2023 GDC Wrapup
The Gaming Industry, AI, Portfolio Reviews, & The Importance of Hydration
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending my first-ever 2023 Game Developers Conference. And it may sound strange to say this as a 3D Artist with almost 20 years in the industry, but I’ve never attended GDC before. I’ve been mainly focused on film and animation in my career and there was never an opportune time to go.
But with my new role on the Adobe/Substance 3D team, that changed this year. So I thought I would dedicate this week’s write-up to my observations as someone experiencing the event for the first time. I’ve broken it up into two sections below, General Observations and Advice for Artists Attending in the Future.
General Observations
The Industry Is Still Growing!
Like all tech companies, the gaming industry boomed during COVID. But this past year saw that trend reverse in the broader tech industry. Layoffs, hiring freezes, and stock drops have caused a slowdown across the industry. I assumed gaming companies would be going through the same thing.
I was very wrong.
The gaming industry is still booming! A ton of companies were conducting interviews and there were tons of plans for expansion and growth in various ways. And this isn’t just coming from company keynotes that always paint a rosy picture. Friends and old colleagues talked how their staff was still talking growth with a priority to racing to get ahead of this ever-growing industry.
A few others mentioned a recent spike since the success of HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us demonstrated gaming’s ability to jump to mass media platforms leading to large companies considering the growth of gaming franchises in other ways as well.
All in all…the gaming industry is still robust and growing.
AI Chat is Exploding
Now, I’m not necessarily talking about ChatGPT. I’m talking about human beings chatting about AI. It was everywhere. There were countless panels on the impact of AI on the industry. Companies like Unity and Adobe hyping upcoming Generative AI technology. And the word was floating in the air. Countless conversations I had swerved in and around AI and the impacts it might have on being a 3D Artist in the future. And with all those conversations, this is what I discovered.
No one knows anything.
There are lots of theories but, honestly, it all came off as guesses. The only thing I can say for certain is that the cat is out of the bag. All those noble souls trying to unwind AI saying we should stop development until rules can be implemented to control it have missed the boat. We are well on our way to Generative AI having a huge impact on our lives, but we won’t know what it will be for a while.
AI Talk Silenced Web3/Blockchain/Metaverse
There was noticeable silence around formerly popular topics like the Metaverse, Web3, and blockchain technology. Sure, a few booths were touting Web3 games, but they were mostly quiet and not generating the buzz I am sure they were hoping.
That being said, AI is the best thing that could have happened to these other technologies. Each of them is still in its infancy and needs time to develop outside of the limelight and scrutiny of the mass public. Let them return to the labs so they can properly develop over time.
Sexism Is Common at GDC
This one sucks. We all know that, historically, sexism has been a huge problem in general in the gaming industry. We have even seen recent cases at companies like Blizzard where lawsuits have been filed claiming rampant sexism and retaliation.
I always assumed those were more systemic and that individuals in the community were above that behavior.
I, again…was very wrong.
I talked to several female artists who told the same story of presenting at GDC in the past. They would get up on stage, present their work, and think everything went well. Then, after the event, they would receive a notification that their presentation has been reviewed.
(Side note - This is standard practice at GDC. After each event, an attendee can log into an app, review the speaker, and provide a starred review and anonymous written feedback.)
Each one received anonymous comments roughly centered around “You are only presenting because you are a woman!” or something else blatantly saying they didn’t belong. Some even reported harassment from trolls creeping into their social media accounts after the events and writing truly heinous stuff. It was enough to either give them pause or decide not to put themselves out there in the future.
I thought we were moving past the days when women needed to prove they were twice as good as their male colleagues to get a base level of respect from the community. I guess not.
Advice For Others Attending Conferences in the Future
Early in Your Career? Do Portfolio Reviews!
I know, I know…maybe you’re a student and you don’t think your reel is ready. Maybe you only have a few projects on your Artstation page and still have 2 years before you graduate. Surely a company won’t want to talk about your work yet.
Absolutely not. Portfolio reviews can be a highlight when you are an artist working booth at a conference. You get to speak to young, inspiring professionals and it’s a blast. You learn about their stories and their dreams and it’s truly a blast to be a part of those conversations.
From the student’s standpoint, this is a chance to get an unbiased, professional opinion of your work. We haven’t been in the classes with you. We don’t know your grades. All we know is your work being presented and we can give you the exact feedback a hiring manager might think while viewing your portfolio.
