Interview Project: Part 2 Jaclyn Clark Interview Project: Part 2 Communication 1010-069 10/09/2013 Interview Analyses Memo D !

": #cto$er 9% 2013 !#: Pro&e''or (att)ew (erkel *+#(: Jaclyn Clark ,-.J"C!: Interview naly'e' (emo% C#(( 1010-069 I )a/ t)e 0lea'ure o& interviewin1 Jon (at'ukawa% t)e 2ame Pro1rammin1 Director at Di'ney3' valanc)e ,o&tware in /owntown ,alt 4ake City5 I wa' connecte/ to Jon t)rou1) my 0ro&e''or% (att)ew (erkel5 rt )a' alway' $een my 0a''ion% an/ $ecau'e I love vi/eo 1ame' I )ave $een 'eriou'ly lookin1 at 1oin1 into vi/eo 1ame /e'i1n5 6)ile I love 0layin1 vi/eo 1ame'% I )a/ never really known all t)at muc) a$out w)at 1oe' into makin1 a vi/eo 1ame5 Jon 1ave me a muc) clearer i/ea o& w)at 1oe' into t)e 0roce'' o& /e'i1nin1 a 1ame% an/ now I know t)at it i' a muc) more inten'ive an/ /eman/in1 career t)an I t)ou1)t it wa'5 7owever% i& anyt)in1% talkin1 to Jon )a' ma/e me t)at muc) more intere'te/ in a career in 1ame /e'i1n5 Summary of What I Learned Getting Started in Game Design I learne/ t)at to 1et a jo$ in 1ame /e'i1n w)at 'c)ool you 1o to &or )i1)er e/ucation i' not a' im0ortant a' your 0ort&olio5 (any 1ame /e'i1ner' an/ 0ro1rammer' )ave /e1ree' &rom variou' 'c)ool'8 'tate colle1e'% 0rivate univer'itie'% art 'c)ool'% an/ even tec)nical 'c)ool' 1eare/ to vi/eo 1ame creation5 .ecau'e t)e vi/eo 1ame in/u'try )a' c)an1e/ 'o muc) in t)e 0a't cou0le /eca/e' t)e ty0e o& e/ucation varie' &rom /e'i1ner to /e'i1ner5 lt)ou1) t)ey are all )i1)er e/ucation /e1ree'% t)e 'c)ool' t)ey come &rom ten/' to vary5 !)e mo't im0ortant t)in1 t)at em0loyer' look at i' your 0ort&olio $ecau'e it ')owca'e' your a$ility% talent% an/ e90erience5 In 0articular 0otential em0loyer' like to 'ee any 1ame 0roject you may )ave worke/ on in 'c)ool or on your own $ecau'e it ')ow' initiative an/ 0a''ion5 &ter '0eakin1 wit) Jon I &oun/ out t)at t)ere are really only two $i1 vi/eo 1ame 'tu/io' in ,alt 4ake City--" ,alt 4ake% an/ Di'ney3' valanc)e ,o&tware5 7owever% t)e'e are $i1% )i1)-en/ 'tu/io' t)at )ave t)e to0-tier /e'i1ner' an/ 0ro1rammer'5 !o 1et a jo$ at one o& t)e'e 1ame 'tu/io' you )ave to $e t)e $e't o& t)e $e't5 Jon 'ai/ t)at to &in/ jo$' in t)e 1oo/ 'tu/io' you nee/ to know 'omeone% )ave a 1oo/ 0ort&olio% an/ a little luck5 !)e $e't way to 1et t)e e90erience an/ $uil/ your 0ort&olio i' to work in 'maller com0anie' &ir't% an/ t)ere are a lot o& 'maller 'tu/io'% 'uc) a' one' t)at make 0)one a00'% t)at can $e 1oo/ avenue' into t)e vi/eo 1ame in/u'try5

A Typical Day 6)en a'kin1 Jon a$out )i' ty0ical /ay at work )e coul/ not really 1ive me a /e&initive an'wer% $ecau'e 1ame /e'i1ner' an/ 0ro1rammer' /on3t really /o t)e 'ame t)in1 /ay in an/ /ay out% 1ame /e'i1n i' a 0roce'' t)at )a00en' in wave'5 !)e &ir't wave everyone i' $uil/in1 i/ea' an/ conce0t'% writin1 0a0er' t)at outline w)at t)ey want t)e vi/eo 1ame to look like% an/ meetin1 wit) everyone involve/ 0retty muc) /aily to e9c)an1e i/ea' an/ ')ow eac) ot)er w)at