To get into in studio and land a job, there's a front door and a back door; that is, an easy way and a hard way to get in. This week you'll learn strategies for getting through either door Meanwhile... Letters of Recommendation still matter when applying for a job. This week, you'll all about them, including how to write one and how to help others write them for you.
Also, your Team's Producer receives their Peer Evaluation this week.
Important: This week you are presenting a graded Practice Pitch Presentation in class! This will be the Biz Dev's (i.e., instructor's) chance to evaluate the project's substance. The Biz Dev will assign the same point value grade (up to 9 points) to every Team Member based upon the project's progress. (Outstanding individual efforts will be awarded extra credit.) All Pitch materials should exist in some state of completion and be brought to class. Be sure to follow the Pitch Presentation format for this live, in-class 'show-and-tell.'
Everyone should have everything on they're required to have for the Pitch Presentation completed in some form (whether draft, revised, or final). You should all be trying to take your work up a level (to a higher state of completion or adding polish to what's already complete) and contribute it to next week's Practice Pitch Presentation. Producers will want to coordinate everyone's efforts and make sure the Project Work Schedule is being adhered to. Lead Writer / Designers must present the latest work-in-progress copy of the Pitch Packet to show (which means compiling the contributions of others in addition to your own writing).
The link below is the homework assignment due at the beginning of the next class session.
Homework: Week 9
Be sure to study up for the final exam next week! It is worth 30 points and covers the material from weeks 8 and 9, including the conclusion section of the course text book (the future) and the required reading sections for those weeks on this web site.
Web Site: GameJOBS.com
Jobs in the video and computer game industry.
Web Site: GameDev.net Jobs
More jobs in the video and computer game industry.
Article: Good Hiring Practices by Paul Jobling
As the game industry has become bigger, more competitive and more professional, the demands on and by development personnel have increased dramatically. Staff costs account for the lion's share of the company payroll and their skills are the only real resource you can offer a prospective publisher. To succeed in the videogame industry, investment in people is essential.
Article: How Did You Start in the Game Industry? Compiled by Quang Hong
Various game industry professionals share their stories about how they got started in the game business. This will give you hope!
These supplemental links are worth pursuing only if you are seriously interested in working in the game business and want to know about it in the broadest possible sense. This material will not be directly included in the exams, but if you're serious about delving deeply into the subject of game production, here's some more lessons from others who have also "been there."
Article: Breaking into the Game Biz by Alan Emrich
A brief column on the subject to provide the key answers to the most frequently asked question.
Article: Getting a Job in the Game Development Industry by Kenn Hoekstra
"How do I get a job in the games industry?" I can't tell you how many times this question has crossed my desk. Every game developer I've met has a different story and I have yet to find two stories that are exactly alike. About the only thing that ties all of them together is a certain degree of good old-fashioned luck. Feelin' lucky? Hopefully this essay will give you some tips to help even the odds...
Articles: Breaking In by the International Game Developer's Association (IGDA)
This dedicated web site offers information on the various career paths in the game industry, interviews with professional developers who provide advice and insight on getting into the industry and how to best educate yourself, as well as links to additional resources to prepare for a career in games. It's a pleasant read and a useful overview.
Article: The Overwhelming, Can't Be Overstated, and Undeniable Importance of References by Marc Mencher
Recruiting expert Marc Mencher explains the importance of job references, even for the video game industry, discussing the value of preparing and selecting the best, including who to ask, who not to ask, and what HR managers really look for in references.
Article: Compensation Negotiation: Making it a Win/Win Situation by Marc Mencher
Marc Mencher tells you that, as a general rule of thumb, everything is negotiable. Well, the biggest deal you'll negotiate may very well be your job situation and starting salary...
Article: Moving Up in the World: How Artists Can Become Game Development Leaders by Di Davies
I've spent 9 years working in the games industry as a lead artist, animator, and 3D artist. I've gone through the gamut of self-examination as both a leader and as a production artist. I've been lucky enough to work on some very well managed projects and have been tortured through some very badly managed ones as well. This article is designed to help both artists and managers identify key issues and begin to create working solutions to management problems.
Article: Advancing Your Game Industry Career within the Same Company (It Can Happen) by Marc Mencher and Leah Rubin
Does anyone in the game industry ever get a retirement party? If you make it with one company for more than a year you may feel as though you deserve one. Is the only way to advance to continue to jump from developer to developer? Or is an upwardly progressing career path within one company an actual possibility in games?
Interview: Chris Crawford by Simon Carless
There is perhaps no greater sage dating back to the early days of computer gaming than Chris Crawford. He's quite a character and always has something insightful to say.
Bibliography: Week 9
