you at all," he stated.

"Oh? Is that a good thing?" What did she tell JK to make him think that? Hopefully she only told him good things about who you were.

"Very," he said, slightly amused. "Did Ji-na explain anything about what we do here?"

"Not really. I came here on a whim," you explained.

"Ah, so you're daring."

"I wouldn't describe myself as daring. I'd say I'm more determined." Honestly, you were determined to get out of debt and feeling shitty about yourself. Whatever this job was, it must be better than what you're currently doing. At least Ji-na seemed happy.

"I like that. Determined. I'm a very determined kind of person as well. I hope we'll get along then."

You chuckled nervously, "I, uh I'm not even sure what this job is. Can you explain it a little?"

"You do understand that this job requires complete confidentiality? We can't have anyone snooping around," he said firmly.

"Is this a weird 50 shades of gray thing? Cause I'm not gonna do that." That was one thing you'd never do.

He smirked with a devilish grin across his face. "I run a blood bank."

Okay, a blood bank. That seems easy enough, but how did Ji-na make so much money working here? You were still confused. Would you be a receptionist? Trained to take blood? This place didn't look like a blood bank, unless JK ran it somewhere else.

"For vampires," he said.

You looked like you had just seen a ghost. A what? Blood bank? For vampires? Were you dreaming? You raised your hand to pat your face a few times before you glanced over towards JK again. He had an amused look plastered on his face.

"You're not dreaming. You heard me correctly," he reassured.

"Vampires? They're not real," you stuttered, having trouble even saying the word. Sure you have seen your fair share of vampire shows and films but they're just stories. They can't be real. Can they?

You cleared your throat before speaking, "A-and what would I do exactly? Do I just donate blood?" Now, you were anxious. No wonder Ji-na made so much money.

"Mm yeah, something like that. I can just show you if that's easier."

Show you? Show you what exactly? Your heart began to race as he walked over to open the door. Jimin was already there waiting to come in. A young woman around your age followed closely behind him. Jimin sat down in the chair across from you, then the woman sat in between him on his legs. He whispered something to her and she nodded and softly giggled, then he pulled her wrist towards him and there it was, his face slightly contorted, his eyes looked bloodshot with veins slightly popping out against his pale cheeks, and two fangs grew out from the top row of his teeth.

Jimin grinned before taking a bite of her wrist like how someone would bite into an apple. You swore you heard a crunch and winced at the sound. The woman frowned for a second before the pain turned into pleasure.

As you were observing everything that was happening in front of you, JK was more curious about your reaction and how'd you'd take everything. Would you freak out and run away? Would you take it as is? He wanted to know what was running through your mind.

Before you knew it, Jimin stopped and licked the remaining blood running down her wrist that was escaping him. He wouldn't let anything go to waste. After he was done, he took a bite of his own wrist and let the woman suck on it. Now, you were completely baffled by this job.

You sat there hesitant as Jimin and the woman left the room, leaving you and JK alone. What if you said no to taking this job? What would they do to you? The real question was, what haven't they done to keep this a secret? Maybe you should have left a note for Ji-na because this might be your last night alive.

JK didn't say a word. He was waiting for you to answer first. You must have had a million questions for him. Straightening your posture, you cross your legs, and look him dead in the eye. "How much are you paying?

When you realized what you said out loud, you immediately wanted to take it back. Did you understand what you were getting yourself into? You were getting involved with vampires. Vampires. You didn't even know if you actually believed in this whole thing. Maybe it wasn't too late to back out.

He smirked, as if he knew you were going to say yes to him. "I'll have Jimin set you up with everything you need to know. I'll see you soon."

Jungkook left you in this grand room, and Jimin returned, gesturing for you to follow him. As you began walking through the corridor, you couldn't help but notice the beautiful artwork displayed on the wall. There were a few scenic paintings, a sunset with stunning purple, pink, and orange hues, and a mountain reflecting onto a lake. Lastly, there was a painting of a young boy with intense eyes and paint splattered on the canvas.

"These paintings are lovely, even this one." You pointed to the painting of the young boy.

"JK painted them."

"All of them?" You were surprised by his reply.

He softly chuckled at your question and answered with an, 'Mhm.'

The elegant and regal man opened the door which led to an outdoor patio. The fire pit had already been going for a while. The embers from the wood were beginning to die down but Jimin went ahead and put in another log to keep it going. You slightly shivered from the wind blowing through and Jimin quickly offered his jacket to you.

"Thank you."

He gave you a smile and quick nod before he poured out tea from the pot that was sitting on the coffee table and handed you a cup, then a folder and pen followed. You opened to see a written contract and a wax seal where JK's signature was. His full name was Jeon Jeongguk. You wondered why no one called him that, maybe he preferred it that way. You've only heard everyone called him JK up to this point.

"Um, can you tell me what I'm signing myself away to?"

He poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip before responding, "This is a binding contract. If this contact is broken, you may or may not die."

His comment took you aback. Your hands were starting to become sweaty holding your cup.

Then Jimin let out a cackle. "Wow, you really are tense, huh? Relax, sweetie."

"What do you expect? I'm letting vampires suck my blood in exchange for money," you stated as you took a sip of tea.

"Well, you'll come in every two weeks for a donation. Once you are paired with a client, you can choose for them to draw blood via your wrist or your neck. If you choose your wrist, it's worth a grand, your neck is worth five. You'll be paid immediately after your session with a client," he explained.

"And will the bite marks disappear?"

"Once you're finished with a client, you'll come to Taehyung or I and we'll help you get healed up. Vampire blood heals humans quickly. And if a client ever gets handsy or violent, just let us know and we'll take care of it," he said smiling from ear to ear, as if everything he just said was completely normal.

So that's how Ji-na never came home with any kind of evidence of this whole thing. No wonder she said it was a good gig.

"How long will the vampire blood stay in my system?"

"It stays in your system for 24 hours. Just try not to die in the meantime, okay?" He lifted up the teapot asking if you wanted more, but you shook your head no.

"What do you mean, 'try not to die'? What happens if I die with vampire blood in my system?"

"You become one of us.”

Shit. This wasn't expected. You could become a vampire if you die with their blood in your system. Pondering this whole situation, you wondered if this was what you really wanted. You scanned the contract again, making sure you weren't signing your life away, but in a way, you were.

"Any other questions before you sign?" The angelic but devilish man smiled brightly, showing off his teeth, which you noticed had a small imperfection to them.

You moved your pen towards the paper but stopped. "What if I back out of this? What'll happen to me?"

"We'll erase your memories," he says casually.

Your heart was beating out of your chest and your eyes widened at his answer. "Erase my memories?"

He could see the nervousness radiating from your body. "Well, not all of your memories, just that part where you know we exist. Another vampire perk, we can compel you to do whatever we want you to do, but we trust that we don't have to do that in this case."

"I'm guessing this is a nighttime job since vampires can't go out in sunlight."

"Ding! Ding! Ding! You are such a smart little nugget. We do have overnight accommodations in case you're too tired to drive back to the city. It's the least we can do for all of your hard work," he said smiling, almost sounding like you had won a prize or something.

"Do you guys go out in the daylight?"

The smile quickly turned into a smirk, "Wouldn't you like to know? A curious cat, you are. Roar." He stood there arms crossed, eyeing you from head to toe.

This was definitely some kind of grand operation they had going on. You were keeping a running list of all the things you were going to ask Ji-na when you got back to the apartment. Like how could she keep this all a secret from you.

