Task 2 - Employment in The media sector

First job role: Concept Artist
Job description: I chose this job because I've always wanted to draw for a gaming company specifically Riot Games. A Concept artist use the traditional way which is pen and paper instead of using computer software to draw, concept artists sketch the ideas for game worlds, character, clothing, furniture, vehicle and environment. Concept artist do really play a big role in the actual game making but what they do helps and shape the game.
Job contracts: Full time.
Skills needed:
• have an art portfolio demonstrating a range of work and originality of style
• be able to draw from life
• have knowledge of anatomy and architecture
• be able to convey facial expressions and emotions
• have a flair for colour, composition, perspective, modelling and texturing techniques, lighting and mood
• have skills in comic book art and/or storyboarding
• be able to work as part of a team and independently
• be imaginative and creative
Qualifications needed: Most Artists in the games industry possess a degree or HND in an art subject, such as fine art, graphic design or illustration.
Education needed: If you are considering taking a games course in higher education, the following courses have been rigorously assessed by the games industry and awarded the Creative Skillset Tick for the high standard of education they provide and the degree to which they prepare you for a games career.
Salary: $61,000 - $64,000
In 2012, multimedia artists earned an average of $69,560 a year
The top 10 percent of earners made more than $113,470, while the bottom 10 percent earned less than $34,860 annually. But none of these figures account for industry.
A survey by Game Developer magazine found that video game artists and animators earned closer to $75,000 a year as of 2013.
Career progression: you could progress to be a team leader, a senior artist or a lead artist.

Second job role: Animator (Games)
Job description: Animators In the games industry are in charge for the portrayal of movement and behaviour.
Most often this is applied to give life to game characters and creatures, but sometimes animations are also applied to other elements such as objects, scenery, vegetation and environmental effects.
Specialist software packages are used to create the animations.
Animators must portray movement and behavior in an efficient and effective way which makes best use of the game engine’s technology, within the platform’s limitations. Game animators are in charge with how the graphics are going to look and basically everything that moves
Job contract: Full time.
Skills needed:

• have knowledge of traditional and computer 2D and 3D animation techniques
• be creative and imaginative
• have knowledge of full motion video (FMV)
• be able to work as part a team and also on your own initiative
• be able to take responsibility for organising your work within the production schedule, managing files and meeting deadlines.
• understand the production process.
• be able to communicate effectively with other teams and disciplines is essential.

Qualifications needed: You will usually need an animation-related degree, including games animation.
Education needed: While you’re in high school, you can prepare to get accepted into game design college programs by taking courses like art, drawing and creative writing. After you graduate high school and enroll in college, you might take courses in game design and development, computer science, sculpture and computer programming. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a bachelor’s degree is often required to get hired as a game designer. However, two-year or associate degree programs are also available at colleges and universities in this field.
Salary: $53,000 - $ 79,000
As of 2011, the BLS found that animators working for software publishers earn an average of $64,820 per year. Game Developer Magazine, which conducts an annual salary survey for the video game industry, found a similar average salary of $63,214 in 2011. Breaking down the numbers further, Game Developer Magazine reports that female artists and animators make an average of $52,875, while male artists and animators earn an average of $79,124 per year.
Career progression: Most animators begin as studio runners and then progress to junior animation roles. In 2D animation, you may begin work as an 'inbetweener', then progress to key framer. 3D animation has a more hierarchical structure: starting as a junior animator, with progression to senior animator after a few years' experience and finally design manager or art director.

Senior roles involve more paperwork, managing staff and generating new ideas. Career progression is usually mostly through freelance work, which develops the animator's reputation, and this is likely to ensure a regular supply of work as well as more senior responsibilities.

