P1_post5

   From all of the research that I have done, I have learned that it is a very competitive market for the jobs that I would like to do. But thanks to the internet, it seems like there is more oppurtunity to find work in these various fields than previously before. I think I see myself writing reviews and comments and posting them to different web sites as a starting off point. I have heard that this is a good way to build a reputation in the entertainment industry. Everyone has to start out somewhere.

   Due to this being my first quarter, I still am unsure of the direction that I want to go. But now I am more informed and I can start the process of tightening the noose on what my interests and strengths will be. As I progress through my schooling, the path I should take should start to manifest itself more and more. The good thing about pursuing an occupation in the new digital age of media is that there are so many different fields to choose from. It seems that if you have the basic knowledge of how to get things done along with the tools to perform the tasks set before you properly, the only limits are that of your own creativity and imagination. I am looking forward to finding out how I will fit into it all.

   I dabbled in Photoshop while I was working on my final project for my Intro to Game Design class, and I find it fascinating! I can't wait until I take it. We are truly blessed to be living in such an age of technological convenience...I am also very interested in the BDAD program. I like the idea of coming up with other ideas and innovations. I have been told that I have an uncanny knack for solving problems and finding alternate ways of doing things. I wouldn't mind stepping up to the mental plate and putting my intuitive skills to the test.

   Since this is my last assignment for this class, I would like to thank all the partners that I had for projects for all the input that they have given me along the way. I would also like to wish everybody in class all the best in whatever endeavors that they might pursue. And I would also like to thank our instructor Karen Holum for all the time she has taken to help me better understand digital media. I found the history of written script project very interesting. I'm kind of embarrassed. As an aspiring writer, I should know about how it all came to be. But thanks to her, now I do.

   Merry Christmas, everyone! I look forward to seeing you all around campus next quarter. Keep on crusading...

-Shaun

P1_post4

     The company that I would like to work for is Naughty Dog as a script writer. Naughty Dog I a video game publisher that works exclusively with Sony and has made a lot of great triple-A titles. I have chosen their company above others because they design their games like movies and put a lot of emphasis on good graphics and depth of storytelling. They are owned by veterans of the gaming industry who have been in the business for years, most of whom started out as writers to begin with. I think that my creativity would be a welcome addition to the artistic core of their company. Here are the 5 questions that I would make sure to ask upon getting an interview.


1. What are the benefits and perks that I will receive upon my employment?


2. What other forms of media entertainment besides games, if any, do you see your company expanding into?


3. Would I be able to work on other endeavors (Side Projects) privately or would all the art I create on my own time be owned by your company by contract as long as I am employed with you?


4. Is their some form of advancement. If so, how often and what are the parameters? Or is this a flat management model?


5. If I have other skills besides script writing that can contribute to whatever project that I or a team might be working on, can they be utilized or would I only be hired for one specific position?

   
     From what I have read on their career page, they seem not to require several years of industry experience just to get your foot in the door, which really surprised me. They seem to focus more on the creative aspect along with your problem solving abilities. You have to have general knowledge of computer science and writing code, but you do not have to have several years of doing under your belt to be considered for employment. If they like your portfolio and artistic vision and drive, they will most likely have a place for you. I like the idea of working for a company that is ran by artists and writers rather than some bureaucratic bean counter.

P1_post3

Here is a summary of the 5 jobs that I believe would best suit my talents and strengths in no official order:


Writer/Author:

Pay: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual  pay as of 2010 is $55,420 at an hourly rate of $26.64.

Outlook/Growth: The expected growth of this occupation from 2010-2020 is an expected 6%, which is considered slower than average.


Multimedia Artist/Animator:

Pay: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual pay as of 2010 is $58,510 at an hourly rate of $28.13.

Outlook/Growth: The expected growth of this occupation from 2010-2020 is an expected 8%, which is considered slower than average.

Technical Writer:

Pay: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual pay as of 2010 is $63,280 at an hourly rate of $30.42.

Outlook/Growth: The expected growth of this occupation from 2010-2020 is an expected 17%, which is considered faster than average.


Broadcast and Sound Engineering Technician:

Pay: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual pay as of 2010 is $39,870 at an hourly rate of $19.17.

Outlook/Growth: The expected growth of this occupation from 2010-2020 is an expected 10%, which is considered faster than average.


Journalist:

Pay: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual pay as of 2010 is $36,000 at an hourly rate of $17.31.

Outlook/Growth: The expected growth of this occupation from 2010-2020 has moderately declined 6%.


     All job statistics are taken from the Occupational Outlook Handbook at the Bureau of Labor Statistics web site.

