Getting Into The Industry - Page 5 - Simply Maya User Community

# 61 24-07-2004 , 10:39 PM

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i think we should send our wifes or girlies out to earn the main bread. And we'll stay at home mayer'ing for pleasure or fleelance work for beer tokens...

MURPH

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# 62 25-07-2004 , 10:24 AM

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I'm applying for a computer animation degree at Glamorgan or Bournemouth this year and have a few questions.

1) Should I focus on 3D or traditional 2d work in my portfolio when applying?

2) How hard is it to find that first job after, or rather does the university help you find companies?

3) How practical is working part time when on the course or do you end up working on projects all night just to finish in time? How hard is the workload?

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# 63 25-07-2004 , 10:36 AM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

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Ckyuk

As far as 2d and 3d skills go it depends what you want to do, no harm in having both but if you want to be a TD stick with the 3d tech stuff.
Its always hard to get your first job, just keep trying but some places can get you in. As far as workload goes dont be afraid of working hard cos there will be days when you'll have to do it real late.

_J

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# 64 25-07-2004 , 10:31 PM

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While i'd personally focus on traditional work, you should probably mix 2d and 3d work. The main thing though is to express yourself as an artist, and try to show work that is more creative. It's the ideas that are more important and depending on your still, it's probably easier to show creative work through drawings, that a 3D head.

I think Bournemouth do require some traditional based work, or so i've heard.

Yeah, but no but yeah but no....

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# 65 25-07-2004 , 11:11 PM

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Join Date: May 2004

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I know that this might be a tough one to swallow, but I'd really like to know a little more about which positions are in the field, and a little about how they work. E.g. what does a TD do and so on...

Liter is French for 'Gimme some ****ing cola before I break vous ****ing lips!"

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# 66 26-07-2004 , 12:31 AM

The Maya Mountain
Join Date: Aug 2002

Location: Seattle, WA

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depends on which kind of field you're interested in, I suppose.

My particular job is pretty varied. Technically, I'm a "3D Artist" but I've done lots of stuff ranging from modeling/texturing/animating to particle fx to icon art, interface art, etc etc.

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 67 07-08-2004 , 05:55 PM

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I'd also like to know how the live drawing test is conducted when applying for Bournemouth. Are you given a subject or story to draw?, how long do you have? IS IT HARD TO PASS?

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# 68 22-09-2004 , 06:39 PM

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Join Date: Nov 2003

Location: Oakland Ca.

Posts: 217

ive been working in maya for a little over a year now and my modeling skills have really improved ( id like to think anyway)
i am a senior in HS an am planning on getting my BA in media arts and animation, im currently looking at the Art Institute in LA or portland
i have quite big dreams that im not even gonna go into right now,
what i am wondering what is a better attidude when you are going in for a job
a cocky " im the best person you will ever higher and if you dont YOU WILL BE SORRY " or i sit better to be more modest " if you gimmie a job i will be really good at i promise please higher me "
anyway im currious

Imagination will always lead to knowledge, while knowledge may not necessarily bring fourth imagination.

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# 69 22-09-2004 , 07:21 PM

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Neither. Nobody wants to deal with someone with an attitude so check the ego at the door. Likewise, if you have a solid portfolio and are confident about your work, it should show in your interview and how you present yourself. If you don't get the gig, don't cop an attitude...it's not an easy field to break into and there are tons of highly gifted people out there competing for the same jobs. It's like anything else, you want to present yourself as professional, courteous, and confident.

Having worked in creative fields for more than ten years now, the one thing I can tell you is that someone with mediocre skills and a great attitude and willingness to learn will stand a better chance of getting his/her foot in the door than another with all the skills in the world but has an attitude problem. Obviously there will be exceptions but that's a general observation I've seen ring true enough times.

"Terminat Bora Diem, Terminal Auctor opus."

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# 70 22-09-2004 , 07:31 PM

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Originally posted by fire_master

what i am wondering what is a better attidude when you are going in for a job
a cocky " im the best person you will ever higher and if you dont YOU WILL BE SORRY " or i sit better to be more modest " if you gimmie a job i will be really good at i promise please higher me "

Originally Posted by

Unless you have mad skills and a portfolio/film to prove it , cocky will probably get your application trashed. Confidence is great, but cocky - does not fit in well with the T E A M. Most houses/companies, assuming you are qualified, are looking for ppl that will fit in, contribute to the team effort, and not be the source of chaos. As a former employer (my division/department only) cocky would get your application 86'ed.

t3

All great projects succeed one step at a time. One lone step firmly placed.

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# 71 22-09-2004 , 07:35 PM

The Maya Mountain
Join Date: Aug 2002

Location: Seattle, WA

Posts: 8,245

an interviewer is looking at your attitude and behavior just as much as your portfolio... that's the point of the interview. If it was all just based on the quality of your work, he'd never have to even talk to you before hiring.

We've let people go (ie. fire) here at the office because of bad working attitudes, and being too arogant and cocky was one of the reasons.

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 72 22-09-2004 , 07:35 PM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

No, no, dont do the attitude thing!! Thats got to be the worst. Just be yourself, be polite and all the good stuff, confident etc, but do me a favour, be honest.

I left a company a year ago, and it was part of my job to oversee new guys as well as do Maya work, and I tell ya, some people knew how to fudge it to get in, but once they got in I would catch them out after a few days. The fastest was 3 days before one guy was rumbled and that was just photoshop work!! He said he knew the package inside out so I gave him the simple task of stitching a panoramic together and he was in the shit straight away, didn't even know what a layer was or masking. Also we hired a guy who claimed he knew how to set up pipelines in Maya to a real cool standard but was also the biz at animation. He was rumbled after a month when he wanted more money and hadn't actually done a thing, if I remember we did it all ourselves and left him for dead!!

So be honest with yourself and your abilities or you'll be laughing stock, plus you'll be out on the street from whence you came!!

Just my 10pence
_J

Last edited by Jay; 22-09-2004 at 07:38 PM.

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# 73 22-09-2004 , 07:52 PM

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That is a great point! Be honest about your own skills. If you can't swim...or at least doggypaddle a bit....don't jump into the deep blue. user added image

"Terminat Bora Diem, Terminal Auctor opus."

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# 74 23-09-2004 , 02:16 AM

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Not that I would know but something for you to consider. Being able to show that you can model or animate something to spec. can be a very good thing. In other words show the concepts that the models, textures, or animations were made from.

I haven't seen a great number of reals. But so far as I can remmeber I have only sean 1 that might have had some in there. I would trust that one over the rest anyday. The thought in my mind would be, "I give them something to do I know they can nail it."

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