MIKE PHILBIN RESUME 2005

2000-2004: Sick Puppies Studios of Empire Interactive, Oxford.

Responsibilities:

* Lead character artist and animator on the PC game Ghost Master.

* Consultant to the Creative Director in matters of game design and 3-dimensional implementation.

Job Specialisation:

* My Lead character artist, duties included not only creation, skeletoning and weighting of character art and animational tasks but also encouraging the other animators to enhance and fully explore the real character of their animations.

* As a consultant to the Creative Director, duties included brainstorming and analysis of the game design documents with an eye to being able to transform this information into a way that the player could easily understand.

* In the later stages of Ghost Master’s development, I helped enhance aspects of the design, gameplay, camera usage and player control.

* I was taken to E3 with the company directors to demonstrate and help sell Ghost Master to publishers and peers.

* After completion of Ghost Master, I had a central role in the creation of three new game prototypes. This reinforced for me the fact that I get more of a thrill from giving birth to new IP and new 3D content than I do from merely generating someone else’s designs in 3D.

Software Experience to date:

* Expert knowledge in Softimage 3.9.x; XSI 3.x; Maya 3.x; Photoshop 7.x;

* Working knowledge of 3D Studio; Multigen VR software; Illustrator; Quark Express, Motion Builder.

* Over three years of frontline Nichimen Software experience.

* Completed in-house training by Alias tutors in Power Animator 8.5 to Alias grade 3.

* Was part of the Maya 3.0 beta 1 group.

1996-2000: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Cambridge Studio.

Responsibilities:

* Landscape and character artist and animator on PlayStation title MediEvil.

* Spent time with AV prototyping and sourcing creative sound fx for MediEvil.

* Ingame cutscene animation and character animation work for MediEvil2.

* Art Advisor with Tools and Technologies providing art solutions for PS2.

Job Specialisation:

* With Mike Fleming of Nichimen Graphics Software, designed Plugins to help speed up ingame content workflow.

* After a corporate takeover, I was asked to reassess our software requirements.

* Given free reign to suggest amendments to my chosen inhouse packages and chart their progress through advanced theoretical, functionality and QA checks to ready it for the frenetic production phases ahead.

* The essential Alias plugins were written and the extra functionality sanctioned, implemented, tested and enhanced for the in-house software package.

* Compiled an in-house Art Bible that laid down specific dos and don'ts for real-time art content generated for PSX.

* Completed the first stages of a PS2 inhouse Art Bible.

Job Satisfaction:

* I love the challenge of the new and am always looking for ways to enhance design, content and workflow.

* In all cases it is the professionalism, innovation and originality of the end product that must be paramount.

* I thrive on the direct artist-programmer interface and see much that the two parties can gain from each other.

* As part of a responsible, creative team I throw myself into every new situation.

* Innovation, prototyping, pushing back the boundaries of what is possible real-time.

* The MediEvil team earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records 1999 for Most Advance 3D Real-time Animation.

* The Ghost Master team set new standards in Globally Illuminated, Plasma-enhanced haunter gaming and was nominated for the Creative Innovation Bafta.

Interests:

* Above all, thinking. Debating. Writing short fiction and novels. Animation. Science and Technology. Cinema.

* Computer games – especially console games with instant playability, short sharp bursts of fun.

* I also do movie reviews for Video Vista and I am the editor of the annual CHIMERAWORLD paperbacks.

* As I have a French wife and daughter, my passable French has improved as my daughter’s French improved.

* I learned Japanese to year 4 and received an excellent report from the Oxford College I attended.

Employment History:

2000-2004 Empire Interactive, Oxford.

Publication of collection ANIMAL INSTINCTS in 2004.

Publication of novel UNITED STATES in 2003.

Publication of novel SZMONHFU in 2001.

1996-2000 Sony Computer Entertainment, Cambridge.

Publication of short collection NEURONE FRY UP in 2000.

1995-1996 Software Creations, Manchester.

1986-1995 Freelance writer & illustrator.

Numerous short stories, features, cover designs and illustrations published in Great Britain & America and Australia.

Publication of novel RED HEDZ in 1989.

Publication of graphic novel RAISM, the songs of Gilles de Rais in 1991.

1987-1991 One man art exhibitions; Pullit Art Centre, Camden; Acme Gallery, Brixton; Galerie Erotique, Amsterdam; Hanover Galleries, Liverpool; St Helens Museum & Art Gallery, St Helens.

1985 Y-PRINT Studios, Bournemouth

Production of artwork, design and layout for a varied selection of community magazine, leaflet and poster campaigns.

Marital Status: Married. I have an 8-year-old daughter.

Health: Excellent