Getting Into The Industry

# 1 06-06-2004 , 03:33 PM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

Hey Guys N Gals

Just been having a chin wag with a fellow SM member (murph) and he was asking about getting into the industry, and how I got started etc.

I think it would be helpful for newbies and other people to exchange views, ideas, ask question and above all encourage others to get in there.

Right who's first then??

Jango

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# 2 06-06-2004 , 03:55 PM

Registered User
Join Date: May 2002

Location: Niagara Falls, Canada

Posts: 5,310

Thiers no dout its a tough industry to break into, everything thing is leaning towards 3d now a days and so many school are teaching 3d its gettting harder and harder with so many new and young artists all trying for the same jobs.

I've just really started to get a lot of work and I've been out of school just about 2 years now.

I think the main key to breaking into 3D is just have patients an alway work hard and dont be afraid of learning new things. Also really focuse on what you want to do weather it be Modeling, texture artist, animator, or FXs. I my self am primarlly a modeler so i spent most of my time doing that as well as pushing my textures as much as possible, but I do love to animate as well.

The rest of the time learn new things and areas of 3d so you will have a basic idea how everything works incase you ever get in situation where you need to know some things about animation, dynamics etc.

lastly it just determination, it will happen soon or later.

Kurt

I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination, knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world. (Albert Einstein)

https://www.artstation.com/kurtb

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# 3 06-06-2004 , 05:11 PM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

Yeah I agree its a tough industry to break into. I started out in Photoshop 3 nearly ten years ago and did some freelance stuff,
I taught myself 3d from a free package on a magazine. I did a two month course in 3ds max, I think it was version 2. Then I got a lucky break, and it was lucky at the time, doing 3d evironments and some characters for a 3d cartoon strip in Lightwave!!!! But then i saw Maya and what it could do so persuaded my Boss at the time to get it and worked my arse off for 4years learning all sorts of stuff.

But like Kurt I love to model and texture, but as of late have got heavily into characters rigging and mel (which is a BIIIIIG learning curve)

I have been lucky, but if I could do it differently I would get a short , but good showreel ( animation) together and put that out there, and maybe choose the animators path.

Jango

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# 4 06-06-2004 , 05:44 PM

The Maya Mountain
Join Date: Aug 2002

Location: Seattle, WA

Posts: 8,245

Yep, to echo what's been said already, it's definitely not an easy thing to get into. Once you are in, however, things do get a little easier.

Like I've mentioned before, it took me about 3 years after school to finally get my break. Some people are luckier than others. One of my co-workers was hired BEFORE he was finished with school.

But you can't expect to be one of the lucky ones. Work your butt off and continue to improve your work, and eventually, someone will like it. But you have to keep improving.

Persevere!

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 5 07-06-2004 , 04:50 PM

Subscriber
Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: ENGLAND

Posts: 404

Hey guys,

Thanx for taking the time to write all this, im sure it'll be a great thread, theres loads of people who are in my position. either leaving schooling or "Re-trading"

Im quite lucky with the RAF on how they throw money at you to educate yourself while your employed and when you leave they "re-settle" you with a grant to find the area of employment of your choice, I will also get £8G as i leave,

Any suggestions on how to spend some of it (on courses etc) (not in the Spearmint Rhino) that will benefit me in areas of employment

-By that i mean are there holes in the CG Employment Market for modelers, animators - that type of thing, (not bothered which country)

And would anyone care to divulge their income user added image

or estimate a wage for specific areas, just a ball park figure, and i am taking entryish level.
I can hear you all now "mumble mumble - not saying"

I do love CG - AND money shouldn't be a real issue - but i still have to feed the "three little bears" and need to clear £25k ish

CHEERS GUYS user added image

lots'o questions - sorry

MURPH

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# 6 07-06-2004 , 05:40 PM

Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2002

Location: London, UK

Posts: 2,800

I was one of the "lucky ones" I got hired before I finished my masters degree and now have two film credits to my name user added image

(AVP and Thunderbirds).

Stick at it and use the contacts you can make. I wouldnt say you need to specialise completley (especially not for entry level jobs) but if you know what you want to do then show it as best you can. Dont try to do everything on your reel. Show one great piece and then leave off all the crap you made to get there user added image

dont use filler (I've been present when reels get watched here and it made me cringe!)

As for wage, dont expect anything above 20k for an entry level job. If you get over that consider it a bonus. Sorry but that's just the way it is! It's such a competitive industry that there is always someone younger and better and cheaper willing to take your job.

Alan

Technical Director - Framestore

Currently working on: Your Highness

IMDB

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# 7 07-06-2004 , 05:57 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: (EST) Estonia

Posts: 242

I started studing maya about a year ago (I got my first PC 2 years ago and didn't know eaven how to use the mose user added image

). I am in the highschool and I try to improve my modeling skills what arent very good at the moment user added image

My fried offered me a job but don't know if I'am good enaugh to get the job. There is an other guy who wants that job too :@.