What is working well? What is missing? What are your clear strengths? Where can you improve?
Also feedback on the presentation. Did you include enough reference material? Is it not clear what parts of a group project you created and you need to communicate that more clearly?
And know that we have all been in your shoes. We all have been at the point where we are still learning and growing so even if you only have one project on your website and a dream, we would be happy to talk to you about how you can get from where you sit today into your dream job.
Don’t Count On Internet Access
Every conference center in every city is different. But they all have one thing in common…The internet access sucks.
Sometimes it’s just unavailable. Other times, it’s available but conference centers gauge booths to pay ridiculous costs for low bandwidth. Either way, you cannot assume there will be internet at the booth.
The artist struggled with loading videos and turntables in every portfolio review I conducted. Don’t fall for this. Before going to a conference, save your files locally on your computer and have the device charged and ready for review.
Prepare for an Overwhelming Onslaught of Information
Conferences are designed to bombard with visuals, sound, and information. Because of this, it will be really hard to really take in new information when you are constantly distracted by something else.
Manage your expectations when you go. Don’t expect to truly be learning new skills while in this environment. Just focus on attending some presentations, workshops, or visiting some booths where you are introduced to a new technique or software. But don’t expect to master it while you are there. If you try, you will just become frustrated. Instead, jot it down in a notebook and investigate further when you get home.
Look at Small Studios
When conducting portfolio reviews, I always ask, “What company would you like to work for?” Nearly everyone said the big guns. Blizzard, Naughty Dog, and other massive studios. Very few artists named any indie companies.
To me, this is a mistake when first getting started. When applying for big company jobs, candidates are facing off against industry pros with years of experience and connections and they can be just fighting an uphill battle.
At smaller indie companies, new artists can find an easier path to getting in while working on some incredible projects. One example was the game Viewfinder by Sad Owl Studios which reimagines 2D images in a 3D world. Absolutely mind-melting stuff….
Additionally, there are some super cool non-traditional companies working in gaming, like Level Ex. This group blew me away with their work in creating games to help dermatologists identify skin disorders in dark-skinned individuals. They are using gaming to help people receive better diagnoses and potentially save their lives.
Bring a Water Bottle
This might seem minor, but it’s an absolute essential…drink lots of water.
Convention centers are giant, dry venues. You will be talking more than you normally do so drinking lots of water is key.
But you are thinking, “I’m sure I can just buy one there, right?”
A bottle of water at a convention center generally costs the same as a two-door sedan. So bring a water bottle, fill it at the water fountains and save your voice and money for the whole week!
Other than that, giving yourself a little time off after the convention is very common to get outside, unwind, and potentially enjoy the city you’ve traveled to for a few days.
Or in my case…wait an extra day before releasing this newsletter :)
3D News of the Week
A roundup of interesting 3D related news you may have missed this week.
Using ChatGPT in Nuke - LinkedIn / Github
State of Unreal Presentation - youtube.com - Warning..it’s 7.5 hours long!
Substance 3D Announces Partnership with Epic Games - Adobe Blog
Petition to Let Production Coordinators, Managers, and Supervisors Unionize - iatse.net
Real Water Shader in Blender - 80.lv
3D Artist of the Week
Sabrina Garcia is insanely talented and you should follow her on all the things…
3D Tutorials
3D Job Spreadsheet
Link to Google Doc With A TON of Jobs in Animation (not operated by me)
Michael Tanzillo has been a Senior Artist on animated films at Blue Sky Studios/Disney with credits including three Ice Age movies, two Rios, Peanuts, Ferdinand, Spies in Disguise, and Epic. Currently, Michael is a Head of Technical Artists with the Substance 3D Growth team at Adobe.
In addition to his work as an artist, Michael is the Co-Author of the book Lighting for Animation: The Visual Art of Storytelling and the Co-Founder of The Academy of Animated Art, an online school that has helped hundreds of artists around the world begin careers in Animation, Visual Effects, and Digital Imaging.
www.michaeltanzillo.com
Free 3D Tutorials on the Michael Tanzillo YouTube Channel
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So sad i couldnt make it to gdc this year... but next time im ready! Thanks for a good read
Loved reading this. Conferences can be so invigorating (and reinvigorating). Even as a hobbiest, I'd love to attend one of these in the near future.