"Do you have any other questions?"

"Just one more."

He nodded for you to proceed.

"Does it hurt?"

He wasn't sure he understood the question but quickly realized what you meant. "Ah, when we bite into you?"

You nodded as you held on tightly to the pen in your hand.

"You know that feeling you get before getting a shot? You're waiting forever in a cold doctor's office, all anxious and tense knowing they're going to inject you with a sharp needle, but when they finally do it, you feel okay and the worst part is over?"

"Uh huh."

"It's nothing like that." His eyes turn into a crescent shape when he laughs.

You chuckled nervously, unsure if he was teasing or if he really meant what he said. The only thing you could think of was the crunch sound you heard when Jimin bit into the woman. You wondered how you would endure the pain or would you find pleasure in it?

He sat down and slightly nudged you. "Lighten up, sweetie. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. You'll be fine. I promise. We'll take great care of you." He winked and let out a soft chuckle, doing his best to brighten up the sour mood you were in.

"Here goes nothing," you said as you scribbled your name onto the piece of paper.

When you arrived back at the apartment, it was close to midnight. You turned on the living room lamp to see Ji-na passed out on the couch with the Netflix screen asking if she was still watching. The blanket that was on her fell to the floor and you grabbed it, encompassing her with some warmth from the fuzzy, shaggy blanket.

A slight buzz and quiet ding came from your back pocket. You turned on your phone screen to see a text saying you were scheduled with a client this coming Friday at seven o'clock in the evening. "Wow, already? I guess they don't waste any time."

Ji-na began to stir from her sleep, still groggy, she rubbed her eyes and squinted towards you. "Hey, you're back?"

"You have some explaining to do." You told her to scoot over while you sat next to her and covered yourself in the blanket too.

"What do you wanna know?"

"Everything."

She began to tell you how she randomly met Taehyung (the man you spoke with on the phone) at a bar and at first he compelled her so she wouldn't have any recollection of what he was doing to her, but then he got bored and wanted her to remember everything. That's how she got dragged into it.

"It was hard to believe and really weird at first but then I started making good money and I couldn't resist it," she stated.

"Doesn't it hurt though?" You were really curious as to the pain or being bitten into since Jimin didn't answer your question.

"It stings at first but you get used to it and it becomes kind of...exhilarating," she grinned.

Goodness Ji-na, she's really gone down the vampire rabbit hole, hasn't she? You were beginning to wonder how long you'd do this for. It's not like you could make a career out of it.

"Has anyone ever been violent with you or has it been okay so far?"

She paused to think about it before answering. "Mm, there was one guy. I think his name was Kihyun? He was a bit rough at one point but JK doesn't take any stupid shit from anyone."

"What did they do to him?"

"JK came in and dragged the guy out by his leg. It was pretty entertaining to watch." She softly chuckled.

Even after signing the contract, your mind was still swirling behind the whole idea of vampires and giving up your own blood for money. You sat there dazed, staring off at the Netflix screen.

Ji-na slightly nudged you. "Hey, are you okay with all this? I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, but you understand why right?"

You nodded with a slight smile. "I guess I'm just a little scared, that's all."

"You have nothing to be worried about. Jimin, Taehyung, and JK will take care of us. If you know what I mean." She nudged you and winked.

You didn't think anything about what she said and then it suddenly dawned on you. "Oh my god Ji-na, are you sleeping with one of them?"

"Err, maybe...well, just Taehyung," she responded earnestly.

"But like how? Aren't they technically dead? How are they still able to...you know."

She laughed. "I don't know...they just do. Don't question it, just do it. Let me tell you, he's great in bed."

"Oh god, Ji-na, I don't want to think about you having sex with a vampire," you said, your mouth twisting in disgust.

"You're just jealous because no one has touched you in over 2 years," she said as she playfully stuck her tongue out.

You rolled your eyes. So what if it's been a while since you've been with someone. It doesn't mean you'd drop your panties for a goddamn vampire.

"Do they all sleep with their employees? If you could even call us that."

"Mm no I don't think so. I've never seen JK with anyone," she paused. "Now that I think about it, I think Jimin said he doesn't even drink directly from a person anymore."

What she said intrigued you. JK seemed like a very mysterious person. Even though your interaction with him was brief, it boggles your mind to know he had an operation like this, let alone be in charge of it. You began to wonder what his life was like as a vampire and even before then. Who was he before all of this?

✨ next chapter ~ the first bite

#jungkook fanfic #bts #bts fanfic #bts jungkook #jungkook vampire #vampire au #jungkook #jeon jungkook #fic: sweet tooth #jungkook fic #vampire jungkook

319 notes · View notes

ledamemangociana · 3 years

Text

this is not a happy post

apologies in advance, especially to anyone who followed me coz of my various gifsets; i know this kind of thing isn’t what you’re here for.

i’m unfortunately prone to a venting a lot and lengthily when my depression, anxiety and self-esteem issues get the better of me. most of the time, im feels-vomiting on my twitter, mostly coz i havent used my tumblr quite as regularly as i used to 6, maybe 7 years ago. i’m mostly doing this here now coz i feel like i need the writing momentum to not be stilted by having to click the “add new tweet” button over and over again.

so. i’m turning 35 two weeks from now. and it is getting to me, possibly because of the situation that the pandemic has kept me in for the past year and a half, maybe because 35 feels like a milestone adult age, maybe because turning 35 means 40 is right around the corner. and the closer my 35th birthday is, the more i’m plagued by thoughts of where i am now, where i’m probably supposed to be as an adult, where i wanted to be, and the thought that i’m just never gonna be good enough to not be who and where i am now.

in feb 2020, i started my new job as the digital marketing manager for a pair of upscale hotels, the biggest deal of a job i’ve ever gotten since i started working in late 2011, and the biggest paycheck i’ve ever signed on for too. for the first time in a long time, possibly in forever, the few big dreams i had ever had for myself seemed to be attainable; it felt like they could become goals. a solo trip to japan, getting a place for myself instead of living in the family condo, growing my collections, maybe having an actual social life, those kinds of things seemed within reach.

and then, literally a month into my new job, the country went into lockdown, and legitimately has never come out of it. my work situation changed drastically, to the point where i ran up both of my credit card bills before the year was over (i literally only just got one of them fully paid off last week, and only because my sister was a HUGE help), and i was living off the limited family funds and relying on dad to take care of me. i had a freelance client for a handful of months, only for them to drop me without word at the end of our contract, leaving me without a chunk of the only funds i was making on my own for a while. i’m now working sporadically at my regular job, with a significant cut to my paid hours and therefore my paycheck, but the tasks list just seems to grow longer with each task that i check off of it, leaving me overworked and underpaid (but of course,i know im not alone or special in this, some people have it far worse than me and i’m grateful that i even have a regular work schedule, even if it does look the way it does). im 260 lbs., wearing size 22 or 24 clothes, somewhat sickly and prone to constant painful gout attacks that make it difficult for me to walk, living in a condo unit owned by family because they’re letting me live here, making only a third of the salary i normally should at work without the panemic, subsisting on junk food and softdrinks (it’s an addiction) because much of my money leaves my wallet and goes to paying bills and loans as soon as the money comes in, alone, unloved, unlovable, as prone to hyperfixation as i’ve ever been, and putting up with constantly re-attaching bromides and instax pics that keep falling off of my recently completed anime wall.

