In the Beginning

At the start of the portfolio module, I was only just getting to grips with my chosen specialism as well as thoughts about career paths as a post-graduate. Most of my degree had been spent not being very confident in the work I was producing whilst I tried to figure out what it was that I wanted to do and it was only in time for the FMP that I had returned to my love of writing and research-based work. When I imagine myself as an employed creative, I prefer employment within a company rather than freelancing but as the module progressed I became more open to the fact I would probably have to get involved with a bit of both, especially in regards to gaming more experience in the field. I have quite thorough experience in marketing from previous employment and internships, however, it has never compelled me to want to pursue it for full-time employment.

Module Aims

By the end of this module, I wanted to have achieved a solid, functioning portfolio that was set up ready to build upon as I enter post-grad territory, even if tweaks would have to be made along the way. I also wanted to get more of a grasp on my identity as a creator and instil more confidence in my degree work by creating a professional brand identity for myself.

Working with the Positives

I believe that I got a relatively good head start on my portfolio website by attending each tutorial session and work on building the foundations of my brand during that time so as to achieve a balance between this portfolio module and the FMP. I believe my choice of branding in terms of colour choice, font and layout represent my brand suitably for now, but I am looking forward to evolving my brand image and make changes as I learn more about my specialism.

When I review my website I feel positive in that all my writing and degree work is in the same place and I can quickly jump in to edit and play around with the solid foundation that I have built and I believe has been a great experience having this time to achieve that.

 

Working with the Negatives

Obviously, the emergence of COVID-19 towards the end of the module was a challenge in itself but I feel like I was supported through this from my tutors and don’t think it had a massive effect on my work. Although the hurdles that I came across occurred predominantly via technology and storage issues that caused restrictions and consumed a lot of my time without being able to rely on university computers. However, I know that I am not alone in that, and I found the week extension to be extremely comforting and helpful. A malfunction with my external hard drive towards the deadline corrupted my film projects on iMovie meaning I lost my progress with my showreel which was very frustrating and stressful. I had originally wanted to experiment more with transitions and give my showreel a bit more range but in the end, I had to produce the end product efficiently in case of another error occurring which I didn’t want to risk happening again.

Looking to the Future

I believe this module has enabled me to build a solid basis as a young professional where I now have confidence when applying for work after the degree. By building a website and having a collation of my degree work in one place, I am excited to be able to work on this with the more experience and content that I will produce in the future. The module has also been a great tool for reflection and I feel prepared for what the future holds for me as a creator. I am excited to build on these platforms as I grow as a professional.