Speakeasy

Game Art Behind-the-Scenes: How Art Directors Estimate Artists’ Portfolios with Horia Dociu | Devoted SpeakEasy E11

This episode is an absolute must-watch for those who are looking for a job for exciting and huge projects. You will find out what happens to your portfolio after you send it out to prospective employer — how it is estimated by the studio and Art Director.

Together with Horia Dociu and Ninel Anderson we reviewed the portfolios of some amazing artists such as Kekai Kotaki, Levi Hopkins, Carlyn Lim, John Powell, and others. Have a look behind the scenes of the candidate review process and get some precious piece of advice how to improve your own profile.

Timecodes for your quick navigation:

( 00:00 ) — Intro
( 00:28 )  — Horia’s tips for designing a portfolio
( 2:23 )  — Kekai Kotaki’s art and portfolio analysis
( 7:30 )  — Kekai Kotaki’s personal artworks
( 9:53 )  — Levi Hopkins and his gorgeous environments
( 13:40 ) —  Carlyn Lim and her epic monsters
( 20:03 ) —  John Powell — a “Swiss knife” of the CGI industry
( 23:22 )  — David Heidhoff and his universal art skills
( 24:26 )  — Concept art pieces and illustrations of Naomi Baker
( 27:29 ) —  Putting your own touch to portfolio pieces
( 32:00 )  — Attention to details when designing your portfolio

Watch the full episode at the link. 

Art Director’s Tips for Creature Designing. SpeakEasy E10 with Horia Dociu

How to create realistic creatures that immediately grab the attention of your players? How does the color palette build the whole atmosphere in the scene? Why is the balanced approach to the idea-generation process so important? And what approach do we call balanced?

If any of these questions seem relevant to you, we know someone who has the answers. That is why we invited Horia Dociu to our Devoted Speakeasy podcast and had an informative and inspiring conversation. Horia’s advice is priceless, as his track record includes such projects as HALO, Ghost of Tsushima, inFAMOUS, and Guild Wars 2. 

Timecodes:

( 0:00 ) —  Intro
( 0:42 ) — Horia Dociu’s core principles in creating art
( 2:32 ) — Why monsters and creatures are game features
( 3:28 ) — How tone forms our game experience
( 4:49 ) — How to make creatures believable and understandable for the audience
( 6:16 ) — Why it’s essential to design functional models at first
( 7 :34 ) — All you have to know about theme ideation and creating mood boards
( 9:33 ) — An effective approach to design concepts
( 11:16 ) — How to make models tell stories
( 12:49 ) — How colors convey the mood in Last of Us, Fall Guys, and Mario Kart
( 15:26 ) — Stylization dilemma: keeping a balance between cartoony and photoreal styles
( 17:14 ) — How to nurture original ideas
( 20:29 ) — Creativity vs keeping deadlines: what is more important?
( 25:44 ) — How to achieve solidarity between different departments
( 29:04 ) — Ways of testing theories for artists

Watch the full episode at the link

How to Build A Career in Gamedev: Tips from an Art Director. SpeakEasy E09 with Horia Dociu

Is it the best time to become an artist now? What steps should you take today to become an Art Director at Pixar in the future? What does the artist’s lifestyle look like? And how to tolerate negative feedback? Find out with Horia Dociu, our beloved guest on the Devoted SpeakEasy podcast.

Horia Dociu is an Artist, Cinematic Director, and Art Director who worked with ArenaNet, Sucker Punch, Valve Software, and other industry-recognized studios. Don’t miss the opportunity to get a piece of advice from him. Besides, he has a very charismatic personality, so we can guarantee that you really enjoy this interview.

Timecodes:

( 0:00 ) — Intro
( 0:44 ) — Horia Dociu’s legacy
( 1:46 ) — Why it’s an excellent time to be an artist
( 3:57 ) — What portfolio should you have to be hired at the Call of Duty team
( 5:23 ) — What you should do to become a Pixar movie director in 20 years
( 7:27 ) — Changing your plan from “becoming famous” to “becoming great at”
( 8:55 ) — Is studying at college a must for artists?
( 11:27 ) — How to put goals according to the OKR system
( 14:20 ) — How to change your lifestyle to become a better artist
( 17:27 ) — A piece of advice from Milton Kahl, a legendary animator from Disney studio
( 18:41 ) — How to make use of feedback
( 22:30 ) — How to align your strong skills with your ambitions

Watch the full episode at the link

Fall Guys: Creating a Hit That Makes Millions – Alexander McKinney-Raphelt. SpeakEasy E08

Welcome to behind-the-scenes of Fall Guys! Together with Alexander McKinney-Raphelt, an Art Director at Epic Games you will discover all the secrets of one of the most profitable video games of the past decade. 

