In May of 2006 I graduated from Ivy Tech in Indiana. I earned two degrees: Associate of Science in Visual Communications with emphasis on Animation, and an Associate of Applied Science in Visual Communications with emphasis on Web and Interactive Media Design.
Now almost four years later and to my dismay I have not been in the best position to use them. After graduating I needed to find a job quickly in order to salvage my marriage, at the time. I was good at computers so I thought I could get a job doing just that. Unfortunately, I found out that employers required at least a MCP or A+ Certification; so I turned around and was back in class at Ivy Tech in the fall getting my A+ Certification. I finished the 16 week course, and got my certification by Comptia.
Three weeks later my ex asked for a divorce.
In February of 2007, after 23 years, I moved back to Cincinnati hoping that the bigger city would provide me with the opportunity I had been looking for, a fresh start and a new design job. Unfortunately a few things were working against me: 1. not knowing anyone in this big city other than my brother, and 2. having been tossed to the side by my cousin (who by the way had a design job at a local TV station). However, the one thing that hurt me the most I had done to myself… The entire time I was in school I didn’t focus like I should have, it was the first time I had friends, it was the first time I enjoyed school, it was the first time I could put my (supposed) talents to use.
So did I? Did I put those talents to use? The answer is short and simple… No, no I didn’t.
Instead of working on an actual portfolio combining all of the different types of classes I was taking (typography, graphic design, photography, color theory, the list goes on and on, hell I even skipped the class on Studio Max) I focused on one thing and one thing alone… Maya. That’s all I lived and breathed was Maya, hell I even named my dog Maya. I spent a better part of four years screwing around with Maya. Yes, I said screwing around (this is starting to turn out to be sort of a confession, although I’m not meaning for it to be). I would taste a little bit of modeling here, not like it and move on to animation, then not liking the results of that test I would move on to a new idea. Not once finishing anything. Even my teacher at the time Micheal Moore said, “Dude you gotta finish something, you have to stop starting something and then just abandoning it for the next great idea that comes to mind. How do you ever expect to succeed in a studio if you can’t even finish one project from start to end?” Oh the wisdom of MGM, how I should have heeded it, but because I knew a little bit more than the other students it went to my head. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, hell I know more than he does. Right, that’s why MGM works two jobs: Coordinator at the Creative Center at ISU, and he still teaches Animation and Web Design at Ivy Tech. And where am I working? I’m fixing computers for a company that doesn’t give wage increases, sick days, or cost of living increases; and I’ve been here for three years.
You’re probably wondering when I’m going to start making sense, especially regarding the title of this post. Hang in there, I’m getting to it.
So anyway, after ignoring all my other classes thus turning in mediocre work at best, I had nothing to show potential employers what I did in college. Hell I didn’t even want to show them, it’s embarrassing, but alas I did it to myself. So what can I show them, well I can show them character designs and walk cycles and really crappy first attempts at using IK and FK systems. Yeah, I’m sure that wins them over every time. Well, as you can tell it hasn’t, since I still work here. Obviously at this point in time in my life, if I want a job in the design field I need to get cracking, right?
There are three possibilities for me:
1. Work over the next 10 months to learn Studio Max and Mudbox, keep learning Zbrush, and keep refreshing myself on Maya. Come up with a kick-ass demo using my character designs for basis. Then try to convince my wife to move to ANOTHER city so that I can find a game/film design job.
2. Study up on the current design trends in photography, graphic design, color theory, and typography. Build up a portfolio based upon that work. Then try to pursue a graphic design job in the immediate area, allowing my wife to stay at her job she has had for the last five years.
3. Go back to school (yes I know, it sounds awesome doesn’t it) finish a bachelor program and then a master’s program and wind up teaching design at a local school or college.
Ah the choices, how fun. Of course my first choice would be number one; but that’s a no brainer. Number two is more for a colleague of mine, he loves designing posters and brochures. Me? Eh… not so much. But hey it let’s my wife keep her job. Although as of late she has been saying (as well as I have) that a warmer climate does sound rather tempting. We’ve talked about a couple of places of interest: Austin and Atlanta. For me Austin, simply because of the amount of activity that exists down there for someone in my field of work. Even being able to go into a studio and being a tester at $9/hr is at least being in the field. I don’t even have my foot on the sidewalk to the front of the place where the door is; my foot is down the block and around the corner, stuck in some gum that someone spat out on the sidewalk, and I can’t move.
