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给CG从业人的一封信NeoVFX成员manitou翻译,转载请注明出处 偶然在CGT看到了这篇06年的帖子,作者是Joe Harkins。这个帖子在论坛的讨论分坛设为置顶贴。文章很有启发性,尤其是对于即将进入CG行业的新人来说更是珍贵。Joe站在过来人的角度为新人们解答他们 最疑惑的问题,观点明确犀利,客观而中肯的向新人们介绍了一个竞争残酷的行业规则。 虽然其中很多观点可能是“陈词滥调”,但是仍然会给人很多启示,即便你不是新人,也绝对应该看看。 PS:翻译水平有限,如有疏漏错误,请大家一定指正过来。 同时欢迎大家热烈讨论, 各抒己见
The Unofficial Truth about The Industry 作为一个在各个学校演讲的演讲者,一个在Gnomon,旧金山艺术学院新媒体传达中心和SIGGRAPH任教的老师,我会收到无数电子邮件。在回复了上百封邮件后,我逐渐认识到几乎所有的学生都关心这样一个信息:他们想知道他们所受的教育的真正价值有多少。他们需要一个真正诚恳的,有经验的人来评判他们的作品。最重要的,他们想知道如何才能获得一份工作。 After a certain number of e-mails I realized that I had compiled a FAQ of sorts. From that point on I simply responded to any e-mails with the relevant answers from my FAQ, rather than write the same advice over and over again. Many people sent pages of e-mails with life changing concerns and problems. Issues that I don’t feel qualified to respond to – like whether or not they should go to college, whether to sign that big loan, whether to pursue a dream or just give up. 回复了多封电邮后我发现我一直面对着很多相同的提问,我于是只选择部分有共同疑问的信件做回答,而不是一封封的回信。很多人写信来告诉我他们人生的转捩点和遇到的困惑。有些问题我觉得没有水准而并不值得回答,类似我是否应该去学校,是否应该办一个助学贷款,是追逐梦想是需要放弃。 After my last stint teaching at Gnomon, I sat down to write something I could give my students. Something they could walk away with, answering their questions, removing their concern, and hopefully giving them some hope and clear their mind of doubt. Unfortunately, I never found the time…until now. And since I am currently too busy with production to teach, I have no direct students. But there are hundreds of you who are, and so this one’s for you… 在结束了上一次在Gnomon的简短教学以后,我决定坐下来给我的学生们写点东西。回答他们的疑惑,指导他们的学习和选择,给他们希望。可惜我一直没有时间来做。现在终于有机会了!由于我一直很忙,所以我没有一个真正的亲授学生,但是这篇文章就是写给你们-众多的在读这篇文章的人的。有些问题你们可能已经听过很多,而这次仅仅是再一次的加强 Some of this will seem like information you’ve heard before, like common sense, like something someone should have sat down and told you. Maybe that’s the case, and maybe this is just affirmation of what you already know, but either way, I think you should read this. I realize that you might not be a full-time student, and you might be working in the industry. In fact, some of you I know from work, and you’re just here to brush up or learn a new skill. Your continued education is evidence of the dedication you have, and that’s such a great thing to have! I admire those who want more when they already have what they need. 我想你也许不是一个“全职”学生,你可能已经进入行业在工作了。我知道你们有些人是工作以后再回来充电的。这说明你很努力,这是非常珍贵的!我很欣赏有着强烈求知欲的人! I believe that no matter what and where you choose to learn, be it at a public institute, a private school, or even in front of your computer at home, you should feel comfortable with your decision. You should feel like you’re learning and that you’ve been given the tools you need to succeed in this extremely tough industry. 无论你在哪里想学什么,无论是公立学校,私立学校甚至在家自学,你一定要确信这是你自己的选择,你要知道你将要学习掌握这些能让你在这个竞争极其激烈的行业里成功的钥匙! Should you go to college and get a degree? Whether or not you should go to college is not the question. Once you graduate, no-one cares anymore. They don’t need to hear about your education and how well you did in school. It’s no longer “What’s your major?” that you’ll get asked everyday, but “What do you do for a living?” 我应该去学校拿一个学位吗? To be completely honest, this industry is not skilled enough to concern itself with education as much as doctors or lawyers, or even business people. Yes, there are computer programming geniuses with advanced degrees from Ivy League schools working in our industry, and they are a valuable component to what we do, but they are the minority. Many more of us are regular people, who have found something we enjoy, have some natural talent, and have worked really hard to be good at something we are passionate about. 说实话,这个行业还没有专业,高端到去顾及每个从业人员的学历,这不同于医生和律师,甚至是商业行业。的确,这个行业里有一些从Ivy League学校毕业的电脑程序天才,他们对于我们这些人来说,是价值连城的。但是那些毕竟是极少数。更多的是普通人,他们做着自己喜欢的事情,他们有天赋并且很努力去做着他们热爱的事情。 Do you need to go to college to get a job in this industry? No, but it doesn’t hurt your chances to have a degree, and it won’t be frowned upon if you don’t. 你是否一定需要一个大学学历才能在行业里生存?并非如此,但并不是说去上学没有意义,只是说如果你没有学历,也不要郁闷。 Do employers require a degree to get a job? Yes, some of the larger studios do require a degree for some of their more advanced TD, software engineering, and infrastructure related jobs. 