Secret Sometimes 🤫

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

You’re a creative person. You may have good ideas you want to share with the rest of the world. The company you’re at wants to know what the ideas are and want you to tell them.

This may or may not be good. This is where it’s important to read the contract before you sign and ask question to clarify. It may state that all ideas you have, and document in some form (whether at work or at home), belongs to the company. 

Or higher ed schools. Yes, schools.

This is a common practice because the company/school you’re at wants full commitment from you. Full and complete commitment.

While I was at a company, in my early career, I was told that the company was looking for new ideas and to submit them. I wrote it up and turned it in hoping that it becomes real. 

I found out a few things later: 

1- Only new-to-the-industry folks turned anything in. 

2- All the ideas were put into an archive file and never looked at. This was devastating. 

Fortunately, it was not my best idea. So, years later, I’m glad it was never made. 

This taught me a valuable lesson, though.

Now, the following is for your personal ideas. Not ideas that might help at your current job/class.

If you have original ideas, it may be prudent to not present them to anyone… yet. If it’s possible, in between jobs, to set up a Holding Company (where no $ is made) so the ideas can live in there. Fully protected and yours. A web site need not be made or anything.Later on, the ideas created at that point might still be with making, changed, or leave them. There may be a time you’ll need to disclose them at the next company you work at and state they are yours. I did that several times.

What’s ultimately important is to protect yourself and your ideas. No one else will do it for you.

Compete 🥇

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

It’s very important to know your rights as an individual. Sometimes this means having to read your very dry contract. We all hate reading this. It's full of legalese and sand be very dry. I've not read every contract I signed at the start of my career.

There are a few things that are noteworthy. Like most Non Compete Clauses are not enforceable.

I've been in the industry a very long time. And not once has this been an issue. I'm an artist. I love what I do. I've been able to work at several companies in the same industry and leveled up.

Do yourself a favor: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

I recommend to read your contact before you sign. Ask questions. The company who wants you should give you time to review it. You don't need to know all legalese. The legal dept. is not your industry. It really helps to understand the basics, though. 

Below is a link to a vid-cast that I love. It's worth a watch.

https://youtu.be/XQBzhpeSYnQ

Rush 🌪️

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

I know we’re all pressed for time. At home, at work, etc. There will be moments where your supervisor will say “That’s good enough”. And you’ll be shocked that they think it’s “good enough” by any standard… and you’ll know it’s not.

I remembered seeing a show with really bad VFX. I found out later that the VFX was a temporary place holder, meant to be updated later. The placeholder was considered final due to time. The supervisor said “no one will notice.” I remember playing a game where the textures on a structure were very wrong. The pixels of the texture we as big as the main character’s head! I’m not sure what happened there.

A studio I worked at promised to deliver their goods by a certain time. I was once told by the art director that I needed to deliver an asset in an hour. I looked at him and, very calmly, I asked “I have to deliver this thing, which would take 8 hours to make, effectively, and get it done in an hour. Am I correct?” He said yes. I stared at him for a heartbeat, then, calmly, I said “OK” and got to work. I did my best. I knew it was not good work. However, it was not my decision to rush it and not “my art” anyway. The art belonged to the company. I happened to make it. Needless to say, I never put it in my portfolio.

This is why your team needs a very good Producer.

A great Producer will schedule enough time to complete all the work. A great Producer will know when to say “No” or have contingency plans.

All you can is your best. Always do your best.

No one should ask for more.