Humbly asking for help

wi_2 · Sep 2010

Hey guys,
I must be 1 out of 100000000 with this problem I'm sure, but it's worth a shot..
I need help finding work, I feel like a total failure these days..

The story..
I've worked for a high end outsourcing company for about 5 years working on many AAA titles as a Senior 3d Artist, and left there because the company was about to collapse due to issues out of their hands.
Since then I've been trying to get freelance work to earn a living..
I've made a very bad decision by leaving all my work under NDA thinking I would be able to find work quite easily having names like unreal tournament and gears of war on my name, big big mistake..
Things turned out quite bad, I have no clue what I'm doing anymore and spamming the world with my existence seems to not do anything at all..
So here I am hoping that someone can help me out.

What exactly am I doing wrong here?
Is my work just too bad? If so what can I improve on..
I know I have an empty portfolio, I'm working hard to get that going.. but it's very tough to work and motivate myself while I'm starving..
Any tips would help allot, I feel like a baby in this business..
Never was good at all this stuff, I just know how to do art..

You can find my portfolio at www.lostcorner.org

Below is an email I send out to companies at random pretty much by now..
Is this a bad email?. what can I do to improve on it..
Any help is most welcome..

Thanks for your time!

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Hello,

I'm Wanja Svasek, a 3d and 2d artist, I am looking for work and was wondering if you need any help with art.
I'm dutch and based in the Netherlands, you can find my portfolio and more information about me on my website here.
I'm flexible and reliable, and I work on a no cure no pay basis.

Thank you for the interest and I hope to hear from you soon.
--

Best wishes,

Wanja Svasek
www.lostcorner.org
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Firebert · Sep 2010

Don't get discouraged and don't consider yourself to be a failure. The second you allow yourself to feel this way is the second you start a very slippery slope of self destruction.

The only advice I would give is in two parts.

Focus on your portfolio. If you are hurting for money to just get by, you may have to suck in your gut and get a part time or full time job in a field you don't particularly care for. Don't let this get you down if you have to go this route. It's nothing more than a means to an end and it isn't permanent, but at least you can eat and pay your bills. Just bear in mind that when you aren't working to pay the bills, you have to be working on your folio. This will be easier when you actually have money to buy food. (not sure how figurative you were being about the starving part). You need a lot more COMPLETED pieces IMO, something more than just props, and more that is fully completed (high, low, bakes, etc.), and I would scrap the 2d stuff completely. You need to be less generalized.

Work on a better cover letter/introduction. Right now it is TOO short and TOO sweet. Yes, it needs to be cut/dry/and to the point, but your letter screams out of desperation, not someone with experience eager to seek out new opportunities. Spell out some of your experience, hit some of your strong points in the working environment. You need to convince the people you are sending your letter to that you want to work for them because you love what you do and are professional, not because you are desperately looking for a job. Just add in a couple more paragraphs that are no more than two - three short sentences that show you know what it takes and that you can do the work.

Mark Dygert · Sep 2010

I see two things working against you.

1) If you're looking for work inside the US and Canada there is a lot of local talent looking for work. Even if you are only looking for freelance its still easier for companies to hire within their own boarders.

2) The portfolio has some great work in it. But some issues.

It opens to the 2D page, most employers will be looking for 3D examples and typically 2D art isn't the priority.
You only have 4 3D examples, that normally wouldn't be a problem but 3 of them are untextured and 2 of them look like high poly only. They look great and that might of been all you did but I think you need more examples of finished work.
Providing break down shots (wireframe overlaid on a shaded model), some specs and the UV layout will really help employers gauge how you will preform.

I think #1 is hurting you the most right now, #2 is probably something you should fix but I'm not sure its going to overcome #1.

Tom Ellis · Sep 2010

I'm yet to even get my first industry job but one question I've got is why can't you show your work on Gears of War and Unreal?

I understand you'd be under NDA during development but those games shipped some time ago. We've seen plenty of great examples of art from the guys on here from Epic, and they had no problem posting their stuff.

Surely you'd have a website full to bursting with awesomeness if you could just stick a load of your work from the shipped titles in there?

