Attracting 3D Artists?

[Malameel]

Hello,

 

First, I do not mean to sound like I am complaining or sticking it to CGarchitect. I really am hoping to find some info.

 

Recently I posted an ad on CGarchitect looking for artists for a full time position in my studio. The ad came and went and practically nobody applied. (Today I went through and responded to the 3 that had any chance, so at least it wasn’t zero.) I would have thought I would get more responses. Granted I received several offers to outsource it by changing my pipeline and make sacrifices to hire people who didn’t follow the instructions in the ad, but I have an NDA so that is simply not possible anyway. However, that doesn’t stop the freelancers!

 

Now some of posts on the internet were for only Cinema4D so I knew that would limit my responses, but if I remember correctly, here I posted for general 3D artist. Since the ad expired, I cannot look it up. In hopes of increasing responses, what would limit one from responding to this ad so I can improve its effectiveness? (Thanks for any help.)

 

Here I have listed my current job posting:

 

 

UPDATE: Quick minor change to remove a part not from the ad. It was part of a letter writen to a person.

 

Hello,

 

Latimundo is a long standing studio in Dallas, TX that is expanding rapidly. We have an immediate opening for a qualified 3D artist to join our team in house on a full time basis. We produce all types of projects; however, architectural animations lead the list. Pay is based on experience. All tools will be provided. This would be a full time position. Also, please send more images of what you can do if you are interested in this opportunity and anymore examples of realistic architecture in your portfolio will always be very positive.

 

Position Description:

This position is for a 3D artist with strong texturing skills. You must be able to work from a variety of sources such as concept sketches to blue prints to working from basic descriptions. You will need to be able to model and texture your work and help facilitate it though our pipeline. Knowing how to be efficient in your modeling is a must. Teamwork is a must and taking direction helps everybody progress to the goal.

 

Latimundo is a production company that has handled a wide variety of projects from 3D animation to film. Please visit our website www.latimundo.com for more information. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email us at hr@latimundo.com with your portfolio. (Respectfully, please do not call, email is best.) A resume does not show your skills. We do require a demo reel or a portfolio to be considered for an interview. During the interview, we will be able to discuss further the aspects of the position. We appreciate your time and consideration of Latimundo.

This position is only in Dallas, TX and cannot be outsourced due to NDAs. If you are interested, please email me at hr@latimundo.com

 

We do not outsource any work and the position is only available in our studios in Dallas, TX.

 

Latimundo

3010 LBJ Freeway Suite 205

Dallas, TX 75234

[eksg]

Mr. Mark Alameel, if i was qualified for the job, I could have applied,and that is the same reason that would be on the mind of other people,and most of the people qualified would have jobs now,and the freelancers may not find it interesting to be employed 'coz they are now well satisfied on their current status.And not all people who is here is living,neither near, Dallas.Well....that is my opinion.

 

But if you'll take my advice,try posting it on other job posting site,(that I assume you have done by now),like jobstreet,etch.People who goes on those sites are basically looking for jobs, not like here that people visits this site to look on new tutorials,comment on others work.to learn,and share tips... and stuffs like that other than looking for a job.But im not saying that you shouldnt post here,but you must understand the reasons which i have explained earlier.

 

Unfortunately im having a very bad internet connection today,so i was not able to view your site.Maybe I was qualified,but i just didnt know it.

 

Just keepin you company until youll have some responses.

[Malameel]

I do not have many requirements.

The biggest one is of course being an accomplished 3D architectural artist and the other requirement is to be in Dallas. So far, all my artists have moved to Dallas from far away. Ironically, I have not found one in Dallas, but I haven’t searched hard yet locally. I started off strong finding people but it slowed down. It also might be the holidays...

M

[eksg]

If was in Dallas, Icould have applied.But again,Im not.Or if you could provide working visa for expats,that would be better.you can hire good people from other countries.

[Ernest Burden III]

Most people in our industry work on Max, not Cinema, and most don't live in Dallas. Texas is a matter of taste. I lived in Oklahoma when I was a kid, so I know its a part of the country you should really want to be in to go there. Its not for everyone. Texas is great, but in its own way. My point is that the location may be the biggest part of your lower than expected response rate. But I'm sure that a lager salary than other places would help, or really exciting work. Perhaps you could make a bigger point of that part of the offering?

[Bugga_Guy]

We had the same problem here in Toronto.

 

Locally not to say there is no talent - Its just not at the level we are looking for, oddly we mostly got resumes from engineers who's hobby is playing around in 3ds max. However we couldn't believe how we were bombarded with resumes from inda dubai and china even when we stated locals only. Not that we had a problem with that (there was some great talent). Its just that we cannot sponsor empolyees.

