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Hey there,
This here is Henry Ramsevik, Junior Environment Artist at Funcom and working on Conan Exiles. He’s recently been interviewed about his job and how he got into the industry.
Having a job in Norway’s largest game development company
On the job at Funcom, former 3D and animation student Henry Ramsevik has to live off what he loves to do: make games.
He always had an interest for games
After testing out the building and construction and health sciences, without luck, Henry happened to come across a TV commercial for the 3D and animation study at the Kristiania Technical School. He saw this as an opportunity to gain a foothold in the gaming industry.Ever since childhood I have enjoyed playing video games. When I saw the commercial for the study, I found it very exciting. I thought; why not try?
Henry was given an internship at Funcom after attending a job guidance course. One year later he was offered permanent employment in the gaming company.
It happened very quickly. I was on this course for just a few weeks, before I went straight to practice at Funcom, Henry says.
At Funcom, several of the employees have the same educational background as Henry.
You can work with a lot of different things at Funcom, as we have numerous departments. Several of my colleagues have also studied 3D and animation or similar education. Those who work as a “Content Artist” often have backgrounds in illustration. There are many opportunities.
More specializations in 3D and animation
Henry had no experience with 3D and animation until he started studying. When he was given the choice to specialize in an area, he went for games. Students can specialize in the areas of game art, VFX, motion design and animated films.
Through the study you acquire basic tools and skills in 3D and animation, and then you can choose what you want to learn more about. I chose to go for games, but you can also specialize in areas that are more geared towards the film and advertising industry.
Several of Henry’s former co-students have also found a relevant job after graduation, including in the film and advertising industries. He has a clear recommendation to others who take creative and practical education on how they can more easily participate in the labor market.
How it is to work at Funcom
Former 3D and animation student at Kristiania Fagskolen, Henry Ramsevik, talks about his job as “Junior Environment Artist” in Norway’s largest game development company, Funcom.
The video was created by Kristine Ingebretsen, who is a student of Digital Content Production at Kristiania Fagskolen.
It’s really the dream job for me. It’s the first time I’ve been looking forward to going to work on a Monday. My position now is “Junior Environment Artist”. It sounds very fancy, but I create the environment in which the player walks around.
What does a typical work day look like for you?
A typical work day for me is to come to work. The first thing I do is get myself a cup of coffee. There is a lot of coffee here. And then I sit down in the office, where I sit with the artists who work on what is relevant. And then I sit on the PC most of the day and work. I’m currently working on Conan Exiles[, which is our most successful game. It’s fun that many still play it and want more content]. During the break, people sometimes enjoy playing video games. We have different consoles that we are allowed to use. Funcom buys various games, which we can actually borrow if we want. There is a very good working environment and there are very good people working here. I have learned a lot from those I work with. I really couldn’t have asked for anything better.
What tips would you give to students who want to enter the industry?
The tip I would give is to work with their portfolio. I think that was one of the most important things to do. It is to have things that are relevant to the portfolio. You have to have things that could have been inside a “game engine” for example, if you want to work with games. If you want to work with other things, such as film or advertising, then you need to have a show reel where you show what you’re able to do within that area.
- Original article (Norwegian)
- ArtStation (portfolio)
- Pinterest (inspiration)
Credit: Photos, video and article by Kristine Ingebretsen.
Captions translated using Google Translate and edited to correct for grammar.