Or does it work differently for people who supplied assets as freelance during a project? Is it a kind of 'we own the work so you can't do anything with it' thing?

As I said, I'm not really 'in the know' on this sort of thing but as soon as I clicked your site, I thought, so he worked on some very successful titles, but where's the work he did for them?

PixelMasher · Sep 2010

yea Vig has some awesome points. I didnt even realize you were a 3d artist for a min or so until i saw the 3d button. and the lack of content is really hurting you. having a couple fully fleshed out environments would greatly increase your chances of getting hired.

the problem with your 3d stuff right now besides a lack of actual environments is everything is grey. even the textured piece from overlord is grey. get some colored props on there to showcase your texture abilities, when I am looking through porftolios strong texture skills are probably my number one thing I look for.

having gears and UT on your resume is good but there is no proof you can actually do that level of work. I would highly recommend spending some time on personal projects that showcase your level of skill and allow you to hand your portfolio to studios with confidence.

Your cover letter email seems really generic and that "no cure no pay" line i don't really get the expression. Be sure to tailor each coverletter to the specific studio instead of having it feel like you sent out 200 emails in 10 mins. it could be something as simple as "I really enjoy this game you guys made" or "I love the art style and based on your past games.....blah blah blah " just make it feel like you are interested in that specific studio rather than desperately seeking a job.

hope some of this helps man and good luck on the hunt

evilblah · Sep 2010

Yes to everything they have said already and also, don't give up! In the US things are really tough still because our economy is still waving around like crazy and there are hundreds of artists looking. There is a lot of money to be had in games but most of the people writing the checks are pinching every penny possible.

You said its hard to focus when you are starving... I feel for you on this, Before I got my first gig I lived out of my car for a month. I would bum food from friends and take showers at there places. It sucked. The one thing I learned though is to never give up. Take a side job somewhere else. Even if it is not in the entertainment industry. Go work at an entertainment store (Best Buy or Frys for us) or a video game retailer. Anything to make money while you polish that portfolio.

Then when you get an interview go and nail it! Keep your head up and keep trudging on!

-bair

aesir · Sep 2010

You need more work, more finished work in your portfolio. I bet you have more laying around somewhere. Or make it.

Sandro · Sep 2010

Your email is terrible. It discourages people from checking your portfolio out.

You don't mention that you are experienced and have 8 shipped titles, including Gears of War. Instead, you stress that you are based in Netherlands, so that U.S. studios won't even bother to read further, they'll just choose from local talent pool.

Portfolio needs to be streamlined as well. Content isn't that huge, you can easily fit it on a single page. If you are looking for 3D work, make sure 80% of your content is cool finished 3D stuff.

If most of your work is under NDA make new stuff, or at least get those games, take screenshots and explain your contributions.

I'd include only 2-3 best/most relevant sketches. So that they are icing, not bulk of your work.

Oh, and where is your resume?

fmnoor · Sep 2010

I agree with Sandro. Your email is basically a cover letter, it's short but you ignore telling people you've worked on big titles and are experienced. Also I hope you at least attach your resume.

3DRyan · Sep 2010

I'm not an expert by any means, but it looks like you need to work a bit on detailing your models. It looks like you're trying to present your models as highly detailed pieces of work, but you need to really sell it with details like rust, scratches, chips,etc. Zbrush those babies. Also, the 2nd 3D picture from the right has some really bad aliasing on it. Not sure what engine you use, but a higher resolution screenshot should do it. Definitely agree with all that's been said above.

Don't give up hope. I can already tell that you are capable of making work that is good enough to get hired, you just have to refine it a bit and make more of it to increase your chances. There's nothing wrong with getting temp jobs to pay the rent. It's what a lot of folks are doing right now. There are always lots of other people that are in the same situation you are. You're not alone. Much luck to you.

Stinger88 · Sep 2010

Yeah. The email you're sending out is quite a short covering letter and says nothing really. I usually details to a covering letter that focus on what I can offer a particular company. If the role i'm applying for is 2D I tell them about my 2D artwork. If its a 3D role I tell them about my modelling skills. Make each email specifically for a particular role. Not a generic letter you just spam out.