 

My advice is to go to local colleges/universities of courses that teach 3d ie (video games/architecture) talk to the teachers see if there are potential students who would want to work in this field.

[Hazdaz]

Here is a question for people that are looking to hire:

 

What is the problem with needing someone to be on-site?

 

I find that requirement to be absolutely infuriating for a job that can be done 95% on the computer from essentially anywhere on the planet. I can understand people needing to communicate - which is where phone, faxes and emails come into play. It really is bizarre that we live in the most connected time in human history, and yet some people still think that if they aren't wasting 8+ hours in the company's office, they aren't working.

[Ernest Burden III]

some people still think that if they aren't wasting 8+ hours in the company's office, they aren't working.

 

If you're at your employer's office wasting 8+ hours you aren't working.

[bully712]

Unless you're Don Corleone " I'm gonna to make him an offer he can't refuse." Then I wouldn't even consider moving to Texas. On your website, I couldn't find one Architectural Rendering. Also like Ernest said, not very many people use Cinema, and I personally would not want to learn it.

[Malameel]

And like I said, the posing here was for any software, not cinema4D, but the response was still bad.

 

This project cannot be done outsourced and with a NDA, let that be the end of that, but I am sure freelancers will argue the point because it is self serving. That is the requirment of the job and I cannot change that and so let it be. Why bang your head against a wall?

 

If that is the only thing holding people back, then fine, then that is the answer I am looking for.

 

I am asking before I consider paying for a posting again here, what would hold people here back. Some websites I get great responses and some I do not. I am just trying to sort the differences and where should I pay to post. I am not trying to change freelancers, just find those that are willing to work in an office enviorment. (Yet freelancers love complaining and trying to change me.)

 

Thanks,

M

[Malameel]

If you're at your employer's office wasting 8+ hours you aren't working.

Some statements are so eloquent in their simplicity.

Thanks,

M

[bully712]

And like I said, the posing here was for any software, not cinema4D, but the response was still bad.

This is what you wrote in your first post:

 

we where searching for Cinema4D artist only, but now we have opened the pipeline to include any software, even though it ends in Cinema4D for rendering.

 

It doesn't matter if you're open to any software. In the end you're going to have to learn Cinema4D for rendering any how. We told you why your ad is unattractive. Opening it up to any software is not going to help the matter. Does anyone else agree with me?

[Malameel]

Hello, we where searching for Cinema4D artist only, but now we have opened the pipeline to include any software, even though it ends in Cinema4D for rendering.

Now some of posts on the internet were for only Cinema4D so I knew that would limit my responses, but if I remember correctly, here I posted for general 3D artist.

So are you picking and choosing what you want to complain about? It clearly says you do not need to use Cinema4D, but we will render out from Cinema4D. So a modeler can use any software, just output it to Cinema4D which is … export?

 

Thank you for proving my point about outsourcing.

M

[bully712]

[/i]

So are you picking and choosing what you want to complain about? It clearly says you do not need to use Cinema4D, but we will render out from Cinema4D. So a modeler can use any software, just output it to Cinema4D which is … export?

Well yes since I thought that would help you figure out why you are getting the reponses you're getting. I posted the same thing as others did.

 

Thank you for proving my point about outsourcing.

M

I never mentioned anything about outsourcing, so you're welcome, I guess

[ihabkal]

I think one of the main reasons is that there is a lack of talented artists in north America. I believe that 10% of those who call themselves architectural illustrators are good, but they already have jobs or are working on their own making 100 grands a year. the other 60% are mediocre, and 20-30% are awefull and you don't want those.

I think from what I have seen in my search in the last six years, is that:

1- demand for talented artist in the U.S. far exceeds the avaialble number of artists

2- talented artists are leaning towards independance and being their own boss because of being unappreciated (or they think they are because they are artists so they have a persona that needs to hear nice words all the time)

3- getting people form out of the US is a risk employers and some artists are not willing to take anymore. I myself worked in the US for a few years and then I left and didn't get a greencard so I feel like I didn't gain anythin, and my ex-employer still hasn't found a replacement (in Ohio) and he has been looking for 2 years. So I prefer Canada to the US simply because of it's easier immigration laws. I wonder how many had the same bad experience of losing their house in the US, and having to say goodbye to all the beautifull things and easy lifestyle.

