Anyone work in the the 3d visualization/modelling industry?

Just want to know what the prospects are for someone starting out, I gained a few skills at uni and so I’m looking at this area for possible freelancing/employment

I don’t work in it but have tried to get in having graduated uni last year. It’s bloody impossible tbh, there are hardly any jobs going, and have only had 1 interview out of those I’ve applied for (still waiting to hear back from em).

Like _Tom said at the moment it is pretty difficult industry to break into, lots of good people been laid off in the last year or two, so the competition for any jobs that crop up is fierce. Best thing is to do whatever you can for the time being but build up your portfolio/showreel while contacting companies that you’d like to work for, keep checking press and websites for opportunities that do arise.

On another down note a lot of budget/simpler work that would have gone to junior staff is now being sent to overseas companies with far lower overheads.

The main thing is that when you do get an interview you need to have a portfolio / showreel that will blow them away. Do not underestimate how good your showreel needs to be, far more important than qualifications. If you do not think that yours is among the best work that you’ve ever seen then you need to improve it.

cool thanks for the info guys

If you have the ability to relocate i know that Weta are picking people up left right and centre for upcoming projects (Hobbit and Avatar II) – you;d need to score a work visa tho – working holiday visa would be a good start and then doorstep them and prepare for a long haul !

from a film and commercials perspective – we find it surprisingly hard to hire people! seem to be very few good graduates around.. i’d say prospects are good – if you’re good, enthusiastic and realistic.

tips. be specific – if you want to do modelling get good at that and forget trying to render stuff nicely (few people work across disciplines unless you’re at a very small company).
your reel (and to a lesser extent your CV) is what gets you an interview. if you get an interview you’re probably good enough – the interview is us working out if we want to work with you 🙂

best stuff on the reel first. keep reel short (2-3 mins is plenty). don’t pad with stuff you’re not 100% sure about – if we get bored we’ll turn it off and watch someone elses instead
not worth agonising over music on a reel – we usually have the sound off anyway.
don’t worry about fancy flashy reels. just show what you’re good at. if you’re showing stuff that you didn’t do (ie work from group projects) be very clear what your contribution was.
if you want to do modelling don’t apply for lighting roles etc (you’d be surprised..)
you’ve got to really want to do it – that needs to come over at interview. work on your reel/skills all the time you’re not riding.
go to conferences/festivals – speak to people on recruitment stands.
what skills have you got?

thanks tomwod

I used 3ds max quite a lot at uni as part of a product design degree for visualisations from models built in 3ds or CAD data, part of that was photo matching and some low poly modelling for a web vrml,
since uni I have played around with vray a little to get more photorealistic visuals for my product design portfolio,

I am not going to pretend I know the first thing about video editing, compositing, rigging, etc, it would take me an age to produce something like this guy

I was thinking maybe selling models on turbosquid and producing 3d visuals for local web/graphic designers and small architectural companies, rather than the next Avatar

You might try my customer, Immersion: http://www.immersion.fr/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=10&Itemid=14&lang=en
or Dassault: http://www.3ds.com/company/jobs-careers/hq-worldwide-internships/

Both in France, but that’s a good thing, right? Anyway, good luck.

hey no worries amt, glad to help 😉