公司是否要求员工的学历? What about non technical jobs, do those require a degree? No. While some schools hold a certain amount of clout with many large studios and their degrees are in fact well respected, like Ringling or Cal Arts for example, artistic jobs do not require a degree. 非技术性职位呢,也需要一定的学历吗? Do I need to be artistic? Yes. Hands down it all comes down to your natural, raw, artistic talent, your eye for detail, your ability to take criticism for your own work, and your ability to critique others. 我需要有艺术素养吗? What if I’m technical though, do I still need to be artistic? At the end of the day, the answer is yes. While it’s acceptable to not have any artistic talent and be completely scientific in many of the job functions, if you truly want to excel in Computer Graphics, you need at least basic artistic abilities to get by. It will only make you a stronger technical candidate. 如果我走技术路线,我需要有艺术素养么? So should I go to college or not? Are you talented enough to get a job without it? Are you completely sure about your artistic ability and what you want to do? Do you need more time to work on your portfolio and demo reel? Do you have the discipline and determination to get a job with your current abilities? Keep asking yourself questions, and eventually you’ll figure it out. Some people need college, while others don’t. 那么我到底应不应该去大学读书呢? What if I get a degree in something else? That’s fine if you want to have something to “fall back” on, so to speak. Conservative people recommend this option to avoid pigeonholing yourself. I personally think that you should get a degree in whatever it is you want to do as a career. You can minor in something else, like business, while still majoring in art or computer science, for example. Either way, it’s not a bad thing, but it does raise a question as to how determined are you to make it in this industry if you’re already making a backup plan? 我有一个和CG毫不相干的学历怎么办? How do I know if I am getting what I need out of school or not? “I feel lost…” I’ve heard that one a lot. I honestly want to tell you to consider doing something else with your life if you feel lost and are already taking classes for your major. If you’re just wondering whether or not you’re getting what you need from school, then you should probably ask yourself what it is you expect. You’re only going to get out of it what you put in. 当我毕业时,我如何知道自己已经达到要求了呢? Should I focus on art or science? That’s for you to decide. Unless you’re absolutely sure you want a technical job that requires a degree, the B.A. vs B.S. is not worth arguing over. You need to pick something that fits your goals, but remember that it’s probably irrelevant later on anyways. 我应该把精力放在那方面呢?艺术还是技术? My school seems more interested in my money, is this normal? Many schools are cashing in on students desire to learn computer graphics. They are almost all the same as far as what you end up with on paper. As far as actual teaching quality, instructor experience, and overall reputation, that all depends on your school. It’s without argument that the most experienced instructors are in LA, SF, and surrounding areas, because this is a central place for our industry. But, each school is different, and it’s hard to say. 我的学校好象更象在赚我们的钱,这正常吗? If you feel like your school is just seeking a profit, then your hunch is right, it is. The difference will be in the graduating students. You should talk to recent grads to find out the truth. Look at where grads are working, not so called “job placement” numbers that the school puts out. Just remember, it’s your responsibility to teach yourself and get a job, not anyone else, no matter how much money you spend on school or how much they promise to help after graduation. 如果你觉得你的学校只是在赚钱,那么你的预感肯定没错,他们就是在赚钱。你去问问刚毕业的学生们,看看他们都在哪里工作,而不要去看学校所谓的“就业率”。记住一点:学习和找工作是你自己的事情,只有你对你自己负责,而不是别人。无论你花了多少钱读书,或者学校给你什么样的承诺,都不重要。 What software should I learn? First and foremost, forget about the software for a minute. If you are interested in the technical side of things, then you are going to need a strong background in math and science. You’ll also need programming experience. 我该学什么软件好呢? If you’re mainly an artist then you need to focus on traditional skills such as drawing, painting, and sculpting, among other things. Work on your 2D skills before trying your hand at 3D. 如果你走艺术路线,那么你需要在传统技法上下工夫,比如速写,色彩,雕塑等。先打好扎实的2D基础,再来玩3D。 