Ninel (Gryuner) Anderson invited Alexander to our SpeakEasy podcast and asked him about the idea generation and design processes in the Fall Guys creation; his management experience and requirements for artists; and the importance of video games in the modern world. Don’t miss this amazing interview.

Timecodes:

( 0:00 ) — Intro
( 0:52 ) — Meeting Alexander McKinney-Raphelt
( 3:23 ) — How the Fall Guys video game was created
( 9:20 ) — Who has designed Fall Guys — artists or game designers?
( 11:44 ) — About characters’ customization in Fall Guys
( 16:17 ) — How to motivate Fall Guys players
( 18:34 ) — About the teams that worked on Fall Guys customized characters
( 20:00 ) — How Fall Guys community suggested ideas
( 23:31 ) — Art manager and art director — what is the difference
( 26:04 ) — How to measure the creative side of artists
( 29:44 ) — Alexander’s requirements for artists
( 31:42 ) — Guest’’s managing experience in InnoGames
( 35:36 ) — How Alexander has built a rolling system in the game production
( 37:49 ) — Working on a game based on Star Wars
( 41:21 ) — The importance of video games for humanity

Watch the full episode at the link

Spellbreak: x2 in Size and 4 Platforms Simultaneous Release Amidst Pandemic. Devoted SpeakEasy E07 with Cardell Kerr

How to manage a team and release a game successfully during a pandemic? What are the secrets of Spellbreak success? How to empower the hiring process and create an effective team? What skills should you look for and develop among your team members?

Watch this interview with Cardell Kerr, the Executive Producer of Proletariat find out the answers to these and many more questions.  

Timecodes:

( 00:00 ) — Intro
( 00:54 ) — Transitioning Proletariat to x2 in size distributed team
( 03:50 ) — Using the system of emails with military precision
( 04:35 ) — Tips for organizing remote meetings efficiently: Google Meets, Discord, Slack tips
( 06:03 ) — Asking for feedback
( 08:40 ) — Ways to reduce stress and inspire team
( 10:27 ) — Scaling team through pandemic: the challenges and celebrations
( 13:14 ) — The trick to make hiring more efficient
( 14:36 ) — Key job skills to look for and develop with your team members
( 18:30 ) — Cardell’s way to train producers to address risks
( 22:45 ) — Understanding the ‘Why’ within a team
( 25:27 ) — Working with cross-functional teams
( 27:38 ) — Problems and challenges of fast team growth

Watch the full episode at the link

Character Customization That Sells with Tramell Isaac. Devoted Speakeasy E06 by Ninel Anderson

This episode’s guest is Tramell Isaac, the Vice President of Art at IllFonic, Art Director of the Fallout series, Planetside, Planetside 2, Predator: Hunting Ground, Duke Nukem Forever, and Lawbreakers. We promise that this interview is as impressive as Trammel’s track record!

Watch this episode to find out about how great projects start, how to make your content sellable, and why the players like customized assets so much. Improve your knowledge of the game art industry with Devoted SpeakEasy. 

Timecodes:

(00:00) — Intro
(0:58) — Game production steps from the very first day
(3:06) — Character customization tips and tricks
(4:02) — Building unique distinguish character factions
(7:31) — Creating valuable and sellable content
(9:03) — How to find out what your users want to buy
(13:17) — Involving community into building content
(15:26) — Budgeting character customization
(21:45) — Career choices and recommendations
(27:00) — What makes a great artist
(29:07) — DO’s and DON’T’s in becoming a Lead Artist
(33:42) — Lead artist: creating content VS management

Watch the full episode at the link

14 Things to Know to Raise VC Money in Gaming. Devoted Speakeasy E05 by Ninel Anderson 

This episode hosts amazing thinkers who analyze gaming trends and distribute venture capital among the products with high potential for success. In this podcast, you’ll meet Sam Englebardt and Richard Kim, Partners at Galaxy Interactive, as well as William Rhys Dekle, Partner at Strategic Alternatives.

Together with our amazing host Ninel (Gryuner) Anderson they discussed modern trends and game industry changes in the after-pandemic times, and shed some light on the decision-making process of how the projects are chosen to be invested in. Must-watch for game producers who want to raise VC money.