t)ey )ave 'o &ar5 #n t)e 0ro1rammer'3 'i/e t)ey will /i'cu'' w)at t)ey woul/ like to /o wit) t)e 1ame an/ )ow t)ey coul/ /o it% i& t)ey )a/ /one it $e&ore% an/ i& it i' &ea'i$le5 #n t)e art 'i/e w)ile t)ey are $uil/in1 conce0t' t)ey al'o )ave to $e aware o& re'triction' a' to w)at t)ey can /o in re1ar/ to memory limitation' an/ 'o &ort)5 In t)e 'econ/ 0)a'e everyone i' very &ocu'e/ on 0ro/uction% t)ey )ave an i/ea o& w)at t)ey are /oin1 an/ t)ey 'till meet 'omew)at re1ularly to c)eck in wit) eac) ot)er an/ to c)an1e an/ alter t)in1' a' nee/e/5 !)i' i' w)ere a lot o& t)e $ulk o& $uil/in1 an/ creatin1 t)e 1ame )a00en'5 In t)e la't 0)a'e t)ere are very &ew meetin1'% t)i' 0)a'e i' known a'% :t)e Crunc)%; it i' t)e la't &ew mont)' o& work w)ere everyone i' tryin1 to &i9 $u1'% 1et everyt)in1 to work 0ro0erly% make c)an1e' t)at nee/ to )a00en% an/ 0oli') everyt)in1 o&&5 Jon 'ai/ t)at /urin1 t)e Crunc) everyone i' workin1 overtime% i' 'tre''e/ out% an/ will $e '0en/in1 mo't o& t)eir time at work% w)ic) 0ut' 0re''ure on 0eo0le wit) &amilie'5 !)e Crunc) 0erio/ i' t)e mo't /i&&icult an/ )i1)-0re''ure 0art o& makin1 vi/eo 1ame'5 In many ca'e' t)e 1oal i' to )ave t)e 1ame /one aroun/ winter 'o t)at it can $e relea'e/ aroun/ t)e )oli/ay'% w)en 0eo0le will '0en/ t)e mo't money on vi/eo 1ame'5 I& you cannot 1et t)e 1ame /one $y t)en% t)en you e''entially mi'' an entire year3' wort) o& 0ro&it $ecau'e no one $uy' 1ame' in January% an/ you )ave to wait anot)er year until 'ale' will really 0ick u0 a1ain5 !)i' i' one o& t)e many rea'on' t)at t)e Crunc) i' 'o inten'e an/ im0ortant5 Jon 'ai/ t)at a lot o& vi/eo 1ame com0anie' an/ 0retty ca'ual5 valanc)e ,o&tware /oe' not )ave muc) o& a /re'' co/e% a00arently 'ome em0loyee' even 1o $are&oot aroun/ t)e o&&ice% an/ I 'aw 'everal em0loyee' walkin1 aroun/ in jean' an/ a t-')irt or &lannel ')irt5 !)ou1) mo't 1ame com0anie' are ca'ual% t)i' i' not alway' t)e ca'e5 Jon 'ai/ t)at t)e &ir't 0lace )e interne/ at wa' &airly cor0orate an/ )e )a/ to wear a 'uit an/ tie5 It ju't /e0en/' on w)ere you work an/ w)at t)e com0any value'5 (any vi/eo 1ame com0anie' are al'o ca'ual in re1ar/ to time5 ' lon1 a' you come into work% /o your jo$ an/ meet your /ea/line' t)en t)ey will not care i& you nee/ to 'li0 out to 0ick u0 your ki/ &rom 'occer 0ractice% a' lon1 a' you make u0 your )our' later5 Jon 'ai/ t)at )i' )our' were more &le9i$le earlier in )i' career $e&ore )e 1ot into a lea/er 0o'ition an/ )a/ to atten/ 'o many meetin1'5 <ow t)at )e i' in a )i1)er 0o'ition )e cannot /o t)at a' muc) $ecau'e )e )a' a lot more a00ointment' an/ re'0on'i$ilitie'5 Jon )a' $een workin1 in 1ame 0ro1rammin1 &or a$out t)e la't 'i9teen year'5 7e ori1inally went to 'c)ool &or "lectrical "n1ineerin1% $ut $y t)e time )e 1ra/uate/ wit)