The software is only a tool. To answer the question though, the software most commonly used for 3D in the industry is Maya. For 2D, PhotoShop is still the standard application to know. For compositing you’re best bet is to learn Shake and/or Combustion, possibly After Effects. For rendering, Renderman and Mental Ray have the strongest markets. For motion capture, MotionBuilder is the most widely used. Houdini is sometimes popular with FX artists, but Maya also has a stronghold in that market, especially with Maya Fluids. 回到问题上来,行业里用到最多的3D软件是MAYA,2D方面,PhotoShop仍然是一个必会项目。说到合成,你学好Shake 或者Combustion不会有错,会AfterEffect更好。渲染部分,Renderman和Mental Ray所占比例最大。动作捕捉方面MotionBuilder用的最多。特效家们有的时候爱用Hudini,不过MAYA仍然是用的最多的,尤其是它的流体。 Many larger studios have proprietary packages that are very unique to their pipeline. You will not be expected to know all of these packages, but a basic understanding of each will help you out in the longrun. The more you know, the better you’ll understand everything. 许多大的工作室拥有专门的软件包,是专门针对他们的流程而开发的独特的软件。你不可能掌握这些所有的软件,但是对这些软件有一个基础的了解会对你有好处。你了解的越多,那么你就越容易理解所有的事情。 It can matter what software you learn, because they are complicated packages that require training and time to understand. The less experience you have with the most commonly used software, the less valuable you will be. This isn’t about what software package is better, that is a pointless argument. It’s about what the industry is using the most, and that’s what makes knowing certain packages more valuable than others. 学什么软件还是很重要的,因为这些复杂庞大的软件学习起来好花费大量的时间和精力。对一个流行的软件你懂的越少,那么你就越不值钱。这并不是说哪个软件更好,这争论毫无意义。关键的是行业中用的最多的软件是什么,这才是决定学什么软件更有价值的关键!! I am about to graduate, what should I do? There are a few steps to preparing for graduation and entering this industry. They are pretty simple. * Start looking at job openings and preparing your resume 我马上要毕业了,我该做什么呢? What should I have when I graduate? The most important thing you need in hand is a demo reel or portfolio with your work on it. You need a resume obviously, but that is far less important than the demo reel. Almost everyone gets reviewed solely on their demo reel, unless it’s strictly infrastructure or engineering, you’re going to need that demo reel. If you don’t have that when you graduate then you are not prepared for the battle in front of you. 毕业的时候,我应该具备些什么呢? I graduated, now what? Now is when you flood the market. You are new, you are unknown, and you need a job. Flood is the key word here. Send out as many reels and resumes as you can. Take time and make cover letters for each one, and make them specific to that company. Don’t write a generic cover letter, it will get you tossed in the trash with the others. Don’t overdo it either, simple and to the point. Cover letter, resume, and demo reel, 3 things, that’s it. 我已经毕业了,接下来该怎么做? As far as demo reels go, here are my rules: * 2 minutes or less, anything more is too much without experience 关于demo reel,我个人有以下几点法则: What to put on it? Only your best work. As someone who has been directly in charge of hiring and having seen quite a bit of reels, I can say that anything less than your best will cost you the job – literally. If you don’t think it’s great, no-one else will. reel里该放些什么? You should really get as much feedback from people as you can before you cut your demo reel. You need to find out what your best work really is. It could be that one piece that is really great that gets you the job, but if you throw in five others that are terrible, it’s going to cause people to question your ability. 你在剪辑reel之前,需要尽可能多的询问别人的意见。你需要知道到底什么才是你最好的作品。有可能一个很棒的作品帮你找到了工作,但是如果你放进去另外五个很差劲的作品,别人会怀疑你的能力了。 Regarding specifics – tailor your reel to the job that you would like. If you’re a modeler, show models. If you want to animate, show animations. Don’t try to show more than one or two skillsets, even if you want to do everything. You cannot possibly be good at everything, and your weakest areas are going to shine through, not your strongest. Be aware that all of your work shown is being judged, not just what you say you want to do. Not fair? Then don’t put it on your reel! 关于专一性–为你想从事的工种来量身定做reel。如果你是模型师,那么秀你的模型。如果你想做动画,把他们放进你的reel。即使你想什么都做,也千万别在reel里展现多于2个的技能。你不可能对所有东西都了如指掌,暴露的最明显的是你的弱点而不是你的强项。要记住reel中所有的东西都是要被评审的,并不是你想如何就如何。不够牛比?