     I can honestly say that I have had my fill of the West Coast. I would have no problem working here locally, but my main objective is to re-locate to some other region given the opportunity  All of the job titles listed above have expected growth with the exception of Journalism. This is due to the rise of independent journalists that have their own forums on the internet. I actually think that being a Journalist would be the easiest of the five to do, since those who do opinion articles are more in demand then those who report hard news.

P1_post2

      My ideal job after finishing school would just be to find one in my field of expertise that pays somewhat well. I am a realist, I know that I will not find a job where I am making 6 figures right off the bat. Anyone who listened to the speaker from the career office talk about that bar graph that broke down who gets hired by what type of degree they have should know that as well.

     I choose digital gaming and media because I wanted to work in the entertainment industry. I figured that since the interactive industry is bringing in more money than TV and movies along with becoming more like movies in their presentation and format, I would have an easier time finding work. But now I am having second thoughts. I don't really want to spend the rest of my life until retirement chained to a desk in some cubicle writing code for a Spongebob Squarepants game for 18 hours a day. I know that code writing is a must know in the field today. I have no problem doing it, it's just I don't want it to be what I do each and every day in the industry. So, I am now leaning more towards being a freelance artist and writer. I would still want to work in the industry, but primarily more in the creative development and story-boarding aspects of the business. This way, I wouldn't just be limited to games. I could find work in all types of fields in they entertainment industry, which is my overall goal. I'm the type of person that doesn't like to be limited to doing  one specific thing over and over again. There is nothing worse for any artist than tedium, I would think. It quashes one's drive to create by making the mind creatively stagnant. One of my favorite quotes is that of the description of insanity. It is described as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I want to be the exact opposite of that quote by coming up with ideas and creating things that haven't  been thought of yet. This is partly due to spending most of my childhood growing up in the company of machinists and engineers. When the subject came up who you wanted to be, my friends would most of the time name a popular sports or entertainment figure that best emulated what their aspirations were. When I was asked, I would most often choose the likes of Howard Hughes and Thomas Edison. You could just imagine how popular I was.

     If I was to become a top-tier game designer, my annual salary would range from $70,746 to $111,172 in  my local area with a mid-range of $90,958, according to a wage survey by The Creative Group. Not too shabby. But then again, I'm still undecided on what my base profession will ultimately be. So only time will tell.

P1_post1

My score was as follows:

Openness to Experience/Intellect: 90
Conscientiousness: 94
Extroversion: 53
Agreeableness: 83
Neurotic-ism: 7

           What can I say, I am who I am. I don't know how much stock I can really put into a computer survey, if any. But when it comes to the subject of my work ethic philosophy, I often get good reports. A lot of people claim it is due to me having so much humility, but I don't know. I was never one to complain unless I had good reason to. I never really had the luxury of having a job that required me to dress in a suit and tie or that commanded a high level of respect and responsibility. My work day would usually end with me going home covered in some sort of grime, each type differing from one job to another. But I was getting paid well, or what I thought was sufficient for the time, so I couldn't complain. I actually got a new job today, which I believe is due to my sense of humor and my easy going attitude. It also helps when the person who is hiring you has been where you have and understands how much of a fresh breath of air it is not to be doing that sort of work anymore. Having the experience that I have now from doing that sort of work seems to finally be paying off in the way that I don't have to physically kill myself anymore. Now I am at the age where I get to help the people do the jobs that I used to do, just without all of the smashed fingers and constant aches and pains to go along with it.

            One thing I don't miss about the trades that I used to do is some of the people that I worked under and with. It's a helluva thing to be lectured about the facts of life by people who dope, cheat on their wives, and are thousands of dollars in debt while the whole time wearing a smile on their face and a song in their throat. I overheard a good quote the other day that made me stop and think for a moment. "I am tired of being under the boot of greedy men who believe in nothing." I don't think I could have said it better myself. We are raised with the belief that if you work hard, are honest, respectable, responsible, and reliable you are rewarded. But it's starting to seem nowadays that those traits really don't matter anymore. It seems that those who get rewarded now are those who choose to lie, cheat, manipulate, and outright screw over whoever they must to get themselves into greater positions of power. What scares me more is that they have no regard for the people they do it to or the consequences that they might face.  The whole "me, me, me, and everyone else be damned," attitude seems to be the growing mindset in our society. And it seems to be working for a lot of those who act this way. It's examples like this that make me wonder if the American dream is truly dead, or just dead for those who still believe that ethics and integrity should be pillars of strength in an individuals' moral constitution.