i’m 34 years old. i’m turning 35 in two weeks.

you know who else is 34/35 this year? the local barangay captain, a member of the local govnerment unit, who was one of my classmates in grade school and high school. a few years ago, i had seen a tarp across the street advertising her local work-out and yoga classes.

i’ve always hated the question “where do you see yourself 5 years from now/10 years from now/in the future?” because i’ve never been able to truthfully answer it, even when i wasnt an emotionally unstable mess (which was all the way back in elementary). i close my eyes and try to imagine it, and nothing ever comes up. i’d like to think i have an active enough imagination to have been able to write fanfic a lot back in the day, so you know it’s bad when i can’t even imagine a lofty future for myself. at this point in my life, i can’t even say “just simply alive” because i truly don’t know if i will be, i don’t see it. that’s fatalistic, maybe, but i really have never been able to imagine myself living to 40, let alone past that. anything i want for myself remain dreams, things i dont deserve because im not thin, pretty, smart, cultured, skilled. and the closer i get to 40, the less of that already non-existent future i see.

and it’s just depressing, you know. like. it’s already so hard being depressed about and hating myself WITHOUT this added thought of “you are only growing older and fatter and are headed literally nowhere and everyone your age is far more responsible and mature than you could even dream you’d ever be” mixed in there too. maybe this is just me beating myself up and being my own harshest bully, but what’s stopping me from believing that i deserve this bullying of myself by myself, lmao.

i dread every birthday. i stopped dreaming things for myself a long time ago. these are all things i just know i can’t and won’t ever live up to, because i’m just this useless sack of potatoes rotting away in the corner of some barn while everyone else is finding some use for themselves and able to make lemonade out of their own lemons, and stuff like that. and yet knowing i’ll never be those things or have those things makes me sad. for someone with a laundry list of negative things about myself i’ve just learned to accept so i can somehow function, having that list sure does make me sad. and it probably shouldn’t, if im so resigned to all of this, but maybe that’s just what happens when you hate yourself - there will always be a reason for you to hate yourself.

oh, and i think i’m coming down with carpal tunnel in my left hand. great.

#Mango Goes To Jail #long post #sorry this is kinda depressing #i just needed to vent #im feeling myself slipping into Yet Another Depressive Spell

17 notes · View notes

dearartdirector · 4 years

Note

Dear AD, Have you ever read the contracts you ask illustrators to sign ? If so, how do you feel about the rise of more and more predatory contracts asking for moral rights to be waived, exclusivity or never ending usages for very little money ? I understand these contracts are written by legal people and not ADs so what would be the best way to tell an AD that their contract is abusive and needs to be edited ?

Look, my first piece of advice would be to start on a much less confrontational footing. Even here. “Have you ever read the contracts you ask illustrators to sign” is a little insulting. Of course we read them! Many of us were in the room working with legal the entire time they were being drawn up.

I don’t think it’s helpful to look at contracts in terms of “abusive” and “predatory”. No one sits in a legal department like a cartoon villain rubbing their hands together yelling BWAH HA HA ARTISTS WILL OWN NONE OF THEIR OWN WORK! And thinking that is the case honestly makes it much harder to deal with very legitimate contractual concerns with a level head.

Legal departments exist to protect the companies that hired them. And the best protection, from the company’s POV, is to own all the rights. That’s what a lawyer will counsel every time. What a good Art Director will do is explain to the company they work for that more rights = more pay and that asking for only the rights you actually need saves the company money. In some companies that works. In others it doesn’t. No one is forcing you to work for a company with a overreaching contract, but it is worth taking a moment and asking the AD if there’s something they can do to adjust the contract. Sometimes a legal dept. will not let an AD change the contract, but they will have a notes section where the AD can add things in to elaborate on the details (mine does). Sometimes the legal dept. will draw up a new contract. Sometimes there’s nothing they can do, but they can put in an email things to address your concerns, and the physical record of an email is as admissible in court as a contract modifier.

Also remember, some companies have a perfectly legit reason to ask for things considered “predatory” like Work For Hire. If you are working on someone else’s IP or copyright (like most movies, comic books, games, toys, licensed books, etc) then you will not own the copyright to your own work regardless of what any contract says because your work is derivative of the original copyright. So every one of those contracts is going to be Work For Hire. (That’s also the issue with fan art, by the way, and most artists don’t understand that either)

The point is, you don’t know until you ask – and remember, almost no one asks. I’ve been an AD for almost 20 years and I can count on my fingers how many artists came back with questions about my companies’ contracts. And that’s not because they weren’t overreaching – it’s because most artists don’t read the contract. I know a legit question about terms will be met with praise by most ADs, because it proves they have a savvy professional on their hands. That means you’re probably going to be a professional about getting the job done too.

A good rule of thumb is not to assume the worst before even asking. ADs are not the enemy, they’re your collaborators. You can tell a lot by how they answer your questions. If they are dicks then run away. But there may be very good answers to your questions.

—Agent MoneyPenny

P.S. Pricing is a whole different issue and this post is already long. Only work for the companies that pay too little if you need the experience. Who needs the experience? Folks who may not have made the connections higher up the food chain yet, and doing the lower-paid work will get them there. Or maybe they don’t have the skill for the higher-paying work yet. But these low-paying gigs should only be a step up the ladder & you should move on as soon as possible. And another option is to skip this step entirely, and work on your skill and/or connections on your own time while you work a non-freelance-art job to pay the bills until you’re ready.

#agentmoneypenny #dearad #dearartdirector #contracts #licensing #IPart #intellectualproperty #paperwork #rights #pricing #rates

42 notes · View notes

echodrops · 4 years

Note

Hey! I had a simple question. I am a recent graduate with bachelor in psychology. I was hoping you could give me advice on how to get jobs to work as a writer. I really don’t care if it is creative or technical. You don’t have to respond to this question. I just would appreciate your advice because I am a fan of your work. Thanks for your time!

Coincidentally, I actually asked a friend (@rachelwritesstories--she’s super knowledgeable!) for advice on this subject just the other day so I could pass it on to another friend, so while I personally don’t have advice about getting jobs to work as a writer (I haven’t done any freelancing myself), my friend had some great advice (which she got from a coworker of her own–this is how word travels in whatever century it is now). The advice I was given amounts to: build a strong online presence and portfolio.

The site that was suggested as first and foremost is LinkedIn, so make sure that you develop a polished LinkedIn profile that showcases your prior work experience and all of your skills. I highly recommend seeking a few endorsements/referrals from people you have worked with in the past that talk specifically about your written communication skills. You may also want to seek out free certifications which can be added to your LinkedIn profile, such as getting yourself certified in things like basic marketing training, Microsoft Office skils, etc. You can also use LinkedIn to make connections via their community and social media offerings–do NOT underestimate the power of networking. My last three publications are all from organizations and groups who heard of me through either social media or work/industry friends and asked me to work with them–those opportunities only came about because of networks of people and an active online presence!)

Second, you need to build an attractive portfolio of work to show others. Especially if you aren’t coming into the field with a degree in writing to back you up, having actual samples and testimonials from people to certify the quality of your work will really, really help you get far. The portfolio management site from my friend’s advice was Contently, although I am not sure if it is free or not. Although there are probably websites out there that will contract you to do work (for probably pennies, unfortunately) without a proven portfolio, if you want to work for a more legitimate source and bring in reasonable income, it seems the way to go is to create a website/portfolio online and build it up.

