This is the second part of the interview. The first part is available here!
Marc: What advice would you give to students who want to enter the industry?
Aurélie: My 3 tips would be (and this is valid for ALL video game professions):
To cultivate yourself as much as possible because if talent does a lot, culture is irreplaceable to be inspired and have the right references.
Be curious/curious about everything, read a lot, all the classics past as well as contemporary, go to the cinema, see old films as well as new ones, old series as well as new ones, listen to music (all music) – it takes effort but it is very useful.
Go to museums, read magazines, develop your knowledge of great games, illustrators of comics, animation, great artistic movements in all countries.
Do not rule anything out, everything can serve you, even to pass your baccalaureate in addition ^^ and even if finally you decide to do another job.
You will thus be a cultivated, inventive, listened to and credible professional when you talk with other professions.
2) Train: test what you can do on a computer in programming, participate in competitions (there are many game jams everywhere), love games and computers will not be enough, because all the young people who contact us are sensitive to it: effort, curiosity and training are irreplaceable.
Draw a lot if you are destined for more artistic professions, read comics, cultivate your knowledge of great artists(Artstation,museums, art books and artbooks …)
3) You also need to take care of your learning of English which is really the working language at 80%.
And also your French or your native language if you want to become a game designer, narrator or producer. It is very important to write without fail.
If you are rich in knowledge and have tested everything then you will know where to go.
And in each of the ways there is work and opportunities because they are sectors in full expansion for those who have been curious and have developed their critical mind.
You may be able to consult the websites of video game schools to see if you find more information about your desires, or even call the admission services to find out how the selections are made? and share this with your parents and loved ones to exchange and refine your choices.
Marc: What advice would you give to parents who want their children to play in moderation?
Aurélie: I always say that video games are like a chocolate wafer: a square or two is good, it’s even good for your health, but eating the wafer is neither reasonable nor healthy. So I will advise to know how to dose: it is up to them to do it, not to the children. To balance with other occupations.
Marc: Do you have any other tips for parents who don’t know a video game?
Aurélie: When her child plays, I advise to take an interest in it to share moments around the game, exchange, explain. This is very important to better understand but also to find the right balance in the practice of video games. And when you play yourself at least a little bit, it’s then much easier to understand how to dose, what to choose, how to explain.
M: What are you playing at the moment? And do you recommend the titles in question?
A: Right now I’m playing Resident Evil Village on PS5, it’s quite intense and violent so to recommend only to older people who have their hearts set, but I love it. Call of the sea on PC which is a very quiet and exotic investigation game where you have to solve puzzles – typically the kind of game that develops the sense of observation and trickery. And I can’t wait to get my hands on Diablo, who is coming this fall I think and Elden Ring as a big fan of the Game of Thrones books that I am.
M: Do you have any games to recommend for children? and for teenagers?
A: There are so many games to discover. In truth each game is interesting: racing games, shooter or platforms to develop reflexes (the Ori saga is a model of the genre), dance games to let off steam(Just Dance it’s super nice with family or friends), the games of surveys to think (I redid all the games of the “Knights of Baphomet” with my children, a classic of the genre so funny, The room), the games of strategy and management are also incredible to develop the sense of reflection, of the organization of anticipation (Tropico for young people is nice). Multi-player games also to meet and cooperate or challenge each other(Overcooked is great), adventure for the elderly and to develop your imagination (Outer wilds, The Witcher – be careful it’s a recommended game 18+ anyway …)
There is something for all tastes and talents. And even to address delicate topics such as death, family relationships or war (Spiritfarer, Gray, our game A Plague Tale: Innocence for the older ones, Unknown Soldiers, This War of mine, the big holidays for the little ones…) but we must take the time to talk about it together.
Aurélie, on what social networks can we find you? Do you have any creations, sites to promote?
I am quite active on Twitter for my work and I can also be found on LinkedIn.
Aurélie, thank you very much for your time and advice.
Thank you for giving me the floor:p
