Pro thoughts
Ashley Liu of Keywords Studios shares her thoughts on the most important skills for creatives
Growing a creative business in the video games industry is no small task. A huge range of disciplines – from game development to art, audio, quality assurance, localisation and beyond – are required to make AAA titles truly shine. At Keywords Studios, we collaborate with leading global publishers including SEGA, Square Enix, Ubisoft and EA to do just that.
As art service line director at Keywords, my goal is to assemble best-in-class artists and equip them with the latest technology, so they can help games publishers tell their stories through art. We are an essential part of this complex and vibrant ecosystem of game development.
We are continuously increasing the sophistication of game assets as technology advances – from art direction to 2D illustrations, from UI/UX design to 3D animation, in-game and pre-rendered cinematics and beyond. Working with American, European and Asian-based developers, our footprint across three continents helps ensure that we can adapt to and serve a diverse range of customers.
AN EVER-INCREASING RANGE OF CREATIVE SERVICES
There are so many games – so many genres, platforms and play styles – in the current market. It follows that you need a ‘jack-ofall-trades’ mentality, or at least a diverse creative team, to take advantage of the latest technologies and creative paths available.
I oversee ten unique studios. Geographically, they are in different corners of the world, with various talents creating very different art and marketing assets. The most exciting part of my job is finding new techniques and technologies to improve efficiencies. The most important part of my job is to remove obstacles and solve problems for the team. And, like most people, I hate writing reports, creating Powerpoint charts and fiddling with Excel spreadsheets; however, they are necessary evils of the job.
Admin aside, so much of what we will do in digital art in the not-so-distant future
“THE INDUSTRY WILL SEEK ARTISTS WHO CAN USE ART TO BRING THE BEST OUT OF TECHNOLOGY, AND VICE VERSA”
will be done with, or by, technology. As such, it’s important to learn the craft, but more importantly, to create art using software. More and more, our industry will rely on art created by software and AI. The industry will seek artists who can use art to bring the best out of technology, and vice versa.
Creativity is the last to be replaced by machines and some believe that will never happen. Creativity comes from varied life experiences and being able to see connections when others can’t. This is something that machines will probably never be able to replicate. Therefore, the industry will need more and more creative artists – and I’m always on the hunt for the best artistic talent.
OPERATING BEHIND THE SCENES, BELOW THE RADAR
It’s also important to remember that you don’t need to be famous to be successful. Keywords Studios is the billion-dollar tech giant you’ve probably never heard of. We’re different from other service providers because we have only one mission – to create a platform that houses all the services that publishers need to make their games. Our input during production is extensive but we work behind the scenes and below the radar to help bring these games to life.
Unlike those who offer services as a means to create their own IP, we do not have any plans to create our own games. And, unlike those who need to worry about short-term financials to appease investors or chase an IPO, we are already a public company. Meeting the customer’s needs is our singular focus.
It feels great to be part of a team that can deliver a unique value proposition. Keywords has acquired the best in the industry and there are now some 60+ studios within the group. We have become the gorilla in the industry, a de-facto go-to when developers need to bolster their manpower or introduce new specialties to the creative pipeline. There’s a clear advantage in being able to provide a single solution when knitting together our intercompany service offerings to our clients.
STAY AHEAD OF THE SOFTWARE CURVE
If I leave you with one vital piece of advice, it’s this: technical artists will be more in demand in the future. Whether you are a character, environment, or animation technical artist, the industry will need more people with the ability to create art using software and AI. The boring or mundane side of digital art will be replaced soon. Learn how to use technology, learn how to learn, and learn how to see connections and patterns where others can’t. Those skills will place you firmly above others.
FYI
Find out more about Keywords Studios at keywordsstudios.com