Being a nobody, to somebody
polycounter lvl 12
I just wanted to write this and share my experience for those who are having a difficult time landing a job or need some inspiration to "stay on target".
Like many others, when I was young I always aspired to becoming a game developer. I lived video games, breathed them and loved playing them with my friends. It's a culture and its a lifestyle thats often categorized with lazy, nerdy geeks that hide in basements all day, but the fact of the matter is that it was a bit of both for me. While I was a successful athelete in track and field, as well as music and very much had a social life, I often disappeared at great lengths, disappearing into my room (which was the 3rd car garage of our home, converted for purpose of my sole reign) tinkering with Unreal Tournament and Quake 1.
As I grew up, I thought becoming an artist was way out of my league as I had absolutely no talent in that area other than building lego blocks in level editors and drawing dinosaurs in my sketchpad. Little did I know the areas I could focus my attention and become a skilled artist. Still, I lacked the confidence and the attitude required to push myself into this competitive industry. After high school in 2001, I joined the Marines and decided to raise money for school. Maybe it was a special education I needed to get me a degree and point me to some direction in life, and this career. Little did I know September 11 was bound to happen and my life thrown into a crazy twist.
Fast forward 5 years, after two tours in Iraq I left the Marine Corps in 2006 and decided to use my skills as an Aviation Technician. The only major problem with my job was that it was tiring, tedious and I was working in a hangar full of old grumpy men. Was this what I was destined for? For five years I had been repairing combat helicopters, saving lives and taking care of fellow Marines, to having to serve some rich fortune 500 business owner and repairing his private jet. What a pathetic life. I decided to ditch it all, and put my money on school.
I gained an education at the Art Institute of California - San Diego and basically realized how crappy I was at holding a pencil. I worked very hard and pushed C average's to A's and dedicated absolutely 100% of my effort and time into making kickass game art. I was never good, but I fought for it and I wasn't afraid to ask questions. Eventually after 3 years, and a year of portfolio development I had what I thought was strong enough work to break into the industry. Little did I know how, little it was compared to the grand scope of things required of me.
I learned so many tips and advice from professionals, and wanted to share them as I applied myself to the industry. Having good portfolio work is just a part of the puzzle, but here are a list of things I find essential to embedding your career to a solid company or studio.
1. Specialize, not Generalize - This industry is packed full of generalists. The fact is that an employer or studio is seeking someone who specializes in certain tasks to help remedy their milestones or deliverables. Develop your portfolio based on that and seek to show off the absolute best in quality in the profession you are mastering. Decide between Characters, Environments, Props, or Weapons and Vehicles. Concept? Illustrations? Seek the category you're looking for and aim to polish it.
2. Portfolio, not Blogfolio - So many portfolios are like a confused rabid wall of opinions and text. You are in an art field. Minimize the text, maximize the amount of art thumbnails. Maintain a healthy online digital portfolio as well as a physical portfolio. I high recommend leather folio from Blicks, or such art stores that carry professional portfolio's.
3. Resume - Have it, maintain it and keep it simple. Don't place useless experience like working Burger King or KFC. Nobody cares if you were the General Manager of SEARS or the President of PETA Pet Foundations. It is much better to have mod experience than non-related work experience with non applicable traits.
3. GDC - The Game Developers conference is a Mecca for developers. It would behoove you to save up some money, beg, borrow or steal and make your way there. DO NOT just wander around. Go and speak with people, ask for opinions, share your business card and artwork. Talk to them about games. More likely when you hit off a conversation about the art style in Mass Effect 3 or how you liked the Radiosity solutions in Mirrors Edge, you will become enveloped into a more comfortable environment with both interests.
4. Game Art Forums - Create an account and actively troll either [link] [link] or [link] A wealth of tutorials, advice, and job placement opportunities can be found here.
5. Never Give Up - Always maintain a positive attitude. I took many art tests and was denied at several places before I landed my first gig. It's a matter of time before you are found and a lot of times, its all about the Studios style or character they seek when looking for a possible employee. Never Ever, Ever, Give Up. If you are between jobs, always maintain a portfolio and continue to work on your specialization.
I hope that these words would find its way to those who struggle or lack direction to something they genuinely find as their passion. It is but a small step in life, and this career and maybe like me you will carry on to being a nobody, to somebody!
Like many others, when I was young I always aspired to becoming a game developer. I lived video games, breathed them and loved playing them with my friends. It's a culture and its a lifestyle thats often categorized with lazy, nerdy geeks that hide in basements all day, but the fact of the matter is that it was a bit of both for me. While I was a successful athelete in track and field, as well as music and very much had a social life, I often disappeared at great lengths, disappearing into my room (which was the 3rd car garage of our home, converted for purpose of my sole reign) tinkering with Unreal Tournament and Quake 1.
As I grew up, I thought becoming an artist was way out of my league as I had absolutely no talent in that area other than building lego blocks in level editors and drawing dinosaurs in my sketchpad. Little did I know the areas I could focus my attention and become a skilled artist. Still, I lacked the confidence and the attitude required to push myself into this competitive industry. After high school in 2001, I joined the Marines and decided to raise money for school. Maybe it was a special education I needed to get me a degree and point me to some direction in life, and this career. Little did I know September 11 was bound to happen and my life thrown into a crazy twist.
Fast forward 5 years, after two tours in Iraq I left the Marine Corps in 2006 and decided to use my skills as an Aviation Technician. The only major problem with my job was that it was tiring, tedious and I was working in a hangar full of old grumpy men. Was this what I was destined for? For five years I had been repairing combat helicopters, saving lives and taking care of fellow Marines, to having to serve some rich fortune 500 business owner and repairing his private jet. What a pathetic life. I decided to ditch it all, and put my money on school.
I gained an education at the Art Institute of California - San Diego and basically realized how crappy I was at holding a pencil. I worked very hard and pushed C average's to A's and dedicated absolutely 100% of my effort and time into making kickass game art. I was never good, but I fought for it and I wasn't afraid to ask questions. Eventually after 3 years, and a year of portfolio development I had what I thought was strong enough work to break into the industry. Little did I know how, little it was compared to the grand scope of things required of me.
I learned so many tips and advice from professionals, and wanted to share them as I applied myself to the industry. Having good portfolio work is just a part of the puzzle, but here are a list of things I find essential to embedding your career to a solid company or studio.
1. Specialize, not Generalize - This industry is packed full of generalists. The fact is that an employer or studio is seeking someone who specializes in certain tasks to help remedy their milestones or deliverables. Develop your portfolio based on that and seek to show off the absolute best in quality in the profession you are mastering. Decide between Characters, Environments, Props, or Weapons and Vehicles. Concept? Illustrations? Seek the category you're looking for and aim to polish it.
2. Portfolio, not Blogfolio - So many portfolios are like a confused rabid wall of opinions and text. You are in an art field. Minimize the text, maximize the amount of art thumbnails. Maintain a healthy online digital portfolio as well as a physical portfolio. I high recommend leather folio from Blicks, or such art stores that carry professional portfolio's.
3. Resume - Have it, maintain it and keep it simple. Don't place useless experience like working Burger King or KFC. Nobody cares if you were the General Manager of SEARS or the President of PETA Pet Foundations. It is much better to have mod experience than non-related work experience with non applicable traits.
3. GDC - The Game Developers conference is a Mecca for developers. It would behoove you to save up some money, beg, borrow or steal and make your way there. DO NOT just wander around. Go and speak with people, ask for opinions, share your business card and artwork. Talk to them about games. More likely when you hit off a conversation about the art style in Mass Effect 3 or how you liked the Radiosity solutions in Mirrors Edge, you will become enveloped into a more comfortable environment with both interests.
4. Game Art Forums - Create an account and actively troll either [link] [link] or [link] A wealth of tutorials, advice, and job placement opportunities can be found here.
5. Never Give Up - Always maintain a positive attitude. I took many art tests and was denied at several places before I landed my first gig. It's a matter of time before you are found and a lot of times, its all about the Studios style or character they seek when looking for a possible employee. Never Ever, Ever, Give Up. If you are between jobs, always maintain a portfolio and continue to work on your specialization.
I hope that these words would find its way to those who struggle or lack direction to something they genuinely find as their passion. It is but a small step in life, and this career and maybe like me you will carry on to being a nobody, to somebody!
Replies
you gave me back some lost hope.
Networking is incredibly important, and GDC is a great venue for meeting people in the industry. Face time is valuable.
Great post. You're missing some links though (#4).
I had this thread open in a tab to read later and the tab read "Being a nob.." I was wondering what it was lol
I Look forward to our future conversations, and thanks for taking the time to write something like this up!
I've seriously been looking for a job for about a year now and my top 15 in the unearthly challenge, my years of hard work on other junk ranging from modding to 2d concepting, didn't mean nearly as much as I thought they would. In the end my friend just happened to be at a company when a lead walked down her cubicle isle and asked, "anyone know an environment artist?".
