Tue, 19 August 2014
N4AL talks with Dark Horse Comics editor-in-chief Scott Allie. Scott has been an editor on some of Dark Horse’s most popular books, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Serenity, Hellboy, B.P.R.D., Star Wars, and many more. He gives us a really in-depth perspective on what that job is, the other editorial departmental positions that support it, and how he and Dark Horse hire their editors. Scott's been at Dark Horse for about 20 years, and he's still a hands-on editor even as he guides the ship. He also stays involved in the marketing and PR strategies with the company. |
Sun, 10 August 2014
From a packed room at San Diego Comic-Con 2014, we present the How to be a Nerd for a Living panel with guest speakers Lee Joyner (director of admissions, Cinema Makeup School); Tom Kurzanski (art director, TeeFury); Claire Hummel (production designer, HBO); Pat Loika (host, Loikamania Podcast); Brad Herman (lead product designer, DreamWorks Animation); and Karen Hallion (illustrator and T-shirt/apparel designer). Want to work in a fandom-related industry you're passionate about, but not sure where to start? These professionals discuss careers within gaming, film, comics, illustration, podcasting, and more. Our speakers share their career-building experiences. Topics include training, online resources, networking, and tactics to use (and avoid) for breaking into your dream industry. Moderated by Nerd For A Living's Wendy Buske. |
Tue, 17 June 2014
N4AL's Adron Buske talks with Dana Huth and Carol Mertz, co-founders of design and development firm Rampant Interactive and indie game studio Happy Badgers. Rampant Interactive is a St. Louis-based digital production company creating websites and mobile apps. But while this 4 person operation primarily pays the bills with client-focused online products, their real passion is game development. We talk about the joys and challenges of starting up your own business; developing your game plan over time to focus on what makes you happiest; the current state of indie game development; the obstacles an indie studio faces trying to make money in the casual gaming market; and the experience of being women in the gaming industry. Also of note: Carol is the chairman of the St. Louis chapter of IGDA, the International Game Developer’s Association. |
Tue, 27 May 2014
Tom Kurzanski, art director for massively popular online T-shirt store Tee Fury, talks with N4AL's Wendy and Adron about his career in design and illustration. We discuss Tee Fury's method for artist support and community cultivation, the challenges facing freelance artists, the necessity for constant learning, and the power of customer feedback as a marketing resource. |
Tue, 20 May 2014
N4AL's Adron Buske talks to Andy Schmidt, owner of Comics Experience, the online school for comic creators. Andy is a former Senior Editor for IDW Publishing, and a former editor for Marvel Comics, where he worked on most of their notable properties, including Guardians of the Galaxy (soon to be a major motion picture in Summer 2014). We discuss his path to working in comics, the creation of Comics Experience, benefits of a stay-at-home career, juggling different roles and businesses, and the power of having cool nerd jobs on your resume. |
Wed, 14 May 2014
N4AL's Adron Buske talks with Canadian author Rhiannon Paille, creator of the young adult paranormal romance series 'The Ferryman and the Flame', including currently available novels 'Surrender', 'Justice', and 'Vulture'. Rhi recently signed to Kevin J. Anderson's publishing imprint Wordfire Press. We talk about self-publishing, online promotion of your work, Rhi's process and work habits, the challenges facing indie authors in a saturated media landscape and juggling other careers with writing. |
Fri, 9 May 2014
Recorded at Chicago's C2E2 2014, this panel of nerd industry professionals discusses different types of jobs that exist within pop-culture. Each speaker talks about their career path, from education to on-the-job experience. Topics include small business start-up, the challenges of working for yourself versus corporations, networking and more. Panelists include Lorenzo Lizana (art director, Lion Forge comics), Andy Schmidt (owner, Comics Experience and Brand + Entertainment Solutions), Jaimie Cordero (CEO and art director, Espionage Cosmetics) and Pat Loika (Comixology, the Loikamania Podcast). Moderated by Nerd For A Living's Wendy Buske. |
Tue, 29 April 2014
At C2E2 2014, we spoke with the wonderful Abbie Heppe of Respawn Entertainment. Respawn is the independent gaming company that brought us TITANFALL. Abbie is Respawn's Community Manager, as well as the voice of 'Sarah' in the Titanfall video game. Her gaming career started in 2006 as an editor at Tips & Tricks magazine. Later she was the Senior Games Content Producer for G4, the co-host of the Feedback podcast with Adam Sessler and a reviewer for X-Play. |
Tue, 8 April 2014
Recorded at Wizard World St. Louis Comic-Con 2014. This panel of professionals discusses different types of jobs that exist within pop-culture entertainment, gaming, film-making, writing and more. Get tips on finding a way to a new career from those already working in the industry. Moderated by N4AL's Wendy Buske, panel speakers include: Rachel Rieckenberg (Sass and Slash Creations), Jeremy Corray (Coolfire Studios, Voltron), Amanda Nuckolls (GnomeAcres), Matt Raithel (Graphite Lab), and Genese Davis (author of The Holder's Dominion). |