   From successful Film maker to game developer
  Hi there. I'm new to these forums and have read various threads which do give me the basics in breaking into the industry but I plan on doing it in a way that I can't find threads already for.You see, I have a passion for film making and after school I will be going to a film school to become a director. I want to explore this passion and make innovative films and (as is everbodies hope) become successful. My other passion is game design, but what I read about breaking into the industry makes this seem a long and tedious process. It's not that I don't want to put in the effort but because I want to be both a director and game developer I thought i'd start off as a director as for me that field will be easier to build a name in. My plan is to basically skip the 'making a name' stage of game design by doing it in film creation. Now I know success here doesn't mean success in the game industry but I feel I have enough drive and creative ideas to make me achieve anything.So basically what i'm asking is do you think it's possible to do this or will I have to start out fresh when I enter the gaming field even if I have a name in film..oh and on a side note, I wouldn't enter the game industry riding off my film success, i'd start with a small game, learn the industry a bit and how my team works as a whole. Then when we've produced a (hopefull) successful game and shown our stuff, then we tackle the epic games I am currently designing even now when they wont see the light of day for many years.Thanks in advance for any help.   
  I think you'll have a harder time breaking into the film industry than you will getting into the games industry.  I think a background in film can compliment game design quite a lot, but the skills are not directly transferrable.  You will more than likely not be able to 'skip' the entry level parts of the games business by becoming a film maker.I knew I wanted to be a game designer when I went to college, but I also knew that being a good designer is as much about your non-game related passions as your game related ones.  I love film, and for the first two years in college, took film courses.  At the same time, I was learning to make games.  Having the film background when I started looking for game dev jobs gave me an edge, but it was even more important that I was able to program well, had the requisite math skills, and had made a few games already.   ;  Oh yea that reminds me.. I'm not a fan of maths (quit a year ago, in last year of school now), also I despise programming...That was part two of my question which I completely forgot to write in: How important is the technical aspect of game design?And considering you don't need 'an edge' in getting yourself a job as a game designer, how important is it still?Maybe it's easier if I list my skills to help with your answers...-I'm good at art,can get most of my visual thoughts on paper to communicate them. Working on my photoshop abilities to help with this.-Decent at storyboarding/script writing, which I'm also going to be developing as a film director hopefully.-Creative. It's hard to say that about yourself but in the least 'up myself' way I believe i'm a very creative person and can always come up with the things people overlook. I believe this will help in being innovative.-Good communicator/leader. I'm not afraid to get out there and talk to people and I've been given a position of leadership at my school.-Musically I could write the pieces for a game, i've never had this skill tested but through my own playing around on instruments I believe I have what it takes.So my skills aren't with the technical aspect of design but with pretty much every creative design process. When the game reaches the more technical part as design settles down I believe my communication skills and innovative skills will help advertise the game and solve problems.Also just remember I find film to be another great passion of mine so although it's ultimatly easier to start in game if you want to be in game, I want to do both (i'm greedy haha) and will start in film because I find it easier and easier to break into (we have very respectable film schools near where I live and absolutely no game focused courses, I would have to go overseas for that).Thanks again.   ;Quote:Original post by Roan_04..... I plan on doing it in a way that I can't find threads already for.Hopefully this thread goes better than the one 8 days ago asking the same question...Quote:So basically what i'm asking is do you think it's possible to do this or will I have to start out fresh when I enter the gaming field even if I have a name in film..You will have to start fresh. Making films isn't a short cut to making games - unless you become the next multi-millionaire James Cameron, in which case you will be able to afford to do whatever you want. Of course doing that will take 10+ years and the odd against it are very high. If on the other hand you make a few indie movies then your still going to have to start at the bottom in games and work your way up before anyone will trust you to make a big budget game.Quote:Maybe it's easier if I list my skills to help with your answers...-I'm good at art,can get most of my visual thoughts on paper to communicate them. Working on my photoshop abilities to help with this.Good doesn't cut it you need to be great to get into the games industry based on your art ability. Do you have a portfolio? If not you will need oneQuote:-Decent at storyboarding/script writing, which I'm also going to be developing as a film director hopefully.Decent also wont cut it either. Have you got any published work yet or won any prizes for your writing - anything that shows that others (who aren't you friends or family) think your writing is good?Quote:-Creative. It's hard to say that about yourself but in the least 'up myself' way I believe i'm a very creative person and can always come up with the things people overlook. I believe this will help in being innovative.Everyone thinks they are creative but what have you actually created? Being creative isn't about ideas it is about taking those ideas and making them real.Quote:-Musically I could write the pieces for a game, i've never had this skill tested but through my own playing around on instruments I believe I have what it takes.Sorry but what you think you could do is meaningless. You need to actually do it and do it well. Quote:Also just remember I find film to be another great passion of mine so although it's ultimatly easier to start in game if you want to be in game, I want to do both (i'm greedy haha) and