Long Overdue Update.
polycounter lvl 18
I think the last time I posted was around the time of E-3, before the summer. At E-3 I told those I met that I had been recently let go from the company that had moved me to Los Angeles. To give the rest of you some detail, Here's a little of what happened.
When Castaway closed shop in December of last year. I spent the last two weeks organizing the work into a Demo Reel. I got few interviews, and in March Accepted a contract position with Collision Studios L.L.C. to work on a movie tie-in product for the PSP. The Project needed animatos so I was brought in, to hit the ground running. The company only covered $2500, of the $6000 relocation costs to move. I moved from San Mateo to Venice, in about 2 weeks. They were in amild panic as they had to complete the game by Septermber for a Jan or Feb release in time with the movie. I had been using Maya for two and a half years, and before that 3ds Max, so I thought the transition would be easy. It wasn't, the project used Biped and Biped simply cannot do some of the things that the art lead requested. So I got up to speed, released clean files, but the style of animation apparently wasn't what the lead wanted. Unable to get the characters to make circular sword strikes, I was let go, in probably one of the finest pieces of employee dismissla I have ever experienced. The senior manager was a former Warnwer Brothers Motion Pictures exec and so smoothly terminated my contract, that I didn't feel bad until the economic realities hit me the next day. I was stuck in Los Angeles. So after 3 weeks and change I was let go.
Los Angles itself, well where I am in Los Angeles (it's a big town, or a lot of ittle towns all grown together), I like a lot. Actually I have to say I much prefer Los Angeles to the Bay Area, and would like to stay if I can manage it. THose that know me, know I have no love for Progressivism or Social Conciousness, or simple out and out Leftism or Marxism. The bay Area was steeped in it, and I would have to keep re-asserting my identity in opposition to that, and the rampant libertine-ism emanating from San Francisco. But in Los Angeles. every one is so relaxed and so self absorbed that they really aren't paying attention or caring what you do. For the the first time I can relax in social situations and just enjoy being around people again. Also the Vibe in Los Angeles is very different. It makes me realize how insular San Francisco is. Los Angeles feels like a World Capital, and a center of culture. Plus living close enough to Bicycle to the beach for lunch is pretty cool.
I thought I woulod spend my time learnign to rig and bought some books on it. I had learned Maya out of a book in two weeks, and thought that I could do the same with Rigging.
Not True. Unlike learning Maya, Rigging involves math and a lot of arcanities I am unable to deal with. I don't think I can learn rigging without someone standing at my shoulder. This then compounds my problem. Because of the scarcity of Technical Artists, game companies have increasingly put the burden of rigging onto the animators. Reading the job listings on AWN.com, Craigslist, and Creative Heads almost never have a character animator position that doesn't require rigging. I simply have a phobia about math and equations. Not fear as much as my brain goes "nope, none of that" and I fall asleep reading the rigging books.
Being unemployed, I have been too embarassed to post here, and I don't like to make whiney or negative posts. But one by one the head hunters have stopped calling, and even th3e listings for animators have gotten thin this late in the season. I still apply for a couple three jobs a day , but I am ranging wider than the game industry and looking at anything that is simply the making or production of art. I am getting a few illustration gigs, but not enough to go off unemployment with.
But frankly I am a bit bnitter about the games industry now. The huge amounts of money involved in producing Next Generation content, have made companies stupid. Either being timid, or psychotic, and in the case of EA, both. I won't say not to the money, but I am not in the mood for bullshit any more. My enthusiasm is hard to stoke for anything any more. Good Ideas stoke enthusiasm, not Good Licenses. What is the "Game" rather than "What is the IP"? But hey I started in a day when the Producer and the Art, Design and Programming team could sit in a booth at Denny's and discuss the project over a lunch. Not the case any more. and because of the large staff sizes, the companies become cancerously bureacratic.
On the plus side I got a Girlfriend. The downside she lives in Haliifax, and I see her only a couple of times a year. Skype, and Unreal Tournament have kept the relationship healthy though.
What else am I doing? Well I hve a little bit of a side project putting together a sequence of a cute animated character emoting to dialogue, but We need to find some goo d"Kid" Dialogue to act to. I also got sucked into Second Life, and am pulling in about $80.00 a month selling replicas of Vintage Aircraft, Autos, and Clothing (Nothing after 1945). I like modelling in 3d a lot, but in Sl it's harder, because the tools are so damn primitive, but on the other hand building something, and making it look good inside the limitations become a challenge, a puzzle to be solved. And there something odd but interesting to have an audience gather to watch you build something in 3D. it's interesting growing a business there. A lot more variety and interest for me, than Grinding in Wow.
My hardware will not permit me to run BF 2142, or anything released over the summer. I need a new machine, but I wont bee getting one in the near term, until I get a job. As to johb my Dad is saying give up on art, and join the post office, because I wiould easily pass the dcivil service exam. I dont' know, but unemployment runs out right before Christmas. Well, we'll see in the mean time I'llstill apply for any art jobs that come along but I am awful at selling myself or exuding confidence. So we shall see.
In the mean time, any helpful advice you may have, please. And my work is here:
http://www.elduris.com/ruggels/ruggels.htm
Just thoguth you all should know.