My thoughts on building a portfolio: two things I think might work here:

1) Volunteer to write for organizations that really need help. You won’t get paid, but if your pieces do go live, such as on non-profit groups’ websites or printed documents, you then have something to advertise as solid work that was accepted and published by real organizations out there. When I was volunteering for a refugee services non-profit, I wrote their press releases on community events they hosted for refugee and immigrant populations in the area. That’s a publication, even if it was done on a volunteer basis, and you can use all that work to lengthen your resume/CV and to fill a portfolio.

The friend of a friend’s advice also noted: “Let her know to ALWAYS ask clients if she can use the work she does for them as a sample AND for a referral after her very first assignment with them.”

2) Start a blog or website (not on tumblr) that provides free content that adds value or meaning to people’s lives. I’ve had several friends who got their starts by building up a blog or podcast presence, typically by reviewing products or books first. One of my friends started a blog reviewing horror movies and horror industry products and is now a veryyyy well off Instagram influencer who constantly makes me feel like I chose the least lucrative career path in life. She started small, reviewing products without any pay, but once her blog’s popularity increased, she started getting requests from companies to do official reviews of their products, which ultimately led to paid writing deals to produce copy for their websites and products. Basically, people will follow your social media/blog if they feel like they get something valuable out of the experience. If you want to increase your social media presence–and therefore the number of people who are likely to see you and your writing as worth investing in–produce content that people feel like they gain from: reviews, useful information, intriguing analyses, etc.

With a solid online presence and portfolio, you should be significantly better equipped to start grabbing up freelance writing opportunities especially those advertised online.

I hope this helps even a little bit!

#freelance writing #freelance writing advice #sort of #echo answers asks #writing #career building #I'm passing on advice from others here #so I hope this works #@_@

33 notes · View notes

smmepic-blog · 4 years

Text

Get The Extra Cash You Need By Making Money Online

Trust your instincts as they are often correct. Yes, working online will give you all of the benefits you've dreamed of. And yes, you will need to know as much as possible so you don't get sucked into any scams. This article has some helpful hints to lead you to success. Even though you may be able to make money online regularly, keeping physical records of your work and earnings is still important. Print out the data from a well-maintained spreadsheet or keep a notebook by your computer. Keep accurate and up to date information that you will later need for tax purposes, to verify income or just for your own purposes. Data can be lost all too easily online. Do freelance writing in your spare time to earn a decent amount of cash. There are websites that you can sign up for where you can choose from a wide variety of topics to write on. Typically, the higher paying sites will request that you take a test to determine your writing ability. Try doing some surveys online. You will not make as much money as you would with some other types of online work. These surveys usually do not take long, and they usually just ask for your opinion. If you join a legitimate survey site, those cents can quickly add up to some extra cash. Design unique logos for some of the new startup sites on the web. This is a great way for you to show the talent that you have and also help someone out who is not artistically skilled. Negotiate the price with your client in advance before you provide your service. Design and build websites for people on the web to make some extra cash on the side. This is a great way to showcase the skills that you have using programs like Kompozer. Take a class beforehand on website design if you want to brush up on your skills before starting up. If you love to write, consider selling your fiction or non-fiction work through an electronic book on the Internet. It is a great way to write about something you love earn some cash. A collection of recipes is a great idea for an E-book. Mystery shopping can now be done online. Surely you know about secret shoppers already. Mystery shoppers rate the performance of a business according to a criteria set by the company. buy tshirts seems natural that mystery shopping would spread to the online world of shopping. You may need to initially pay for your shops, but you may end up doing quite well. If you are going to join websites that allow you to earn money online, make sure that they are reputable ones. Many sites claim that if you pay a certain amount of money they will sell you the secrets of the universe, but sadly that's a lie. Don't fall prey to these types of websites and always read the reviews before joining. Medical transcription can be a good way to make money online as a full time career. Formal training is required, and this can be costly. Additionally, it is necessary to have good computer and transcription equipment that works reliably. A great deal of work is available for people who are able and willing to invest in training and good equipment. Pay is quite substantial. Success is something we all dream of, be it in our "real life" jobs or in online virtual work. To find it, we have to educate ourselves on our field of work. When that work is on the Internet, this article has all you need to know to find great success.

#social

1 note · View note

sporadicfartfire · 4 years

Text

How to Hire Freelance Software Developers?

Are you ready to develop your software idea? Fantastic! Even in the early stages of planning your software’s development, you are probably already thinking ahead and wondering who will bring your dream to life.

Before you dive into the freelancing domain and emerge as an extraordinary freelancer employer, let's look at some fundamentals.

Who is a freelancer?

Simply put, a freelancer is a professional working remotely for any employer on a non-permanent basis. They are hired on a temporary contract for certain projects and are not full-time, "on the payroll" employees.

How did freelancing take off and become a sensational employment method?

It all began when the gig economy opened a world of flexible opportunities for both employers and freelancers. Industry giants also boarded the gig economy train due to the ever-evolving nature of their respective industries.

Especially the IT sector, often requires assembling various teams on a project basis. This allows them to diversify the workforce in terms of skills and knowledge.

While hiring freelancers significantly reduces the cost of training and onboarding, it also makes it more difficult to find the right talent.

Now that you know a little background on freelancing, we will help you understand how to find the top developer for your next project.

While hiring a freelance software developer on your own may be more tedious, this method has its advantages. If you have a very specific type of software in mind, hiring on your own is your best bet simply because you will have a bigger pool to hire from. For detailed information about “How to Hire Freelance Software Developer” read this blog post

Now, we know what you are thinking.

What if I choose the wrong software developer?

Do I set the bar high and hope for the best or settle on a developer that isn't perfect for my project?

Put your worries to rest!

Hiring a freelancer on your own may seem scary, but you have help...

On websites, such as LinkedIn, you have access to freelancers with a variety of backgrounds and qualifications. A perk of sites like these is that you have the means to filter applicants according to your desired specifications. Specifications may include years of experience, number of recommendations, or pricing of services rendered (how much the developer will charge to develop your software).

In summary, the pros of hiring a freelance software developer include, as stated earlier, a wider hiring pool and diversity of candidates. Whether you are looking for an android app software engineer or a candidate hoping for jobs in iOS development, you will find some potential developers on websites such as LinkedIn and GitHub.

The cons of this method include a greater amount of time spent screening legitimate applicants and being unable to closely monitor developers as they work remotely from their locations.

When you enlist the help of professional freelance marketplaces (such as Upwork, Inboundmarketer.c o or Toptal) you are putting the legwork of hiring a freelancer into the capable hands of a marketplace platform.

The marketplace platform you choose to work with will help you hire top freelancers with the matching skillset.

Some marketplaces also provide messaging systems for you and your remote software developers to communicate through. This makes the process of working with a freelance developer much simpler and clean cut.

Now, what about monitoring your freelancers? Not being in the same room with your developer as they work may be an uneasy situation for you, especially if this is your first time using a freelancer.

Marketplaces cut down your anxiety level by providing time tracking software, instant messaging, and project submission guidelines. Marketplaces aim to provide both you and your freelancer a smooth working relationship that will be beneficial to all involved. After all, a great and comfortable workspace equals a fantastic product.

