Project Quality vs. Job Stability: What's your opinion?
Hello! Not-quite-Industry-vet here! (have been working game art jobs for around 3 years)
I find myself at a crossroads in my career and would like opinions on the matter. Please feel free to give me your honest opinion. Here is my problem:
I am nearing the end of a Contract at a great studio. I have my choice between
Full Time with Benefits and great pay at a tiny studio with a mediocre/good/okay project.
vs
Contract position with no benefits at a large studio working on an undeniably awesome AAA project
What do you think I should be focused more on as an artist still growing in the industry?
I loved my interview at the tiny studio. It seemed like a really awesome place to work with really awesome people in a really nice space. It is local, and has great benefits. However, the project is not in the style I am very familiar with and the game seems just OK.
On the other hand, the larger studio is your standard large publisher AAA affair. Less personal, more crowded, less creative control, less ownership, and all the pitfalls AAA provides including a time stamp on your job aka a contract. In just a few months I may find myself in the same position I am today- looking for work.
I am on the fence and just trying to pro/con it all out and would love to hear some feedback.
Thanks for your time!
I find myself at a crossroads in my career and would like opinions on the matter. Please feel free to give me your honest opinion. Here is my problem:
I am nearing the end of a Contract at a great studio. I have my choice between
Full Time with Benefits and great pay at a tiny studio with a mediocre/good/okay project.
vs
Contract position with no benefits at a large studio working on an undeniably awesome AAA project
What do you think I should be focused more on as an artist still growing in the industry?
I loved my interview at the tiny studio. It seemed like a really awesome place to work with really awesome people in a really nice space. It is local, and has great benefits. However, the project is not in the style I am very familiar with and the game seems just OK.
On the other hand, the larger studio is your standard large publisher AAA affair. Less personal, more crowded, less creative control, less ownership, and all the pitfalls AAA provides including a time stamp on your job aka a contract. In just a few months I may find myself in the same position I am today- looking for work.
I am on the fence and just trying to pro/con it all out and would love to hear some feedback.
Thanks for your time!
Replies
That being said, if you feel like your resume needs the boost and you can take on another short term project for the resume points and quick skill boost... take the AAA position. They are great for those really trying to go from an unknown to a known in the industry, somewhat quickly. You build a crazy amount of good connections at AAA studios usually, and can be just a goldmine for knowledge/skill set.
It all comes down to happiness and if you can sustain life at the position your gut wants. Judging by your OP, you want the smaller job. So my opinion, if you can make it work financially/personally, do it. Go have fun, there is a reason all the big dogs that have been around the AAA scene are jumping into smaller studios and startups. Happens daily, clearly there is a good reason.
Remember self employment tax is an extra 15% with no minimum and, ironically, gives you none of the benefits working for someone else gets (such as the employer covering half of certain taxes and getting unemployment).
Not to say you should work at the smaller company, just to say be sure you take into account ALL of the costs being a contractor creates. I certainly remember my third year of contract work and I still hadn't wrapped my head entirely around how much more expensive it is to own a company or get 1099s over W2s.
I think the younger you are, the better you can usually deal with "uncomfortable" jobs (like being a cog in a big studio) because of your health, enthusiasm, family situation. It all gets more complicated later. I, personally, might go for the big studio, to build my resume, folio and career network, before later picking a job a place that "feels right".
However, a big studio can become this place too, when you leave the trenches and move up the food chain. You will get more freedom too. Not because big studios are evil places, but because increased specialization is what often restricts individuals' freedom in such a place - "we hired you to do one thing and that's what you do!". On a higher level you will deal with topics in more depth and breadth and have more options to influence the project.
As others are saying, take time to evaluate this from all angles.
Keep not only salary and benefits in mind, but I find location is arguably more important. Are you going to be happy at either location? What is the cost of living like in each place?
What are the chances of the AAA job rolling over into another? Is the studio known for hiring on contractors?
What is the project following the current one at the smaller studio? Is it something you might be more interested in? What are the opportunities for growth there? Do they promote well from within?
What is the environment you would grow the most in, and have people you could learn from?
What is the work culture like? Some places have a friendly atmosphere, whereas others have a very 'heads down' approach.
How are the people? Does it feel like you would fit in and get along?
