When gamers log in to their favourite video games, they immerse themselves in fictional landscapes and kooky surroundings stuffed with legendary characters, however creating that world begins with manufacturing professionals like graduating senior Danie Grey.
The Cal State Fullerton Class of 2023 graduate works as a manufacturing assistant at Obsidian Leisure, a well-liked gaming firm recognized for such titles as “The OuterWorlds” and “Star Wars: Knights of the Previous Republic II – The Sith Lords.”
With a ardour for vibrant storytelling and immersive world-building, Grey will graduate with a B.F.A. in laptop animation and recreation artwork earlier than persevering with her profession at Obsidian Leisure the place she helps the manufacturing group observe recreation belongings to create the worlds that gamers love.
“With regards to animation, every bit and each ingredient of a narrative impacts me. I admire the method and all of the shifting elements. It conjures up me, and I wish to be part of it,” stated Grey.
Getting Into Gaming
The mother of two younger kids, Grey first joined Obsidian Leisure as a manufacturing intern earlier than her final 12 months at CSUF. After six months working alongside one of many firm’s recreation administrators, they supplied her a contract as a manufacturing assistant.
With a knack for visible storytelling and recreation creation, her function includes monitoring the varied props and belongings that make up a recreation’s universe.
Utilizing a “roadmap” to make sure that the entire recreation belongings make it to the manufacturing group, Grey stated the job helped her understand how a lot she loves the manufacturing course of. Her aim is to grow to be a full-time member of the manufacturing group, particularly engaged on surroundings and prop modeling.
“I’m succeeding in a discipline that’s very intimidating and male-dominated, and I’m actually happy with myself,” stated Grey.
Discovering Confidence By Creativity
It was the youngsters’s film “Trolls” that first sparked Grey’s curiosity in animation.
Not solely did she really feel moved by the storytelling, however she liked how the animated designs created a enjoyable world for viewers. When she arrived at CSUF with that curiosity, she was stunned when one in every of her professors informed her that her ardour for 3D animation and character growth can be greatest suited in gaming.
“I used to be nervous as a result of I didn’t know quite a bit about video games. Certain, I performed ‘Tremendous Mario Bros.’ and ‘Sonic’ after I was youthful, however I wished to be clear about my expertise. I didn’t have quite a bit,” defined Grey.
After speaking with professors who inspired her to pursue this avenue of examine, she utilized to the pc animation and recreation artwork focus, and inside the first couple months, she was constructing the portfolio that landed her an internship at Obsidian.
“This system opened my eyes to profession alternatives that I didn’t know had been obtainable to me.”
Along with her inventive endeavors, Grey was concerned in pupil organizations, serving because the social media coordinator for the Polysquad membership and occasion coordinator for CSUF’s chapter of the Affiliation for Computing Equipment’s Particular Curiosity Group on Pc Graphics and Interactive Methods (ACM SIGGRAPH).
“Danie is an excellent artist and in addition an excellent chief. I’ve seen her deliver collectively many various kinds of artists to create some actually superb initiatives in my 3D group manufacturing class,” stated Andrew Fedak, affiliate professor of artwork. “It’s no marvel that Obsidian picked her up so rapidly.”
Though Grey is grateful for the experiences these organizations offered her, she stated the extra vital end result of her work as a campus chief has been the way it helped her discover a house at CSUF — one thing that she feared wouldn’t occur when she returned to high school as a pupil guardian virtually 15 years after she graduated from highschool.
“I used to be actually scared as a result of I used to be a guardian, and I used to be from a distinct technology,” she shared. “I really feel much more assured at this time. Being concerned with golf equipment and getting to speak to extra college students, I’ve had the chance to place myself on the market and succeed on this discipline.”