Getting work at game and animation studios (San Francisco: rent, how much) - City-Data Forum

ashley5 · 07-10-2010, 03:13 PM

I am wondering if anyone here could give me some information on the job market for artists in San Francisco. My boyfriend is an illustrator with a desire to get into concept art or storyboard art for games and animation. (His dream job would be working at Pixar). We've spent the last two years since we graduated hopping around the southeast and currently live in Florida, working at jobs we hate in an area with zero opportunity for him. But we're saving up money and hoping to move to California, either San Francisco or LA, because that's where the majority of jobs in his industry are.

I am a graphic designer with experience in ecommerce and web, and there are several companies I will be applying with (the direct competitors of the online retailer I now work for) - I hope to move out there first, rent a bedroom for a few months, and he will follow.

I just wanted to get an idea, if anybody here has advice on this, of what the job market is like for concept art in San Francisco - how's the competition, how much has the economy affected the game/animation studios, is who you know more important than what you know (something I heard about LA), etc. I am trying to decide which area would be better, SF or LA, since they both have numerous opportunities. I know CA is a bad place to be looking for work right now and is more expensive than I can imagine, but it's where the opportunity is.

Any input on working as an artist in CA (San Francisco or LA!) is greatly appreciated, thanks!

lmk1707 · 07-10-2010, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashley5

I am wondering if anyone here could give me some information on the job market for artists in San Francisco. My boyfriend is an illustrator with a desire to get into concept art or storyboard art for games and animation. (His dream job would be working at Pixar). We've spent the last two years since we graduated hopping around the southeast and currently live in Florida, working at jobs we hate in an area with zero opportunity for him. But we're saving up money and hoping to move to California, either San Francisco or LA, because that's where the majority of jobs in his industry are.

I am a graphic designer with experience in ecommerce and web, and there are several companies I will be applying with (the direct competitors of the online retailer I now work for) - I hope to move out there first, rent a bedroom for a few months, and he will follow.

I just wanted to get an idea, if anybody here has advice on this, of what the job market is like for concept art in San Francisco - how's the competition, how much has the economy affected the game/animation studios, is who you know more important than what you know (something I heard about LA), etc. I am trying to decide which area would be better, SF or LA, since they both have numerous opportunities. I know CA is a bad place to be looking for work right now and is more expensive than I can imagine, but it's where the opportunity is.

Any input on working as an artist in CA (San Francisco or LA!) is greatly appreciated, thanks!

My boyfriend works in the gaming industry, and I asked him your question. He said it's really tough to get into concept art for gaming as it's what every artist wants to do. So, he may want to open up to the possibility of working in another industry.

AePatto · 07-10-2010, 04:50 PM

I think the relevant question is: How good is he?

ashley5 · 07-10-2010, 05:44 PM

He's good enough, he has a couple weaknesses but he'll be really strong in no more than a year. Plenty of time to work on that before we move. I know it's a tough industry to get into, but his career is his life and his heart is set on this. He is absolutely not the type of person to abandon a goal just because it's hard to attain and he won't be happy with himself in a job that creatively drains him. I'm figuring if we can be where the jobs are, he has the chance to network, take advantage of good art schools and workshops for more training, and be right there when jobs are available. It's just a question now of where to go, and what to expect when we get there.

mayorhaggar · 07-10-2010, 06:26 PM

I would consider LA, maybe ask on that board. I think in general working on video games or really on anything creative is very hard to get into because it is glamorous, it can pay well, and everyone wants to do it. Even if we weren't in a recession it is a hard industry to get into.

The Bay Area is not really a huge entertainment industry center like LA or NYC are. There is Pixar but it is small and they will hire the best of the best. There are some video game companies but not a ton and they are also pretty small and are very selective in hiring.

LA is just bigger in general and is obviously much more focused on entertainment of all kinds so I think it would be easier to get a design job that wasn't animation or video games but would get him good experience.

Another alternative is just going where the jobs are. There are a lot of video game companies spread out all across the US and it might be easier to get a job at a place in Washington or Tennessee because not as many people want to live there as compared to NYC or SF or LA. There are some big companies that aren't in the big cities--like Epic which is in North Carolina I believe. If he gets experience in his field while the economy is crummy, it will be that much easier to get a job in a bigger city when the economy turns around.

Just my two cents and it's not my field but the people I know who have gotten jobs in animation or video games started out in places that weren't in NYC or SF or LA.

wrcousert · 07-10-2010, 11:39 PM

Start your own business. Get a job that pays the bills and do your own work at night. Self publish. If he's any good, people will notice.

Sassberto · 07-10-2010, 11:54 PM

Most jobs are in that field are in LA, not SF.

He will need a demo reel or otherwise get his work into a shipped title. Start freelancing with a small studio or team up with a programmer to do a Flash game.

It is a very hard business to break into.

gearedtowardssalad · 07-11-2010, 05:56 AM

Go to LA. The media market is really saturated in both the Bay Area and LA, but there are more of these types of jobs in LA. Good luck!

TurcoLoco · 07-11-2010, 06:27 AM

Set up a site, which you seem to have experience with, to showcase his skills/demos, so when he is job hunting he could include the link to the site on his resume or e-mails.

Have him check Pixar's web site and apply there. If that is where he wants to work (aka dream job) why apply elsewhere? Try to get a job there.
Assuming he is skilled and can show his skills, it is a matter of how bad he wants it.
Heck, have him grab the phone and call the Hiring Manager at Pixar and tell them that this is/was his dream job and that he would like to work there before he died (of course he is not sick or dying anytime soon hence the humour).

It is tough out there regardless of the field, so one has to use all his/her wits and charms.

Good Luck to you both!

SickOfCalifornia · 07-11-2010, 11:55 AM

I wouldn't have him call up Pixar and so something as amateurish as telling them working there is his dream job. That's a great way to make a bad first impression. And it is certainly not a matter of how bad he wants it. They all want it bad. It's a talent career, and skills and ability will determine if he works or not, not experience. Pixar tends to cherry pick the talent they want, not hire from cold calls.