How to Become a Video Game Designer in Shreveport, Louisiana

Lately, a great many employment seekers in Shreveport, Louisiana are finding high paying jobs as animators and video game designers.  With a resident population of around 200,000, Shreveport is ideal for designers pursuing these careers.  Companies throughout Louisiana hire animators and video game designers.  Many of these jobs are in Shreveport. 

Shreveport Schools and Training Programs for Video Game Design

Aspiring animators and video game designers sometimes major in computer science with special focus on digital media.  Others earn programming degrees with emphasis on animation.  Some major in math with a minor in game theory.  Some designers even customize their own educational programs. 

Shreveport residents seeking degrees related to interactive game design typically attend Southern University.  Similar training and degree opportunities are available online.  Among the largest colleges offering online degrees in video game design are University of Phoenix, ITT Tech, The Art Institute and DeVry.

Working as a Video Game Designer in Shreveport

The pay scale for video game design work varies with factors like experience, effort, performance, productivity, networking, timing and geographic location, among other things.  In 2010, the reported annual salary for a U.S. animator or video game designer ranged from about $35,000 to more than $200,000.  However, this figure fails to account for the unreported incomes of many million self-employed professionals.  Nevertheless, it remains clear that video game designers in Shreveport, Louisiana can earn handy livings doing jobs they like.

Companies in Shreveport, Louisiana hiring video game design specialists include software publishers, mobile phone service providers, colleges, graphic design firms, animation studios and more.  Some Shreveport designers work for top local advertising agencies like Berry, Busada, Gremillion & Pou or Pabst Creative.  Other designers work for Shreveport movie producers like Beautiful Productions, M&M Communications, Shipp Media and Will Drill Productions. 

Entry level positions in animation or video game design usually require a degree and related experience, although employers do occasionally hire self-taught professionals and highly motivated beginners.  Even so, self starters don't have to work for a firm, thanks to millions of well funded internet start-ups in need of interactive animation.  Many animators and video game designers are freelance professionals, setting their own schedules and working from home.  Some of them are independent contractors.  Some design and sell games independently.  Some build interactive websites.

Recommended Skills for Video Game Designers

A video game designer gets an idea for a video game, then sets rules and a scoring system.  The next step is to program a series of challenges like puzzles, mazes, maps, tricks, booby traps and other unexpected obstacles.  The designer will often add increasing difficulty levels and a time limit.  Then the designer either does the artwork or consults with professional animators to capture the best visual style for the game. 

Most professional animators and video game designers have studied math, computer science, communications, game art, digital media, engineering, story lines, character development, commercial trends and more.  Their mission is to create popular, action-packed interactive products that fly off store shelves by the millions.