Timecodes:

( 00:00 ) — Intro
( 01:50 ) — 5 things investors are looking for in a pitch
( 03:53 ) — How do investors do their due diligence on content?
( 07:43 ) — The Pitch Process, and case studies from Galaxy’s portfolio
( 20:53 ) — Cold calling investors vs. warm intro?
( 22:42 ) — Is building a “Founder Brand” a necessity?
( 23:10 ) — How to research investors?
( 27:25 ) — Are consultants helpful in raising money?
( 29:17 ) — Supporting each other is key!
( 30:27 ) — What is the difference between a lead investor and a follower?
( 31:10 ) — How do you price your business?
( 36:05 ) — Do your math! Is VC actually a good solution for you? What other options do you have?
( 37:29 ) — Overall time, from starting pitching, to term sheet draft, to the final version. When would you actually receive the money in your account?
( 38:55 ) — What’s the usual time between the rounds? What should the founder be doing in between rounds?
( 42:52 ) — How has the process changed with the advent of the pandemic?

Watch the full episode at the link

Building Compelling Game Worlds: Destiny and Halo with Christopher Barrett. Devoted SpeakEasy E04

Even if you haven’t met Christopher Barrett before this episode, you definitely know the projects he created! He was the Art Director on Halo 2 and Halo 3, the Artist on Halo, the Art and Game Director of Destiny 2, and the Art Director of Destiny. 

Sounds impressive? Then hurry up to watch his interview and find out how to build the world your players will be excited to explore. The other important issues we discussed in this episode are “How to find inspiration”, “How to manage a big team of artists”, and “How to be the Art Director and the Game Director simultaneously”.

Timecodes:

( 00:00 ) — Intro
( 2:18 )  — Building worlds you want to explore
( 5:15 )  — Using the concept of “postcards” to tease an idea of a place you want to visit
( 9:15 )  — Drawing inspiration from beloved fiction from childhood
( 12:20 )  — How to communicate personal achievement through the visual language of gear rarity
( 17:50 )  — The importance of building upon existing, recognizable tropes
( 24:15 )  — The challenge of helping artists in a big team find the common language
( 30:40 )  — The nuances between an Art Director and Game Director in leading a team
( 37:50 )  — Being a social media ambassador for Destiny through its ups and downs

Watch the full episode at the link

Bigger than Games: Character World, Design Kits in LoL, GoW with E.Gonzalez. Devoted Speakeasy E03

Lead Art Director for Catalyst Black Eduardo Gonzalez joined us for a new Devoted SpeakEasy podcast episode. Previously he was a concept artist for God of War, Socom, and Kill Zone. He also contributed to Visual Development and World Building at Riot Games. 

In this episode, we discussed how he built his career at Riot Games and the specifics of building a team of artists worldwide. Watch this episode to get some insights into how to create games with unique identities and provide them with catchy storytelling.

Timecodes:

( 00:00 ) — Intro
( 1:00 )  — Riot: how it all started
( 5:08 )  — Co-Founding World Building Team with the knowledge that the IP will transcend the game
( 11:40 )  — Shape language and symbolism of specific champions in League of Legends
( 17:28 )  — Subcultures within characters to give depth and possibility without touching the game
( 20:40 )  — How does the collaboration between different roles work in champion design?
( 29:00 )  — Surfacing “hooks” or “clues” that will give games their identity
( 35:15 )  — Estimating time spent on assets as a trial and error process
( 40:00 )  — A glimpse into early visual development for God of War
( 45:40 )  — What are the secret ingredients to a successful new IP?

Watch the full episode at the link

Daniel Dociu: Developing IPs; Styles, Techniques & Leading Like a Conductor. Devoted SpeakEasy E02

Daniel Dociu is one of the most famous Art Directors in the industry.

Known for his work for Guild Wars and his incredible style, he is able to create incredible concepts that immediately grab attention. 

We hosted him at the Devoted SpeakEasy podcast to ask about best practices of team leadership; how the teams were built for Guild Wats I and Guild Wars II; what skills and qualities you should have to get hired on his team; what are his favorite techniques and brushes. Watch this episode to find the answers.

Timecodes:

( 00:00 ) — Intro
( 7:50 ) — How to lead a team like a conductor
( 9:20 ) — How the art teams of Guild Wars 1 and 2 were built
( 20:20 ) — Things Daniel looks for in artists
( 33:00 ) — How allowing aberrations in art style builds more plausible worlds
( 35:40 ) — How to develop IPs?
( 39:50 ) — Techniques and brushes
( 42:30 ) — and the differences between original IP development vs movie based

Watch the full episode at the link