I'm a recent graduate and a huge fan of the ubisoft series... i live in Virginia and have family that lives in NC, so moving is a definite option. I have my Bachelor's Degree in Animation and my fort-ay is 3d Modeling. I have my Associate's degree in Fine Arts, Multimedia, and Computer Graphics.

I want to be a modeler, but if I have to start out doing texturing or rigging... I will... I just need my foot in the door.

I've applied to ubi, but I do not have any work experience in the field (being a recent graduate) and there are no gaming companies here in Virginia Beach for me to get a start...

anyone at UBISOFT! give me a chance.. contact me via email and I will submit my portfolio. I've applied so many times .. and I have yet to hear back!

I am a huge fan of the GR series and I think having a fan of the series to work on the series would be a good investment for the future of the game and Ubisoft.

This might help. Its from an interview I did with Jeff McGann ( aka Geridak ) a while ago.

Q. There is a lot of people looking to get into the gaming industry, in fact Serellan said in his blog that he was concerned at the number of students at the GDC this year. What advice would you give to these people about getting into the game development industry?

Make yourself stand out. Not in the “show up at my house and light my car on fire while performing some kind of costumed dance routine” kind of way, but with so many people trying to break in (to the industry, not my house!)…well there are only so many spots. One of the most popular ways is to work in QA/QC and make contacts and work your way up. It’s really difficult work, but you get a great understanding of the kind of dedication that it takes to get a game made. Beyond that, be able to show something. If you’re getting out of school then you’ve (hopefully) got a portfolio/demo reel/code samples/prototype game/ etc to demonstrate your expertise. If you don’t…well ask for your money back and go make some Mods.


It’s funny that you mention Serellan because he basically got his start, or at least his motivation to start looking for a full-time industry job, from making mods. There are a lot of kick *** engines out there to mod up some cool stuff. If you can’t do that and you don’t have any other proof of expertise, well then maybe you’re not cut out for it. The truth of it is that it’s a job just like every other one, way more fun and rewarding, but still a job with multi-million dollar budgets and contracts and Suits. You wouldn’t go and try to become an Accountant or Doctor, or whatever, without some experience or schooling would you?

thanks Paladin for responding.

I've done the school thing and I understand how much work is involved in Animation and gaming. i've spent the past 8 years seeking the professional know how to get into the industry. I started as a fine arts major to tweak my illustration/painting/sculpting. I received my Associate's Degree... then I changed school's and programs and earned my Associate's Degree in Computer Graphics and Multimedia design (3D animation lightwave, Photoshop, illustrator, dreamweaver, Flash, etc.) I then earned a scholarship to earn my Bachelor's Degree in Animation. I finished that program and graduated with a 3.9 gpa. I thoroughly know zbrush, maya, finalcut pro, avid, etc.

I am not much of a programmer, but more of an artist. I've emailed Serellan for some advice and he gave me some people to email and sites to visit. I have yet to hear back from anyone.

I understand I am a complete stranger, but I have a great work ethic and I really care about ubisoft games and the GR franchise.

I have the necessary skills to bring to the table I just lack the experience and the social contacts.

An internship.. anything to get my foot in the door is what I seek.
I will be a quality worker and I think a true fan of the GR franchise working on the games could help the game and its community.

Good luck Wrecklesbefrendz. You're obviously dedicated and deserve a chance.

Maybe the social contacts could be one angle. Hang out at trade events, find the techy and ask technical questions, find the artist and ask arty questions. Don't be too pushy, but let them know you're interested.

If not, who are you writing to? Do you know the organisation structure and names of people in Human Resources (Personnel or whatever) - they must have some kind of staff turnover so should be able to tell you how and where they advertise or if they use a recruiting agency.

Ubisoft use design studios, don't they(?), so they may be better to apply for. Also don't set your sights too high for the first step. It is ALWAYS better to apply for a job if you are already in one. It takes alot of work to recruit and train someone so a record of being employable and loyal at any job is important. A job in a similar if not the same industry might be one way in.

