Unpaid Intern, TNA Wrestling, Hard Knocks, and Freelancing Tips, Pt. 1
Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast
Release Date: 02/16/2019
Comics, Crazy Game Submissions, Careers, Industry Rant, and Production
Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast
20-year industry veteran Nick Laing of Amazon Games and I discuss how he went from a Comic Book Artist into game dev as a Concept Artist & UX Designer, Game Designer, and Producer, working at EA, Microsoft, and Amazon Games on games like NFL Street, MMA, and Forza, compulsion versus compelling game design, loot boxes, game budgets, interviewing, the state of VR, game submission war stories, and how to improve Production, hosted by John ‘JP’ Podlasek. (See gamedevadvice.com for all the details.)
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Triple-A Art, Roots of Mocap, SonyPlayStation, Being a Problem Solver
Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast
Dwayne Mason of NXA Studios shares about the early days of motion capture, getting hired by Sony PlayStation, setting up Domino’s franchises, the value of being a problem solver, working at Midway Games, starting then expanding in China plus Argentina, plus working on marquee games like Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and many more, by John ‘JP’ Podlasek. (See gamedevadvice.com for all the details.)
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Indie Game Dev, Rick and Morty, Double Fine and Being in the Game Press
Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast
Chris Johnson of the Player One Podcast shares about getting in the industry, working at Adult Swim with developers like Double Fine, being in the game press, the value of playing games with others, his love for “Sea of Thieves”, and working on his popular podcast of 13 years. (Check out gamedevadvice.com for full show notes.)
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Running An Indie Game Studio, Loot Boxes, AR, Markiplier, and Producers
Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast
Tom Eastman and Ben Perez discuss their seven years of running indie developer Trinket Studios, challenges they’ve overcome, lessons learned, advice for getting into the industry, favorite projects, new technologies, loot boxes, guerrilla marketing, YouTubers, funny stories, and thoughts on game production. (Check out gamedevadvice.com for full show notes.)
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Crunch Culture and What You Can Do To Escape...Hint, It Ain't On Twitter
Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast
The industry’s dirty little secret is in the spotlight again (just Google “intense crunch”) and surprise, everyone’s shocked. Why? It’s been going on since games were on floppy discs. Everyone’s preaching unions. But they’re not going to be your savior, at least any time soon. So instead of waiting for the union tooth fairy, hear my advice for researching and applying to companies that take culture and work-life balance seriously. They exist. Take action and rise above the Twitter ranting.
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NBA Jam BOOMSHAKALAKA!!, Shaq, Dota, Rage 2, The Twilight Zone and Pins
Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast
Tim Kitzrow is a video game & pinball legend, having worked on dozens of games, including the arcade BOOMSHAKALAKA!! classic, NBA Jam. Hear how he got started in voice-over work, studied with famous comedians at The Second City, and took on EA with Mutant League Football. Learn about his work in the upcoming Rage 2 along with a special Dota Jam Announcer pack. How NBA Jam is cursed, Shaq would take an arcade cabinet on the road, and Stern Pinball is back and thriving. (Go to gamedevadvice.com for details.)
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PUBG, Red Dead 2, Taking Risks, Freelancing, Game Dev, VR and a Lawsuit
Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast
James Brady started in 2015 and has already worked on games like Red Dead Redemption 2, PUBG, and other blockbusters. The risky decision to leave his job and pursue game dev, then later leave Rockstar. How his Silent Hill fan art went viral. The difference between U.S. & European studios. Why freelancing is safer than being an employee. What it was like experiencing PUBG’s success. Sound design’s importance, plus VR dev challenges. (See gamedevadvice.com for all the details.)
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Dave Mirra BMX, Coding, Nintendo, Tax Breaks, Tokyo, and Sucker Punch
Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast
Hear how CTO Dave Grace was hired as an audio engineer. What it was like working on Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX. How he formed his own company. Worked at Square Enix on Final Fantasy XV. Advice for getting in the industry plus what careers are always in demand. Learn the importance of reputation. Worked on Sly Cooper, Spyro 3, and other games. Challenges around unionization. Tax breaks for studios in Canadian and the U.S. Opinions on current game industry trends. (See gamedevadvice.com for all the details.)
