Name: Kristopher Howl

Occupation: Senior Level Designer

What course did you study at SAE/Qantm (Perth)?

I studied Multimedia Producing back in 2000. I chose it as at the time I was pursuing a career in web and graphic design. My favourite part of the course would have been receiving a kick start in such a multitude of programs which I could then go home and delve even deeper into.

What have you been up to since leaving SAE/Qantm?

Through SAE I made some contacts for work both during the course and after the course. I pursued web design as intended, up until 2003 when I joined the video games industry as a level designer, at Micro Forte in Sydney.

How would you say that your time at SAE/Qantm helped to prepare you for this?

The multimedia course had an added benefit of further developing my presentation skills and finishing a large variety of projects, seeing them through from start to finish. Passion and presentation are everything, if you aren’t putting your upmost best into presenting your work and personality, coupled with lacking the passion to see anything through to the end then it’ll be tough achieving your goals.

The projects we were tasked with during my certification offered the freedom and creativity needed to explore your passion for the industry, rather than stifling both and making it feel like school work.

Tell us about one of your favorite career highlights?

There are a couple, but the biggest highlights would have to be landing my first job in the games industry, at Micro Forte in Sydney and second would be landing my first job overseas at Ubisoft Montreal.

I always wanted to get overseas with the games industry, so I was stoked when an email came through at 2AM on a Saturday morning saying they would like to make an offer. It’s in the same phone call that I learned I would be working on the Rainbow Six franchise, one of my favourites. Shipping RS: Vegas was a great experience. The only downside would be that Montreal is bloody cold during winter!

Plans for the future?

Currently I’m relaxing for a couple of months whilst going through the VISA process to join Blizzard Entertainment. I just finished up three years at Crytek in Germany, working on Crysis 2. I look forward to my time at Blizzard, especially as I will be working with a couple of colleagues who also worked at Micro Forte back in 2003! The industry is still incredibly small these days.

What is your insight into the current climate of the Games industry locally and internationally?

Since moving overseas in 2005, I’ve only been a spectator of the Australian scene, witnessing the same closures of studios as everyone else. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, but I love the way many game developers have rebounded into such successes as Half Brick and Iron Monkey, embracing the change and creating content that consistently hits the top of the charts around the world.

Internationally and as a whole, the gaming industry has never been stronger and so rapidly changing. It’s exciting and captivating to be a part of an industry that’s still so young when compared to others, such as film.

What advice would you give to SAE/Qantm students and new Alumni Members just starting out in the Industry?

You have to make it work for you. I read an interview with Jens Schroeder (Campus Academic Coordinator at Qantm) where he touched on the feeling that some students were waiting for someone to recognize their talent, rather than going out and showing the industry what they’re capable of. He also mentioned not taking those extra steps to get involved, such as showing up at IGDA meetings – demonstrating your passion and your willingness to get involved is huge, you have to make a presence for yourself. There is so much free content out there from industry professionals, talks and tutorials, opinion pieces and some great pod casts – absorb everything you can, form your own opinions, let people see how passionate you are.

Also don’t be deterred from exploring overseas. Be aware of what countries are easy to obtain working permits/VISA’s within. For example, the USA has an Australian specific VISA that is easily obtainable with a bachelor’s and no work experience. All you have to have is an offer from a company over there. So build up your portfolio, work on your presentation and start approaching them!

How can people contact you / book your services?

I can be reached through my profile, twitter (@toutfou) or facebook.

For more of Kris’s work portfolio, be sure to check out his website.