First GDC: What Do?
polycounter lvl 8
Kinda self-explanatory this one, but I like words
It's my first GDC in a few weeks and fortunately I'll be there the whole time with full access. I'm preppin like crazy getting a good portfolio site and some new business cards ready
This is possibly life-long-dream-fulfilled territory right here so I really want to network and put myself out there as an artist. Make some friends, make some opportunities
Any helpful hints/tips/anecdotes/cautions for getting the most out of my time there?
It's my first GDC in a few weeks and fortunately I'll be there the whole time with full access. I'm preppin like crazy getting a good portfolio site and some new business cards ready
This is possibly life-long-dream-fulfilled territory right here so I really want to network and put myself out there as an artist. Make some friends, make some opportunities
Any helpful hints/tips/anecdotes/cautions for getting the most out of my time there?
Replies
As for other advice, most of the networking tends to happen after conference hours, or casually as you wait in line for things like sessions or portfolio reviews at the career fair. Oh, and unless you already have signed up for it, I'd skip getting lunch at the conference center as it's overpriced, not that great, and most people find places nearby. I made that mistake my first year and regretted it.
Have fun!
Use GDC to meet people, not to handout business cards or to shove your portfolio down their throats.
The real networking happens at the after parties.
Waiting in line for over an hour to have Blizzard or some big studio review your portfolio might not be the most effective use of your time, unless you really want to work there and feel you will stand out from the dozens of people before you.
Try not to carry around too much stuff and make sure you can present your work quickly. People have laptops, tablets, smartphones, sketchbooks, resumes, business cards, GDC badge etc. Keep it simple and orgainized, you'll probably be carrying a lot of stuff around.
Consider saving stills of your work on your smart phone and make sure everything you might want to share is ready and available offline, sometimes internet and phone signal can have issues at big events. Also you may meet people when you don't have all of your stuff on you.
People are going to remember who they enjoyed talking to the most, not the person with the most impressive resume or one of the several great portfolios.
Might want to buy or make a Greentooth T-Shirt, it'll make you more approachable and many people will instantly figure out your an artist before even talking to you.
Scary warnings out of the way, on to business:
Talk to people, but only if you're sure they're going to the conference or are involved with it somehow. People in San Francisco tend to hate tourists.
Make sure you have a large stack of business cards and when you introduce yourself, make sure you have a business card ready even if you don't end up giving it to the people you meet. Ask people you meet if they have a business card if they seem interesting.
If you hear people talking about something you're interested in, introduce yourself if you think you can contribute to the conversation.
Do go to parties and events if you can. That's where most of the networking happens. Definitely go to the Polycount meetup. It's most likely going to be at Lefty O'Doul's on Wednesday the 19th from around 6:00 until late. It's walking distance from the convention center.
Wear comfortable shoes. I recommend sports shoes with good arch support.
If you have an iPad or other tablet, bring your portfolio on it and make sure it's charged. Also make sure your portfolio images are in the exact order you want them in.
Go to as many talks and presentations as you can. Try to get a wide variety of topics in there; you never know what you might be interested in. One of the most interesting talks I saw was about particle effects, and I've never done that stuff in my life.
Definitely go to the career fair and get your portfolio critiqued. Even if you don't land a job, there's a ton of stuff you can take away from the experience.
If you've never been to San Francisco before, I'd recommend doing a bit of touristy stuff while you're there. Ride the cable cars a bit, check out the piers and Fisherman's Wharf, see the Exploratorium or some museums if you have an extra day to goof around, check out the Golden Gate Bridge, pop in for a tasty international cider at Upcider, wander down into China Town, Japan Town, and Little Italy, bump into some interesting people at Wicked Grounds or one of the surrounding sex shops, go to Humphry Slocombe for some crazy ice cream, check out Smuggler's Cove and get an amazing rum-based concoction (but make sure to get there early!), go to Cards And Comics Central and check out their comics and statuettes, head to Ghirardelli Square and get some chocolate, or grab an iced Mojito coffee at Philz. SF is a huge city packed into a very small area, so it has a ton of things to do.
This is no joke! Take this seriously, even during the day I would recommend just staying away from the area anyway.
ZacD basically summed up what I'd have said.
Aside on Tenderloin: Last year at GDC I tried walking up to Union Square and went down Ellis St instead of Stockton (they had that construction going on there). This was at ~9pm.
After a block or three too far, I realised I wasn't in the right place, and that I was in the middle of Tenderloin. There were homeless lining the street in sleeping bags and I didn't feel unsafe, just a little concerned (and plenty worried that so many people were living like this).
So I decided to get out of dodge and instead of going backwards (scared, white Aussie guy, I figured I'd get out faster going forwards) I went a block down to the much less cool Eddy St. That was an experience. I got offered plenty of gear, and prostitutes loved me. I think they thought I was a college kid after party drugs, but when I spoke it gave away that I was foreign.
The best bit was when I thought I was finally getting clear (maybe three more blocks down, three blocks of total fear), a black dude hit me up for a conversation that ended with, "Hey! I love you Aussies. Ain't no Aussie ever called me a nigger. BTW, watch out down there [points the way I'm headed], an Aussie got stabbed there last week."
Good thing you can type that response, eh?.
