Success Story: Marco Petracca

This week we have Marco Petracca, a former Escape Studios student, currently working as a 3D Artist for Elite 3D.

What course did you study?

Game Art Advanced course (18 weeks)

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m currently working as Lighting Artist on a big title which will be out soon. (Sorry I can’t reveal more).

But I can tell you that this game is going to be fun.

What work are you most proud of working on and was/is your most notable achievement?

One of my dreams was to work for Elite3D, a really cool company based in Valencia, Spain. After 3 years of commitment, perfecting my skills and working on my portfolio, I had the chance to get to work with them, and this is very fulfilling.

I’d say that setting a goal and doing everything you can to reach it, always pays off.

If you had to sum up your time at Escape Studios in one word, what would it be and why?

My word is “IWOULDDOITAGAIN” 🙂

I can’t stop saying how great Simon’s classes are, and met a lot of people there who became very close friends of mine and amazing colleagues. Thank you all guys!

What lessons have you learnt during your time studying and your time working in Games?

CTRL+S is your best friend.

And don’t be afraid to ask. Your tutor or your classmates. Chatting with other people shows you a different point of view that you probably haven’t considered.

What is your advice for those considering entering the industry?

Entering the industry may be hard, this is why my most valuable suggestion is to not give up. Keep working on your portfolio, perfect your craft, ask for reviews and don’t be afraid to reiterate. I know everyone says so, but it’s better to have only one, outstanding work on your portfolio, rather than more but rough.

I indeed got my first job by showing only my latest work. Another tip I feel like giving is to work on your soft skills. Use your time at Escape to improve your art but also to learn how to socialize with people, how to receive feedback or how to express your opinion, present your work/ideas etc..

As a professional, most of your day will be talking to other artists or getting your work criticized, and the way you respond to this can easily influence your career.