Question: I'm a high school junior. I think I have some creative ideas for video games, but am not sure that I want to do programming. I was wondering what other types of jobs are available in the video gaming industry and what kind of education I would need.
— Frankie

Response: The video game industry has gross revenues of $10 billion per year and growing. As a result, there are a variety of jobs available in such areas as art, programming, production, design, marketing and business. There is also work for story writers, musicians and audio directors. Entry-level jobs in the industry include game tester, customer support representative and production assistant.

If you have creative ideas for games, and are not interested in programming, you may be interested in becoming a game designer.

Job Description
Video game designers are primarily responsible for the playability and fun factor of the game. The designer must use his or her skills to target the game to its anticipated audience.

The process starts by writing and diagramming the game in a design document. The design document houses such elements as the characters, worlds, control schemes, systems, interface, story and puzzles. The design document grows increasingly large and complex as a game develops. Other facets of the design and development of a video game include screen shots and interface diagrams, flowcharts, script templates and tables.

As the game evolves from document to reality, the designer plays it constantly in order to ensure a balance of difficulty and fun. Designers must be aware of similar games on the market and do comparative research.

Most game designers work in teams. They divide up responsibilities according to their expertise and interest. For example, on a particular game there may be a lead designer, who may or may not be the person who "invented" the game. They will likely supervise other designers and be instrumental in the marketing and promotion of the game.

The lead designer's team may include level designers (also known as campaign or mission designers). Level designers build the game's interactive architecture (both constructed buildings and natural terrain). Further, a game design team often includes fiction writers or screenwriters. They research and create the fictional "backstory" of the world if there is one. They compose the on-screen text, write the dialogue for the characters and voiceovers in a game, and script the scenes for any introductions or transitions.

Training Options and Costs
A number of private colleges in Los Angeles have programs in video game creation, including the following:
University of Southern California
USC School of Cinema-Television
Attn: Interactive Media Program
University Park, LUC-310B
Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211
Phone: (213) 821-2515
Fax: (213) 821-2665
Email: usc_interactive@cinema.usc.edu
interactive.usc.edu
USC has an Interactive Media Division (IMD) in the USC School of Cinema and Television. One of the largest video game producers, Electronic Arts (EA), recently donated $8 million to create USC's Game Innovation Lab.

The school offers a 128-unit Bachelor of Arts in Interactive Entertainment, which combines a broad liberal arts background with specialization in a profession. Courses offered include: Design and Technology for Mobile Experiences, Character Development for Videogames, Game Industry Workshop, Designing Online Multiplayer Game Environments, Programming for Interactivity, Intermediate Game Development, Game Design Workshop, Portable Video Production and Internet Distribution, Stereoscopic Animation and Virtual Reality, Interactive Design and Production, and Experiments in Interactivity.

USC also offers a three-year Master of Fine Arts in Interactive Media. This degree is to prepare students for creative careers in the emerging field of interactive entertainment. The M.F.A. program requires the completion of 56 units and an advanced interactive project. Currently, USC undergraduate tuition and fees are $33,888 per year, and graduate tuition and fees are $22,938 per year.
Otis College of Art and Design
9045 Lincoln Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Admissions@otis.edu
(800) 527-6847
(310) 665-6800
Digital Media Department
www.harrymott.tv
digital@otis.edu
(310) 665 6987
Otis College of Art and Design offers a four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (BFA). The college has a Digital Media Department that prepares students for careers in the video gaming industry. Courses may include Media in Motion, Concepts & Issues in Media Arts, Perspectives in New Technologies & Design, Studio Visits, Type and Design Fundamentals, Concept Development and Creativity, 3D Modeling and Animation, and Perspectives in Entertainment & Technology.

Currently, undergraduate tuition costs $27,596 per year for twelve to eighteen units.
Art Center College of Design
Hillside Campus
1700 Lida Street
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 396-2200
Art Center offers a Bachelor of Science Degree in Product Design, with an entertainment design emphasis. Courses relevant to game design and development include: 3D Modeling for Games, Character Development, Entertainment Design, Game Concept Development, Game Worlds & Modding, Visual Development, Concept Sketching, Imaginatomy, Language of the Moving Image, Visualizing the Story, 3D Surfaces & Textures, Game Cinematics, Game Concept Development, Game Environments, and Interactive Design.

The required number of units is 144, including 99 studio units. Tuition at the Art Center is $13,906 per year for a full-time student.

Associations
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS)
23622 Calabasas Road, Ste. 220
Calabasas, CA 91302
Phone: 818.876.0826 x201
Fax: 818.876.0850
Email: info@interactive.org
www.interactive.org
Membership in the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences is open to qualified individuals working in the entertainment software community. Membership benefits include voting rights for the Interactive Achievement Awards, discounts on the annual two-day gaming industry summit, free admission to E3 expo, and invitations to industry events including the Into the Pixel Juror Panel Event and the Into the Pixel Opening Reception. AIAS also publishes an online newsletter.

Individual memberships cost $95 per year for active creative/technical members, $125 per year for active business membership.
International Game Developer Association (IGDA)
600 Harrison Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
Phone: 415.947.6235
Fax: 415.947.6090
Publications: Newsletter. Articles. Business Directory.
www.igda.org
Email: info@igda.org
The IGDA is a non-profit professional society that connects members with their peers and promotes professional development. Membership benefits include access to the member directory, the web site and discussion forums, IGDA newsletter subscription, and discounts on conferences, books, events and services. Upcoming events include the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles on May 9th through the 12th.

Membership dues are $48 for one year, $90 for 2 years, and $30 per year for student membership.

Job/Internship Resources
Electronic Arts Los Angeles (EALA)
5510 Lincoln Blvd
Playa Vista, CA 90094
(310) 754-7000
Main website: www.ea.com
Los Angeles jobsite: jobs.ea.com/eala/
Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts has a development studio in Los Angeles. The company has an online jobsite with current job openings. In addition, EA Academy internships are offered in the fall, spring and summer. Extended internships/co-ops are also available.

Production/design interns help to lead and drive game design and development. They partner with the development director and team to ensure on-time, high-quality delivery of various features.

Interns need excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to handle multiple projects under a demanding schedule. Knowledge of the video game industry is a plus. Applications are accepted online.

Salary
According to the International Game Developer Association (IDGA), the annual salary for game designers ranges from $50,000 (designer with 1-2 years experience), to $80,000 (lead designer/creative director with 6+ years experience), with an average of $57,500.

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Susan W. Miller, M.A., is a National Certified Career Counselor, a Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist and holds diplomate status on the American Board of Vocational Experts. She heads California Career Services, a private practice career counseling firm in Los Angeles.

E-mail career questions you'd like answered in this column to info@californiacareerservices.com or visit California Career Services at www.californiacareerservices.com.