Jobs : Games/Animation Industry
Discussion
Hi all...
pissed off with job situation..
graduated last August, with relevant degree, and looking for work in above.. had a few interviews last year, but this year is deadly quiet.. whistle of the wind and passing tumble-weed type thing! :-(
Anyone know of any good contacts, or even any good web links where I might be able to dig up some leads....
Thanks
Piers.
examples of my work at:
www.pierscoe1.co.uk
pissed off with job situation..
graduated last August, with relevant degree, and looking for work in above.. had a few interviews last year, but this year is deadly quiet.. whistle of the wind and passing tumble-weed type thing! :-(
Anyone know of any good contacts, or even any good web links where I might be able to dig up some leads....
Thanks
Piers.
examples of my work at:
www.pierscoe1.co.uk
aardvark swift used to be the people in this industry to go to www.aswift.com/jobs/
Keep writing, keep trying it's a very competetive industry. However the job situation shouldn't be that bad as the games market is pretty decent at the moment and the consoles are mid-cycle.
I used to work in the games industry, but left due to the long hours and low pay.....
Keep writing, keep trying it's a very competetive industry. However the job situation shouldn't be that bad as the games market is pretty decent at the moment and the consoles are mid-cycle.
I used to work in the games industry, but left due to the long hours and low pay.....
Hello,
I've worked in the industry as a designer/manager for six years (Sony, Climax ooer and now Deibus Studios) and I know it's tough to get in. But use an agency, you dont mention which (if any) you have used. Aardvark suggestion is good. Try OPM Recruitment, Datascope, Change-Job (Datascope has a link to developers on it's site.)
Try www.Deibus.com Best up and coming studio
I've worked in the industry as a designer/manager for six years (Sony, Climax ooer and now Deibus Studios) and I know it's tough to get in. But use an agency, you dont mention which (if any) you have used. Aardvark suggestion is good. Try OPM Recruitment, Datascope, Change-Job (Datascope has a link to developers on it's site.)
Try www.Deibus.com Best up and coming studio
cheers you two..
as it happens, am registered with ALL those agencies..
Aswift have been good, 3 interviews and 1 second interview from them, but the others haven't been much use...
just going to have a look at Deibus.. put in a good word for me ;-)
to both of you.. how long did it take you to break into the industry... my correspondant at Aswift says I've had a good response compared to other graduates.. but I don't really know how long it's supposed to take.....?
Also, you say you left due to long hours/low pay etc.. mind if I ask what you changed to..
Thanks
Piers.
as it happens, am registered with ALL those agencies..
Aswift have been good, 3 interviews and 1 second interview from them, but the others haven't been much use...
just going to have a look at Deibus.. put in a good word for me ;-)
to both of you.. how long did it take you to break into the industry... my correspondant at Aswift says I've had a good response compared to other graduates.. but I don't really know how long it's supposed to take.....?
Also, you say you left due to long hours/low pay etc.. mind if I ask what you changed to..
Thanks
Piers.
It took me about a year to get in. I was 18 when I started to apply though. Often got letters back thanking me for application but no openings, my work showed promise etc. I never sent any work! 
The larger companies are more likely to take you. They have a broad range of developers (Junior-Management) whereas small companies can rarely afford to let someone learn the ropes so to speak. I havent looked at your work yet though...
The larger companies are more likely to take you. They have a broad range of developers (Junior-Management) whereas small companies can rarely afford to let someone learn the ropes so to speak. I havent looked at your work yet though...
Hi, long time lurker, first time poster.
Anyway, I work in the games industry and I wouldn't recomend using an agency. They tend to bulk mail developers with tons of CVs which generally get a quick scan then straight in the bin. Plus they charge an arm and a leg for doing very little.
My advice would be to get a copy of Edge and write directly to any company advertising vacancies in the back.
Trouble is a couple of studios are closing down or in trouble at the moment so there are plenty of CVs doing the rounds...
Stick at it and good luck.
Anyway, I work in the games industry and I wouldn't recomend using an agency. They tend to bulk mail developers with tons of CVs which generally get a quick scan then straight in the bin. Plus they charge an arm and a leg for doing very little.
My advice would be to get a copy of Edge and write directly to any company advertising vacancies in the back.
Trouble is a couple of studios are closing down or in trouble at the moment so there are plenty of CVs doing the rounds...
Stick at it and good luck.
I got into the industry purely by accident (had friends working for various games companies i the midlands one needed someone with c++ so I got a job).
I stayed for a year until I was lured away by a substantial salary increase by a large american corp. (made a 60% rise in salary but that was back in 1999 when such things seemed pretty normal!!)
It was a fun time, but constant 18 hour days, a low wage and the knowledge that what I was producing wasn't as good as it should be due to the company constraints on time / budget didn't mean that I creid when I left.
