The GHZ Forum

Man, it's been forever since I've been on these forums, I doubt any of you even remember me (not that I posted all that much).

Anyway, I'm curious for some reason to know what you all do for a living. Me? I work for my uncle on his farm. I like it well enough, but I really want to be a freelance artist. Or write and draw a children's book. Maybe both. What about the rest of you?

I'm a Sony Game Tester. I'm currently on a title that will be released in November. The game's extremely beautiful to look at. I will have to echo GG! that the only possible way they can be making a profit from this is if they've got a south Asian sweatshop where droves of dirty 10-year old kids are working 14 hour days in deplorable conditions for 10 cents a week. I never played the other games in the series so I can't really stack anything up to anything but even if I did I probably shouldn't be talking any more anyway.

I find it interesting to see how titles evolve though from its earlier stages to its later stages.

So far it's the best job I've ever had. Does that make it a dream job? Not really. But much better than my work at a horse ranch and as a Target Stock Clerk. The working conditions are pretty pleasant and depending on who you're working with so is the atmosphere.

I'm a cartoonist! Please buy all my products.

I edit my local newspaper, and write a comic that runs in over three cities. I wouldn't leave it for anything in the world (that doesn't involve large amounts of money).

Professional Slacker.

I just got a really cool part time gig in graphic design but I'm scared out of my mind that telling anyone about it will jinx it. I also work in an art supply/toy store.

I'm a story artist. I used to work at dreamworks but I quit that bitch when they had me work on the movie about a snail that wants to be a race car(believe it). Now I work at Disney TV on a show called Gravity Falls.

I think half of the people here are artists of some form.

Long-term vagrant. Also currently studying biology in a cancer research lab.

Wow, I had no idea so many people here were in the creative industry. I knew G. Silver did sick drawings and even occasional 3D artwork but not anybody else.

I'm a freelance animator. Lately I've been doing alot of thinking about the specific direction I want my career to take, though.

I'm a freelance translator; so far I've only worked with manuals for construction vehicles, but hopefully I'll start translating actual books soon enough.

Currently at art school to ... do something someday? Comics is my main schtick, but I don't know what I'll be doing for actual money. Lots of film students here, so maybe something up Hollywood-ways, if I'm lucky.

G.Silver wrote:I also work in an art supply/toy store.

I want this job.

I've been working as a substitute teacher for the last year. Every day is completely different, which is a double-edged sword. Every morning is a new adventure, but then I never get to know any of the staff or kids too well because I'm not at any one school or in any one class for too long. It also doesn't give me enough money to support myself, so I don't want to stay in this position for much longer. Most recently I've started to accept that I'll never quite be satisfied with my job until I try something related to the videogame industry. I just have to figure out what kind of title I would want in such a industry.

G.Silver wrote:I also work in an art supply/toy store.

Sounds like an odd combination for a store.

Cuckooguy wrote:I'm a Sony Game Tester. I'm currently on a title that will be released in November. The game's extremely beautiful to look at. I will have to echo GG! that the only possible way they can be making a profit from this is if they've got a south Asian sweatshop where droves of dirty 10-year old kids are working 14 hour days in deplorable conditions for 10 cents a week. I never played the other games in the series so I can't really stack anything up to anything but even if I did I probably shouldn't be talking any more anyway.

I find it interesting to see how titles evolve though from its earlier stages to its later stages.

So far it's the best job I've ever had. Does that make it a dream job? Not really. But much better than my work at a horse ranch and as a Target Stock Clerk. The working conditions are pretty pleasant and depending on who you're working with so is the atmosphere.

You might be the first game tester I've known who doesn't hate his job, and that's pretty cool. I've always found game development fascinating myself. And I'm looking forward to Uncharted 3, by the way.

I'm a programmer. I've mostly been developing web sites for the past three years, so it's become a bit monotonous. I miss making applications and trying new things, but if all goes well, I'll get back to that soon. I plan on going to college some day, but I don't have the necessary funds or conditions at the moment.

I've worked at two companies so far. The first one was a horrendous experience that I don't want to repeat ever again. My current workplace isn't that great either, but at least my colleagues are competent and fun to be with. That alone makes the whole experience much more bearable.

I work as a development/tech support programmer for a company that makes the HCIS software for about half the hospitals in the US, and some in Canada and the UK. I've done a lot of work for Ontario and Newfoundland in particular.

I'm in school studying accounting. Whilst I do so, I work at my university's cafeteria.

I used to think that I wanted to do something with comics, but I think I'd enjoy that as a hobby more than anything else (read: I ain't talented enough).

Maintenance duties for a local college. Simple, stable, and allows me to afford anything I care to own. It would be nice to get into some sort of creative career, but I don't think I have what it takes.

CM August wrote:I don't think I have what it takes.

I don't think this thought ever goes away, even if you're in said industry.

Wow. Glad to see so many creative types on here. Any advice for an aspiring artist to break out into the field?

I'm in my second year of studying psychology at Cardiff, which has a very research-heavy psychology department. Next year I'll be getting some psychology-related work experience, so that should be interesting.

In my spare time I'm helping develop an iOS RPG. I'm doing most of the design work and a friend is doing all of the programming legwork. It may or may not reach a shippable state, but if so, then people might even buy it. So it's almost like a job. If I eventually decide on chasing a games industry career, I figure it'd be a good thing to have on my resume.

The Iron Giant wrote:Wow. Glad to see so many creative types on here. Any advice for an aspiring artist to break out into the field?

Don't graduate during a recession?

Radrappy wrote:

CM August wrote:I don't think I have what it takes.

I don't think this thought ever goes away, even if you're in said industry.

Nope. Read enough interviews and you'll find that even the most successful creatives have those 'oh god what am I doing I'm a sham' moments.

Graduated last year (FD Animation & Visual Effects, BA Design for Games). I now have letters after my name! But no portfolio to speak of. I decided I wanted to be a concept artist. Now I'm a bartender. I'm not sure which job is supposed to get you more pussy, but either way it ain't workin'.

Ideally, I would like to be an abstract painter. I'm already quite abstract, so that's a plus. I live in a small town where dreams go to die, so there ain't much of a market for free-thinkers and artists. People do like to get drunk, though.

Nope. Read enough interviews and you'll find that even the most successful creatives have those 'oh god what am I doing I'm a sham' moments.

I find this to be... Somewhat comforting, I suppose, even though I'm not in any sort of creative field now. I used to have this feeling all the time whenever drawing. Or doing math, which I also like. Or whenever I felt like I was in the flow doing anything, really. It's kind of a contradictory feeling.

Radrappy wrote:I don't think this thought ever goes away, even if you're in said industry.

True, but I've read more than once that if you don't draw a whole lot just for fun then you should probably think of another career. Unless I can ramp up productivity a hundred fold (and you know, cope with that let alone enjoy it) it's silly to even entertain the notion.

Student, getting bachelor's in Computer Science. I should probably start looking into jobs again, given my field is one that's still relatively healthy.

I work at Arby's.








Yeah, that's pretty much it.