Shortly after I graduated from University in Summer 2007, one of my former lecturers, Fred Charles, asked me whether I would consider returning to the University in order to give a talk to students about my experience thus far in the games industry. Although a fresh graduate, I had by this time one year’s experience working in the industry due to my industrial placement, and it was to the same studio that I returned when I graduated. At the time, however, I didn’t feel my experience amounted to enough that I could give an interesting talk about it. I declined Charles’ invitation, but kept it in mind in the hope that at some point I could take up his offer.
Many months later I took a new job at Brighton-based Zoë Mode, a studio which contrasted strongly with my previous place of work. Here was something I felt would be worth telling students: the difference between working for a larger and a smaller studio, the advantages of working for a studio which has established strong relationships with good publishers, and the advantages of working for a smaller company where each individual’s input is vital and makes a real impact on the project they’re working on. I got back in contact with Fred and arranged to give a talk on the subject.
The talk was given on the 2nd May, 2008. Slides are reproduced above, in Adobe .pdf format.
Disclaimer: I should make it clear that I wrote these slides and gave the talk myself, and as such they represent my own views and not those of Zoë Mode or Kuju Entertainment Ltd.