Third job role: Game Designer

Job description: Game Designers devise what a game consists of and how it plays. Game designers plan and define all the elements of a game: its setting; structure; rules; story flow; characters; the objects, props, vehicles, and devices available to the characters; interface design; and modes of play. Once the game is devised, the Game Designer communicates this to the rest of the development team who create the art assets and computer code that allow the game to be played.
Job contracts: Full time
Skills needed:

• be able to work in collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams
• be able to communicate your vision to artists, programmers, producers, marketing staff, and others involved in the development process
• be able to accept constructive feedback on your work
• be able to present your ideas both verbally and on paper
• be imaginative and creative
• have good written and verbal communication skills
• have good basic visual design and drawing skills
• be reasonably fluent in a range of 2D and 3D graphics and animation packages, such as 3D Studio Max, NUKE or Maya

Qualifications needed: You don’t need a specific qualification to be a Game Designer. However, most people entering the industry are graduates.

Education needed:
Degree level: High school diploma; some employers require a bachelor's degree*
Degree Name: Video game design, computer science*
Salary: £19,000 a year but could rise to between £25,000 and £35,000.

Fourth job role: Game Programmer
Job description: Game Programmers work at the heart of the game development process. They design and write the computer code that runs and controls the game, incorporating and adapting any ready-made code libraries and writing custom code as required. They test the code and fix bugs, and also develop customised tools for use by other members of the development team.

Different platforms (games consoles, PCs, handhelds, mobiles, etc.) have particular programming requirements and there are also various specialisms within programming, such as physics programming, AI (artificial intelligence), 3D engine development, interface and control systems.
Job contracts: Full time.
Skills needed:

• be able to programme in C++, C and other programming languages
• be systematic and highly organised
• be able to work on your own initiative and as part of a team
• have good communication skills 
• have specific platform experience, e.g. Wii, PlayStation, Xbox
• have a good understanding of game play
• be able to take instruction and work to deadlines 

Qualifications needed: You will generally need to have a degree to be a Game Programmer. This could be in physics, maths or computer science. Many new entrants also have a postgraduate qualification as well.
Education needed: Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, mathematics or related field.
Salary: Average salary $98,980 annually for computer programmers working in software publishing.

Types of Contract   

Full-time: Is when you use the the whole of your available working time. 

Part-time: Is when you work for only a part of the usual working day or week. 

Permanent: Means that you stay on that job until you decide to resign.

Temporary: Means that your main job is fixed-term contract.   

Voluntary: Means that you don't have the same rights as an employee or worker because you don't have a contract of employment.  

Freelance: Freelancers are self-employed people or are part of other companies but they are not entitled to the same rights as a worker like minimum wage for example. 

Task 1 - Structure of The media sector

Media Guide

My chosen industry in the in the creative media sector is the gaming industry. This industry produces games as you can see from the title, they produce games in different platforms from computers to mobile phones the games have a range of different genres from fantasy to action and horror most games consists of a mixture of genres.
Some games are available in many platforms but some games can only be played on that one particular platform, they most likely do this to sell the platforms. I think that the games industry fits into the media sector well as a whole because over the years they have made games that were from films that came from books also there are films that started from video games and have been made into a film like the 'Tomb Raider'.
Another example is 'Wreck it Ralph' which is based off an arcade game called 'Fix - it Felix Jr.' but in the film you can also see two other characters that were from different arcade games like the character called Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun who is the main character of another arcade game called 'Heroes Duty' and Vanellope Von Schweetz who is from the arcade game called 'Sugar Rush' but both Vanellope Von Schweetz and Sergeant Tamora  are characters that were made for the movie and so were both of the arcade games where they were supposed be from.

This is the trailer of the film 'Wreck it Ralph'.

This is a game play of the arcade game 'Fix - it Felix Jr.' which the film 'Wreck it Ralph' was based on. 

The company that i chosen to describe is 'Riot Games' because it the company that i am most familiar with.

Riot Games Inc., or simply Riot Games, is an independent game company located in Los Angeles, California. The studio was established in 2006 to develop innovative online next-generation titles for PC and consoles. They are comprised of world-class industry veterans with a shared passion for online gaming.

Many of Riot Games' developers and publishers are split into various teams in order to improve the quality of their products.