I’ve been working in Zbrush now for around four months, complicated program to say the least, but hey I learned how to get around in Maya so I should be good. Things are starting to pay off, but working full time and then coming home and trying to spend quality time with the wife and remodeling and everything else that goes with life, has really limited my interaction with my art and the software. I’m not drawing as much as I thought I would be, and not using the Mac Pro I bought last June as much as I should be. I’m looking to get a Macbook Pro so I can at least bring that with me to work, as I do not like art on the company provided laptop, as I do not know when or if it will be taken away. When you have a contract with a company you never know when you will show up the next day and your badge doesn’t work.
Now I will start to get down to the nitty gritty…
Around six months ago I interviewed for a multimedia design position at a rather well-known company in the Cincinnati area. As you can see I obviously didn’t get the job. Unfortunately for me I didn’t learn from the previous multimedia job I interviewed for at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, so this one got to be my wake up call about a great many things regarding my so-called work. Here is what I learned…
1. ALWAYS BRING A WAY FOR YOU TO SHOW YOUR WORK!!!!
2. Don’t count on the interviewers to have looked at your work prior to the interview even though they requested to look at it on your website prior to the interview. Doesn’t mean they will actually have time to do that.
3. Do not design your portfolio website where even YOU cannot show your work in a professional way.
4. Idiot, take stuff down off of your website that has nothing to do with your work.
5. Do not have your blog be the first thing a potential employer sees when they go to your site.
6. Show work that pertains to the job your applying for, in other words do not show character designs from Zbrush if you are applying for a job that requires you to use Maya to design a product.
7. Bring a laptop to the interview, and make sure that you have it ready to go. Also make sure to have a local copy of your work, because the network may be down or the don’t have a connection ready for you.
8. How many times have you been told and didn’t listen to the fact: SHOW YOUR BEST WORK FIRST!
9. Don’t wear a tie with color. (This could be a fact, but that was a damn good tie.)
10. Do not, under any circumstances greet a interviewer that you already know personally with the line, “Hey buddy, how ya doing?” Just Pure Stupidity.
The other part of me not getting the job is the fact that my work was just not up to snuff. Multimedia job means M-U-L-T-I media. So in other words, you need to have some animation examples. Not tell them you don’t have any; or the least you could do is be more descriptive and use precise wording when asked to explain the projects you worked on. All the interviewer kept asking for was animation examples. It was almost like he was saying, “You have an animation degree yet you have nothing to show us to prove that you actually earned this degree.” He had every right to do that; it’s not like they’re going to hire me and take a chance that I COULD actually do something. So next time, have animation examples ready and make sure they are good quality.
Now that you have seen for yourself, (at least with my words describing the event) that I am going to have to get down, dig in, and do some REAL WORK.
I have only completed three 3D projects in my life, and they can be viewed on my website. Here is the link. Trust me I’ve had a lot more projects that I just plain quit for various reasons: boredom, impatient, new idea was better, and usually it was depression over how long it was taking. Depression is usually what kills my motivation above anything else. I had no clue how to start over or where to begin so I tried a few things. Whether it was simple stuff like weapon designing for games or trying to get involved with contests or forums; I always ended up depressed about just one thing… if I do this, will I be good enough?
But failing is not trying at all.
So here we go…
I needed a starting point to get the gears rolling again, and I’ve found it. Over the next 10 months I will be completing by first demo reel, hoping to have it polished and ready by next GDC. However, in order to do this I’m going back to the drawing board. What I mean by this is, I’m going back to where I left off. I am going to start with the first project I didn’t finish and go from there. Each project will be completed from start to finish, even if I completed it to a point, I will start over. All projects will be documented showing the steps that I have taken to complete them. I will be doing all the projects that I have started all the way back in school and rework them.
I’m tired of turning in crap. I’m tired of being embarrassed with the work I show people.
No more.
