Redwood City, CA 94061   (650) 743-3872
robrjames@gmail.com
www.linkedin.com/in/robrjames

Summary
I am a skilled digital artist with a wide range of experience including: working for some of the top leaders in the video game industry; teaching modeling for the Academy of Art College; owning a company that made 3D animations for professional videographers; and having been an integral part of two successful video game start-ups. I have worked on games from console to mobile.

I have used many technologies including, but not limited to: 3D modeling and animation (Modo, Maya, Max and Lightwave), 2D / pixel pushing (Photoshop), Flash, Programming (Java, C), Scripting (PHP, JSP), Web development (Dreamweaver), Databases (MySQL), and video production.

I enjoy working with a talented group of people to bring a product from conception to fruition doing whatever it takes, from the glamorous showpiece to the more mundane tweaking to the technical problem solving.

My strengths include: Attention to detail, Solving technical issues, Organization, Creativity, and the ability to be a liaison between diverse groups.

My skill set includes: Modeling, Animation, Scripting, Web Development, Teaching, Training, System Administration, and Sales

Professional Experience
Electronic Arts: EA Mobile Oct 2008 – Present
Senior Artist

  • Acquired by EA to bring our top selling game Surviving High School (SHS) to the iPhone and smartphone markets in both North America and Europe.
  • Developed a completely updated look for SHS iPhone.
  • Used my 3D skills in making 100% of the 113 environments in the game. Modeling, Texturing, Lighting, and Rendering
  • Designed ui animations, 3d icons, resolved technical issues, made art assets for the mini-games.

Vivendi Games Mobile / Activision Blizzard: Centerscore Studios Aug 2004 – Oct 2008
Senior Artist / Lead Technical Artist

  • Developed graphics for the mobile gaming market (both 3D and pixel pushed content)
  • Worked with artists, designers and programmers to achieve the best visual experience on each handset.
  • Developed Centerscore's website and multiple marketing sub-sites using PHP, CSS, DHTML, Javascript, Flash and MySQL.
  • Shipped games include: Surviving High School - (orig, 07, 08 and 09), Cakemania 2, Surviving Hollywood, Spin Blocks 360, Alone: The Horror Begins, Office Wrestling, Aquarium Pets, Amy's Hangman (winner 2004 Mobie award) and Jigsaw, Elimimatch, Yahoo's Dominoes, and Jamdat's NBA 3Point Shootout

THQ (Pacific Coast Power and Light Co.), Santa Clara, CA Dec 1997 – Mar 2003
3D Environmental Modeler / Technical Artist / System Administrator / Web Developer

  • Instrumental in the success of this start-up. Modeled the majority of the geometry for the Sony Playstation title JetMoto3, our flagship product. Was the company's technical art liaison on a joint project with BlueShift (HydroThunder). We shipped 3 titles in our first 2 years. Subsequently we were acquired by THQ.
  • After the acquisition, became the company's System Administrator and Web Developer supporting 70+ employees local and remote. Hired and managed 1 assistant.
  • Designed and implemented company intranet including: calendar, phone list, meeting schedule, helpdesk, asset tracking and inventory. (Java, Tomcat (JSP), JDBC-ODBC, servlets, Dreamweaver, SQL, Access, Apache and IIS)
  • Worked on / supported JetMoto3, Nuclear Strike 64, Road Rash 64, MX2002, MX Superfly, WWE CrushHour and WildStreets
  • Used verbal and interpersonal skills to facilitate communication between groups (artists, programmers, producers, and management)

Disney Interactive, San Francisco, CA Apr 1997 – Sep 1997
Technical Artist

  • Part of a team hired to finish Disney’s Aladdin 3D for the PC
  • Worked to integrate animation and geometry into a custom 3D engine
  • Used 3D Studio Max to create binary space partitions and levels of detail

Academy of Art College, San Francisco, CA 1997
Teacher

  • Developed and taught curriculum for a class on 3D Modeling

Renderhaus, Palo Alto, CA 1993 - 1996
Senior Animator / Founding Member

  • Co-founded company which provided award-winning animation content for marketing, advertising and instructional purposes (ie. Silicon Run Series)
  • Worked with clients including: Sony, LSI Logic, HP, Varian, Intel, Philips, and NASA
  • Developed projects from concept to completion
  • Designed and implemented the company web page
Technical Skills
3D
High and low poly modeling, sub-Ds, Quad modeling, texturing (painting, baking, UVs, displacement, diffuse, spec, normal, bump, ambient occlusion, etc.), lighting (global illumination, HDRI), animation and rendering.

Software
3D – Modo, Lightwave, Maya, 3DS Max
2D – Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator
Web – Dreamweaver, Apache, Tomcat (JSP)
Database – MySQL, Access, JDBC-ODBC
Languages – DHTML, JSP, PHP, CSS, Javascript, SQL, Perl, Actionscript, Lscript, Mel, Java, C, BASIC
Office – Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Outlook, Visio, Publisher
Version control – VSS, Perforce, Subverion

HARDWARE
Game Development - PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, Playstation, N64, Mobile (J2ME, Brew and IPhone)
Video - (VHS, S-VHS, Component - NTSC, PAL)

Education / Professional Development
MCSE, MCSA Certified
Java, Advanced Java, Java Networking, Continuing Education, Berkeley Extension
Computer Engineering, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA