Can i get some suggestions?

[Whirlwind]

I'm sure many of us can sympathize with you. Being a sales clerk for Macy's or game testing for EA wasn't exactly high on my hitlist when I was dumping nearly 60 grand for a 3d education. But I just recently graduated so I have no real room to rant. First thing you should do is begin the process of getting out of your rut. First, figure out if going into the game industry is really what you want to do. There is a big difference between playing a game and makeing one. Once thats decided, hop online and do some research on the companies you would most like to work for, then on some you wouldn't. Hey, a jobs a job. Also, do some research in general on whats involved in makeing a game. The second part may be hard, but if you look long enough, I'm sure you can find some answers. The third part is knowing what gameing companies want. I can tell by your site that you definately have talent. But I think whats makeing companies shy away from you is the content on your site. The gameing industry is a commercial business and that should reflect in your portfolio. So my first suggestion would be to lose some of the traditional art. Showing you have strong fundimentals in drawing is good, but showing your creative is better. Try makeing the traditional section more of a concept and character design section. Highly polished, vivid, full of color, life and attitude. This also leads into your 3d section. What you have up, unfortinately speaks industrial, maybe even alittle graphic design, it doesn't say gameing. Try doing more character art, buildings, backgrounds, animation. Oh, thats another thing, figure out what aspect of gameing you would most like to do. Hope this helped, sorry for the lenght and good luck.
-D

[Grooveholmes]

Thanks for the reply Whirlwind, its appreciated.

Yeah I worked two different games while at the small company game company. I loved it. So I know that's the direction I want to go in. I think i've known that since i was like 12.

I know what you're saying about the stuff on the site not really being what game employers are looking for. The thing is.. Every company i've worked for since i've been out of school (And I'm not lying). Has Expected me to work 60 to 80 hrs. per week. Sometimes more. Leaving me absolutely zero time for personal endeavors and pull m'self up out of that rut. That's alot of the reason that I feel like i'm suffering.. I've had absolutely no time to actually Draw or Paint or animate any of my own stuff. Corporate greed is quashing my creative spirit.

Sooooo, like ALOT of people I know in these times I've been laid off. And i've been out of work for about a month now. Its givin' me alot of time to think and redirect myself and most importantly time to work on personal stuff. I went to Siggraph last week and decided I'm redoing my reel from scratch, i've got the whole thing timed and diagramed out and even a self imposed deadline of 7 months. So soon, very soon my site should have a few new sections including and not limited to a concept, and work in progress sections.

Me--------->:arteest:

[Sibben]

I came from the same place as you, industrial animation. When I got into the games industry it was seen as a good thing - they just wanted to make sure I could do low poly work too. Make yourself a couple of game like projects and finish them to get a portfolio as well as training..

Many hiring companys likes to see 2-3 years experience in game dev but I guess you could get a foot in at smaller companies. Maybe you should be prepared to relocate too.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck. :thumbsup:

[Ryan-B]

I agree with what Whirlwind said.

I took a look at your website, and I can't see anything that would be attractive to a typical game company. You need to have more of the following:
1) Monsters
2) Knights in armour
3) Terrorists and Swat Teams
4) Sci-Fi stuff

Modern videogames are about cliché and proven formulas. You need to show that you can create stuff that fits into the formula. If you think you will be allowed to be creative at a game company, you are in for a surprise.

If you want to be creative, work on your own stuff for personal satisfaction.

[Sibben]

Hahahahaha! :) :) :) Monsters and SWAT teams! LOL!

You are right though - that's the way it works. The creativity in this business is really on the low level - how can I make this little detail look good. There are only so many ways to build an orc. :p

[Grooveholmes]

yeah, sibben relocating is definately at the top of my list right now. It just takes some uncanny timing. Between current leases, having the job lined up, having the money saved, and knowing where your going to move in at

Ryan B: Heh heh, fortunately the reel i'm working on includes all of the above or something close.:wip: Luckily that's what I've grown up drawing anyway.

Trust me, I think almost anywhere I go I'll have the chance to be more creative than I've been allowed to be at these last places. check out the gallery here Zero Gravity (http://www.zrog.com) for a good laugh.

What I've been needing is a chance to work with a TEAM of other artists. People I can grow from and contribute to. Just haven't been givin the chance. Hey.. I've always got cgtalk.

[mudrat]

hey there,


i checked out your website and was more impressed with your fine art. Even though your 3D stuff is great too.... the professionalism is what makes it sing. I don't know what your working schedule is, but maybe if you take part in some of these competitions on cg talk, you might be able to get more work that is better targeted for games. I work for a game company right now and IO know they would much rather see some really imaginative stuff. I sympathize with you because my portfolio was more of the fine art nature and I was worried that would keep me back from making games. But being persistant and tenacious helps.
Check out Blizzard's web site and go to the employment/jobs section. They have very detailed examples of what they would like to see from hopeful candidates. That may give you a direction to go in and possibly do some work that will inspire you again to do the things you want to do.

So rock on, don't give up! :buttrock:

mudrat

mudrat_2.tripod.com

[Asorson]

What kind of content will your reel contain? If it is going to be your typical "story" or "fight scene" reel then you are probably hurting yourself more than you are helping when it comes to getting a job in games.

The problem with creating something like that is often you are trying to be things that you are not. Such as a director, a cinematographer, and a story teller. Maybe you are all those things, I don't know. But the majority of artists are not (even if they think they are). What happens then is you spoil your good artwork by implementing it into some lame wannabe movie. Not to mention the fact that even if you were to create a great 3d short film it would have minimal impact on your ability to work as a game artist (unless you are applying at Blizzard or Square as a cinematics artist).

The third problem with creating a traditional reel is that it takes time, lots of time! Often several months are wasted on aspects that are really trivial when it comes to game development. That time could be better spent creating game oriented art.

The best way to impress game companies is simply to draw, model, map, texture, rig, and animate (if you are an animator) characters, vehicles, and buildings. These are basically the only things that game artists make. Levels are often done by level designers, cameras are done by scripters, lighting is done by coders, etc. So don't waste your time on that stuff.

And most importantly don't give companies any reason not to like you, because they are looking for one, believe me ;) If you are a good modeler but not good at texturing show untextured models, if you can't animate leave that out, and so on. Good luck.

[Jonny Bubonic]

Just another wee tip. If you can, try animating in a "game" style...ie. very short and snappy stuff, as if it was reacting to a button press. Limit yourself to very short frame limits, except for things like death animations, where you generally have a lot more leeway. A bit of backward engineering with existing game engines might give you a good idea of what's needed. For example, Unreal's editor allows you to view individual anims, so have a look at that for starters.

Good luck ;)

[Grooveholmes]

Yeah That's a good Idea Bubonic. I had planned to do a little more than the average 'spinning model'. I think that would do more to show off the actual modelling and texturing and rigging by animating the mods doing certain moves instead of just putting them up there on a spinning plate.

Asorson: I am planning on doing a couple small cinematic story animations on m'reel. as well as a couple smaller clips. I am quite aware of the amount of time it takes to create something of this magnitude. No worries though.. I'm in it for the long haul. I also understand what you say about that time being better spent making game models and such. My initial plans are to create the character and prop models for the animations but also create these models in different levels of detail for game use. I want to make these stories but also translate them all into something playable with the same coherent theme and feel. The environments created will be translated into playable levels as well.
You see, I feel I need that kind of release and/or work to break away from the crap I have previously had to do. When it comes down to it when I meet with certain game companies I don't even have to show them the reel. I could just stick to just showing them the models I guess.
Anyway, I don't think it can hurt to build a new reel. I'm in bad need for a new one anyway.

Its all a learning process. :D
Thanks for the comments!

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