Sometimes it's who you know, sometimes it's being in the right place at the right time, sometimes it's having a portfolio piece that just happens to fit exactly what they're looking for, or maybe you're blessed to be one of the best of the best.
Regardless of who you are, it's the passion for games and art that gets you that first job. Whether that passion pushes you to become an art demon, or if that passion simply keeps you in the game long enough to finally get that first gig... more likely, it's a bit of both.
Anyway, great write up Will, feels a bit more like polycount in here today. Brushin' my teeth and heading to work. Hope I don't F this up, it's only 4 years in the making.
Career: Where people grow and expand their skillet often mastering new disciplines as they continue to work.
That job I did for a while: Often they focus on one thing, burn out and leave.
When starting out it can be good to try out a few things, find what you like to do and naturally gravitate toward and then focus on that and make yourself employable. Sort of put things on pause until you master something and then maybe pick them back up and master them too. If you're going to spend 30-40 years in the game artists world you might to think long term, not necessarily at one place, but help bolster your resume when you start eye balling those Art Director or Creative Director potions. Don't just focus on "get in, eat ramen, pay bills".
But I agree focus is key, so don't be scatter brained about your learning.
3) If you have giant holes in your resume, you should probably explain them so they don't get the impression that suddenly one day you'll disappear for 7 years. Temporal vortex? Ex CIA? Joined a band of freedom fighters? Got lost in the woods and decided to stay? Or worked a dead end job to pay the bills while you worked your ass off to go to school and pursue what you love?
Verifying past employment does happen, don't leave holes that could lead to weird questions or let them think you where unemployed for years, that alone sends off signals of "UNCLEAN!! PURGE IT WITH FIRE! DON'T HIRE!"
3-4) I think you can lump together under "networking". I don't think you need to hit GDC to network, I think it can help but a lot of developers just want to go to learn not be pestered with:
"can you be my buddy, can you get me a job, look at this portfolio HIRE ME!!"
"DUDE I'M TRYING TO PEE... leave me alone!"
"I make great coffEEE!"
GDC is more about developers coming together to share info and learn and help guide our industry as a whole, it works because it isn't flooded full of people looking vomit their portfolio on the shoes of anyone who stands still long enough... So be cool and blend in. You're James bond in a Russian weapons research facility, speak Russian not freak.
~ Woop Congrats buddy!! I defo agree about 'who you know' > 'what you've done'.
@Mark, Thanks for the words of wisdom, Any opinion on how to get the attention of those that matter without pestering?
Awesome Jeff! Congrats I know you been out for a LONG time but it was a matter of time. I'm glad you stuck with it!
Congratulations Crazyfingers! Your work is great so there is no surprise there really.
I'm losing my mind. I feel like I should be able to find a job, but shit this industry is tough. Just gonna keep being positive and practicing all the time!
If you're 'that guy' going around tugging on pant legs asking for pity it won't come easily. The only guys that hand a job to people like that often don't want talent they want someone they can abuse. That's a really bad plan because that's the best case scenario...
"I could really be a bonus to your team and I can prove it..." VS "please train me! I want to make teh gamez!!1 sob sob sob..."
If you're talking about shared interests then its easier. They just need to know that you're talented and not a horrifically dysfunctional human being.
Its hard getting used to talking to people who know what a normal map is.
I'm currently working on my own game engine, if I get a job that takes up too much time, the whole thing will be down the drain. This is the part where your "Never Give Up" part lifted me. But back to my original point, Finance is obviously a big concern when without a job, how should I manage this in a way so I still have the time to complete the game engine.
I can't seem to get it right..had a job at a game studio as a non-artist (qa) and hold a job as an artist at a non-game company (military sim stuff).
Effed up my first and only art test at one studio (in the chicago area actually), and had another studio back out on me right before flying me out for a 3rd interview.
I get so close but just..not quite there...hehe.
Thanks to you i'll probably drink a lot of coffee and stay up late working on portfolio stuff tonight
Really it comes down to planning, especially if you know you're going to be without a job for a longer period of time. Sometimes you get blindsided but preparing for the worse is just what you may need to keep yourself sane while living without.
Of course i've never been the greatest at handling my own finances and I do give in the urge to pick up the latest Kotobukiya figures off of amazon but when it comes down to the brass tax, preparation and communication is key. Having friends at another studio definitely helps alleviate the downtime between jobs, as the more you network the more the opportunity you have at another gig.