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View Full Version : Career move. IT to er, special effects!


Jonny69
02-10-2008, 20:47
Having spent 8+ months moaning about my job I finally did something about it and handed my notice in. I finished late in August and got sending out CVs but didn't get anything back that led to a job. Tuesday I decided I'd started wasting too much time on the net looking at porn etc so sent a mail to the special effects company I used to work for. Minutes later the phone rang and I started back there today and I've got work booked up until Christmas.

I'm on an exhibition at the O2 Dome, there's an upstairs area to the Tutankhamun exhibition which is getting a new bit added on. Basically I've got 3 weeks to come up with some large mechanical exhibits with giant reflective screens that lift up out of boxes and project fullsize images of figures on the screen. I got there this morning and the brief was completely open, all they knew was the size of the screen and the height so I have roughly designed the thing today with all the mechanism, motors and spring assistance, ordered a LOT of steel which turns up tomorrow when I get cracking and start making it! Bit nervous since I haven't actually put a pencil to paper properly for some years and I am doing this one single handedly start to finish. In at the deep end eh? :shocked:

After that I am doing an interactive exhibition which is along the lines of the kids' exhibition I designed at the RAF Hendon museum. I don't know much more than that yet because it's not finalised what they want but it's going to be a corker with a bit of luck.

I'll probably (hopefully :confused:) get roped into a few shoots as well so I'll see if I can get some photos and let you know what's going on!

An odd career change though, commute is a bitch, pay is reasonable, but I think it's worth it!

Blighter
02-10-2008, 20:51
Wow, great news mate, I remember you telling me about you wanting to move to FX back when I was an OcUK regular :p

Glad to hear you finally did something about it :)

Jonny69
02-10-2008, 20:55
I'm still feeling a bit overwhelmed to be honest and my brain is in overdrive trying to get back up to speed on things :D

Del Lardo
02-10-2008, 21:11
A move away from IT is definitely a good thing IMO and it sounds like you are doing interesting things that you enjoy.

Congrats!

penski
02-10-2008, 21:27
Viva la anti-IT revolucione!

*n

Gnat
02-10-2008, 23:21
Yay for moving from stuff you dont really like :)

I just quit my uni course at the end of the year to change to th one i really wanted to do in the first place :)

Pumpkinstew
03-10-2008, 15:29
And when will we see you on Scrapheap Challenge?

Seriously, congratulations on the career change. Hope it goes well.

Will
03-10-2008, 16:12
I'm still on cloud 9 from having moved away from IT. Best decision I've ever made.

Great news though Jon! Look forward to hearing your news :)

mejinks
03-10-2008, 16:28
Nice on J. I hope it goes really well for you.

Jonny69
14-10-2008, 22:13
And when will we see you on Scrapheap Challenge?
Might not be too long because Richard Curtis pops in quite a lot ;)

Got briefed up on the next project which is running alongside the pepper's ghosts units at 02. Got 27 interactive kids exhibits to design and build for at the Newcastle natural history museum (Hancock place) so all you toonies can go visit and point and laugh at the ones that don't work :D

Von Smallhausen
15-10-2008, 15:53
When is that Jonny ? I live about 12 oe so miles away from Newcastle and would pop in to see your exhibits.

Matron .... Fnaar etc.

Jonny69
16-10-2008, 06:52
Should be opening spring 2009 according to the website :)

Darrin
16-10-2008, 08:46
Heh, if you ever need a team mate for Scrapheap Challenge... http://www.boomspeed.com/bofh1968/smilies/forums/bluewave.gif