It’s that time of year again where students are leaving school and college and thinking about their future careers. I interviewed a local man (Peter Ford) who is a principal vehicle artist for one of the largest game companies in the world! I asked Peter a series of questions to get a better insight into the industry so if you are interested in working in the gaming industry this article will help you.

 

 

 

Did you [Peter] want to work in the gaming industry whilst you were growing up? What changed your mind if no?

 

“No, but as I grew up, I knew that I wanted to do something involving art. I was offered a job as a 3D modeler and modelled a car for the game ‘Gotham 2’. I then was able to drive that car in the game and the feeling of being able to play with something I had created is what inspired me to further my career in games.”

 

What is your average workday like?

 

 

“Most days I work from the hours 9am-6pm but they can sometimes vary, especially since I work remotely a lot of the time. However, when I do sometimes work in the office buildings. In my workday I collaborate with multiple teams across the world. I also review and set up cars which are then placed into the game.

 

How did you get into this job?           

 

“At university I took a computer aided product design course, at the time it was difficult to get into a computing course as there were only three games courses across the entire country. I was searching for jobs within the engineering/design sector. I was then offered the opportunity to work for a computer game outsource company and then my 20-year journey began.”

 

What are the perks of your job?

 

“I have been able to travel the world to multiple different places such as India, Tokyo, Las Vegas, where I take part in photoshoots for the latest and greatest cars. I have also been fortunate to work alongside celebrities such as Mark Webber, Ken Block and Magnus Walker. Another benefit is that I have had the opportunities to work with multiple charities such as RED and Great Ormond Street.

 

 

 

Is this industry easy to get in to?

 

“It is more accessible now compared to when I first started due to the fact that more universities/colleges are offering more opportunities. Many of these match the standards of the rest of the world’s courses. Also, more companies are working with colleges/universities, once again creating more and new opportunities.”

 

What one piece of advice would you give to somebody looking to get into the gaming industry?

 

“They should find what they love/enjoy and stick to it.”