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working at game developer company

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#1

hi, everyone.
do you know how we can working at the game company while we still new?the good portfolio, the common answer.
yeah, i have desire to working in it, but seems it is very difficult, because i lack of experience and of course my skill is still new too.

but does everyone have their first time?
does anyone have suggestion?
we don’t have to wait until we have the advance skill to working on the company don’t we? because it will need a lot of time.i think we can improve our skill and exp when we working ,right?

#2

I would think to get a job as an artist you have to be able to to do what they ask you to. Until you’re at that level though, you should probably look for internships to get your foot in the door.

Then just practice, practice, practice.

Think of it this way, they don’t let doctors operate if they don’t know what they’re doing. :smiley:

#3

It’s like anything. You need to develop your skills and knowledge to get hired. That’s why people go to school for careers, but unlike most careers with art you can see it right away if you are ready or not so a piece of paper means much less.

#4

I know what you mean, I’m in your position too. I too want to join as a game artist at some company, but most of them require professional experience (as in Shipped Titles) to enter. How do you get professional experience if you can’t get your feet in? That’s the problem.
I decided to start training and do some modeling and apply it on a machinima movie. I worked on it for a year, and I learned a lot about game art. Maybe I can show that as experience, and I’ll keep trying. I think you should hone your skills before trying too, like the others said, as very few companies are willing to take risks. Hope that helps.

#5

If your really keen and feel too directionless to just build your portfolio with great lookin models then maybe sign up to work on mods.
Theres usually no pay but you do get exp and sometimes future work.

Google ‘Game artist’ or ‘modders required’ should turn up a few usuful results.

btw networking is essential, get to know the people in the industry.

p.s I’m in Oz trying to move from TVC to Game, and I’m surprised to hear you guys are havin trouble in US…is it coz your ‘fresh’ with no exp anywhere, or is it due to a shift in the industry? i.e not based on awesome folio rather based on exp…if so then sounds like a HR thing?

Would like to know what you guys and gals think.

good luck:+1:

#6

Assuming you want to be an artist (3d modeler/texture/concept artist)

Spend some quality time studying and practicing art. Drawing, painting, sculpture, composition, color theory etc. I’d say at least 2 years of focused effort. The first year drawing/figure drawing, the second year moving into painting. Doing this will help lay the foundation to create the cool stuff you see on the CG forums.

You can take a talented artist with no computer experience and get them up and running, producing solid CG imagery in a matter of weeks, once they learn which buttons to push. But you can’t take someone who is pretty knowledgable with CG software and teach them to be an awesome artist in a few weeks, know what I mean?

The operative word in the term “CG Artist” is “artist”, so spend some quality time practicing and studying the foundational skills. The computer is just another tool to create art with, much like the brush and the pencil.

#7

thx so much for the comment

i guess these condition maybe have related with the global crisis also. it makes the company more selective in finding the right people. the competition become rough.

but still, even the reason is right there is no room for complaining it, because it will look like an excuse.

i guess there is no another. only struggle…

#8

Yeah, it is a competitive industry, but there are also a lot of opportunities for those with talent.

Whatever it is you want to do, plan to spend a solid few years developing a knowledge and skill base that will basically be the foundation you build your career on. If you want to be a character modeler, spend some quality time studying drawing/painting, life drawing and anatomy (human and animal), if you want an environmment artist, spend some quality time drawing/painting, studying architecture and game design etc. (Notice the recurring theme of practicing drawing/painting :slight_smile: ) History and art history are also a great source of information and inspiration. It’s a lot of work, but if you are truly passionate, it won’t see like it.

Of course, this is just the opinion of some random guy on the internet…

#9

well thx.
by the way, i have sculpt a guan yu head.
hope you guys can give me some advices and suggestion.
i will upload the picture ASAP.

THX

#10

I have worked in the industry as an artist for 12 years I can can honestly tell you that any company would hire an artist (regardless of game experience) if they had a killer portfolio.

It is not necessary to spend $30,000 on a digital arts program if you are are motivated on your own to develop you skills.

If you are not that type of person then going to a school is a very good idea to develop your core skills.

This is very important though, many schools will give you a very good foundation but is is very important to remember that most of your learning and artist development will happen with the work that you do in your spare time. Like any skill, it is practice that will make your portfolio stand out.

Here is some advice on your portfolio:

DO NOT PUT ANYTHING IN YOUR DEMO REEL OR PORTFOLIO THAT IS NOT UP TO STANDARDS OF WHAT THE COMPANY IS LOOKING FOR.

It is better to have a 30 second reel of top quality stuff than to have a 5 minute reel filled with 30 seconds of good stuff scattered among over 4 minutes of half decent to poor quality stuff. Guaranteed people will remember your bad stuff rather than your good stuff. This is the same for rendered images. ONly show stuff that would compete with the best stuff you would see on some of the popular CG Forums.

I have been in too many portfolio revues where we sit around making fun of poor quality work. I know this sounds horrible but most of our submissions that we see are scattered with work that should not be shown. Just because you worked on it and spent many hours on it does not mean that it belongs in a portfolio. In previous compnaies we have hired artitsts based on a simple 5-10 picture portfolio submission followed up with a small test that we ask the artist to complete.

It is always better to leave them wanting to see more. Good reason for a call back.

#11

thank you very much for the comment.

yeah i think what you say its right. i just desperately want to work in this kind of company and i believe the experience will enhance my skill also. just feel stress for the time i have wasted in the past time…dont know how to do.because i dont have time to waste anymore i guess.:confused:

#12

What has been said is all great advice.
However, being an awesome artist and being an awesome professional artist … are two different things.

An artist is stimulated by ideas and a CG artist (prof) is driven by deadlines.
You need to be able to make decisions/ aesthetic choices quickly to survive in the industry (I’m talking personally from TVC but I presume the same goes for games).

Your work needs to look “un-labored” meaning clean.
Therefore clean work is based on an understanding of what is required, good choices are based on experience, and art is based on passion.

So decide whether you are technical or artistic (after time you will be a bit of both but strong in one), then pour all your time developing that skill.

Personally I switched industries from traditional commercial sculptor over to cg when I realized there was more work in cg. It took me less than a year to get up to speed with zbrush and maya and get work as a modeller, all self taught.

There isn’t a day goes by that I don’t think I could be so much more if I had just gone cg earlier and paid $30,000, but then I wouldn’t have my traditional skills and exp which serve me well now as a specialist.

When you feel like its all too much visit “gallery abominate”
http://www.jackals-forge.com/abom.html

My personal fav is the animation of darth maul…priceless

btw saw today EPIC are hiring…that would be a sweet job

:D:+1: