Phone Interview at a large studio, advice?

ysalex

Got a phone interview at a large studio. Anyone have any advice? I've had phone interviews before, but they were a.) always formal affairs conducted by HR while this one is with an actual lead, and b.) for non-art jobs. This is my first art related interview.

Also, major questions:

- I've been focusing primarily on character art, but the job in question is as a junior environment artist. How can I effectively rationalize this discrepancy?

- Is there a way to work in my curiosities of how their pipleline/workflow works?

- This would be my first ever game-art job. How do I address this, and the fact that I am largely self-taught?

ambershee

If you're talking with a lead, you have little to worry about. Just be honest, and if you have questions, ask away - it's expected and often a good sign.

d1ver

Yuri, you seem to be a pretty solid Character Artist.
Can you really trust an expertise of a place that thinks you'd be a better fit for an environment artist position? Seattle should have plenty of work, do you really want to focus on environments?

It seems to me that after some more practice you could land a proper character artist job, not even a junior one.
It's obviously up to you but the whole environment artist thing puts me off a bit.

firestarter

Stay calm. Prepare for some bullshit questions like "what do you think you would bring to the team?" and the old favourite "why do you want to work for us?"

Your second question, they've seen your art and recognise a level of skill that appeals to them.

You`ll be given opportunity to ask as many questions as you wish. There's no wrong questions here as a junior, within sensibility. What would be a negative is asking none, so prepare (write down) before hand.

There is no shame in being self taught whatsoever.

Good luck

tottot

Just be your self, an interview at a large or small studio shouldnt be any different. An interview at a game studio is similar to an interview anywhere really.

If the position is for an environment artist and you know more character stuff, dont paint yourself into a corner. Focus on what you do know, dont go promising that you can create the greatest environment in an afternoon then get there and not be able to deliver. If theyre interested in you enough to have an interview, I dont think you need to worry about rationalizing your abilities.

Good luck!

ysalex

Diver: Yeah, I think I can trust their judgement, seeing as how they put out successful games year by year and manage a massive art pipeline that produces really good work. I think I probably put their judgement a but ahead of mine... you know, as a guy who's portfolio is mostly personal work.

What I want right now is experience. I'm getting the character art done on my own, but it doesn't really mean anything if I can't fit into a process. So working for a year or two or more in an environment position means that I get to learn how the bigger picture works, how it is to work with a team, what deadlines and pressures mean to my process, and how I can become a smarter artist for a studio/production environment and work to THEIR needs, and not just my own.

Firestarter and Tottot, thanks. I've been prepping for a couple days now, just wanted to run these questions by polycount. The community here always surprises me with insightful answers to hard stuff, so I thought it would be wise, and I appreciate both your answers.

ZacD

I feel that in an interview you should ask just as many questions as they ask you, if you don't have any questions for them about the studio or position it makes it look like you don't really care about the job or the studio, and that you are not passionate about what you do.

Eric Chadwick

Your character work is great, and you have a good eye for design, so that means you would probably be good in other disciplines too.

A big question I would have in the back of my mind if I was interviewing you would be, is this person going to be happy in an enviro art role? If we hire this person, are they going to leave as soon as a Character Artist position opens up somewhere else? The company may not mention this outright, or they might.

It would be good to have a response to this, and if they don't ourtight ask, pre-empt it by working your answer into the conversation at a natural point.

We have some good advice here about interviews, might help out.
http://wiki.polycount.com/CategoryGameIndustry#Interviews

Good luck! Remember, be honest and stay positive!

ZombieWells

- Your fine. Don't worry about it. You don't have too much prop work going on, but I can see your skill level just by what I see. They're going to hire you on as a prop artist, then most likely transition you to full environments. (you can try to transition into character art for them, I have see this done in some studios. Still, its much easier to get a environment artist gig, than a character gig... food for thought, P.S. focus on environment art and really only environment art during the interview, they want you to do a job, so look like your really pumped about environments props etc..)

- Yes, absolutely! They want to see intelligent question asking from you. Ask away about pipeline/workflow, the work culture, engine stuffs, team sizes, what kind of projects are going on, future projects etc. Know about the company history.

- self taught is great, it shows your motivated, a quick learner, a problem solver, and that you will continue to grow as an artist even with lack of a mentor.

Its your first gig, get in, do the job and learn what you can. In a few years reevaluate your situation. If you love it there, than that's great! Stay, and be happy. If not, you have two years in, and most likely a shipped tile. So now if you want to you can move on.

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