那么就别放进你的reel! How much is your demo reel worth? Technically, it’s priceless. A foot in the door in this industry is tough to get, and you are up against many willing and talented people who want that opportunity as bad if not worse than you do. So, it’s priceless. If you spend one week hacking together a reel, it’s obvious. All the talent in the world won’t make up for rushed work, laziness, or procrastination. Be proactive, and don’t doubt it for a second – there is competition. 你的demo reel究竟有多少含金量? All that matters is the reel. The demo reel is your only friend, it is your only way in the door, and it should get the majority of your attention. reel决定了所有的事情。它是你唯一靠的住的伙伴,也是你进入行业唯一的敲门砖。他会集中大部分的注意力! That’s about half the questions. Usually most people want to know about school and the demo reel, and then they get to the ones I don’t really want to answer, like how much money can they make? 到这里回答了问题的一半。通常大部分人都回关心学校和reel的问题,接下来他们会问到我最不愿意回答的问题:他们可以拿到什么样的工资? Yes, I know, you have a student loan to payback, and yes, I know you’re probably scraping by on nothing or mooching off of someone else. Yes, I know, you really need a job. 是的,我知道你们需要还助学贷款,我也知道可能你们生活艰难,你们需要一份工作。 So, how much money can you make? It depends on the market that you’re in. Let’s take LA for example. An entry level artist at a 3D job might work for anywhere between $12 and $20 an hour, depending on the company, the work required, and your negotiating skills. That could be a 3D tracker, modeler, character TD, animator, lighter, or even a compositor. At this point, it’s almost all the same; you’re looking at equal pay across the board for most entry level jobs. 那么究竟你们可以挣到多少钱呢? 这取决于你在哪里做。以洛杉矶为例,一个初级3D工作者的价格可能在每小时12到20美圆,取决于公司,工作要求还有你的谈判技术。职位可能是跟踪师,模型师,角色TD,动画师,灯光师或者是合成师。现在这个级别,工资几乎都差不多。你需要一个新手的均价。 What if I don’t get a job right away? That’s normal! You’re going to have to keep trying, and be persistent. Keep applying, keep making phone calls, browsing job ads, and keep refining your work and your reel. Cut a new version of your reel every week if you have to, just keep making it better and better until you get that first job. The first job is so important and so hard to get, you have to really want it. 如果我暂时还没找工作呢? How long does it take to hear back once you’ve applied? Unless they’re interested, you won’t hear anything. If they are, usually a couple of weeks at most unless there’s an enormous amount of candidates or someone else fell through. Calling HR a week after is acceptable, but don’t call everyday. 应聘以后多长时间可以得到回复? It’s been a really long time, should I send in another reel? Call them first, ask them what the status is of the position. Ask if you can reapply. If they say yes, then go for it! If not, then don’t waste the postage. 已经等了很长时间了,我是否应该另寻其他的公司? I got an interview…so what do I say? Just be yourself, take extra reels and resumes and be on time and prepared. Most importantly, be honest; don’t lie about what you can do, because that won’t get you the job. Don’t dress up, but at least look presentable. Be confident, they’re interested in you; try to sound interested in them. 我有面试的机会拉,但是我该说什么呢? What should I ask for as far as money goes? Ask them what the job pays when they ask you how much you want. Ask them what they feel is fair. If you feel it is just too low, then ask for 5-10% more, but be careful with your approach. The ball is totally in their court, not yours. If this is your first job take what you can get, ask for more, hope for more, but take what you can get. 关于薪酬我该怎么问呢? Is it ok to take an unpaid internship? Yes, and in fact many colleges will give you credit for doing so. You should try to do this while you’re still living off of student loans or are still living at home. Unpaid should be no longer than 3-6 months. If they ask you to work longer than that for free, then it’s not really an internship. Most larger companies offer internships and have a standard application process. This is a good way to get your foot in the door, make contacts in the industry, find out how much you really know, and helps you build your experience and demo reel. Look at it this way - unpaid now equals paid later. 