Milestones

I suddenly realised this morning whilst shaving that I have been a computer graphics professional for ten years this month. My first job was doing titles for a crazy American evangelist who had made a DVD about his UK tour and was having the video post-produced in the town where I was at art college, which is why I heard about and got the job. Not an overly auspicious start, either artistically or morally but I was a poor student and I got paid more for a week of CG work than I would have for a month of shelf-stacking in a supermarket which was my other possible summer job.

When I look back at who I was then and the aspirations I had I realise that I'm exceptionally fortunate. The 21 year old me desperately wanted to work in visual effects, and through a few twists and turns of graphic design and kids TV series I made it. I am one of those lucky, lucky people who manage to achieve their dreams and even though I complain about work, especially the pressure and the hours, I wouldn't want to swap it for anything else. Perhaps another company, perhaps working in commercials again as a change from features, which I've been doing non-stop for 6 years now, but essentially I do what I love and what I assume I'm regarded as being quite good at it since they keep paying me.

I suspect in ten more years I shall probably be doing pretty much what I am now.