Kevin Whitmeyer GDC 2016

Post date: Mar 21, 2016 6:47:58 PM

Kevin Whitmeyer

GDC Write-up 

                Each year I’ve gone to GDC I try to be as honest as possible when figuring out whether or not the price is worth the benefits you reap from the trip, and I think now that I’ve gone a second time, I can honestly say- I don’t quite know. It seems that every person has a slightly different experience there, and it’s not always as black and white tied to how strong their skillsets and art pieces are. A lot of it seems to come to two essential things- timing and motivation. One of these you can’t control. You can’t control which big name artist you happen to bump into getting lunch, and you can’t always control which networking parties you get invites to. You can’t control when some of the huge talks are happening and you can’t control the whether or not you just missed art director x when trying to get a portfolio review. However, there really isn’t any point in dwelling on things you can’t control, so these are things you simply have to brush off. The more important note, is what you CAN control- your motivation to be there and meet people.

                It was by shear coincidence that I met up with people I had interviewed with just the week earlier at raven software. I simply turned around in a crowded bar and we made eye contact and recognized each other. Now, outside of the fact that they had already given me an offer, this meeting wasn’t exactly super career-important, rather it was more of fun outing for the rest of the night. The thing that made it notable however, was the fact that I had brought a few friends with me, ones who willingly and intentionally decided to go to that specific party with me. Brooke got to meet these guys from Raven, a studio she really wanted to work at, and because we intentionally hung out with them later that night after meeting up, she and I were both able to make stronger connections with those guys. The fact that we saw them was random. It was timing. But we would never have even been in that place at that time if we had just decided to say “hey let’s just go be lame and get dinner and head back to the hotel” when the career floor closed at 6.

                I’m not saying you have to extroverted. I truly don’t believe, and honestly haven’t seen, every studio artist or designer excitedly and aggressively talking to students. Many of them kind of keep to themselves and talk to the people they know- more introverted. In reality it doesn’t matter if you have this awesome rager with a bunch of guys you want to work with or you just say hi to a recruiter and add them on LinkedIn later. The important thing is that you DO get out there and you help them remember you X days later when you attempt to reach out to them.

                That’s how you make GDC worth the money. It isn’t a conference that by itself means anything- its how YOU chose to spend your time there. Therefore, no one can tell you whether it is, or isn’t worth it. And Open bars- drink all you can drink at the open bars. Make that plane ticket you bought be your “would-be” bar tab. Enjoy yourself- if you’re at Ringling, you’re still in college- go nuts.