t)at /e1ree it wa' t)e en/ o& t)e Col/ 6ar an/ t)ere were not really any 0o'ition' &or "lectrical "n1ineer'5 7e like/ vi/eo 1ame' 'o w)en t)e o00ortunity aro'e to work on 1ame 0ro1rammin1% )e took it5 6)en I a'ke/ )im i& )e woul/ 1o $ack an/ c)an1e anyt)in1 i& )e coul/% )e 'ai/ )e woul/ not5 Jon 'ay' t)at )e love' )i' jo$ an/ )e i' 0a''ionate a$out it5 It come' at a 0rice% $ecau'e it take' u0 muc) o& )i' time an/ can $e =uite 'tre''&ul% $ut )e i' muc) )a00ier in t)e 1ame in/u'try t)an )e woul/ )ave $een anyw)ere el'e5 Interview Analyses !)i' interview )a' )el0e/ to in&orm me on w)at e9actly i' involve/ in makin1 a vi/eo 1ame% )a' 'tren1t)ene/ my intere'te/ in t)i' career% an/ tau1)t me )ow to con/uct an interview% a' well a' ')own me 0oint' I coul/ work on &or interviewin1 in t)e &uture5 Analyses of Game Designer as My Career Choice In t)i' interview I learne/ t)at $ein1 a 1ame /e'i1ner i' a muc) more inten'e an/ )i1)0re''ure jo$ t)an I )a/ ima1ine/5 7owever% $ecau'e o& t)i' I know t)at everyone w)o work' in t)i' in/u'try )a' to $e very 0a''ionate% talente/% an/ creative% an/ I woul/ love to work wit) t)o'e kin/' o& 0eo0le5 I al'o learne/ t)at t)e 'c)ool I 1o to i' not a' im0ortant a' )ow 1oo/ my 0ort&olio i'% w)ic) ea'e' 'ome o& t)e 'tre'' I )ave $een )avin1 a$out )ow to c)oo'e w)ic) 'c)ool to 1o to a&ter I 1ra/uate &rom ,4CC5 !alkin1 to Jon )a' 1iven me more con&i/ence in t)inkin1 t)at 1ame /e'i1ner i' a via$le career &or me5 6)en tryin1 to re'earc) a$out t)i' career I &oun/ many /i&&erin1 o0inion' an/ con&u'in1 in&ormation% talkin1 to Jon )a' cleare/ u0 muc) o& my con&u'ion an/ an'were/ many o& t)e =ue'tion' I )a/ a$out it5 ' Jon 'ai/% :>ou )ave to come into t)i' jo$ wit) your eye' o0en%; $ecau'e t)ere i' 'o muc) more involve/ in 1ame /e'i1n% an/ it can $e a muc) )ar/er career t)an many 0eo0le a''ume5 Analyses of My Interview Process I can $e 0retty ')y w)en talkin1 to 0eo0le I /o not know% an/ I wa' very nervou' on my way to meetin1 Jon5 ,0eakin1 to t)e 2ame Pro1rammin1 Director at Di'ney3' valanc)e ,o&tware 'eeme/ 0retty intimi/atin1% 'ince I am ju't a youn1 ,4CC 'tu/ent workin1 0art-time at 6al1reen'% $ut Jon wa' very kin/ an/ o0en% an/ really )um$le a$out )i' 0o'ition5 !alkin1 to Jon wa' muc) more ea'y an/ com&orta$le t)an I t)ou1)t it woul/ $e% an/ )e 'eeme/ =uite )a00y an/ willin1 to ')are )i' knowle/1e an/ e90erience wit) me5 *or t)e interview I e/ite/ my 0reviou' outline to ')orten it a little an/ c)an1e a cou0le o& t)e =ue'tion'% $ut even 'o t)e interview went a $it overtime5 I )a/ reviewe/ my =ue'tion' 'everal time' 'o I knew w)at in&ormation I wante/ an/ w)at 'u$ject' to cover5 I en/e/ u0 a'kin1 a lot le'' =ue'tion' t)an I 0lanne/ to $ecau'e a&ter a'kin1 a =ue'tion% Jon woul/ an'wer t)e =ue'tion an/ 1o on to talk more com0letely a$out t)e 'u$ject t)an ju't w)at t)e =ue'tion a'ke/ &or5 6)ile t)i' meant t)at eac) =ue'tion took a little more time% it 'till worke/ to my $ene&it $ecau'e )e woul/ an'wer 'everal =ue'tion' at once an/ t)en I coul/ move on to t)e ne9t 'u$ject5 I worke/ wit) t)i' an/ trie/ to 1o wit) t)e &low