Scott
When Castaway closed shop in December of last year. I spent the last two weeks organizing the work into a Demo Reel. I got few interviews, and in March Accepted a contract position with Collision Studios L.L.C. to work on a movie tie-in product for the PSP. The Project needed animatos so I was brought in, to hit the ground running. The company only covered $2500, of the $6000 relocation costs to move. I moved from San Mateo to Venice, in about 2 weeks. They were in amild panic as they had to complete the game by Septermber for a Jan or Feb release in time with the movie. I had been using Maya for two and a half years, and before that 3ds Max, so I thought the transition would be easy. It wasn't, the project used Biped and Biped simply cannot do some of the things that the art lead requested. So I got up to speed, released clean files, but the style of animation apparently wasn't what the lead wanted. Unable to get the characters to make circular sword strikes, I was let go, in probably one of the finest pieces of employee dismissla I have ever experienced. The senior manager was a former Warnwer Brothers Motion Pictures exec and so smoothly terminated my contract, that I didn't feel bad until the economic realities hit me the next day. I was stuck in Los Angeles. So after 3 weeks and change I was let go.
Los Angles itself, well where I am in Los Angeles (it's a big town, or a lot of ittle towns all grown together), I like a lot. Actually I have to say I much prefer Los Angeles to the Bay Area, and would like to stay if I can manage it. THose that know me, know I have no love for Progressivism or Social Conciousness, or simple out and out Leftism or Marxism. The bay Area was steeped in it, and I would have to keep re-asserting my identity in opposition to that, and the rampant libertine-ism emanating from San Francisco. But in Los Angeles. every one is so relaxed and so self absorbed that they really aren't paying attention or caring what you do. For the the first time I can relax in social situations and just enjoy being around people again. Also the Vibe in Los Angeles is very different. It makes me realize how insular San Francisco is. Los Angeles feels like a World Capital, and a center of culture. Plus living close enough to Bicycle to the beach for lunch is pretty cool.
I thought I woulod spend my time learnign to rig and bought some books on it. I had learned Maya out of a book in two weeks, and thought that I could do the same with Rigging.
Not True. Unlike learning Maya, Rigging involves math and a lot of arcanities I am unable to deal with. I don't think I can learn rigging without someone standing at my shoulder. This then compounds my problem. Because of the scarcity of Technical Artists, game companies have increasingly put the burden of rigging onto the animators. Reading the job listings on AWN.com, Craigslist, and Creative Heads almost never have a character animator position that doesn't require rigging. I simply have a phobia about math and equations. Not fear as much as my brain goes "nope, none of that" and I fall asleep reading the rigging books.
Being unemployed, I have been too embarassed to post here, and I don't like to make whiney or negative posts. But one by one the head hunters have stopped calling, and even th3e listings for animators have gotten thin this late in the season. I still apply for a couple three jobs a day , but I am ranging wider than the game industry and looking at anything that is simply the making or production of art. I am getting a few illustration gigs, but not enough to go off unemployment with.
But frankly I am a bit bnitter about the games industry now. The huge amounts of money involved in producing Next Generation content, have made companies stupid. Either being timid, or psychotic, and in the case of EA, both. I won't say not to the money, but I am not in the mood for bullshit any more. My enthusiasm is hard to stoke for anything any more. Good Ideas stoke enthusiasm, not Good Licenses. What is the "Game" rather than "What is the IP"? But hey I started in a day when the Producer and the Art, Design and Programming team could sit in a booth at Denny's and discuss the project over a lunch. Not the case any more. and because of the large staff sizes, the companies become cancerously bureacratic.
On the plus side I got a Girlfriend. The downside she lives in Haliifax, and I see her only a couple of times a year. Skype, and Unreal Tournament have kept the relationship healthy though.
What else am I doing? Well I hve a little bit of a side project putting together a sequence of a cute animated character emoting to dialogue, but We need to find some goo d"Kid" Dialogue to act to. I also got sucked into Second Life, and am pulling in about $80.00 a month selling replicas of Vintage Aircraft, Autos, and Clothing (Nothing after 1945). I like modelling in 3d a lot, but in Sl it's harder, because the tools are so damn primitive, but on the other hand building something, and making it look good inside the limitations become a challenge, a puzzle to be solved. And there something odd but interesting to have an audience gather to watch you build something in 3D. it's interesting growing a business there. A lot more variety and interest for me, than Grinding in Wow.
My hardware will not permit me to run BF 2142, or anything released over the summer. I need a new machine, but I wont bee getting one in the near term, until I get a job. As to johb my Dad is saying give up on art, and join the post office, because I wiould easily pass the dcivil service exam. I dont' know, but unemployment runs out right before Christmas. Well, we'll see in the mean time I'llstill apply for any art jobs that come along but I am awful at selling myself or exuding confidence. So we shall see.
In the mean time, any helpful advice you may have, please. And my work is here:
http://www.elduris.com/ruggels/ruggels.htm
Just thoguth you all should know.
Scott
Replies
On the plus side I got a Girlfriend.
[/ QUOTE ]
w00t! And I thought you were a confirmed bachelor for life mate! Good to hear from you Scott. I was wondering what was up so thanks for the update. I really hope you find something suitable soon but Im glad you're settled in LA. Seems so much more your style than the bay area.
Sucks about the job, but I'm sure you'll be snapped back up soon enough. Break a leg!
Good luck with all of that, keep us posted.
I was recently made redundant too, and have been living on my wife's primary school teacher salary while trying to get freelance contracts going. It's finally paying off, so I hope you have a little of the same luck..
Here's wishing you a break Scott.