The Industry
Introduction to the Computer Games Industry
Electronic games first entered the consumer market in the
early 1970s with the release of arcade games including Pong and
Space Invaders. In the last 25 years the games industry
has grown significantly in size and technologies from these
exciting but humble beginnings.
The electronic games industry is now as immense as the film industry, meeting it in revenue terms and continues to experience rapid growth in the console, mobile phone and online games sectors. It is predicted that this growth will continue throughout all facets of the 3D animation and computer generated industries, although it is the games sector where the largest growth is forecast. The global games industry currently outsells the film industry and growth is expected to be maintained at a rate of 20% for at least the next 3 years. (2005, PricewaterhouseCoopers Global Entertainment and Media Outlook report 2005-2009).
The Australian Games Industry
The Australian Games Industry continues to demonstrate its strengths in an internationally competitive market, exporting an estimated $30 Million annually. The local games industry has produced over 300 game titles over the past 20 years, and now embraces the knowledge and experience of the world’s strongest and best established development studios.
As games technologies continue to evolve, the demand for well-trained and talented staff intensifies. The development in technologies mean that to produce a game that previously required the skills of 4-5 employees now require teams of over 30 talented staff to complete the title. This is due to the advanced programming requirements of multiplayer games and the introduction of characters with AI, the graphics processors of games are also becoming more competitive thus the graphics also take a lot longer to produce and better quality. It is expected that as the next wave of games consoles arrive on the market, the number of people needed to complete a product will move toward 60 or 70.
AIE graduates can be found in art, programming, design and lead roles within many Australian and overseas games companies such as Atari, Crystal Dynamics, Sidhe, Micro Forté, Irrational Games, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Splash Damage, Blue Tongue, Bioware and many more. See Graduate Destinations for a complete listing.
Introduction to the 3D Animation, FX and CGI Industries
New generation tools for digital content creators provides opportunity for filmmakers, television directors, mass media producers and computer games companies to create new visual imagery and special effects. This evolving breed of effects is called 'Computer Generated Imagery', or CGI. The subtle use of CGI is increasingly present in television commercials, television series, news broadcasts and most film. 3D animation is also becoming increasingly important in other areas including, web design, biotechnology, real estate modeling, e-commerce, defence industries and on-line training. As broadband creates more bandwidth, 3D animation will outperform 2D animation creating even more opportunities for 3D digital artists.
Australian Film and Television Industries
The success of the major studio productions in using CGI
for storytelling in films such as Shrek and Finding Nemo
has led to far more widespread implementation of 3d animation
across film and television. In a little over a decade, CGI
has made a seemingly effortless transition from new film-making
technology to a familiar story-telling medium.
Australia is recognised as a production centre for world class international film and TV production, with local companies like Animal Logic credited on The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and Farscape. The NSW government has recently established a Film Industry Attraction Fund to attract international film and television productions.
Film producers are attracted to Australia not only because of the excellent infrastructure, cost-effective local industry, favourable exchange rate, world class studios and benign weather, but also because of the exceptional creative and technical talent they find here. Following the commercial success and international acclaim of local visual effects houses, major and independent studios are investing millions into 3D animation and digital visual effects productions. The demand for talented 3D artists at all levels of film and television production continues to grow steadily.
Long recognised as Australia's premier training provider of talent for the games industry, the AIE is also establishing a profile as a leading training provider of 3D artists for the film and television industry. AIE graduates have entered the digital visual effects industry in a broad range of disciplines and with internationally recognised companies such as Photon, The Lab, Plastic Wax, Animal Logic and Ambience Entertainment. See Graduate Destinations for a complete listing.
