Getting an interview is 90% due to portfolio quality. Every time. We will always choose a hot portfolio over a middling portfolio with experience. The interview is where we drill down into problem-solving skills, skillset, personality, etc. But without the portfolio they never get to that point. Art is fairly egalitarian…
Portfolio, not experience. If you're not getting through your portfolio is unfortunately not quite there. Here is a portfolio from a friend that I would consider "entry-level". After he finished his sci-fi scene he was able to land a position at a great studio. https://www.artstation.com/artist/richardrude
No employer in the game dev industry cares which school you went to. Not even slightly. Not at all. It never enters the decision making process. Your portfolio carries the entire weight. Look at professionals, and get that quality in your pieces. Period. You don't need their volume. Just the same quality.…
You'll get no argument from me on that, it's been a source of major frustration when whole weeks go by and I'm not able to make anything new for my portfolio.
I'm also a student. Here's both mine and some of my classmates portfolios for comparisons sake: http://michaeltranart.com/ http://robintran.com/ http://tonytranart.com/ http://camillaspanberg.com/ http://mhansenart.com/ http://oceanenasstrom.com/
Wow, That's some impressive work. If that's considered entry level, then I might have a few harsh words for my Art school because my portfolio (the one they approved based on "industry standards") doesn't have a prayer. http://www.amerola3d.com/
So it would be better to go to a lesser known school and maybe put the money towards tutorials and software to learn that instead of those highly priced schools where you pay for the prestige then? And just focus on learning and getting better, and create a killer portfolio?
Well based on what I see on your portfolio I think your main issue is texturing. Most of your pieces really lack depth, variance, and just overall seem a bit flat. I actually really liked the Sci-fi environment you put together. With more dramatic lighting, maybe updating a few pieces to have just a bit more visual impact…
I think that mainly comes down to the student then instead of the school they may attend :) What I can feel though is that it is hard finding good references as to what would be a good 'entry' level portfolio. As it is a live document in the sense that it changes when they update it, what I got shown during my own degree,…