- Find out on Twitter or Facebook who's going or doing a demo or lecture. This way you can have a pre-list of possible people to meet and questions to ask once you get the chance to talk to them. If you're lucky you can even try and network online before you go there and try to get invited to tour local Bay area studios. That's what I would do :thumbup:
- USB Business Cards, if you still have time to order or have funds or actually have wothy portfolio content
Good luck!
https://www.google.com/maps/ms?msid=205695347634015739744.0004ba376f3b123add6b3&msa=0&ll=37.783147,-122.40587&spn=0.015755,0.033023
I'm so curious about this one
I've heard about the party stuff a lot so I've signed up for many via the GDC party Facebook. But truth be told, I'm not even sure how to get invited/invite myself to most others
Are there any parties in particular you guys would recommend (in addition to the awesome Polycount meet-up, of course)
There are so many and I don't want to pick the bad or super unfocused places
Sweet. Where can I grab a shirt?
So THAT's the deal with Tenderloin? You know, real talk, I've only heard of the place in one of Dave Chappelle's comdey specials. Didn't sound too nice, but now I definitely know to enter at own risk
Wow, I'll have to schedule a whole day for this if I can. I'll be there late Sunday and leave early Saturday though
Hope I get the time, cos there's lot's I'd enjoy in addition to GDC stuff
Thanks for the visual
Is there a way I can save this? I'm not a very Google Map adept guy :poly121:
Edit: I figured out the saving part.
Last year I spent the entire time in the career pavilion and had a set of studios I'd go to each day, but sometimes they'd have scheduled times for reviews so be prepared to come back later. You might be able to find out before hand when those scheduled review times are but it seemed like I just had to go up to each booth and ask. Friday is going to be the craziest day in the career pavilion because of all the students showing up so go to all the studios you really want to talk with earlier in the week.
Like a few people have already said, talk with EVERYBODY attending the conference. Not only do you get to meet lots of cool people, but they may help you out after the conference. I got some additional feedback after the conference because a writer I talked with showed my portfolio to a lead back at the studio he worked at.
I also recommend having a tablet (I borrowed a friends) to show off your work and have it set to your folio at all times. Made it super easy for me to just walk up hand the ipad to whoever was doing the review and let things go from there. Also makes it easy to show off your work when it comes up in regular conversation. Laptops are kinda awkward to handle in some circumstances and if it's a large laptop they are too heavy for longer reviews so I'd recommend against using one.
If I remember anything else that helped me I'll share that too, otherwise best of luck and have fun!
top right of page, US Shop! And they fit awesomely. Not like those shirts that hang off your shoulders awkwardly.
The Tenderloin isn't as bad as it was even a few years ago. Still not somewhere I'd recommend walking alone after dark, but the gentrification of SF has affected it too, and during daylight it's fairly safe.
There are actually a lot of invite-only parties at GDC. Most major companies will organise one as an opportunity to build new relationships with developers and other studios as well as catch up with people they know.
For this, I guess you either get an invite on the day (through meeting someone at one of the companies), or you happen to know people already in which case they will probably just send an invite randomly.
Make yourself visible. Let people know you're going to GDC (emails, forums, social networking platforms) and perhaps something will come your way.
And hang out with devsdevsdevsdevs. Also eat at that kinda scummy diner that is always packed.
Uhhhh I totally knew that... Yeah
Thanks!
This sounds kinda tough, like trying to talk your way into hanging with the cool kids. I'm DOWN AS F**K to do it, but I don't think anyone really knows who I am yet. Even on Polycount
If I can meet some cool guys and gals and get into some discussion about art and code (and maybe X-Files) then I consider my circle well-expanded (pause)
Happy to report I have one! :poly121:
This. I didn't heed this warning at my first GDC last year, and the largest blisters I could imagine.
Also rest, take vitamins, stay healthy, wash your hands. Anything you can do to keep yourself from getting sick, DO IT.
You want to you use your week after the conference to email everyone you can and brag to your friends about getting free beer at the steam party, not laying in the fetal position throwing up for a week.
Have a ton of fun!
Oh crap. Yes.
This. Definitely this.
Bring a bottle of hand sanitizer with you. You'll probably be shaking a lot of hands, and a lot of people in the game industry are unfortunately not known for their cleanliness or personal hygiene.
That's the cool thing about networking at GDC, meet as many people as you can! It'll be awesome either way
As someone who is more introverted than extroverted, networking is a real hurdle. Striking up or working my way into conversations is not something I'm good at (at least until the taps start flowing).
Hopefully I can work through those issues and have a good time. I'm really looking forward to the parties and meetups. I already know a few people who will be at GDC, at least.
Thanks for the protips about The Tenderloin, it looks like my hotel is just on the edge so I shouldn't have much reason to cross through.
Got some stuff together. Some of it hasn't come in the mail yet-- (I'm addicted to Amazon Prime).
New shoes with memory foam! Been breaking them in all week
Business cards with a fancy business card holder.
Reserve battery for cell phone.
Tablet with preloaded portfolio content.
One bag and journal for notes. Guess which game this guy likes...
Some reading material for boring moments.
Sun glasses for five days of the week. 8)
Breath mints. For those not awkward first impressions
Not pictured: a bunch of health stuff I didn't feel like unpacking for a picture. One smart phone, also preloaded with portfolio content, maps, agenda, conference info, and more!
I feel pretty good.
Just waiting on that greentooth shirt now
tumblr is full of puppies