Anyway, when you get into Ubisoft and are contributing to or designing your own games, remember to send me free copies!

Hello MxSkanduhLESxM,

To be honest getting into the gaming industry, especially the development side, can be tough. Many gamers have dreams of working in development but many do not realize exactly how difficult it can be. Some tips I can give you thought...

(1) Get some business cards printed up with your details and what you can do. This will be a very valuable tool for you and will help in getting you recognized. There are many talented people out there but their main problem is not having the right contacts. Attend as many events as you can and talk to as many developers as you can. Many are so busy, that they may only have a few minutes to spare, so use this chance to exchange business cards. Once you have contact details, make sure you email the person a little while afterwards, just to touch base. Just a small thank you and maybe a little more about what you want to do in the future, nothing to heavy to scare them off.

2) Start collecting/collating a Portfolio of your work. This cannot be stressed enough when it comes to cracking the industry. This can go hand in hand with your business cards, so you may want to make a website to hold all of your work and maybe even have some work on CD's, just in case the need arises. Proof of your ability is better than what a University Degree may allude to, so make sure you have plenty of stuff to put into your portfolio. If possible, aim your work at the prospective development house you would like to work at. Showing highly detailed weaponry off to a development house that makes puzzle games means your work will be wasted, so tailor your work to the style of games you would love to make and that you have a good talent with already.

(3) This is where 1 & 2 come in handy. You need to get out there and make yourself heard and seen. As mentioned with the business cards, you may have to go out of your way to attend events and see these development teams face to face. You will have to burn your own time and money in order to get noticed but if you show the fact you're willing to put in the effort, you will get noticed sooner or later. Get those cards out, get your portfolio into people's hands and start talking to people. Use events to talk to and learn from current developers since they will be able to give you valuable incite into the industry and they may be able to give you some pointers on things you may need to work on.



Also, don't forget to check the Ubisoft Careers site, as it will constantly update with the jobs we have all around the world.

I wish you all the best and I hope some of these tips are useful for you.

Make mods. Best advice ever given. Making mods shows you have an understanding of game engines. Get a copy of UT3 as it comes with some stuff for the UE3 engine as that is the most prevelant engine in use today. Fans of GR are still getting mods for a game that is 7 years old on the RSE engine also.

Once you have a few mods under your belt, you have more to show prospective employers as that is probably the most important part, a decent portfolio.

Given where the economy is at the moment, this would be a good time to take ANY decent job you can get. The gaming industry could be hit particularly hard if this turns into a protracted recession.

thanks for all the insight guys. I really do appreciate it.

I have dvds and cds already...i'm sorta paranoid about putting my work over the internet because I see A LOT of work stolen and traced and passed off as their own. I hate those people.

Is Siggraph the best trade show to pitch my work or are there better ones out there?

quote:

Originally posted by MxSkanduhLESxM:
thanks for all the insight guys. I really do appreciate it.

I have dvds and cds already...i'm sorta paranoid about putting my work over the internet because I see A LOT of work stolen and traced and passed off as their own. I hate those people.

Is Siggraph the best trade show to pitch my work or are there better ones out there?

I would second WK's post, creating community mods will not only give you the ability to show off your work but build a reputation within the community from that work. Serellan started out modding games as I recall

GDC is a good show for job hunting.

Also, go look at gamasutra.com, a quick search shows a ton of animation positions.

Lastly, get on linkedin if you aren't already. There is a game dev group on there that recruiters are always looking at.

Thanks EVERYONE for your tips.. I'll definitely check these sites, shows out for some experience.

quote:

Originally posted by Serellan:
GDC is a good show for job hunting.

Also, go look at gamasutra.com, a quick search shows a ton of animation positions.

Lastly, get on linkedin if you aren't already. There is a game dev group on there that recruiters are always looking at.

Nice to here from you again Serellan


I know how to play games only, having a post like this should help any potetial DEV' move forward.