So you're looking to get into the games industry? Well, you're not alone!
Here we aim to give you some advice and pointers about successfully breaking into this exciting and fast-growing industry because, be warned, the competition is fierce! A huge number of people want to work in games and not everyone can succeed. Although enthusiasm is essential, just playing a variety of games on a variety of consoles does not mean you have games industry experience, and this will not be sufficient in itself. Here's an idea of what else we'll be looking for:
We would expect that you are regularly reading the trade press, and are maybe even involved in some of the online communities. Examples are:
There are an increasing number of games-specific courses being run by universities and colleges. However, attending one of these courses will not guarantee you work within the industry upon completion. We recommend that you thoroughly research the courses available before enrolling, as the content does vary, and we suggest you explore evidence of strong connections to developers. Check out the UCAS website www.ucas.ac.uk for a full list of courses available.
There's a wealth of information available on the Internet on how to break into the games industry that we don't intend to reproduce here, so we would recommend you take a look at some of the following links:
So, now that we've established you are serious about working within the games industry, what do we need from you?
Please remember that the service we provide to you, as a candidate, is free, but our clients pay for our service. For us to be able to help you and justify our fee, you need to closely match our clients' expectations, so your enthusiasm, qualifications and ability need to shine through from the first time you contact us. In reality all games companies and recruitment agencies alike are inundated with CVs from inexperienced candidates on a daily basis. Your application needs to be of the highest standard to make you stand out from the crowd.
Firstly, think about your CV. Does it show all the information it should?
Does your CV state that, at the very least, playing computer games is an interest or hobby? If it currently doesn't then do include it, as prospective employers need to know you are passionate about the job they may offer you. If we don't see this clearly in your CV and/or cover letter, we won't be forwarding your details to any of our clients. If you are part on any online communities, mention this too.
We will also need to see details of your qualifications. Tell us about the course you've completed including a breakdown of the modules covered, as the modules for each course, and in turn each University or college, are different. You need to let us know what you have learnt. Is your course focused, for example has it specifically taught you programming, 3D animation or concept art? Also tell us your grade. Unfortunately you will need a 2:1 or higher (or equivalent) and a strong demo for us to be able to help you. We're not discriminating against you; we simply can't justify our fee to our clients unless it's for the very best candidates.
Always include details of any work experience that may be relevant.
We will need to see demo work if you are interested in art and design or programming positions. You need to spend time on your demo work making it your own and, most importantly, making it the best it can be. Remember, you are applying for a creative role in a creative industry. By all means use parts of your course work, but also add that something extra because, don't forget, everyone else on your course will be doing the same.
You should be constantly striving to improve and update your demo work, and consider tailoring it for specific clients or vacancies of interest. Think of the kind of games you like to play and the kind of studio you would want to work for and the style of games they develop so that you can try and include this style of work in your portfolio. The style and quality of your work needs to be realistic in the context of games currently being released.
Alongside any computer generated demo work we would need a shot list (i.e. a breakdown of software packages used, how long the finished image took to create, whether it was entirely your own work and, if not, which percentage of it was, etc).
+Animation demo:
The primary consideration for animations is to show a good understanding of timing and weight. It is more important to show that you understand the core principles of motion, so it doesn't matter how simple or complicated your work is as long as it clearly illustrates this.
We suggest you refer to The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams and/or Disney's The Illusion of Life, as both are excellent books on the fundamentals of animation.
+3D Art / Level Design demo:
With regards to 3d art and level design demo work, ideally you need to show both high and low poly examples that are games relevant and as realistic as possible (this includes all character, environment, vehicle or object examples). Strong texturing is also absolutely key here. Please try not to make your level work too dark. Some studios will also like to see that, whilst you have a good grasp of the 3d side, you are also confident in creating 2d artwork.
+Programming demo:
A demo is an excellent way of showing a potential employer what you are capable of and can make the difference in securing an interview. It doesn't need to be big, or even a game, as long as you demonstrate you have raw coding talent using C++ or Java.
If you are producing a programming demo there are three golden rules to follow:
-Make it relevant: there is no point in producing something that would be no use in a game - the objective is to impress, so be bold with your ideas. Also pay attention to detail.
-Make it easy: i.e. include an executable, which requires no additional software to run. Also, include the source code so we can look at how you produced the demo and assess your coding style. A “read me” file with instructions may be appropriate, don't assume the recipient knows how to play your demo.
-Make it stable: the worst-case scenario would be to produce a really good demo that won't run on another machine. Make sure you thoroughly test it and try it on several machines.
+Submitting demo work:
Please ensure that your personal contact details do not appear on any demo work.
You can upload demo work as part of OPM's registration process via our website at www.opmjobs.com, or you could email some jpeg / avi / quicktime files in a zip file no larger than 4mb direct to officemanager@opmjobs.com. Alternatively you can send a CD or DVD to:
OPM Response Ltd
Anderson House
228 Old London Road
Marks Tey
ESSEX
CO6 1HD
Tel: +44 (0)1206 214421
URLs are suitable for us to view your work as part of our assessment process, but not to forward to our clients. If providing a URL, please bear in mind the time it will take to download, as this may be off-putting for the recipient if too long!
We trust this information is helpful and that you can meet these expectations; we very much look forward to working with you!
