Europe and Brexit

• In 2011 European unemployment has started shooting up compared to everywhere else in the world. 

• 62% of young people (15-24 years) in Greece are unemployed.

• Followed by Spain at 57% unemployment.

Economy before and after Brexit

Banking crisis in 2008, world recession caused serious problems for Europe. 

Pre Brexit

Norway really lucky from this crisis in terms of economics (very wealthy) Germany and UK are at the Okay mark followed with Denmark and France with not too bad, other countries in Europe like Greece and Spain were really struggling. 

Post Brexit

After Brexit Norway are still rich, UK are neck and neck with Germany’s wealth with the UK economy increasing. The other countries who aren’t the UK, Germany and Denmark are relying on those three countries for wealth.

The UK referendum

The UK having a strong economy don’t want to be part of the EU because they don’t want to be a part of the political integration. While Germany are the same strength in economy but want the EU because they are the centre of control. The poorer countries want political integration so they can continue receiving funds off of UK and Germany.

Brexit has caused a lot of the population in the west to be delusional so they give more extreme parties popularity and power like Donald Trump in the US.

The issues with Brexit

• Immigration (Greece VS Turkey), (Germany’s unilateral approach)
• Italian Banking Problems with potential failure.
• Over-reliance on the Germany economy.
• Potential loss of UK and some trade.
• Russia and Ukraine.
• US/Europe TTIP (type of trade) failure.

The EU don’t look as they are going to change their path or polices which will affect the EU Union and its country very badly. If the EU doesn’t change Germany will dominate the European union and more countries will leave, especially if the UK is successful with its economy from leaving the EU.

If everything continues and the EU slowly disappears making countries independent there will be more trade resulting more demand for graphic designers and animators.

The positives from Brexit will be that the UK will be able to trade with the US, Canada and Australia making it more common but trading with European countries may be problematic because it is likely they will want to refuse.

Other European Problems

Russia is right next to Europe so Europe need to be cautious with their decisions towards Russia. The problem is that Ukraine sits in-between Europe and Russia and Ukraine wants to be a part of the European union but Russia wants to keep Ukraine. Europe wants to find away to make Ukraine apart of their union without upsetting Russia resulting in Ukraine's invasion.

Europe don’t have a lot of oil or other reserves of energy so they buy a lot from Russia which put Russia in a dominant position over Europe. The result of this is Europe are very careful with their energy usage enforcing a lot of energy saving methods. 

Immigration and Unemployment make people in Europe unhappy. The refugees coming into Europe have made unemployment its highest. Because there is no bodies of water separating the countries between each other the boarders in Europe are set up in a way where immigration is easy and hard to control. 

The Middle East

Ottoman Empire owned most of Europe and Africa until the Europeans started to come and claim land which is where Spain, France and England came in. Ottoman then sided with the Germans during World War 1. 

The Problem in the Middle East

Arab states went to soviet union for weapons and America sided with Israel to stop it. The world runs on oil, it is used in just about anything. In the 1950s the middle east was really important because there was a lot of oil and it was easy to extract. There is just about 50% of the planets oil in the middle east.

Hubbert Curve Scenario 

A line graph that is used to predict when the worlds oil will run out depending on the country and how much they use. The graph measures how much reserve of oil there is around the world. 

Why Does It Affect Me?

Designers have an important need for oil because it makes all the tools like pens, printing and inks, packaging etc. Start to prepare using more technology in your work practices like drawing tablets because in years to come the lack of oil will create a big problem. 

Electricity

Through the day the price of electricity changes depending on how many people are using it a different times of the day. At times when no one is using it because they are at work or asleep is the time electricity is at its cheapest. This might be the best time to do work or render a animation.

Alternative Energies 

There is Nuclear that include Thorium like Nuclear power plants and nuclear reactors. Then there is Plasma Fields which is basically a mini sun, pressurising a lot of power in one area and then containing it with a plasma field that surrounds it. 

Russia

Russia started off a very small country and are and have always being trying to expand. Russia started at the west side of Siberia and have expanded to the East ever since. Russia have an aggressive way of solving their problems politically and conflict with other civilisations always leads to violence because they only know force.

Economics

Russia have always considered the East (like China) as the enemy until recently when they realised they need resources from China. People with in the Russian government don’t like this and the politics are often in conflict with each other because they both don't agree with trading with China. They believe they are doing unique things in their country (like their building structures) making them believe they are very important people for the world but their desire for western culture ruins their image because they won't be a unique civilisation. 

