California Occupational Guide Number 2006 (part) Interest Area: Emerging Occupations 1995
Multimedia uses computers to bring together text, sounds, animation,
graphic art and video to educate, inform and entertain. The term
"multimedia specialist" is sometimes used to describe a person
working in the multimedia industry. The term itself, however, does not
describe the work a person does but only the environment or industry in
which he or she works. The final multimedia product might be an electronic
book or magazine, a kiosk, a corporate training program, an interactive
game, or educational program. To create such a product requires
contributions from experts in many specialized areas. Therefore a
multimedia specialist might be someone who creates the program's content
(such as a graphic designer, an animator, or a videographer), or someone who
processes the content into a final product (such as a sound, video or text
editor, or a computer programmer), or someone who manages these people and
processes (such as a producer, director, or a project manager). Each of
these people becomes a member of the multimedia project team, combining his
or her special talents and experience with those of other experts to produce
the final product.
The book Careers in Multimedia (a Ziff-Davis Press publication by Vivid
Studios, 1995) lists the following 32 roles or occupations:
Executive Producer Scriptwriter Video Producer
Producer Editor/Moderator Videographer
Lawyer Content Expert Performer/Actor
Financial Consultant Visual Designer Lighting, Props, Sets
Agent 2D Animator Technical Lead
Recruiter 3D Animator Programmer
Marketing Roles Sound Producer Test Manager
Creative Director Voice Artist/Vocalist Tester
Art Director Sales Roles Interface Designer
Effects Specialist Customer Support Game Designer
Sound Engineer/Editor Composer/Musician/Sound
Multimedia has been around for a number of years, but it is only within the
past few years that it has been recognized as a rapidly emerging new
industry. As the above list indicates, this emerging industry is creating
many new career and job opportunities for people with knowledge and skills
in these areas.
An important and interesting difference between careers in multimedia and
many other career areas is the large proportion of freelance workers in the
industry. Many people with careers in multimedia are not steadily employed
by a single company or employer, but rather move from project to project
working on a contractual basis. Each new project may bring together a
different collaboration of professionals into what might be considered a
"virtual company" with a life limited to the duration of the project. These
professionals create a virtual workforce who are often paid by the hour and
expect their current employment to terminate with the end of the project.
Therefore, these freelance workers must have a number of entrepreneurial
skills in addition to their technical skills. They must also be able to
work effectively as a member of a team whose membership changes with each
project.
Another difference between careers in multimedia and many other careers is
the extent to which those wanting to enter this field gain initial
experience through interning or volunteering. It is quite common for
someone with basic computer or graphic skills to locate a company doing the
type of work in which he or she is interested and approach the company
directly with the offer to work without pay in exchange for on-the-job
training. After a period of six months to one year the company may offer a
paid position to incumbents who shows promise.
There are many career opportunities for creative and talented people in the
multimedia industry. The industry is currently at a point in its evolution
where entry and advancement are not tied as closely to academic achievement
or credentials as to the quality of a person's contribution to the project.
Enthusiasm combined with experience and talent often generate employment
offers.
INFORMATION COMMON TO ALL MULTIMEDIA JOBS
Job Skills Needed:
-- Ability to work as a member of a team.
-- Ability to clearly communicate ideas.
-- Ability to quickly and accurately understand the goals and
objectives of the project.
-- Ability to be organized.
-- Ability to use the computer tools required to complete the project.
Other Helpful Skills or Characteristics:
-- Willingness and ability to frequently seek employment on new projects.
-- Willingness and ability to join projects without much advanced notice.
-- Willingness and ability to continually update skills by learning new
tools and techniques.
-- Passion for the work.
-- A good sense of humor.
-- Patience.
-- Be an expert in one or a few areas, but have a general understanding
of as many areas as possible.
How to Find a Job:
-- Create a portfolio of your work that demonstrates your versatility,
creativity and technical abilities as well as your capacity to work
within time and budget constraints.
-- Customize your portfolio to highlight work you have done that is
similar to that of the new project.
-- Become an active member of professional organizations in order to keep
current and to make contacts that may lead to employment opportunities.
-- Attend multimedia and professional conferences and meetings to generate
job leads and to acquire current information about trends, tools and
techniques.
-- Update and acquire new skills through enrollment in continuing
education classes and through reading magazines in the field. Network
with other students and faculty.
-- Those without experience or training should consider interning or
volunteering on a project to gain experience and build marketable
skills.
-- Those with experience and/or training can use contacts from previous
projects or professional organizations.
Compensation:
Many multimedia specialists do not work as salaried employees for a single
company over a long period of time. It is more typical to work freelance as
an independent contractor, moving from one project to the next, and being
paid hourly, daily, or per project.
Source: State of California, Employment Development Department,
Labor Market Information Division, Information Services Group,
(916) 262-2162
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