可以无报酬试用吗? How do I get experience when all the job ads require experience and I have none? This is the catch 22 of any industry. Students looking for work are two things to employers A) unknown B) cheap. Since you are cheaper than everyone else, you actually have a shot at filling in an entry level position, even if you have no experience and the ad says seeking experienced artists only. It’s a way to weed out candidates, but companies know that students are still going to apply. Just make sure that whatever job you’re applying for, you can actually do! Your unknown factor makes you a possible liability, and so they are taking a risk by giving you a chance. You should be thankful for the opportunity to prove yourself. 所有的招聘都要求工作经验,但是我没有经验,我该怎么办? What about after this first job? You can expect to suffer for a little while during your period of being a grunt. It will be hard. Don’t expect them to hand you anything important, and don’t expect them to give you a huge raise. Just do the best you can, everyday, and learn what you can. You’re building your resume, that’s it, bottom line. Live with roommates or friends or family if you can’t afford the market you’re in, but don’t quit just because you can’t afford it! The job experience is more valuable than your pay. Think about your career long-term, not the job short-term. 拥有了第一份工作以后我该怎么做呢? After your first few projects, you might have earned enough respect to do a few things. A) You might have enough experience on your resume to get a job at a different company with a better position or B) you might get a raise at your current company and more responsibilities or C) You might get to try something new at your current job that allows a shift in position. This could take anywhere from a year to two years, but you should see results within that time, otherwise you’re in a stale environment and need to move on. 完成了最初的几个项目后,你可能在某些方面赢得了一些重视。 What about later on? What is my earning potential? Honestly, the sky is the limit. In LA there are unions for some of the larger shops, and the rest is pretty much standard hourly rates or salary. Many places require overtime to finish projects during deadlines. The lifestyle will be quite comfortable if you reach your earning potential. Supervisor and lead roles pay better, but also require very experienced talent, and companies are willing to pay for that experience. 再以后呢?我的收入潜力如何? Keep in mind there are dry spells, periods where you won’t have work. Almost all CG work is project based, even full time employees have to worry about projects at their place of employment, because if there’s not projects coming in, it could mean staff layoffs. It’s not uncommon to save two or more months of rent and other living expenses just in case. In fact, you’re playing a risky game if you don’t. Even the most talented artists get laid off from time to time. 要知道有可能会遇到青黄不接的时候,你没有工作可做了。几乎所有的CG工作都是项目制,即便是全职员工也要担心他们的雇佣地位。因为如果没有新的项目可做,那么就意味着解雇。所以一定要随时保留可以支持两个月以上的存款。如果你没有准备,那么你便冒着很大的风险了。即便是最出色的艺术家也经常被解雇。 The result is a tighter knit community. Many of your future job opportunities will come from past relationships with other employees. As you work at other companies, so are they and you will likely cross paths again. Remember that burning bridges in this industry can hurt your career, not just your current job. Chances are good that you’ll work with many different people, and many of them will know you and each other quite well. In short, yes, politics matter. 这样的结果便是形成一个互相紧密交织的行业社会。很多你未来的工作都来自于你之前的人际关系。当你在一个新公司工作,他们也是,而且你们也许会重新变成同事。记住,不好的人际关系不仅会影响到你的工作,更会成为你职业生涯的一大致命伤。你会和很多不同的人一起工作,他们互相之间都很了解,也包括对你。简而言之,都是待人处世的艺术。 What are people looking for in a candidate? We don’t care where you went, how long you went there, if you were top or bottom of your class. Show us you can do it by showing us a great demo reel and portfolio. Follow that up with a great humble attitude that shows a willingness to learn and the ability to take direction. Then, show up everyday, on time, and do the best you can until it’s time to go home. Show us that you are resourceful and can find answers to problems on your own before asking those around you. Show us you how bad you really want it, and above all, show us the passion, and remind us of how we felt when we were first looking for a job, were filled with energy, and didn’t know what was going on. That’s what everyone really wants in a candidate, entry level or not. 众多候选人中,他们更看重什么? It’s all about your demo reel, your attitude, and of course your talent. Yes, this was long, but you had a lot of questions though, didn’t you? Feel free to pass this around! |
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