" The trip to Los Angeles, California with fellow SAG students from EMU was amazing! I enjoyed everything about it. The hotel was in Manhattan Beach which is right next to LA. Even though this trip was a vacation for me, it was primarily meant to be a career building opportunity, which it was. We were able to meet some very influential people in the animation and gaming industry who’ve worked on some very popular movies and video games. We also got the chance to network at a meet-and-greet social event with people in the game industry.

                I was really looking forward to our visit to Sony Entertainment Headquarters Studio. It was definitely a highlight of the trip. During the Sony tour we got to see their motion capture studio and spoke with the lead team members of that department. They told us about the work they do including the tasks and steps involved in preparing the actors for the day, setting up action shots, and translating the recorded motion from the actor to the 3D character, then into the 3D engine. We were able to sit down and talk with the creative director and senior project manager of Sony, who both gave us valuable advice and information. We also got to see Sony’s super high tech/high resolution 3D scanner. I don’t know how much I can say about it since we all signed NDAs (Non-disclosure agreement), but it was awesome. The computer outputs a mesh with a poly count in the millions, and that’s just for the character’s head; remarkable quality! I would love to work at Sony one day. That would be incredible.

                Aside from the career building opportunities, Manhattan Beach (the city and the beach) was incredible. The weather was nice and mild. The beach was very scenic. The ridiculously cold ocean waves smacking up against the hot sand alongside a curtain of million-dollar homes in the background ... how could I have not enjoyed my time there? I especially can’t forget the El Pollo Loco, which was like a cross between Chipotle and Boston Market, and the Jack In The Box that we seemed to eat at every day. There was also a Target just down the street.  Even though it was thousands of miles from home, the city felt comfortably familiar in a way. Overall, the trip was very much enjoyed and I would definitely visit again. Also, a thanks to Mr. Cordier for setting this trip up for us. "

 

               Matthew Holmes

 

 

"  Taking a trip to L.A. with fellow students and our instructor, Eric Cordier was a great experience. The most exciting part of the trip was visiting Sony's studios in San Diego. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We were able to see how top-level studios are creating games and cinematics, and the different techniques they use. We were able to walk through their studios, observing people working at their desks, but also we were given tours of the more impressive pieces of equipment, namely the motion-capture room, 3D scanner, and virtual camera. These pieces of equipment were world-class and witnessing how they work was really exciting. We were able to speak with some of the most integral employees of the studio, which was really insightful and inspirational as a recent graduate.

Two other events we attended were the WIGI E3 afterparty which was a lot of fun, and the IGDA E3 afterparty. At the IGDA afterparty, we were able to network and meet with other independent game developers, or employees of smaller companies around the country. This was a great way to meet people and I hope next time we are able to stay longer.

I hope that we have another opportunity to go to L.A. again. Hopefully next time we will be able to see E3! There were a few hiccups when planning this trip, but it was definitely worth it. I'm glad I went and I wish I didn't have to come home so early!!  "

 

               Mark Binkowski

 

 

The trip that we the SAG group took with Eric Cordier was an amazing trip. Going to see Sony was amazing and I have no other words to describe it. This trip has made me think on more of what I need to do with my own work both in school and my personal work as well. I also enjoyed the fact that we got to go to the association parties and meet the people there it was a fantastic opportunity to network with people in the field. I liked the IGDA party the most because I met a really nice person there and exchanged emails with them. This trip was worth all the money I put into it and if it happens again next year I would go on it again so I could learn more about the field and to meet even more people at the parties. So I say thank you very much for the opportunity that Eric Cordier gave as to come along on the trip with him and him helping us get into the places that we got to see.

 

               Jonathan Bauer