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craigmonroe1
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Wow! Okay, I didn't expect anyone to get so pissed. Look, I'm in need of experience, and currently I'm getting it with a small team working on a small project. Quid pro quo. In my case it's not some evil scheme in which I'm being manipulated. I asked for it. Is it so terrible when your resume, like mine, is lacking? I don't think so, as long as it not done over a extremely long period of time.

 

It's not as black and white an issue as seem to make it.

Edited by craigmonroe1
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  • 3 months later...

It's the same with unpaid internships and graduates offering to work for free to get their foot in the door. Bad practice and shouldn't be encouraged. It's damaging to the industry and feeds expectations of getting something for nothing.

 

I don't have an issue with working for free if it's pro bono work for a charity or something, but not for people who could and should be paying for it. I can understand the desire to gain experience, if it's a short term thing then maybe that's fine. But there are plenty companies who will take advantage of this and simply move onto someone else the minute you decide you're worthy of getting paid.

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Sorry, but working with as a company's intern or temporary contractor is a great way to go if you are ever planning to find your way into a team of people permanently. The greatest shortcomings of the people we hire is that they have no experience with working in a team workflow. They often do things that overcomplicate the project and leave the more experienced members with hours of work correcting the issues. Workflow is king on large projects and if you can't find your way then you are in the way. I've gotten to a point as a Lead Artist where I would rather have someone with no knowledge of rendering and a working knowledge of Architecture, than someone who has only ever scrapped their way through a personal project.

 

If you want to build a body of work, then create your own projects, don't work for someone else for free. But of you are hoping to gain experience working with a studio, then get in the door however you can. You don't need to go unpaid for too long, but if you can't play on a team, no team needs or wants you.

 

I was lucky enough to start on a contract basis where I was paid hourly and placed in the group as an equal. We took it month by month. Before long, I was an asset to the team at large and they hired me. My portfolio at the time showed a propensity for graphical representation (not necessarily renderings) and it showed a knowledge of architecture. Everything else I learned at work or by being a persnickety bastard when I look at images.

 

You don't need to work for free, but you might have to. If you do, don't do it for the smallest name in the business. Do it where there is something to be gained. Let that be your payment. But don't do it forever. Your profile has an american flag beneath it, so I can say that at least, that a larger firm is looking for a true team member, not just a new face to screw over. (I am not knocking other countries, just speaking to the country I know.) LA has Kilograph, SF has SteelBlue, Chicago has a bunch of smaller firms, NYC has Neoscape, Visual House, and Dbox, Boston has Neoscape, and Miami has Dbox and Visual House. There are so many others that I missed, but the point is that these firms are too large to be looking to screw someone over. They are looking for good help. If you have a way in to a place like this then go for it. If you don't, then try for it.

 

Get to know people and get some good work together. It isn't going to take long to get paid somewhere. There is too much work and not enough solid help.

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Something that I did that may be somewhat similar to what your thinking is I would be the image guy for competitions. Young architects always enter lots of competitions and many would welcome the help of an aspiring professional renderer. I was, and am friends with a lot of Architects and I would always offer do their renderings for them for whatever they needed. This lead to connections, which lead to projects, which lead to job offers. Build your portfolio, get drunk, and be friends with lots of Architects. If you're friends with Architects and they see your passion for images you will get work eventually. Corey's comment is pretty crucial regarding skill in Architecture which though I went to arch school it was my weakness in the profession and caused me much grief. Also Like Corey said there is lots of work out there, just be prepared for the crunchtime cause it's no joke.

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Thank you all for the comments! It's been touch and go for a while working with interior designers in my area, but I stay in the game anyway. My project was actually featured on Freshome.com a few weeks ago! http://freshome.com/banana-table/

The other half of the equation is finding like minded people. I'm on Polycount and everyone there is obviously into modeling/rendering for games. Me too and I have the B.F.A. in Game Production to prove it so I'll gladly take a position in which ever side i can join first.

 

Where is the best place to look for people willing to collaborate with until I get a shot with a professional team?

Edited by craigmonroe1
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