Our August event found us back in the intimate surroundings of The Workers Club's SIDESHOW bar. Which was nice, because we got to get up amongst Darcy Prendergast's dreadlocks. And they were very interesting locks to get amongst. Darcy is from Oh Yeah Wow - a studio majoring in animation. He has done video clips for some of the best musicians in country - like Gotye and worked on the 2009 Adam Elliot film 'Mary and Max'. Darcy's passion for his work and Jedi-like presence inspired us to ... Read More! »

Dear Esther, I've been here two years and I feel I should be getting better briefs. How do I do that? Should I leave? Hidden Talent Dear Hidden Talent, There isn't a lot of information to go on here. Let us assume that you are brilliant and are constantly being overlooked, or that your talents are buried under day to day and/or fast turnaround briefs. On the plus side, you have probably had two years of thinking on your feet and responding quickly a variety of briefs. And if the ... Read More! »

  Competition! Stan says it's time to get feisty. For the last week or so DOZENS OF students have been graduating from AWARD School. Much of the talk on industry blogs is around the top student or the top ten students. Either way that’s more competition for the handful of jobs available to juniors like you each year. And given AWARD School operates in most Australian capital cities, that’s a hell of a lot of competition to you now entering the job hunt. So maybe now’s ... Read More! »

  This Week, Stan shares the perspective of 'school of life' graduate Wes Anderson. I read a great interview recently with film-maker Wes Anderson, where he spoke about his formative years. Unlike most of you would expect, he never went to a film school. In fact he gained most of his early knowledge from a book he’d bought on guerrilla film making by Spike Lee. By pulling favours and scrounging cash from friends he literally ended up becoming a film-maker by just doing ... Read More! »

Just wondering, Why are Awards such a necessity in our industry? Is that the only piece of validation we as professional can ever expect? Is there no merit in working for a reputable company for a number of years and having a portfolio filled with real life, big client yet un-awarded work. I mean, my dad was a vet and arguably one of the most intelligent and accomplished men you'll ever come across and i never saw him stressed out over missing out on the "Best Dog Neutering Awards". Is this ... Read More! »

Hey Esther, I've recently started looking for a new job as a Copywriter. I've got an Advertising degree and a year's experience under my belt. My previous job was a great entry into the field, but it wasn't overly creative. What I'm really looking for is a more creative job with great people to learn from. I contacted a recruiter to help. I explained my situation and eventually had some job interviews. At the same time I went to a couple of interviews I'd set up through my own ... Read More! »