Some questions regarding the game Industry
polycounter lvl 10
Hi there,
I just got myself my first job in the industry and I was wondering how much they pay a 3d environment artist working on UE3.
During the interview I was asked if I had an idea of how much I should be payed.
Having no experience what so ever in the industry, I just replied between 1k to 2k euros as a junior 3d artist.
After a few days of work they decided to place me as the lead environment artist.
I'm about to sign a contract and discuss my job pay regarding the lead position in a few days.
The studio in question is not a AAA, but I'd say something between the indie and AAA.
My job consists of leading the 3d team, keeping in check the assets created by artists (meeting the quality bar) and also creating the main assets for the levels and putting them together in level editor.
I understand that a lead position calls for a lot of responsibility and commitment.
I just got myself my first job in the industry and I was wondering how much they pay a 3d environment artist working on UE3.
During the interview I was asked if I had an idea of how much I should be payed.
Having no experience what so ever in the industry, I just replied between 1k to 2k euros as a junior 3d artist.
After a few days of work they decided to place me as the lead environment artist.
I'm about to sign a contract and discuss my job pay regarding the lead position in a few days.
The studio in question is not a AAA, but I'd say something between the indie and AAA.
My job consists of leading the 3d team, keeping in check the assets created by artists (meeting the quality bar) and also creating the main assets for the levels and putting them together in level editor.
I understand that a lead position calls for a lot of responsibility and commitment.
Replies
i assume thats a massive typo
if this company are promoting you to lead environment artist with only a few days experience in the games industry, it's a very hard one for people other than you to judge without knowing more about the actual company. Sounds like there's an issue somewhere (not reflection on you)
http://wiki.polycount.com/CategoryGameIndustry#Salary_Research
Sounds like you're being massively underpaid, which is OK for the first industry job, as long as you can afford to live at that rate. Once you start to grow unhappy with the pay, you can use your experience to help land the next job. Changing jobs is the perfect time to negotiate a better rate.
However it looks like you're in a strong spot for negotiation. You're talented, and they really need someone like you. Otherwise they would not have promoted you so quickly.
Just do your research, find out how much Leads make in your general geographic area, vs. how much an entry level artist makes. Divide that in half. Even a bit higher, because you've got a strong portfolio.
congratulations on the job though! from my experiences 2K euros a month would still be hard to live on, though depends on the remoteness of the area
And WHERE is it??? Who's it for?!?!?
Entry level is usually pretty set. There might be a $2500 flexibility, but it's usually very very fixxed.
I think comparing internationally, even within the EU, will not give you accurate numbers for the country you're in (France, right?)
Best of luck, congrats as well!
Asking other people is a good idea but make sure you ask several people from different companies. Some studios have the bad habit of underpaying people no matter how great they are. Other studios pay their devs a lot more than devs usually get paid.
For a Junior position, around 2000 euros (brut) is ok, but if they're promoting you to lead right away, depending on the state of the company you should definitely be asking for much more. Don't let them scam you into an important position without proper compensation, you'll regret it later on.
3500 euros (brut again) should be the minimum I think (and yeah if you can ask around the office that would be nice, but it's not so easy to talk about that at work).
What company is this?
It really depends of your type of contract and status. Also taxes and stuff vary a lot from country to country + cost of life. I don't know which percentage of taxes an american citizen has to pay, but that would be interesting to know.
Don't want to "spit in the soup"
They assume your passionate, but i'm a bit confused by people agreed to be exploited. Some companies worst than other, but i won't name them here.
Anyway.
1k/month ? wth hell, it wouldn't even be legal. SMIC is at 1400 so that's the minimum.
I started a 1700 i think, 6 years ago, for a CDI, "long term contract" where ofc, you're paid a bit less than any other type of contrat and status, but have the guarantee to have a work in the long run. But i'm in a small "serious gaming" company, so my case is a bit different.
Now i'm slightly over 2k for 38h/week + paid overtime, which is a bit more that most of my friends working for (big) game or vfx companies.
Ask your coworkers, compare the amount of work due to your responsabilities.
I read an article about salaries in the US,
there it depended more on how many years experience you had,
if you're a lead you got a little more but not so much if you hadn't six years of experience, after that it goes way up.
Saw a job advertise for Environment Artist with a pay of £25k - £40 a year,
So for a lead in a smaller company somwhere in between that maybe?
Its always suspect to me when a company makes someone so green to the business a lead of any sort. This is in no way a critique of your ability as an artist, you're certainly a fantastic one. But there is something to be said about being given a position of leadership with such inexperience.
Food for thought.
It does seem a little weird that they would hire you as a Jr and then bump you up to lead? Maybe there is more to the story but why not hire you into the lead position? Anywho... Congrats!