o& t)e conver'ation 'o t)at w)en I /i/ a'k a new =ue'tion it woul/ $e a$out a /i&&erent 'u$ject an/ t)en Jon woul/ not re0eat )im'el& a' muc)5 I u'e/ a recor/er /urin1 t)e interview 'o t)at I coul/ 'tay &ocu'e/ on t)e conver'ation an/ woul/ not )ave to $ot)er wit) note'5 I &elt t)at t)i' )el0e/ to kee0 t)e conver'ation 'moot) an/ natural% 'o Jon coul/ talk wit)out )avin1 to wait &or me to catc) u0% an/ 'o t)at I coul/ make 1oo/ eye contact an/ really )ear w)at )e wa' tellin1 me5 !)e /own'i/e i' t)at w)en reviewin1 t)e recor/in1 to write t)i' memo it wa' not a' ea'y to &in/ '0eci&ic 0oint' o& in&ormation in t)e 'in1le cli0% I )a/ to jum0 aroun/ a little an/ li'ten &or a w)ile to 1et to w)at I nee/e/5 Per)a0' ne9t time I woul/ try recor/in1 eac) =ue'tion 'e0arately to make t)i' ea'ier5 t t)e en/ o& t)e interview I /i/ not 1et to 'ay e9actly t)e en/in1 t)at I )a/ written /own% $ecau'e I 'tarte/ to 'ay it an/ t)en Jon remem$ere/ )e wante/ to ')ow me 'omet)in1 el'e5 !)en I 'tarte/ to t)ank )im a1ain w)en )e o&&ere/ me a Di'ney In&inity t-')irt% w)ic) i' t)e 1ame valanc)e ,o&tware ju't &ini')e/ makin1% w)ic) I t)anke/ )im 0ro&u'ely &or5 In t)e en/ I a0olo1i?e/ &or 1oin1 overtime% t)anke/ )im 'everal /i&&erent way' an/ time'% an/ ')ook )an/'5 !)ere&or% t)e en/in1 wa' not a' &ormal a' I inten/e/% $ut I &elt t)at t)at wa' okay $ecau'e t)e 1ame in/u'try i' 0retty ca'ual% an/ $y t)e en/ o& t)e interview we were &airly com&orta$le wit) eac) ot)er5 .ecau'e we went overtime I le&t t)e =ue'tionnaire wit) Jon 'o t)at )e coul/ /o it later w)en )e )a/ t)e time% an/ )e 'canne/ it an/ e-maile/ it to me later t)at ni1)t5 I will attac) t)e =ue'tionnaire an/ 'en/ it electronically wit) t)i' memo5 #verall I &oun/ t)i' a''i1nment to $e very &un an/ very )el0&ul% an/ I am certain it will in&luence my career 0at)% a' well a' to )el0 me $e a $etter interviewer in t)e &uture5

Letter of Thanks

Dear Jon% !)ank you 'o muc) &or takin1 time out o& your $u'y 'c)e/ule to let me interview you a$out your career5 !)e an'wer' you 1ave me were very intere'tin1 an/ )el0&ul% not ju't &or my Communication 0roject% $ut &or my &uture a' well5 I a/mire t)e 0a''ion an/ /e/ication you )ave &or your jo$% an/ I )ave 'o muc) re'0ect &or everyt)in1 you )ave 0ut into it5 I a00reciate/ your o0enne'' an/ your )one'ty% an/ I now look u0 to you a' a role mo/el5 I learne/ 'o muc) more a$out w)at 1oe' into makin1 vi/eo 1ame' in t)e little time I '0ent talkin1 to you t)an I ever coul/ )ave &rom re'earc)in1 on t)e internet or el'ew)ere5 >ou )ave o0ene/ my eye' to )ow muc) more /eman/in1 t)i' career i' t)an I )a/ 0reviou'ly t)ou1)t% an/ now I can con'i/er &uture career' muc) $etter in&orme/ t)an I wa' $e&ore5 I a00reciate you 'ettin1 a'i/e time to talk to me% e'0ecially 'ince you are 'o $u'y an/ )a/ only ju't 1ot $ack into town5 I can never t)ank you enou1)% $ut I )o0e you enjoy t)i' 'mall token o& my a00reciation5 @ n/ I )o0e you like c)ocolateAB ,incerely% Jaclyn Clark C(aile/ wit) t)ank you letter i' a 'mall $o9 o& *errero c)ocolate'5D