Another pro for hiring a software or web developer through a marketplace is the marketplace platform will usually vigorously screen their applicants. Identities are verified, credentials are checked, reviews from former jobs are provided, and salary expectations are clearly stated. This screening process cuts down your likelihood of connecting with a freelancer who isn’t a dedicated professional or isn’t a legitimate applicant.

A couple downsides of a freelance marketplace are limited searchability (usually, but not always) and generalized fields of expertise.

Think about it this way: When you search for “android software developer” on Upwork, your results will include iOS software developers that don’t have even a tiny bit of expertise in android software development. Therefore, you must sit through the results to find the candidate with the qualifications that meet your needs. This can be cumbersome sometimes.

While not all marketplaces have this search filtration “error,” it is a possible downside you could face when working with some freelance marketplaces.

Overall, most companies prefer to work with a marketplace when hiring freelancers for a variety of projects. Legality of applicants, and simple, easy-to-use structure pulls in companies of all sizes.

Now that you have learned about two of the most popular ways to hire a freelancer, let’s take a gander at some tips and helpful hints for you to use in your hiring process.

Meet with your company’s hiring manager. A hiring manager is the person (usually in human resources) who is tasked with writing job descriptions for your ideal candidate. Then consider these helpful hints as you write your ideal freelance software developer’s job description:

Be as specific as possible, without being overbearing. Clearly state what your goals are for this software and your expectations of your developer.

State whether you expect your freelancer to work on your project as a full-time job or a part-time job.

State your budget and your desired timeline.

State any degrees, certifications, and skills required or preferred.

State what software or format your project will be using.

Remember: Freelancers want the freedom of creating products that meet your goals at their own pace, but within your given timeline.

When screening potential freelancers for any project, you need to make sure they meet all your criteria and they are the best of the best. Here are a few ways you can be sure you are hiring the right developer:

Read any ratings or reviews about the applicant from former employers or supervisors (and colleagues, if available).

Look at the applicant’s portfolio. Note: If you have any suspicion that the applicant is presenting plagiarized samples, follow up with the employer who the applicant says commissioned the project.

Present a test project for the applicant to complete. This is a simple project that will let you know if your creative vision is compatible with the applicant’s. It will also verify that the applicant does know what they are doing.

After you have vetted the applicant in all ways possible, present a project plan to them and get the ball rolling on your software development.

Do you already have a freelancer in mind or on your payroll? Then, here are a few tips for after your post-hire situation: o Be in communication with your developer but try not to bombard them with messages.

▪ For example, let’s say your developer is supposed to send you status updates on your project every Wednesday. They adhere to this schedule perfectly, but you start to get a little impatient and begin messaging them for updates every day of the week. This takes time away from your project since the developer is spending their time answering your messages and not developing your software. If you believe you hired the right freelancer for your project, trust your decision.

Give guidelines that the developer wouldn’t know on their own. Some examples of this would be logos you want incorporated into your software, desired tone of software, and any font files you want in the finished product. Don’t expect your developer to be a mind reader.

If you are wanting to make a change to the project’s timeline or incorporate a new idea you have, give your developer plenty of time to make those changes. In other words, don’t inform the developer of the desired change and expect him to keep the same deadlines. Adjustments will need to be made to your timeline as you make changes in the software’s development.

Referrals go a long way in the freelancing world, so once your hired freelancer has completed the project, make an effort to write down your feedback for them.

Hiring a freelance software developer doesn’t have to be a scary, nerve-racking task. With the information you just read you can feel more relaxed and better prepared to take on the freelancing world. Knowledge truly is power.

If you have questions, concerns, or thoughts you would like to speak with a freelance marketplace firm about, feel free to comment or ask us!

1 note · View note

tomo-tron · 5 years

Text

My experience growing up as an Artist (and trying to get a job)

Buckle up, it’s a long one.

I’ve never really thought about doing an actual written blog entry on here before as I’ve normally not really had much to say and prefer to talk about my work. But I thought it could be helpful to share my personal experiences of trying to get work post-university from the perspective of an illustrator/artist. This could be helpful to you if you’ve just graduated, are thinking of doing a course at uni or are currently freelance and are wondering how to get your first break in a full-time art job. Emphasis on could.

So for those of you who’ve never met me (which is pretty much 99%+ of my followers), I’ve always drawn characters from games and comics etc. If I saw a character that blew my mind as a kid, I drew them. I had a big, lined, A4 notebook and drew in with biro pen. I drew in class when I wasn’t supposed to. I drew in my weekly planner for lessons (where you were supposed to write homework and deadlines etc) and then got into detentions because of them where I was even made to go through and cover them all up using paper and glue...Art at secondary school DID NOT help me. At all. A lot of schools don’t understand/recognise the games/comic/entertainment industry (or at least seemingly prestigious ones from the north where people make money by farming and/or settling into a mundane plane of conformative existence revolving around having kids way too early and peaking before you’re 25 before forever there after living in a bubble safely tucked away from the rest of the world and society). To be fair, schools have to cover a potentially very broad spectrum and kids don’t always know what’s best for them and where they want to end up. But sometimes kids DO know where they want to end up. To also be fair, my art teachers could see that fine art wasn’t my thing and that I was technically a good artist when it came to drawing, so they sort of gave me a lot of leeway when it came to work guidelines (one of my main teachers also looked and acted like Dean McCoppin from Iron Giant which was pretty much the best thing that could have happened there).

Anyway, moving onto University. In the UK, 2011 was the year the university fees basically tripled...The work I did at that school didn’t really help me much when applying for places. No one I knew wanted to do anything similar. And there were no adults who had any idea what I needed to do to get to the places I wanted either. So I was on my own. Suffice to say I failed at getting onto a 3 year course (which I’ve always imagined was potentially due to increased demand just before the fees went up). The lecturer doing a portfolio review with me said I had “too many werewolves” and the less said about all of that the better. I think maybe there was two werewolves, done in the same style the point of which being that one was male and one was female and I’d tried to make that visually evident. However, I was offered a place on a 1 year Art and Design course (yay...). Ironically, the foundation course turned out to pretty much help me un-learn EVERYTHING that I had spent the last 7 years being told to do. Crazy right? It annoyed me that I had to spend an extra year there (though not from the social point of view and uni life) and straight after the course, I finally began a 3 year Illustration and Animation course.

At 20 y/o (a year later than most) I started my 3 year course. I won’t say too much about the course itself as there’s a slight conflict of interest in regards to me potentially going back to lecture there soon. But in those 3 years, I gradually felt more and more comfortable to focus on producing work that I always felt I was supposed to be doing. Nothing great came out of my first year, the second year was arguably better/more professional and then finally in my third year I created a 26 page comic about monsters (which I drafted a good friend in to write the script for, bearing in mind he was on a course at the time too) which I called “Stubble” and it was the pinnacle of my artist achievements. It was a comic, but I had really developed these two characters from fairly in-cohesive and random creatures with rubber tire armour and boring shapes/silhouettes to these very much simplified, strange, stubble-y polar opposites of one another. So I figured that the ability to create characters and demonstrate that, would help get me into the games industry regardless, if I wanted to go that route.