Lots of friends still in the industry who have survived mixed situations, some are doing well as lead artists / QA managers / programmers / lead programmers / game designers.
It's a very incestuous industry, contacts make a massive difference. Lots of graduates (even phd's) are so desperate to get in the industry that they start as temporary game testers on 4/5 quid an hour and work their way through.
The difficult bit is that everyone wants to do it, hence the difficulty to get in and the low salaries.
I stayed for a year until I was lured away by a substantial salary increase by a large american corp. (made a 60% rise in salary but that was back in 1999 when such things seemed pretty normal!!)
It was a fun time, but constant 18 hour days, a low wage and the knowledge that what I was producing wasn't as good as it should be due to the company constraints on time / budget didn't mean that I creid when I left.
Lots of friends still in the industry who have survived mixed situations, some are doing well as lead artists / QA managers / programmers / lead programmers / game designers.
It's a very incestuous industry, contacts make a massive difference. Lots of graduates (even phd's) are so desperate to get in the industry that they start as temporary game testers on 4/5 quid an hour and work their way through.
The difficult bit is that everyone wants to do it, hence the difficulty to get in and the low salaries.
Damn it! That's where my sunnies went.
Lost them last summer in Duxford on the day of the TVRCC meet.*
Bugger, I loved those binns!
[conspiritorialwisper]I'm in the same boat mate (+ a year). It's tough, but there are people who know people round here so keep your ear to the ground.
[/conspiritorialwisper]
Mouse
*yes the same day Twink popped her radiator, in the entrance to the show, before some one else brings it up
Lost them last summer in Duxford on the day of the TVRCC meet.*
Bugger, I loved those binns!
[conspiritorialwisper]I'm in the same boat mate (+ a year). It's tough, but there are people who know people round here so keep your ear to the ground.
[/conspiritorialwisper]
Mouse
*yes the same day Twink popped her radiator, in the entrance to the show, before some one else brings it up
Scotland... AARRGGHHH!!!
rockstar must really be desperate, because I hear about this every day!!
I went to Uni in Carlisle, and although the town itself was ok, it has made me resolute in that I am not going to live up north again.. anywhere from nottingham/Derby south is fine.
Ears on the floor.. could all those people who know people who know people who know people please offer me lots of jobs :-)
Piers
rockstar must really be desperate, because I hear about this every day!!
I went to Uni in Carlisle, and although the town itself was ok, it has made me resolute in that I am not going to live up north again.. anywhere from nottingham/Derby south is fine.
Ears on the floor.. could all those people who know people who know people who know people please offer me lots of jobs :-)
Piers
Sorry for the late reply, I was racking my brains for this guys name.
Try [url]www.datel.co.uk[/url]
a guy called Alex Edge is always looking for Games programmers etc. I think they are Stafordshire based.
Try [url]www.datel.co.uk[/url]
a guy called Alex Edge is always looking for Games programmers etc. I think they are Stafordshire based.
I've got a student working with me at the moment from the Digital Design Studio up in Glasgow. It might be worth studying for a Masters with them. They seem to have pretty good links with the film industry. They've got the bloke who plays Will Riker from Star Trek (also produced one of the recent Star Treks) coming to have a look round in the next week or two, to recruit for the Thunderbirds movie (or something).
I'd forget about 3D studio too. From what I've heard, it's not highly regarded within the industry, everyone uses Maya.
I'd forget about 3D studio too. From what I've heard, it's not highly regarded within the industry, everyone uses Maya.
MEMSDesign said:
I'd forget about 3D studio too. From what I've heard, it's not highly regarded within the industry, everyone uses Maya.
Agreed, as far as the movie and advertising industries go - where Lightwave, Houdini (brill particle effects) and Softimage are still also used.
However, Max is still fairly highly regarded in the games industry, where well textured, low-ploy models are crucial.
Interesting. I don't really know a lot about it. Just what I pick up here and there. Sounds like the movie industry is quite distinct from the games industry, and different skills are required?
argonaut said:
MEMSDesign said:
I'd forget about 3D studio too. From what I've heard, it's not highly regarded within the industry, everyone uses Maya.
Agreed, as far as the movie and advertising industries go - where Lightwave, Houdini (brill particle effects) and Softimage are still also used.
However, Max is still fairly highly regarded in the games industry, where well textured, low-ploy models are crucial.
Max is by far the most commonplace bit of software in the games industry.
Maya is becoming more and more popular all the time, but Max is still used MUCH more..
yes, games and film industries are quite seperate really, considering they use the same technology, it's apparently quite dificult to change from one to the other.
Maya is becoming more and more popular all the time, but Max is still used MUCH more..
yes, games and film industries are quite seperate really, considering they use the same technology, it's apparently quite dificult to change from one to the other.
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