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Getting Hired, Learning New Tools, VR, Layoffs, Unionizing, and Trends
Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast
Hear how 3D artist Humberto (Tito) Gamboa was hired. How schools often teach outdated tech. Working at a small game studio. Thoughts on online communities & industry events. Why you need to learn beyond school. The value of Twitter, Discord, ArtStation & 80 Level. Tips for applying to game studios. Ideas on learning different art tools. Discussion on unionization. Strategies on being prepared for a layoff. Thoughts on VR and great audio design. Opinions on past and current game industry trends.
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AR, VR, Game Industry Trends, Unity, and Early Mobile Phone Game Dev
Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast
-Hear from developer & CEO Patrick Curry who talks about his company, FarBridge.
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-Hear how he learned about the game industry as a career.
-How studying computer animation at Columbia College lead to his internship at Red Eye Studio.
-Learn the type of work he did as an unpaid intern at Midway Games.
-Find out about Animation Mentor and his hard decision to follow his passion by moving out to LA.
-How we has mentored in Midway LA by industry legends Sal Divita and Mark Turmell.
-His first freelancing animation job working on a TV pilot funded by a granite countertop company.
-How sending his updated reel to his old boss turned into a 5-year experience working at Disney Interactive.
-What’s important to do for keeping your skills up-to-date.
-Discover helpful advice when you are starting out in the gaming industry.
-Why a good reputation and working hard leads to other doors opening.
-Share hard-learned advice about advancing his skills and career.
-Part 2 of Mike turning the tables to grill me with questions, coming soon!
Quotes:
-“I went to a job fair that had the Illinois Institute of Art or something was there make shows some computer graphics, 3d stuff and animation."
-”It was a 3 month unpaid internship I was happy to do to get my foot in the door.”
-"Maybe I thought I was gonna become a Pixar animator, Disney animator."
-"That is actually where I met Jon Krusell because he was the head of Red Eye."
-”We were reverse engineering to make it useable again...it was quite a task.”
-”I signed up for Animation Mentor.”
-”I had that 20-22 year old optimism that nothing can go wrong, it’ll be fine.”
-”Packed everything I owned into a 1997 Toyota Celica hatchback.”
-”What is my son doing...why are we driving to California to be an intern-crap?”
-”We stopped at the Grand Canyon holding the turtle.”
-”We worked on TNA Wrestling.”
-”I stayed for a while and got kinda homesick eventually.”
-”I was paying a lot of money for Animation Mentor.”
-"Starting on a TV show pilot that a local person here wanted to make his own tv show that was an animated version of Sopranos basically called The Baritonios.”
-”It was one of the strangest experiences of my life.”
-”It was great until they launched the missiles and nuked us one day...but that happens.”
-”When I was trying to evaluate how good I was, I would kind of look at other people’s work.”
-”I would probably would have told myself, there’s always gonna be someone who’s better than you.”
-”See how other people are doing and, specially people who are already working and see if your work is on the same level as them.”
-”Be open to doing lots of different things. Doing a podcast for example.”
-”Your reputation is super important, and it’s not based on what you say but what you do.”
-”Have a good attitude whatever the job is.”
-”I did 3 internships just to get my first job.”
-”Say Yes, then figure it out later.”
-”Everything I’m telling you I’ve learned from mistakes in the past so hopefully someone else can take this advice to help them.”
About My Guest:
Mike Antonicelli began his career in 2005 as a volunteer intern for Red Eye Studio.
He graduated Columbia College the following year with a BA in computer animation. Soon after he entered the legendary Midway Games in Chicago as an art production intern. From there, he transferred to Midway LA to become a full-time animator.
In 2008, Michael completed Animation Mentor -- a 2 year training program by Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks animators.
In 2009, he incorporated as Superfantastik CG Inc. Over the past 9 years, Superfantastik’s notable clients have grown to include Disney, Marvel, Steelseries, Next/Now, PulseLearning, Ragtag, and Trinket Studios.
Resources:
-Superfantastik website to book his services
-Superfantastik Twitter
-Jon Krusell on LinkedIn
-Sal Divita Twitter
-Mark Turmell on Giant Bomb
-Level Ex website
-Just in case, a link to the Grand Canyon :)
-TNA Wrestling (video game)
-Mortal Kombat's Nightwolf
-Game Dev Advice Hotline: 224-484-7733
*Don't forget to subscribe and go to www.gamedevadvice.com for other shows and info!