Then we had the end of year exhibition where we could showcase our final major projects. This got me noticed by a nearby toy design company in the area. It was exactly what I’d always hoped would happen, a job offer fresh out of university. They loved my work and I did a small-ish art test for them before being invited to a job interview that went really well. Their only major concern was my art style and whether I could adapt it appropriately for the sort of work they did. I was 23 y/o at the time, I was still no expert and hadn’t spent a whole lot of time doing product design on my non-product design based course (surprise surprise). I didn’t hear back from them for a while and because I’d never applied to salaried jobs before, I just thought it was the norm. I moved to London with my then gf and pretty much lost all motivation artistically when faced with the real world and trying to make ends meet in the most expensive part of the UK as a poor ass ex-student. Six months later, they got back to me. It was a no. They wanted to stress I was very much in the running along with 2 other applicants and choosing between the 3 of us had been the subject of much debate. So that sucked. And then not long after my long-term relationship fell apart which was a nice addition so I was back to square one at home with mummy and daddy and a seemingly useless degree.

Thankfully, I had made some good friends who were still studying at my university and staying to live in the area afterwards to get work (they were all car designers). So at 24 y/o I pretty much begged them to let me move in with them so I could regain some independence and start again. I should probably mention that freelance work had been coming in post-uni in dribs and drabs. I was doing the work when I found it, but it was few and far between and not really helping me to create a uniform portfolio. I was applying to concept art and character art jobs where ever I could find them the whole time, despite really not having the portfolio to back them up because it was filled with irrelevant work such as cartoon cats I was doing for a legitimately crazy cat lady who was supposedly running a charity (but years later came to the conclusion she was more of an opportunist perpetually trying to reclaim her lost wealth and the life it had afforded her). I managed to end up working for Marvel and Lego which was weird. Though technically it wasn’t directly with either as the Marvel work was for a company who owned the rights to create licensed trading cards on Marvel’s behalf and the Lego job was outsourced to me through an agency that did media production and stuff for other companies. People always say to me “but the fact is you worked for Marvel and Lego”, and maybe it’s impostor syndrome speaking, but I don’t think they fully understand the way that kind of work...works (which is fine, but also perhaps trust the guy who’s been doing this for a living). I’d say I worked for Lego more legitimately than I did for Marvel.

24/25 y/o and my confidence was taking a beating. I kept thinking how it was never meant to be this hard (getting a job). I’d been told by pretty much everyone I’d ever met, professional and otherwise, that I was talented and yet I wasn’t getting anywhere. Add to that the fact I was having to watch all my friends find work in their chosen fields easily and I’m honestly surprised I didn’t have/haven’t had a mental break down of some sort (especially after seeing how some people my age reacted to small periods of uncertainty). I DIGRESS, I started getting bolder with my applications and began sending them to places I thought were too good for me anyway and that would need me to be some sort of artistic veteran to even stand a chance at being considered. I’d mostly stuck to companies within the UK at this point, but I was having to move further afield because I’d exhausted what seemed to be every single games company the UK had to offer and felt like my work was more appropriate for what I deemed to be as bolder and more imaginative US companies. At the time, I was obsessed with League of Legends and had begun to learn about the company behind them, Riot Games. So I thought “fuck it” and I sent an application to their studio in Hong Kong despite being terrified by the prospect of moving there. And guess what?

They got back to me.

Again, I don’t want to go into too much detail. But let’s just say I did another art test for this one. And then another. And then another. And then also another. I didn’t have a job, I was relying on my incredibly unreliable freelance work but pretty much prioritising the application process over everything else going on in my life. I was doing good work in my mind, quantity AND quality, the best of both worlds. I was pushing myself to get into a design frame of mind and applying my extensive knowledge of League of Legends to solve problems that I knew needed addressing in the best way I could.

You can see where this is going.

I didn’t get the job. I found out midday as I recall, which meant I had the whole day to wallow in self pity. But hey, I had a heap of new work for my portfolio. I was proud of it all for a few months at least and now I just feel like I have to include it in my portfolio because of how extensive it was and how much I threw myself at it. I realise now that quantity isn’t always the best thing. And I will never ever ever again draw that many iterations of a character in pencil with nice line work. It was a dumb way to work and it was slow as hell. You don’t focus on line work when you’re trying to develop ideas at an early stage, even if you’re trying to impress a big company. Part of the job is narrowing down ideas. But at the time I didn’t feel that it was my place to say what was and wasn’t good as I was trying to get in to a entry-level role and was expecting someone to make those decisions for me. I was the grunt, they were the overlord. Several months is a lot of time to exchange for a fairly simple lesson. Especially when you feel like you’re trying to play catch up in life and are now 2 years behind everyone else your age. But I’ve got to stress that I wasn’t an expert, I was still young and unlike most other people I knew, I literally had no one to advise me/ look to for tips. Which I think is something pretty much most artists go through at some point in their life seeing as we all end up pretty secluded.

The thing is, I felt obligated to share the work I did from that application because it’s unfair to ask someone to invest so much (UNPAID) time and effort into something without letting them then use that to further their job hunt if you’re to turn them down. Art tests in general are unfair. Apply the idea of an unpaid test to most other areas of employment - marketing, banking (even bar tender jobs will pay you half the standard rate if they’re trailing you for the day) and people generally respond with something like “yeah I wouldn’t do something like that unless I was paid”. Because it comes across like you don’t respect yourself. And yet that is unfortunately the world we live in as artists.

Moving on. Still 25 y/o going on 26, after posting pretty much all of that work on this very blog and whilst on holiday, I got an email from a guy called Ben saying he was from Riot Games and wondered if I wanted to collaborate on a comic together. I’d become accustomed to the word “collaborate” being synonymous with “free” so I was initially sceptical and didn’t think much of it. Instead turning my attention to the shrimps I was bbqing and jokingly telling my friends that some schmuck wanted to get free work out of me again. However, it began to become more real and eventually I understood that it was going to be a real job. Still freelance, but real. And for one of my favourite companies as well. I became one of 4 artists making web comics for Riot at the time and became pretty good friends with Ben. We made “Olaf Vs Everything” whilst the other horsemen of Ben’s apocalypse made “Crystal Quest”, “Academy Adventures” and “Punches and Plants” with him. It wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but we had fun and did what we could with the limitations of the gig. Season 1 of the comic turned into season 2 and things seemed to be picking up. I was networking and making friends with like-minded artists across the world and suddenly didn’t feel so alone anymore.

I was super lucky to get invited to Riot’s HQ in L.A. along with a bunch of these other artists as part of Riot’s first Art Lab. It was a really crazy time in my life and didn’t quite feel real (sort of still doesn’t). I suddenly felt like I had something to back up my abilities to the friends and family around me and for once wasn’t a huge failure in my chosen field. It was a nice feeling and impostor syndrome definitely went away that week.

That was over a year ago now, which is nuts. But I still know all these guys (and more). They’re a very talented bunch and for the most part, it seems like we’re all watching each other grow and actively try to get our dream jobs. Unlike the majority of artists I met at university, who seemed to only be in it for the qualification and have long since given up pursuing a career as artists. But don’t get me wrong, there were definitely some talented folks who made it work and some who really deserved to but I don’t think have done. Skip forward a bit and I actually started work as a part-time lecturer at my university in 2018, teaching the students taking the same course I did all those years ago. Working with the lecturer who 6/7 years prior had said my portfolio had too many werewolves in it (it’s some sort of running joke). It’s nice to see that they seem to be slightly more thirsty for knowledge than my year group was. The quality of their work is also a better I’d say. More diverse. And every single one of them has a drawing tablet in their first year (most of my year group didn’t get them until 2nd year, some never did).

And now...

