If there's one thing that bothers me more than any other when people ask me what do i do in my job, that is "the look" and what comes after that.
This phenomenon happens every time I speak with people that are not that interested in videogames, even less in its creation (sometimes I think that any kind of creative process).
So why do I write about this now? Well, yesterday I got to go to a meeting in my town.
I live in a small village where everybody knows their neighbours. I don't hang around there anymore, so every time I do, they politely ask what I've been up to.
This is what happens: I tell them I finished my architecture degree and my master in 3D. Then I mention I'm working in a videogame studio in Barcelona and "the look" appears in their faces.
It's a blend of condescension, confusion, desperate search for some news that he got to read related to that and general lack of interest in the topic.
Following this look what I normally get is a diverse spectrum of hard attempts at undermine the industry with comments like :"but hey you're always playing right?", "well, there will always be kids to sell videogames", "but games weren't entering a crisis?".
Following this look what I normally get is a diverse spectrum of hard attempts at undermine the industry with comments like :"but hey you're always playing right?", "well, there will always be kids to sell videogames", "but games weren't entering a crisis?".
Comments that demonstrate their 0 knowledge on the topic and their will to look like they know something about it.
I know I'm being bitter about this, but it bothers me a lot that, what I get for working harder than most of the people that say this; for pursuing what I feel passionate about; and for getting to work on something I've always loved is just this look of pity.
At first I always feel kind of bad, but hen I continue the conversation and what I feel is bad for them. Since they normally tell me their situation, and compared to that I remember how fortunate I am to be doing what I am doing.
I really don't know how to deal with "the look". Nor if it's a thing I have to deal with or try to solve. I just don't know. This is one of the things I want to learn about during my work in the videogames industry.
So if you've ever encountered something similar or have any opinions on this, please share it!
That's it for today. I did not have much time this week, there's a lot of work in the studio and outside of it. But for next week I'll try to write two posts that I've got already in my mind.
See you!
J.