Economic Management 

Russia works where there a various leaders in different parts of Russia who enforce laws and rules from a overall power of Russia, people who don’t follow their own laws and work as a mafia style upper class of the country. Russia have a much desire to have a western style culture but they are heavily influenced by eastern culture. For example the way finance works in the east isn't very stable or reliable and resulting in payment not being fulfilled or agreements being ignored so people may have to do additional jobs to their original to get paid.

What does this mean for me?

In the future I may have to trade with Russia depending on the job I have. People aren't saying not to trade with Russia just be aware with them because they may not keep to the trades agreement.

Business Planning

What is your purpose for setting up a business?

Is it for a profitably income so you can by a car or other luxury items? Is it to pay money to a charity? 

What type of business do you want?

A freelancer? Ltd? Semi-partnership/Partnership?

What is the nature of the business?

What is it your business will be doing? It must be a legal trade. Think about what you can do, what is feasible? Not just what you want to do.

Where will your business be based?

Where geographically do you want this business to be? Be realistic you won’t be able to open a business in New York (yet). Build skills and trades for the time being and stick to the UK. When thinking about the location of the business do research on your trade in that area, look at other businesses you will be competing with to determine if you will get good business.

These questions will lead to success but if you have no direction, you will drift and be unlikely to succeed. Having the knowledge of where you are gives you the knowledge of where you want to be.

After having the knowledge you can start to develop a plan.

Developing a business plan

Plans should deal with 3 scenarios: The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY.

• The GOOD is when the plan is going well and the business grows.

• The BAD is when something crops up that can cause the plan to drift and critically damage the business.

• The UGLY is when you have opened the business and nothing happens no work is coming in.

During the planning make two groups of income. Group A will look at the budget of your personal life to live comfortably. Group B will be the income saved to start the business and get it up and running. Keep these two incomes separate to prevent confusion.

The three scenarios the GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY helps you realise when the idea of the business needs to be cut loose because its direction may destroy you finically.

Media Types

Media Categories

• Outdoor
• Print
• Broadcast
• Cinema
• Performance
• YouTube
• Games
• Social Media

Outdoor Media

• Billboards
• Adshells (electronically moves)
• Posters
• Vehicle Wraps
• Bus/Train Wraps, “T” Sides, “Rears”

Outdoor media normally lasts two weeks because after sometime people are known to ignore the advertisements because they know that they are there.

Some outdoor media have lighting because during winter it gets dark earlier and gets light later in a morning.

There is a six week deadline to plan, design and get a outdoor media up because other companies book them to put up their own advertisements.

Issues for outdoor media includes: 

• The advert getting dirty making them hard to see. 
• The visibility of the advert can be difficult when it is dark. 
• The choice of colour needs to be considered because of the lighting and dirt. 
• Sometimes the council is needed to clean the billboards.

Outdoor media on the motor way needs to say a quick obvious message because drivers don’t get long to view this advertisements.

Print Media

• Magazines
• Newspapers
• Journals/Newsletters
• Books

Print media need five weeks notice before they can publish any material (except newspapers that can have a  24 hour notice).

Circulation - The number of people who BUY it.

Readership - The number of people who READ it. (E.g. Dentists waiting room)

The price depends on the numbers above for this type of media when it hits the market.

Broadcast Media

• ITV (channel 4 & 5)
• Sky
• BT
• Netflix
• Amazon Prime

Adverts in terms of scripts must be put in front of the BACC (British Advertising Clearance Centre), they accept or reject scripts but not images.

Advertising Standards Authority are the guardians of acceptable ads, they can pull off ads from the air immediately.

Cinema Media

• Ads before a film
• Not really a time limit, better for a story ad.

Audience is “captured” by showing advertisements that have less reality from outside of the cinema and have more of a story to tell.

Entertainment New Media

• Netflix
• Amazon
• Blu-ray/DVD/CD

There is an average of 3 adverts that are shown before a movie on the applications that allow you to stream movies online. The DVDs and Blu-Rays have adverts for other movies that share the same age certificate.

Social Media 

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

A form of self publication which means there is a issue of anything that is put on these social networking websites has a risk of the creator being liable for: bullying, Plagarism, Theft etc. Depending on what is published.

Budgeting

What is a budget?