Also. You should create a proper C.V. that you can attach to every email. The info on your site really doesn't tell me about your work history other than you've shipped a few good titles. A C.V should have a full work history for the last 5 jobs or the last 10 years and all of your qualifactaions. Its best to try and keep your CV to 2 pages MAX. And dont squash as much info as you can into it. My C.V. also features some of my artwork as a backdrop. Do this subtly and dont make it interfere with the text. Keep it clear and easy to read.

As for you're portfolio. Its not very finished. The 2D work is all sketches and the 3D work is only a few small props and structures. You need to get some bigger "WOW factor" pieces in there. Also. Try and make all your images a similar size. I had to resize my browser to view the big 3D piece. Its not a big deal but its all about presentation. I generally try not to exceed 800 pixel width. You can always add links to high res images or do a few detail shots for really big pieces.

gsokol · Oct 2010

yea man, you may do great work, but your not really selling yourself at all. Pretty much going along with what other people said...the first thing you should say is I worked on these badass titles...that alone will get more attention...right now your email looks like spam mail to me. I understand you need to have work for your portfolio, and can't use work you've done commercially....not being able to show commercial work is quite a hinderer, especially when your portfolio lacks any finished stuff. Just changing the wording in your email might at least get you some sort of an art test...since your experience might negate the lack of work in your portfolio...

Also, getting work in the states is going to be hard, since there is plenty of artists without jobs here...these are tough times for the industry.

Pretty unfortunate situation...I really wish you the best and hope you find work!

nullfed · Oct 2010

If your work is under an NDA, does that mean you aren't even allowed to play through a game and take a screenshot of a part with some of your work in, then you can say 'I made this building' or whatever? I've never heard of not being able to do that at least.
I have also seen various people posting work here or having it on their website from the same outsource company. Don't understand..

wi_2 · Oct 2010

Thnx allot all for all the feedback guys!!!

Some great advice in here to give me some perspective again..
I will work on this...

Keep ehm coming if you feel someone missed something..

Vertrucio · Oct 2010

Also, drop the flash/scripting based gallery. Just use simple links to image files. There are people that will say that it works the same, and maybe it does for 99% of the people. But you don't wan't lose out on that 1% you might miss of job offers. Also, it's every so slightly slower than just plain clicking on a fast, basic, html link to an image file. Recruiters aren't interested in how snazzy the transition between two images in your gallery is, or if it's surrounded by a nice white border. They just want to see your work, and perhaps to quickly save off and print your work to send down the line to art leads.

Have more fully finished work, and compile similar work onto larger sheets. You have a lot of separate heads shown as separate work, but they're really not much on their own. For concept art, people will want to see either lots of different heads (or other designs) to show your design skills, or a fully finished works to show your craft.

I've contracted artwork out before for projects and your work's quality falls well within my zone of hire, but what and the way it's presented could be changed.

wi_2 · Oct 2010

Thanks again..
Waht I read from this most of all is presentation.. presentation.. presentation.. presentation..
The finished work just takes time and I can handle.. But if anyone has some help on presentation that would be great.. what works.. what doesn't..

thanks again guys!! really means allot to me

d1ver · Oct 2010

First of all: hold on m8. It sure is hard but you'll make it through. All the best wishes to you.

And secondly, you said that you've left all gears and unreal work under NDA, but hey, It doesn't mean you can't show the assests you've made for them. Because techically if you don't take the materials out of the studio then you aint breaking no NDA. Cath my drift yet?)

Just get yorself some Gears and Unreal and go around screenshoting all the awesome stuff you did. And yep, your website needs to come out with a bang. It has to hit you on the head with it awesomenes. So make some big bright Gears/Unreal Banners right on the front paged and you'll definetly will have people impressed.

And yeah your website promotes you as a concept artits and that as far as I can see isn't really your strongest point.

So hey, keep you hopes up and I'm waiting to see that website update.

Cheers!)

PixelMasher · Oct 2010

yea seeing as you have acess to every asset within gears and UT3 on the pc versions within the editor just find the assets, compile a small little presentation area and snap some screens.

Humbly asking for help

Replies