will start in film because I find it easier and easier to break into (we have very respectable film schools near where I live and absolutely no game focused courses,....I'm sorry if this comes across as at all negative but you seem to have an unrealistic view of how difficult it is to break into the film industry. Getting into film school doesn't mean you will even work in the film industry, let alone become a Director. If you graduate you will still have to spend years working as a runner in some production studio while scrabbling around for grants and funding to make shorts. Only once you have proven yourself doing that will anyone let you near anything actually approaching a movie.ConclusionIs it possible to have a career that spans both film and games. Sure, if you work really hard and you turn out to be as good as you think you are. However, for that to happen all those unproven skills you believe you have will need to be proven. It takes a lot of time and effort to become a great writer, musician or artist.   ;  Well that was a slap in the face with a wet fish. Don't worry, I did read the 'my break in plan' (think that's what it was called) thread but found it unhelpful, this wont be another one of those.I will be working on my skills over my last year in school (this year) so hopefully over the course of the year I'll learn more about myself. You've shown me I need to know ability and skill through solid evidence and right now I don't have a lot  of that. I have made up a few card games and board games, some of them actually playable but that doesn't really count towards video game development I suppose.Well I guess I'll just work hard this year then to advance my skills, next year i'll go to my film school (which has a great reputation and a higher than 80% rate of getting their students into industry jobs after the course), then I suppose that's where the real hard work comes in. Thanks for your input, you've given me a few things to think about. I posted on these forums, being young and having not much knowledge on the inside of these industries, to gain that knowledge. I'll be going overseas on holiday as of tomorrow so might get a chance to post tomorrow morning, otherwise, if I don't post back for a week that's why.   ;Quote:Original post by Roan_04You've shown me I need to know ability and skill through solid evidence and right now I don't have a lot  of that. I have made up a few card games and board games, some of them actually playable but that doesn't really count towards video game development I suppose.Games are games and every bit of experience helps. A few card and board games won't get you a job in the industry but they are the first step in the right direction. Now you need to...1. make an effort to work out why the good ones are good and the bad ones are bad, so that you can improve your hit rate.2. Keep at it, make more.3. Write stuff - short stories, poems, articles, whatever - then send them to the local/global papers/magazines in an attempt to get published. Don't expect immediate success. It takes practice to develop the necessary skills - keep at it, write more.4. Don't assume that even a good college course will be enough (and don't believe the hype either). Out of the 80% of graduates who do get a "industry" job the vast majority will be working in corporate video and low level TV/film. Only a tiny % will excel (and be lucky enough) to get noticed and get a chance to rise above that and make a name. It is the same in the games industry. Out of all the graduates, from even respected courses, who get to work in the (game) "industry" only a small % actually end up doing games. Many more end up doing graphics related work in business software or entertainment related multi-media products. In addition to doing well at school you will need to work on developing your skills outside of school if you want a portfolio that will impress and get you noticed.It's hard work getting into either films or games. It takes real passion to keep working at it and build your skills to the necessary level. If you have the passion and the skill then you will succeed. Good luck in your quest. If you succeed remember to buy me a beer. If you don't succeed then "no, I don't want fries with that" ;)   ;  Since you appear to be more artistically inclined I would suggest focusing on developing your skills as an artist/modeler/etc over programming. Note though that working as an artist in the game's industry is a very technical field as well. Much in the same way being a director for a film is: you need to still have acute understanding of camera technology and the "technical art" behind their operation in order to be effective as a director.You can certainly break it into the games industry with any "degree", the thing is if you want a job in the games industry you will need to apply yourself outside of class to work on your own personal interest projects or better yet try your hand at being apart of a mod team.That's the plan for me, at least. I'm studying Visual Communications (fancy term for graphic design) at school, while also doing (rather learning) level design work for a crysis mod called Mechwarrior: Living Legends. I think it's going well as so far I've been "offered a job" at Crytek (read: they were interested in me submitting my portfolio to them for review) but seeing as I'm still a newb and developing my interests, skills, portfolio, and direction, I don't wish to try jumping on that shark yet. Plus moving to germany sounds like a bitch at the moment :P;Quote:Original post by KorJaxI've been "offered a job" at Crytek (read: they were interested in me submitting my portfolio to them for review)Don't go throwing around phrases so willy-nilly. Being offered a job is much more than what you described. What they offered you is an invitation to apply for a job.When they say, "we want you to come work for us, the pay will be this much, you can start April Umpteenth," then you've gotten a job offer.;Quote:Original post by Tom SloperQuote:Original post by KorJaxI've been "offered a job" at Crytek (read: they were interested in me submitting my portfolio to them for review)Don't go throwing around phrases so willy-nilly. Being offered a job is much more than what you described. What they offered you is an invitation to apply for a job.When they say, "we want you to come work for us, the pay will be this much, you can start April Umpteenth," then you've gotten a job offer.That's why I put it in quotes and annotated what it really meant :PI am well aware that it's not a real job offer, that's just the most convenient way I knew how to put it.   