A budget is a allocation of money (or resource) needed and managed to undertake a particular task. It may be over a specific task (a project) or a time period (a holiday).

A budget is a proposed idea for a specific amount that has to last you through the task, during the task there will be another figure known as the the actual amount which is the actual amount spent compared to the budget plan. Both figures will be compared to get a cumulative variance which will be used to see if money was saved or if the spent amount went over. 

Example: There is a budget of £100, the actual amount spent was £102 so the cumulative variance is -£2.

Tips using budgeting

Budgets are meant to be a supply of information on the real use of resources. Over time, this information is used to improve future budgets because the more budgets are used the better the understanding is of using them.

If you have a really big budget to spend in a company always take 10% out to save for insurance if things go wrong.

Keep a close eye on the budget list plan when purchases go through because the actual cost may be different by the time purchasing goes through, this will need editing on the budget list to keep up to date.

Curriculum Vitae

A CV is unique to an individual. There are rules to writing a CV but there is no wrong way to do it.

A CV should show your key characteristics because it is the thing people are looking for.

Characteristics

Name + contact details 

• Name
• Address 
• Mobile number 
• Email (Uni and personal) 
• Web page (Portfolio location) 
• Age
• DoB 
• Status (if single put this on, if not, don’t)

Education 

• Most recent result first (University of Huddersfield’s course, give date of graduation, GCSE only grades in english and maths), 6th Form/College (Only the courses not the grade).

• Skills: Computer literacy (Cinema 4D), Driving Licence etc.

• Work Experience - Short, couple of lines to show you are willing to work and you understand how working works.

• Hobbies and Interests - Keep this very brief, it shows that you have depth personally than just a plain person who needs money.

Referees 

The people who give you references from education and work backgrounds and you need to include this information about them.

• Name 
• Company 
• Position
• Address
• Telephone
• Email 
• Work Reference 
• academic reference 

Only use a maximum of 3 references and let the referee know you have used them.

What I Learnt and Summary

This lecture was about the basics of writing a CV including a brief explanation for giving each of the characteristics to employees. Before this lecture I understood what a CV was and knew what obvious information goes on a CV but I didn't know some of the other less obvious information that went on one. Now however I can use the information I have learnt to write my own successful CV.

Contracts in a Firm

In a company there are two types of contracts:

Client Side - A contract between you and who you are delivering for.

Employee Side - Contract between you and the people you hire.

Client Side

Duty of Contract

• Supply what the client is asking for (Give the client a format they are asking for e.g. animation or design).

• What does the client really ask for (Think about the concept and give the client an idea they are going to love.) 

• Ensure parameters are put in place (Make sure a system works for you and your client).

Duty of Care

• To look after the client and his concerns (Show that you really care about what the client is asking for and his vision). 

• Understand what the clients business is (You should have a clear understanding about who the client is and what their aim is as a business because this helps with the client realising that you are committed to his ideas). 

• Broader understanding of the economic environment. 

Employee Side

There is a lot of employment legislation but the main aim is to protect the employees from unfair actions and practices.

Duty of Care 

• Mental and physical care (To ensure staff are happy and consent with coming to work and are not bullied or harmed by other employers).

• Safe working environment (Staff need to be working in a healthy comfortable environment, e.g. comfortable chairs and heating).

• Procedures to resolve issues (Reasonable ways to solve any falling out between staff and problems that may persist with the job itself that make everyone happy).

• Clear job understanding (Understanding staff roles is crucial to helping them with their work when they might lose their way).

Employment Terminology 

• Sacked - You have been bad. stolen something. Thrown out of the firm.

• Dismissed - Neutral and depends on context. You have being let go on neither good or bad terms but that depends on the reason.

• Probation - Period of time you need to serve before you are permanent and have employment rights. Normally 1 year.

• Released - The firm has no further use for you so you are let go but leaving the job isn't seen as your fault.

• Redundant - A company can’t hold on to you because they might be going bankrupt or another factor could be affecting the business. This is normally seen as a good thing because you gain a statutory pay off.

• Resigned - You leave the job out of your free will.

Remedies

Problems arise that breach the contact so how do you deal with the situation.

    

A. Talk through the problem to understand the issue to then make a plan to solve the issue. This works most of the time.

B. Take the problem through a legal procedure (court) to solve it.

What Did I Learn and Summary

This lecture was about understanding the use for contracts and why they are needed within a company. Before the lecture I knew what a contract was but I didn't know what the specific rules were between employee and employer, but I now know what those rules are and that they are used to prevent people taking advantage of one another in the work place. I have also learnt the different situations that occur for someone to leave a job and what they are called. 