I spent the last few months actively sending out applications for concept art jobs again with my portfolio now containing my Artstation King Arthur competition entry in it (which has been helping me out more than I thought it would and you can see here: www.artstation.com/artwork/nQLePX). Side note - do an Artstation challenge if you can, they can be fun, push you and look great in your portfolio/cover letter. I found a job I really really really wanted that was nearby. It ticked all the boxes and almost seemed too good to be true. I did the procedural art test (unpaid of course) and had an interview. Everything felt good. Didn’t get the job. This time seemingly because of not being able to start immediately, despite the fact that all commitments I had had lined up for the next 2 months were completely cancellable. You can’t make this stuff up. So from now on, I will habitually write in capital letters on my cover letters “I CAN START IMMEDIATELY, I DON’T EVEN CARE IF I HAVE TO SLEEP ON THE STREETS IN BETWEEN WORK DAYS UNTIL I CAN FIND ACCOMMODATION, I’LL MAKE SURE I CLEAN MY TEETH BEFORE I COME IN AT THE VERY LEAST” as well as potentially screaming the word “IMMEEEEEDIATELYYYY” at any future interviewers upon hearing a “when can you start” related question. I would advise you to do the same. Well maybe not exactly the same, but y’know, just make sure they know you can start immediately. Bums in seats. Being able to start sooner = more important than being a good fit (sometimes anyway, so take that into consideration).

I’ve mostly spent this past year realising that if I ever want to have a moderately “normal” life (aka having disposable income) then I had to give up doing comics in favour of concept art. I’d already felt that way for a long time, but this year I’ve actively avoided committing to big comic projects because they simply aren’t worth the time and effort in most cases. And to note, I did have a completely separate portfolio of comic page samples I sent out to publishers in an effort to up my game and I got absolutely no where. I’m not trying to dissuade any one else from succeeding where I’ve failed by any means. But you have to be prepared to fail a lot and if you can deal with that then by all means you should try. But for me, I really don’t like the prospect of taking a huge backwards step at this point in life, and by that I mean moving back home where it’s rent-free. Perseverance is an admirable trait. Persevering despite overwhelming odds. And though there is a very big difference between quitting and knowing when to quit, I think artists more so than any other profession don’t really know how to quit. Which is a pretty brave thing in most cases. Meanwhile, with each year that passes I feel like I can relate more and more to episodes of the Simpsons where Bart and Lisa were all grown up and the major difference between the two career-wise. I love (ew grosss) my younger sister, don’t get me wrong (and don’t tell her) but she’s starting to make me look bad ahah.

Next month I’m going to be doing a crash course at Escape Studios in London learning how to model/sculpt and animate a character of my own design in roughly 4 weeks. I’m hoping that broadening my skill set to 3D will increase my employability. It will at the very least mean I can eventually apply to character art jobs and stand a chance. However, after that course I am potentially going to look for part-time/full-time work in an unrelated field of work because I don’t really have a choice.

I will keep looking for the concept art/ character art job out there that I know I’ll be good at. Because I’m in this for the long haul. And if you are as well, then I wish you the very best of luck and hope that something I’ve written here may help you out.

Your hairy neighbourhood friend,

- Tom

9 notes · View notes

hansen35franco-blog · 5 years

Text

What You Need To Know About Making Money Online

If you would like to make money online like so many people all over the world, then you will want to read good tips to get you started. Each day people throughout the world look for different ways to cash in online, and now you can join those same people in pursuit of internet riches. Well, you probably won't get rich, but the following article has many great tips to help you get started making a little extra money online. Remember, making money online is a long term game! Nothing happens over night when it comes to online income. It takes time to build up your opportunity. Don't get frustrated. Work at it every single day, and you can make a big difference. Persistence and dedication are the keys to success! Try doing thiên hạ bet . You will not make as much money as you would with some other types of online work. These surveys usually do not take long, and they usually just ask for your opinion. If you join a legitimate survey site, those cents can quickly add up to some extra cash. You will need ID to make money online. Most websites that offer pay for work need to verify your identity just like any other employer. This will prove that you are who you say. There is a growing industry of tutoring other people. That is e-teaching is a great way to make money online. Join a site such as TutorVista or SmartThinking if you feel like you're an expert on a particular subject. If you do well, others doors in this field could open up for you. Don't pay to get started making money online. A legit company won't ask for start up money. These are probably scam artists looking to screw you. Stay away from such companies. Freelancing is a great way to work online. There are a number of sites that will allow you to log on and put in an idea or proposal. Buyers then search the available options and figure out what they would like to purchase. Freelancing is best suited for skills that involve things like programming and data entry. Think about affiliate marketing for online income. With a working website or blog, you can attach affiliate links both in your content and through banners. These links will pay you each time one of your viewers clicks through. With the right affiliates, these links can lead to great dividends if you supply enough traffic. If you are good at writing, it would be a great idea for you to sign up for a few freelance sites. This is a great way to make a legitimate income without leaving the house. The amount of money you earn depends on how much you are willing to put into it, which means you are in control of your own income. You should never put all of your hope into one online job. It's better to have more than one online source of income. The reason for this is because the Internet is always changing. While one day a business could be thriving, you never know what could happen to that source of income. Writing, publishing and marketing your own eBooks is a viable online income. If you enjoy writing, you can self-publish an e-book and sell it on Amazon. You'll find that there are people you have written non-fiction and fiction to sell there, and they have done well money-wise. Any skill you have offline is a possible money maker online. For example, do you enjoy reading books? Set up a blog or website so that you can review your favorite books online. Next, become an Amazon affiliate and add affiliate links pointing to these books for purchase on Amazon. Do you have a talent for crocheting, knitting or sewing? You could sell some baby booties and other items online. Now that you read the above article, you are aware of all the money-making possibilities that exist in the online world. The only thing left to do now is to put these tips into motion, and see how you can reap the benefits of online money. There are many consumers today who love to shop online, and there is no reason why you can't get in on the action.

1 note · View note

frederator-studios · 6 years

Text

Bryan Caselli: The Frederator Interview

Bryan Caselli is a Storyboard Artist, Writer and Renaissance Faire enthusiast. Following tenure on top-notch cartoons including Star vs. the Forces of Evil and Sanjay and Craig, ‘twas our good fortune when he set sail to Costume Quest��as co-Executive Producer, with a treasure trove of story skillz in tow. Here, Bryan provides his advice to young artists, fav things about Costume Quest, and remarkably realistic take on a 17th century Swashbuckler and his Mer-Lassy.

When did you know that you wanted a career in animation?

My friends and family were alway super supportive of my drawing when I was little, but I got really focused on art in high school. I had an amazing teacher named Kevin McGovern who encouraged me to apply to the California State Summer School for the Arts. CSSSA was a four week residency arts summer program on CalArts’ campus featuring many different disciplines. I studied in the animation department, and it was like I finally found my people. After those four weeks, I knew I wanted to work in animation, and I wanted to go to school at CalArts. There was no turning back.

(Every day is Halloween for the CQ crew! But this day was actually Halloween.)

Where are you from, and how did you chart your path to CalArts?

I'm originally from Sacramento, California. It's a legitimately sized city, but it still has a small town vibe that's warm and welcoming. I applied to CalArts straight out of high school, but didn't get in on my first try. I actually didn't apply to any other schools. My plan was to just apply again the next year, but my mom secretly applied for me to CSU Sacramento as a somewhat, "What if he doesn't get into CalArts for ten years?" worst case scenario backup plan. After swallowing the tough pill of not getting into my dream school, I took a collection of figure drawing, portrait drawing, painting, and art history classes at both Sac State and Sac City college. I didn't stay long enough to earn a degree. Luckily, I was accepted into CalArts the following year.

