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Department of Art and Design alumnus George Perez ’14 will be embarking on his dream career as an Interactive Designer at Bandai Namco Entertainment, located in California\u2019s Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n
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Perez, who graduated from the College of the Arts with a double major in Fine Arts and Visual Communication Design, set his sights on a career in design early in life. \u201cWorking in the game industry was a dream of mine, ever since I was a kid,\u201d shared Perez, who is eager to begin his new position this September.<\/p>\n
So what exactly does an Interactive Designer do? Perez explained his work as primarily to create game interfaces for mobile devices and for desktop users. A web design class he took at Montclair State helped him learn HTML code, which is integral to his design work.<\/p>\n
The path to Perez\u2019s dream job was part hard work, talent, and career development, which started at Montclair State. Internships are required within the Visual Communications course work, and Perez\u2019s first internship at a record label gave him his start at professional design and animation. It then led to another internship at a mobile game company in New York City that inspired him to work on new concepts while honing his illustration skills.<\/p>\n
Working with professors in the Visual Communications program also helped Perez grow as an artist and professional. \u201cBeing in the classroom helped me with what I\u2019m now doing; it built up my confidence to present work and interact with my classmates. It\u2019s very close, as though you\u2019re already at work collaborating.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perez shared that one of his mentors, Professor John Luttropp, jumpstarted his ambition to succeed in the program. \u201cThe first time we spoke, he presented the course of study as rigorous and challenging, saying that it didn\u2019t just take graphic design technique, but also creativity and intelligence. It made me even more determined to do well.\u201d <\/p>\n
Another of Perez\u2019s mentors, Professor and Program Coordinator Anthony Inciong, was also a significant influence. \u201cYou can tell how hard he works and as a student he makes you want to work harder. \u201d<\/p>\n
Perez\u2019s advice to a Visual Communication Design students embarking on a career is simple and insightful. \u201cKeep being yourself, keep practicing and shoot high. It\u2019s all about being true to yourself.\u201d <\/p>\n