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Show B4 Life Monday # October 6, 2008 Paid to play Donald Mustard, the creative director of Provobased Chair Entertainment, tells UVU Review why you should want his job. score an interview with the creative mind behind some Life writer of the most innovative and Getting excited about fun ideas in gaming. This school can be tough, espe- month's career spotlight is cially during fall semes- trained squarely on Chair ter. Maybe it's just me, but Entertainment's Donald graduation seems like a Mustard. lifetime away, and now that dropping classes is no lonPosition: ger a free affair, I've noticed Creative director some disconcerting changes in my previously benign Demand: Moderate to professors. So what's an high. "The game industry is increasingly disenchanted growing so fast," Mustard scholar to look to in the face said. "We're always lookof monotonous assignments, ing for good artists, good droning lectures and frantic programmers, good managecramming sessions? Well, to ment, good everything." the future, of course. Now, if you're anything Salary: The median sallike me. all of your future ary for an experienced video plans revolve around new game artist is $66,000, and games and forthcoming programmers make about episodes of Lost and Ter- $72,000. Creative Directors minator: The Sarah Con- make more, but it's not a nor Chronicles. However, fresh-out-of-school kind of for the responsible, career- job. Mustard said. minded individuals that have managed to infiltrate Favorite part of the our ranks, we managed to job: "I think that one of f 0 JONATHAN POOLE the unique things about our company is that we're small enough that we're a very unified team." Mustard said. "Every person on our team is extremely creative and participates very heavily in the directorial process . . . 1 love that." bring, other than your degree, to the table." tard said. A day in the life: A creative director's schedule depends on the phase of the project. Time might be spent brainstorming, creating assets, programming. play-testing and fixing bugs or glitches. Then there's the Worst part of the job: gameplay phase. "That's "What 1 don't like the most kind of the phase where I'm f is that knowledge in the back spending 9() /( of my day . . of my head that someday . working on 'Is this fun?' Is the world's going to wake the gameplay fun? Is it fun up and go, *Wait a minute. to be this character?" MusThese people shouldn't be tard explained. "I mean, redoing this.' You know1.'" ally working on bringing the Mustard said. "They'll boot whole game together." me out and I'll have to go gel Desired education: This a real job." part gets a little fuzzy. "In Average workday: "The the specific case of the art basic rule is that you're going side of the things. \our deto work until it's finished, so gree doesn't actual!} matter you're going to work a lot." very much: It's your poitfoSo much for the idea that lio. Your portfolio is c\crvworking with games is all thing." Mustard said. "From play. "Working 40 hours is a a programming standpoint. luxury - a rare luxury - in your degree really mailers. the gamin" industry." Mus- There's not . . . a ton you can Perks: "I can make a phone call or two and easily get any game, any book, any comic, any film, any script that's being written in Hollywood, I can get it within a day," Mustard said. "The biggest perk is getting to do something that you love, but yes. 1 like the free stuff." Advice to students: Mustard, who paid for his college tuition by working construction, is an advocate of hard work. "If you're a student, apply yourself. Work hard to get really good grades." he said. "Whatever job you're in, just learn to work. I don't care if you work alTacoBell. If you're making the freaking awesomest tacos, you're learning those skills." MAID Let Us Help You Make This Halloween Your Best!! 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