Spotlight: Beth Lawton, Associate Artist

4th Nov 2021

How did you get your job at d3t?

I got my job soon after finishing my Master’s in Games Design at Sheffield Hallam University! I had worked part-time in an anti-crime and terrorism research company alongside my course (my google search history there was obscene), and they had a department that specialised in making serious games – so I worked on making VR training solutions for the police and military, which was pretty fun! After this I did a bit of freelance work for a London-based VR studio who had some fantastic projects on and in all kinds of sectors and I really loved that. Before I had finished this however, I found myself being invited for an interview at d3t, which I was over the moon about after hearing so many good things about the company.

My interview was with Sally (Talent Acquisition Manager), Louise (Head of Art) and Anthony (Art Director) – this experience was easily one of the most relaxed I’ve ever had. My nerves had settled within a few minutes thanks to how friendly and open they were. It made the flow of conversation a lot more natural, which stopped my violently shaky voice from embarrassing me any further. Luckily for me, they liked me and so I was hired and began work there a few weeks later!

What do you do day-to-day?

Despite my best efforts, my brain repels routine – therefore my day begins at a different time everyday thanks to the flexitime d3t has, which I am so incredibly thankful for. My mornings always involve a ‘stand-up’ meeting to catch up with the team I’m working with. After this it’s just MAKE stuff! I look at what tasks I have coming up and aim to work my way through them in a reasonable timeframe. Most of our work will receive feedback from the art lead too, so we’re often making improvements or adjustments to things we have previously worked on.

My work at d3t began with mostly standard environmental stuff – buildings, props, textures etc. However, as of the past six months I was given the opportunity to specialise more intensely on foliage creation within Alan Wake Remastered! I learnt a huge amount doing this and definitely think I’ll be seeing a lot more of it in the future now that my foot is very much in the foliage door. One of the huge benefits of working at d3t is the ability to try new things and how you can invest time in learning new skills from others. Something that is always encouraged!

Do you have any tips for people looking to get into the games industry?

I think the most important thing is to never stop learning, and I’m sure a lot of others would say the same. The industry changes so fast compared to most, meaning there’s always software, skills and techniques you can be learning to push yourself and keep on top of it all. I’d also say it could be useful to ask for feedback/advice from professionals via LinkedIn or on a platform like Artstation – it’s a great way to learn as well as start up a conversation with someone who could help get you where you want to be.

Besides from all this, I’d just say keep your portfolio lean, and only put your very best in there! You want employers to be able to give a ‘yes’ to it at a quick glance.

Keep your chin up and don’t give up after a few knockbacks – we all get them! Try and learn from them, and don’t be afraid to ask for feedback on an application if you’re unsure where it went wrong.

We are hiring

Stay tuned for more spotlights coming soon. In the meantime, if you’re feeling inspired and want to join our team, check out our vacancies page!