How did you decide you wanted to storyboard and write?

I got into animation thinking I wanted to be a character designer. It seemed to be the most glamorous position at the time, but I found out quickly that you have to be an exceptional draftsman to do that job, which I'm not. I fell in love with the story department in my 3rd and 4th years at CalArts. I had some awesome teachers who really set me on the path that I'm on now.

What do you love most about the job?

I can't get enough of stuff like mythic structure, archetypal symbolism, and fable storytelling. I really get excited by just how universal storytelling is. It can connect you with anyone. That's easily my favorite part of my work.

What was your first job in animation or art, and how’d you land it?

I interned on Regular Show. I actually went in to interview for a different show, but on my way out, I ran into Ben Adams, the Regular Show character designer and my former classmate. He told me to blow those other guys off and come work with him. He introduced me to Regular Show's Producer, Janet Dimon, and we really hit it off. She offered me the position soon after that. At the end of my internship, I pitched the storyboards for my student film, Scout Wars. After the pitch, someone from development came up to me and said, "You need to pitch this upstairs." That's how I got my second gig.

youtube

The show was never produced, but getting paid to develop my original concept that early in my career really set in stone my desire to run a show of my own some day. I even got to work with our future Costume Quest Art Director, Ricky Cometa, on the development poster. After that, I did about a year and a half of full-time freelance, which eventually lead me to work with the creators of Sanjay and Craig on some of their punk side projects. I really liked working with those guys, so when they asked me to come on Sanjay, it was an easy choice.

That’s awesome. Was Sanjay the first show you wrote and boarded for? How is it to work on a board driven show?

Yep, Sanjay was the first TV show that I got to write and storyboard on. Both writing and storyboarding is really demanding, but it's also really rewarding. Nick Bachman (Costume Quest's previously interviewed Supervising Producer) was my Storyboard Director on Sanjay, and we really clicked as a team. Sanjay and Craig was a perfect show to be board driven because it was super cartoony and there were very few rules. It was a great opportunity for board teams to have their specific voices heard. When you watch an episode of Sanjay and Craig you can pretty much spot which teams did which episodes from a mile away.

How was writing on Star vs the Forces of Evil - is it board driven too?

Writing on Star was an awesome change of pace coming off of Sanjay. Daron Nefcy was a great leader to work for, and I became really close with my fellow writers. It was board driven, which made the transition from storyboarding to outline writing a lot more of a doable task for me. I was comfortable in that kind of production pipeline and pretty much knew what would be expected of me as a writer. The coolest part about working on Star was that it was a seasonally arcing, somewhat mythic story. It was so cool to get to craft a large story over multiple episodes. I took a lot of lessons learned writing on Star and brought them with me to the writers' room on Costume Quest.

Is it odd being a bit of a ~star~ yourself, considering you have a whole fan page and everything?!

Oh boy, having a fan wiki page is a strange feeling. It's really cool to be apart of a show that has such a passionate fanbase, but honestly I don't want to be a star. Star Butterfly is the star of Star.

You’re Costume Quest’s co-Executive Producer. What does the job entail?

Being the co-EP on Costume Quest means I, along with the rest of our leadership team, am responsible to supervise just about every stage of production. From writing to storyboarding, animatics to art, voice acting and voice casting, logo design, score, sound effects, the list goes on and on. I got to script a handful of episodes. Nick and I storyboarded the first episode. Occasionally I do some (very rough) first pass character designs. I also draw story board punch-ups and animation redline revisions on the episodes I direct. I direct the first story of each of Costume Quest's two part episodes, and Nick directs the second story. Beyond that I mainly keep my eye on the larger narrative of the show, making sure everything is tonally consistent and the story threads line up. If every person that works on this show is making one tree, I try to make sure the forest is working as a whole. I do my best not to force any artist to execute their assignments exactly as I would have, but instead, encourage them to showcase their personal artistic voices.

How have you enjoyed working on Costume Quest, and what do you like most about the show?

Working on Costume Quest has been my favorite gig yet. I am really grateful to Will (McRobb), Kevin (Kolde), and Eric (Homan) for bringing me onboard. I'm super proud of how much the show grows across the first season. The scale, the emotional stakes, and the world building just get bigger and bigger with every episode. Beyond that, having the chance to lead a team has been incredibly rewarding. Our whole crew is so talented, and they are all so supportive of the show. It has really meant a lot to me to learn that these people, who I respect tremendously, are happy to come in to work every day and are proud to help tell this story. I can't overstate how good it feels to know I have a creatively and professionally satisfied crew.

Do you have a favorite character on CQ?

I love all four of the main kids, but my favorite character really is Norm. I always say that he's a cross between Fred Flintstone and Santa Clause. He's such an emotionally vulnerable character, and he's got some great reveals attached to his backstory. Fred Tatasciore also does some incredible voice acting as Norm, so if this show only gets one award ever, it should go to Fred's performance.

Since developing Scout Wars, have you gone out pitching other original ideas?

I’ve pitched Scout Wars and a handful of other show ideas around to the big studios, but when Costume Quest came about, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to learn everything I needed to about the responsibilities of a show runner—without the added emotional pressure of having the show be about my childhood, or my relationship with my father, or whatever. I have a handful of ideas in my back pocket that I'm eager to start pitching again whenever Costume Quest comes to a close.

What are your favorite cartoons?

Not including the shows I've worked on: original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batman the Animated Series, Justice League/Justice League Unlimited, Doug, Hey Arnold!, SpongeBob, Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, Archer, Flintstones, the Peanuts specials, and the original Power Rangers gets a non-cartoon honorable mention because the the influence that show had on me and Costume Quest is pretty undeniable.

What is your advice to people who want to write and/or storyboard for animation?

Study the craft as hard as you can. It's not about networking, or Internet likes, or whatever. If you get as good as you possibly can at the craft, you'll be golden. Take any job that will hire you. Once you get any position anywhere, if you show everyone you work with just how dedicated you are, people will take notice, and they'll want to help you.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I really love hosting backyard BBQ's and parties at my place. My friends tease me that I'd rather they come to me than I go anywhere else pretty much 100% of the time. You can find me most Sunday mornings at any of the LA flea markets with my girlfriend, Madison, looking for more knick knacks to put up in our place. Also, I take my Renaissance Faire costuming pretty seriously. Yearly upgrades are planned months in advance. My mom always sewed my Halloween costumes growing up, so costumes somehow became a thing I really like to do. I guess it's fitting that Costume Quest came my way.

Have anything to say to future fans of Costume Quest?

Watch it again! We did our best to set up, pay off, and foreshadow as much as possible in the season so it would be fun to rewatch. There are a lot of little easter eggs in there. I hope fans enjoy it. ☆

No doubt, they will. Thank you for the interview Bryan, and for your fantastic work on Costume Quest! Follow Bryan on Instagram.

- Cooper ☆

#The Frederator Interview #costume quest #star vs #star vs the forces of evil #sanjay and craig #frederator #cartoon #nickelodeon #disney #animation #writer #producer #interview #artist #new cartoon #costume #cosplay

31 notes · View notes