Who is Noemi Pischedda?
A Concept Artist and Illustrator currently working for 'Playtra Games' – an independent game studio in London. Her role includes character design and storyboarding however, also worked as a freelancer for ten years focusing on animation and concept art.
What did I find most interesting?
Pischedda's talk was primarily based on her experience working in an Indie game studio and insight into the Games Industry. This included the pros and cons of working in a small studio:
You must constantly promote yourself and your studio to create a name for yourself – Be aware of competition!
It requires a lot of multitasking and adapting to different roles.
You may be required to use software that you’re not familiar with or work in an art style you are not used to - These are examples of challenges you must be ready to deal with.
Creative Freedom
You may be required to work on something out of your comfort zone. This might involve adjusting your art style which may take time, but we should be open to change.
Art Direction changes over time.
The studio can assist you in learning different skills and understanding different software.
What have I learned?
This gave me insight into the position of an employee at an Indie Studio, involving taking on new roles and adjusting your style to what is required from you, as well as working as a freelancer and the importance of networking before entering (and during) the Games Industry.
Pischedda suggests being open and aware of your skillset and the subject area you work in, as studios can provide help with learning new software and skills overtime. She began working at Playtra with an understanding of Adobe Photoshop and was required to use other software, so organised some time to understand the basics of the program to ensure she was able to fulfil what was asked from her. Before this talk, I was uneasy about what might have been expected from me, but I feel happier knowing I can become employed with a specific range of skills and be provided with the help I need along the way.
She also spoke about her journey as a freelancer and shared her tips for self-promotion. She expressed how beneficial this was to gain exposure and connect with people before establishing your role in that field. This might involve following a variety of indie studio Instagram pages and approaching other artists or going to events and handing out promotional material such as business cards.
“How do you get yourself out there?”
Socials – Online Portfolio, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
During spare time work on your own projects and document them.
Be as active as you can.
Noemi struggles with time and to keep socials active during work at Playtra but she encourages us to try our best with media as it’s essential.
Participate in competitions (through Facebook, Instagram etc)
Gain lots of engagement through consistency
During Week 8, Lucy Kyriakidou also outlined the importance of networking.
Kyriakidou’s self-promotion tips:
Networking is crucial!
Connect with people online – keep in touch and develop relationships
Continue to post work online – people will get to know you through your social media. Ensure to share your work with them.
Establish relationships
Know how you differ from your peers. How do you stand out?
Know your worth – how much do I charge?
“Be present and make as many connections as you can".
On Twitter, Kyriakidou posts snippets of her work and continuously shares other people’s games to show her support:
Conclusion
This has taught me how important networking is especially during the post-university phase and ahead of employment. Why? To connect, to establish relationships with people already comfortable within the industry and gain support from ‘high-profile’ individuals. Using these methods, I can begin to increase my image online by showcasing my projects from the program and unveiling my personality. I aim to increase my reach on Instagram and increase my number of LinkedIn connections, opening myself up to potential employers and reaching out to studios that have similar intentions to me. This way I can establish myself and showcase my skills before deciding which job role best suits me.
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