Finance Sheets

A finance sheets is simply a piece of paper that people can use to keep track of payments within a company or project. 

Project Costs

Keep a separate finance sheet for projects because this will be used to add up the total cost the client will have to pay for a finished project. Below are examples of costs within a project.

• Design - Which consists of things like: paper, pens, pencils, rubbers, ink, travelling to the client, photography etc.

• Production - Presenting the finished design to the public.

• Staff Time - People need paying who were involved with the development of the project.

• Total Costs - All the costs above are shown as a total amount.

• Clients Total - This will be the overall amount that the client owns to the company.

Company Financials

A company needs to keep financial sheets to track all the expenses that happens within the company. Below are examples of things that company will have to pay for.

• General Liability insurances - Protects when people sue the company for injury.

• Professional Indemnity Insurance - Protects companies getting sued because their designs have injured someone or does something it wasn’t advertised for.

• Company services like phone lines and broadband.

• Staff costs.

• Building repairs.

• Equipment Depreciation - Replacing equipment when it breaks like computers and printers. 

• Loan Interest.

• Total costs - Only for the company not the projects they do.

Staff Costs

A company will have to plan and track what they pay their staff so they can ensure they can keep paying a consistent amount for them without going bankrupt.

• Pension - Money people can retire on. It is in everyones payment even if it is 1 or 2% that adds up over the years.

• Gross Pay - The amount of money the staff get from their salary after tax and other deductions.

• National Insurance - An amount that is deducted from employers pay that entitles them to certain benefits.

Cash Flow

Keeping track of all the money coming out of the company and coming in. Below are examples of the total costs the company need to keep track of.

• Staff Costs - Overall payment towards people working there.

• Projects Cost - Overall payment towards the cost for projects the company gets involved in.

• Total Costs - Overall cost for the company (total money coming out).

• Project Income - Overall project income from multiple projects in that month.

• Other Income - Overall income from other clients.

• Total Income - Overall amount coming in to the company.

• Income Less Costs (Profit/Lost) - The overall profit or loss of money.

What Did I Learn and Summary

This lecture was to inform us about finance sheets and how helpful and vital they can be towards the process of organisation that allows people to stay on top of finances. I have learnt that finance sheets are more important than I thought and companies need to pay attention to this information to avoid sudden bankruptcy. Another thing I learnt that the most common means of companies going bankrupt is the lack of attention to cash flow because companies find themselves paying money out here and there expecting a payment from another specific job they do that might not happen or go wrong. 

Entrepreneurship

What is Entrepreneurship?

Entrepreneurship is the art of being in business which looks at the person's ability that makes them fit the gap with in a industry and valuable to companies. To fit the gap and be effective in a company people have to enjoy what they do for a living so they can engage with the subject effectively. There will always be competition, other people wanting the job but if they do take the job there will always be other opportunities if that person has a skill to offer that is invaluable.

What is the Aim?

Why are you working?

• Is it for money?
• Is it for praise and fulfilment? 
• Aiding Society and People?

How do you succeed?

• ‘Strike while the iron is hot’ meaning go for it, you know what you want just do it. Don’t sit back. You need a desire to make what you want happen.

• ‘Tenacity’ meaning there will be problems don’t give up.

• ‘Don’t be precious’ meaning have the courage to accept people’s feedback and change to your idea they think is for the best.

• ‘Ability to do’ meaning be practical and get something done. If something needs doing chase it up and get it done.

•  ‘What is the cost/return’ meaning if someone is going to help you, there will be a cost. Know what this is! Make sure the cost is reasonable.

• ‘It’s not what you know it’s who you know’ meaning getting to know someone who is involved with a company means they can put a good word in for you leading to a job. Knowing the knowledge is very good but may not be the final push for a company to see your capability.

People to get in contact with for connections to businesses

• Linkedin

• Trade Associations

• Business Leaders

• Key Supporters (to business) 

What Did I Learn And Summary

This lecture was about the nature of working in industry in the sense of what you need to be and what you need to do to succeed in the work place. During the lecture I learnt that as a person working in the industry you need a clear understanding of what you want and where you want to go so you have something to reach which enables you to progress further in your chosen subject.