[Fran]

Whenever you advertise for a position, you will always get people applying who don't qualify or misunderstood the stipulations. I've been offered several jobs that would have required me to relocate, and I've turned them down. I also have given the people who have solicited me the respect of not trying to convince them to change their business model to suit my requirements.

[manta]

I think one of the main reasons is that there is a lack of talented artists in north America.

 

 

Do you think there is a higher percentage in Lebanon or in another part of the world, and if so, why...

[William Alexander]

or really exciting work.

 

It is...

Cutting edge animation, hardware..........

Incredible talent, less this dude who wears boots and a hat once in while

 

The current work is an ArchVizist's wet dream...Both from a very challenging artisitic and technical side.

 

My insider thoughts. ... and Dallas ain't that bad. It's a large city in America, homgenous as all cities have become here in the last 2 decades.

 

C4D, Max...????? You got the stuff, it might be worth investigating further.

 

Merry Chistmas Mark

Wax

[ihabkal]

Do you think there is a higher percentage in Lebanon or in another part of the world, and if so, why...

 

I know for a fact that there are only 4 talented people in all of Lebanon in this business (and I am one of them, even though I consider myself north american at heart), and there are hundreds of thousands in Lebanon, the middle east, china, india...etc. that are using cracked software and ask for so little money they are ruining this business for us hard working people.

So no really talented people who keep producing good artwork on a regular daily basis are a few worldwide. there are people who occasionally do amazing work but do mediocre renderings most of the time so I don't count those. Being consistent is the main factor.

I recently finished a rendering for Sheraton Jeddah for one of the largest architectural firms in the Middle East, and they only approved paying $1000 for it, which I usually ask for 3 times that much for doing renderings for warhouses in the US. This region is, for me, not worth working in or doing business in. I applied for immigration to Canada, and am thinking about working for a major and famous illustration firm in the US starting Jan 2008, but Lebanon/middle east sucks for business. it is the playground of students with cracked software and pentium 3 now. it really sucks here. I was a senior at an architectural firm in the US once so I know the difference, I tell you being in Lebanon is like going to live in a tent in the depth of the jungle. there are sharp teeth everywhere and pollution and noise...it's not a place to live a healthy life. a half naked secretary who gets paid $250 a month can get higher fees than me on a contract for doing renderings if she shows these executives some legs and she wouldn't need to know how to spell Photoshop. most people here lost their moral code. bribery and shady interests replaced good values and respecting people for their good work is a thing of the past.

[manta]

So do you consider yourself to be one of the few really talented people worldwide ?

[ihabkal]

So do you consider yourself to be one of the few really talented people worldwide ?

 

I won 1st place Cadalyst 2002, professional still exterior, against hundreds of other competing freelancers and firms. I made over $100,000 from doing renderings in 2006 in Lebanon where the average salary for any architect is $1,000/month, I have literally hundreds of thank you notes and recommendation letters from my clients, and have over 500 projects under my belt, at least half of these were done by me as a freelancer so no ex-employer can claim ownership of this artwork, and on my own I can compete with firms who have 6 or more 3D artists. When I want to buy a $10,000 computer I just go for it without hesitation, while other freelancers think and post a lot on these forums before they buy a $2,000 computer. My last position in the US was as a Senior design visualization specialist. All that and I managed to have a nice family with two kids. if that ain't success and talent, then what is??? Some employer I worked for told me he would not get me a greencard because I would then leave him and open my own business. if that isn't recognition of ambition and talent then what is?

[manta]

well since you are already self promoting, can we see some of your work, I'm having alittle trouble locating it on my own...

[bully712]

well since you are already self promoting, can we see some of your work, I'm having alittle trouble locating it on my own...

I would like to see some work also.

[Malameel]

Well yes since I thought that would help you figure out why you are getting the reponses you're getting. I posted the same thing as others did.

I never mentioned anything about outsourcing, so you're welcome, I guess

 

I didn't say you did, just that you proved the point.

Thanks,

M

[Malameel]

Whenever you advertise for a position, you will always get people applying who don't qualify or misunderstood the stipulations. I've been offered several jobs that would have required me to relocate, and I've turned them down. I also have given the people who have solicited me the respect of not trying to convince them to change their business model to suit my requirements.

That is best, especially if there is not enough info. Personally I hate getting unsolicited emails, but a few times I myself didn't have enough info make the right decision upfront. For instance, if you post on a board your resume but not if you are wiling to relocate, then that leaves the door open. (I do not know what you have posted in the past and you at least sound professional.)

At least in my posts it clearly says no outsourcing so it gets old. However, why will others try to change me into a situation I clearly do not want nor advertise.