#designcodegame

Jonathan Macdonald is a Freelance Digital 3D Artist working with clients such as the BBC and Nickelodeon. Jonathan has created characters, building's and props for games, mobile, advertising and television.

We thought it would be great to interview him and get him to answer some questions about how to get started within the industry!

  1) How did you get started in this industry?

After finishing University, while I was developing my skills I got involved in a few Indie game projects. This was a great insight into working with other people on a project. A valuable skill needed when working in a studio. From there I was then hired at a local studio where I worked on Cloudbabies and various other projects.

2) What are your favourite projects you have worked on ?

So far Cloudbabies has been a good project and a major milestone for animation in the UK, as it was the first CG television series done 100% in the UK. Also the project I have just started working on now seems set to become a favourite too.....It has Martians in it, but unfortunately I can't say more.

3) Whats your favourite thing about working in the industry?

Doing what you do  as a hobby all day, every day. So really work just becomes an extension of what you do at home.

4) What advice would you give to young people who wanted to get started in the sector?

Never  stop! I can't say that enough! If it's the one thing I have learnt, it is that your learning doesn't stop at University. You have to keep doing , growing and evolving your skills and speed. Try and find inspiration from everywhere you look and turn that into your creative drive. Also never give up! There will be a time when you get to applying for work and a lot of the time you won't get replies or you will get some "No thank you" emails. Don't let it deter you, keep going you will get there!

If you would like to see some of Jonathan's work you can here;

http://jonathan-k-macdonald.weebly.com/index.html

For more career advice you can talk to some of the the industry greats at our next Design/Code/Event this Thursday

Here is a blog post by Luke McCormick, who spent the morning at both Apposing & Lucid Games offices;

"We got invited to go into Lucid and Apposing’s office through twitter and they showed us their offices and what they do daily. They make Games/apps for companies like they made the app for CSL sofas!

Both offices were REALLY full of computers and IPhones / IPads/IPods and it was a great influence.

I’m only 9 years old, and it was a great experience at such a young age, and I’m starting to think that I want to do the same when I’m older!

I met a man called Dave who showed me around his office (he was from apposing). And a man called Nick who showed me around his office too (he was from lucid).

The offices were very spaced out and sociable, there were many desks spread out across the room.

In the lucid office, there were nerf guns all over the tables!!! (**LOL**)

When we went to Lucid they were in progress of making a game, but its top secret so I can’t tell you the name, and they showed us a little preview of it. They also made a mountain bike game and working on a racing car game.

I had Played some of their Previous games (like PGR 4 for Xbox 360)… It was great to meet the people that had made games that I have played and to thank them!

I told them about our ideas and they liked them. They gave us tips to making the games and helped us by telling us what to add in/take out.

It looked like everyone in the offices were enjoying doing what they were doing, and it was a happy environment 

The most enthusiastic man was the coding man at apposing. He sat at a desk at the back of the room and programmed the apps, whilst the others did art/design etc.

He gave me a tip to learning a programming language, C sharp. I’m going to look into C sharp and try to learn it!

Overall it was a very helpful and inspiring day; I hope to go back there another day! ( maybe to work there….!)

Luke McCormick 9 years old