Also rare, but bonuses - you probably doesn't apply in a contract position, but does the "okay" project, even if you might not love it, have potential for a lot of sales?
for what it's worth, what I value most now is (in order) 1) a team I get along with and can bond with, 2) a location that I love 3) work tasks I am interested in 4) having a say or knowing my opinion will be valued, 5) not being micromanaged to absurdity, 6) a project I enjoy/believe in 7) pay & benefits.
So yeah, think it through and determine for yourself what you feel fits your current situation best. There is no right or wrong here, as both could lead to great experiences. If you can, I'd try talking to people that already work at these places and get their thoughts as well.
Good luck!!
When I look at contract work, I look at it in a few different ways.
-Will it open more doors than the perma position? Which, if it's a AAA contract vs an indie FT position, then yes, it probably will.
-Which job will help you grow more as an artist? Is the AAA a style you already know and are good at? Does the indie place take you out of your comfort zone in terms of art style?
-How quickly will you get bored working on games you arent totally invested in?
-How well do you get along with the teams? If the AAA is your current job, do you love who you work with? Definitely ask about team dynamic in any interview you have.
For me, my biggest thing is usually where can I grow the most. When I get bored, or feel like im not learning anymore, I tend to move on. So if I go to an indie place, where maybe they arent as experienced as I would need them to be, I`ll get bored and move on before the FT really matters.
I left my previous studio for Treyarch and couldn't be happier. I don't know how long it will last but I am loving almost every minute of it. The work I do here is more or less exactly what I would do in my free time and I'm learning a ton at the same time. Furthermore the ability to bounce ideas (pipeline, art, etc) and receive critique from some really skilled people is great.
It definitely gave me a bit of anxiety moving across the country to something "less stable" but I'm super happy I made the decision.
If you have the chance and can take the risk (family, etc), I would take the position.
In addition,all of what Slipsius wrote is super on point.
One day you'll have a family, and babies. I can only choose my job based on security and salary these days.
Working on AAA can sound awesome, but in the end, it's just a job. You'll run across common issues that you'll face at any other job, large or small. Working on your dream game / studio can effectively be ruined because of these things.
The number of wide-eyed students that I've help mentor to reach their dream job is countless and almost 100% of them realized that their dream job wasn't everything it was cracked up to be.
You'll face idiotic management that have been there from the start that cannot be fired. You'll run into walls that prevent you from being promoted any further. You'll crunch your ass off while owners are at home with their families. You'll see waves of friends be fired so someone can justify quarterly numbers to investors.
You'll just help some dude in a suit get richer.
So justify your decision by figuring out what's important to you in your life and then imagine being taken away from it because of crunch. Is working crunch on a AAA title worth your time away from what you love outside of work? Is it worth it with a smaller studio?
Are your creative needs being fulfilled? Is your input being heard? Do you feel important or just like a cog?
If you pick the larger studio, your time is up in a few months. Then you get to make the same decision all over again.
That's assuming a similar opportunity comes up from a small studio.
You choose the larger studio again. Your time is again up in a few months. Then you get to make the same decision all over again.
And so on...and so on...
The smaller studio you love and treats you well but is maybe not as sexy is rare and worth investing in, in my opinion.
I agree with a lot of what Jesse says. I've never encountered a job where everything was perfect. And I don't expect to. But I will say that I've always taken the job with the most potential for personal artistic growth. And that hasn't been easy to do.
I've moved 5 times in 5 years, worked both indie and AAA jobs. Some amazing and not so amazing projects. I've worked my ass off. But the key thing here is that I haven't done any of it for my employer. I've made a lot of sacrifices because I want to make the best art I possibly can. And every time I've felt that my current job is no longer challenging me enough, I start applying somewhere else.
So whats the end result of this? I'm doing what I love to do every day. (I just started working at blur a few weeks ago!) It's totally surreal. If you can find the enjoyment in the actual work itself. It doesn't matter what studio you are at. Because it's all part of the journey. I've had some dark times in my career but looking back I don't think I would want it any other way.
One thing I think is very true about this industry is that if you put in the time and you become good... people will respond to that. You will get out what you put into each job. For me as an artist if the project is dull, I can only survive for so long there. But I still try to learn as much as I can with a good attitude while I'm there.
P.S. No matter which job you take remember it's important to do personal art! (just my opinion anyway).
For 2 reasons:
1) personal art is where you get to push quality without a deadline and study your weaknesses.
2) because your AAA or indie studio may cancel the project and you're left with nothing recent to show for the last 2 years + of work!! (although indies are more likely to let you use the art in your portfolio.)