Noo0ooB... beginner... novice... newby... I'am new ! ! !

VERY BAD ENGLISH !

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# 8 07-06-2004 , 06:06 PM

Subscriber
Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: ENGLAND

Posts: 404

cheers alan,

20k's alright user added image

Not quite sure i understand the term "filler", & I presume the demo reel is a kind of CV. (I am SO new to this, but want to take it further and have three years to "train")

?-Are there free-lance employers around, and are they a good source for recognition for further employment?

Cheers M

MURPH

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# 9 07-06-2004 , 06:15 PM

The Maya Mountain
Join Date: Aug 2002

Location: Seattle, WA

Posts: 8,245

salary really is determined by location more than anything, I think, assuming we're just talking entry level, no experience type jobs. My entry level salary was about $28k US a year. I believe translated to England, that's under 20k pounds, lol. I make a little more now, thankfully. user added image

Some employers, at least here in the states anyway, might hire you on for a 6-10 month stint to guage whether or not they want to keep you for longer. Mine did.

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 10 07-06-2004 , 06:18 PM

Registered User
Join Date: May 2002

Location: Niagara Falls, Canada

Posts: 5,310

Filler, that Alan was talking about is basically putting projects/work on your reel that you know isn't your best work just to make your reel longer.

The thing you have to rember is that if your reel is 3 mins and only 45 seconds are great and the 45 seconds are at the end of your reel the person watching the reel will most likely stop it before he can see the best work. We can't say it enough only put your best work on your reel.=) I know a few friends of mine that got jobs with a reel that was only about 50 seconds.

I've worked as freelance artist for about the last year or so, can be good money with the right employer/contract, but you have to becarefull a lot of freelance jobs can not pay nearly as well sometimes too. always get i nice contract stating excatly everything you need to do as well as have it state what the employer will do.

Freelanceing is great to get contacts in the industry so your name gets passed around a lot more. Which is something money cant buy.

Kurt

I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination, knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world. (Albert Einstein)

https://www.artstation.com/kurtb

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# 11 07-06-2004 , 06:20 PM

Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2002

Location: London, UK

Posts: 2,800

Some employers, at least here in the states anyway, might hire you on for a 6-10 month stint to guage whether or not they want to keep you for longer. Mine did.

Originally Posted by

Mine was 4 months user added image

but I'm here till december at least by the looks of it user added image

I make a little more now, thankfully

Originally Posted by

Yup me too thank god! user added image

20k is nothing in London! user added image

"Filler" is all the crappy projects that people use to pad out their reels (which you shouldnt do!). Only ever put your very best work on there even if it's only one piece!
Alan

Technical Director - Framestore

Currently working on: Your Highness

IMDB

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# 12 07-06-2004 , 06:44 PM

Subscriber
Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: ENGLAND

Posts: 404

cheers guys,

It's all becoming clearer as each message is posted & each Q Answered...

So more Q's then.

1. Who runs good courses then and what should i expect to pay?
2. Who's gonna win Euro 2004 - lol - (oops wrong thread)

cheers M

MURPH

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# 13 07-06-2004 , 06:50 PM

Subscriber
Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: ENGLAND

Posts: 404

ooopps - 3. do the contents of your reel have to be animated, sound like a stupid question ("yes if it was animation") but if you were seeking employment within the modeling area, would you animate or turntable.
Or do you not tend to demo reel models?

cheers again guys

MURPH

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# 14 07-06-2004 , 06:54 PM

The Maya Mountain
Join Date: Aug 2002

Location: Seattle, WA

Posts: 8,245

yeah, for a modeling position, turntables would probably be good, maybe some basic movements to show your character models are articulate and the like.

As for reels, man, listen to these guys... don't fill your reel with crap.

We had a reel come into the office that was bizarre... the first good 45 seconds of it was cheap Flash animation of a band singing along with a music track pulled from the internet or whatever...

First... FLASH?! What the hell? This is a game company! Yeah, there are flash games out there, and if he showed a flash game on his reel, that might at least be interesting, but we don't do anything with flash here... plus the flash animation he showed was crap.

Second... the stuff AFTER the horrible song, crappy flash wasn't actually half bad, but we were so turned off by the just total off-the-wall crap that preceded it, we chunked it immediately.

Word to the wise. user added image

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 15 07-06-2004 , 07:00 PM

Registered User
Join Date: May 2002

Location: Niagara Falls, Canada

Posts: 5,310

Ya Like Mike said.. turn tables going form wire frame are good and throw in a fast rig to have them move a bit so aemployer can see how well your models will move and deform. Also a good idea to put in your texture maps.

I'll be putting together a new modeling reel in the next month or so...

I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination, knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world. (Albert Einstein)

https://www.artstation.com/kurtb

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