Portfolio Advice

The following is a bullet point summary of the talk Killer Portfolio or Portfolio Killer: Part 1, Advice from Industry Artists by Greg Foertsch (Firaxis Games), Lisette Titre-Montgomery (Ubisoft), Gavin Goulden (Insomniac), Wyeth Johnson (Epic Games), and Shawn Robertson (Ghost Story). A recording of the talk can be found here.

Content

• Prefer quality over quantity in a portfolio. Your portfolio is only as strong as its weakest piece.
• Have a focus -- what kinds of games do you want to make? Trying to do everything on the portfolio can spread yourself thin.
• Unless you are applying to a small studio (which may need generalists), hiring managers are looking for specific skills.
• Presentation is important; the portfolio should be clean and easy to read.
• Tell a story (i.e. by conveying an aesthetic or personality) with your pieces.
• Knowledge of specific tools or programs is not very relevant so don't emphasize them. Being able to explain a methodology (e.g. how to reduce overhead or optimize some quality) is more important. That being said, knowing common tools and engines (e.g. Substance) is helpful.
• (Regarding sculpting) High detail sculpts are just the beginning; resumes with just that are useless. Go further with the low-poly models, UV, lighting, material, color theory, optimization. Pieces don't necessarily need to be shown in the game engine if there are other tools which serve your purposes (e.g. Marmoset). This idea applies to other fields as well (e.g. concept art on its own is not helpful if you don't show how things would render in-game).
• Do not use class assignments or tutorials on portfolio. Be unique.
• Video reels are not a great format (esp. music in videos). Choose a format that just shows the art and is respectful of the reviewers' time.
• Fan art can be risky, as people in studio are very familiar with the subjects. You still need to add something new to the piece.

More general advice

• Many of the "origin stories" of these artists involve luck and hard work. The latter can lead to the former.
• When using social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram), you are managing yourself as a brand. Hiring managers may be part of your audience, so curate your content and choose your voice carefully. A presence on Polycount or ArtStation is helpful.
• Being a teacher is a useful skill; being active on forums can be a positive. Having some basic technical skill is also great.
• Rejection is common; sometimes it just means the fit isn't there. Be persistent!
• Don't wait to look for a job when you need it.
• Show that you are someone who "shows up" (virtually, if working remotely), communicates, and takes direction.
• Freelancers should consider themselves a "service" rather than just an artist. They should go above and beyond to please the client.
• Art directors need to understand the "why" behind artistic decisions and be able to communicate with and manage people.
• Specializations (possible new opportunities):
  • Virtual reality - new problems translating art to a 3D space
  • Level building - creating a level with story/atmosphere
  • Freelancing - small and midsize studios may be less interested in full-time artists
  • Stylized and performance-based animation - relative lack compared to motion-capture and procedural animation
  • Visual FX

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