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Minos

By Minos
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Minos

Minos

Posted
Posted

Found this on game-artist.net and it's rather funny if you ask me.

"Well I left recently after 3 1/2 months working in Amsterdam. I will give my impression of the place, I will try to be as fair as possible but you can take it as you like. I will do my best to keep to the facts but any rumours or heresay which I feel I have to put in will be maked as such.

GOOD POINTS

Colleages: the people working in Streamline are a great bunch of people - a little weird but great people none the less. Somedays I could have done without the conversation about cock-cheese in my left ear and the conversation about fisting in the right ear. I dont know whether this is because of the wild mix of european and yanks or whether it was just sexual frustration. Who knows. Conversation is always lively and entertaining. Mind you a room full of artists all on sugar rushes from pixie sticks (2 foot long sherbert straws) is a sight to behold....

There are some seriously talented people here, if you dont know something, someone here will. It was a privilige working with these people, they are good.

People go out regularly, you can get pissed or stoned, whatever is your preference

Dont know about programming tools but I never heard any complaints from the programmers (and I lived with a couple of em). Most artists who required them had A4 Wacoms, some were using their own. *rumour* those that didnt were due to get them, they were on order *rumour*

Office Environment: A nice modern office in an industrial estate. There is a train/tram station less than 10 minutes away making commuting easy. There is a range of food places within easy walking distance as well as a couple of supermakets and a market.

BAD POINTS

Pay: Ill be honest here, the pay is shit. With very, very few exceptions pay is 1/2 to 2/3 of market rate. One concept artist was getting €1200 a month, he would have earned more stacking shelves in Albert Heijn, he only got more when he raised a stink cos the new concept artist was getting considerably more. Many artists were getting paid a juniors salary and the juniors were getting less. Programmers too were not getting market pay. Consequently there are alot of newbs straight out of college etc. cos they are the only peopl e willing to take the low pay.

Contracts: I like many others was offered a six month contract as an independant contractor.

This is the big red flag!!! Almost everyone here is a "contractor" even the newbs, which basicly means you are getting screwed out of all your rights. This isnt a case of good business practice - hiring genuine contractors for a project and then letting them go. This stinks. Virtually no one here is willing or really mature enough to be their own business. This is done purely to save the business money and is nothing but exploitation. As a contractor they have removed all your rights under the working time directive - no paid holidays, no sick pay, no overtime limits - in fact if your sick for a fortnight they can cancel your contract, essentially your fired.

*heresay* there was a seven asset rule, you had to produce a set number of assets in a month or lose money, there was no rule stating if you produced more assets you got more money. *heresay*

overtime: Well, with no limit on overtime, a set number of assets to produce to a very high standard (Epic are one of streamlines stated clients) and relatively inexperienced staff meant that most staff did shit loads of overtime. There was ALWAYS someone working at the weekend. I personally didnt as I was always ahead of my personal schedule, but most people weren't. It wasnt their fault either, they were working their asses off. Scheduling actually isnt that bad -providing everyone is an industry experienced artist, oh wait there's a load of newbs....

Accommodation: The company provides accomodation for you when you first start. They charge you market rent for it too. The place I stayed in was nice and the comanies other places seemed good too. A couple of colleagues who started at the shortly after me were given a six month contract for their accomodation. After 3 months they were asked if they could move out into private accomodation - this is without the guarantee of an extension to his six month work contract - this could have meant he was stuck with a rental contract and no job. Now I dont know about the Netherlands but a six month lease on a room in the UK is just that and you cant force someone to leave cos it doesnt suit you...

Management: I have to say that the twins who own the place seem pretty passionate about what they do. Unfortunately the people around them aren't quite so hot. There is a little nepotism in that there are friends in the higher up spots but its not more that youd expect anywhere else and most people are at least capable of doing their jobs. There are some exceptions however, When I was hired the person who was in charge of HR at the time didnt get my contract to me before I actually got to Amsterdam Doh! HR has since had a change of staff and the current incumbent seems much better.

The financial director is tighter than a ducks arse which is what I think leads to a lot of the problems.

There is one man who is almost universally reviled. An example: He called a "Voluntary" meeting for the art staff to discuss any problems or issues thay had. Some of us duly went along and in the politest possible manner expressed our views.

*heresay from a reliable source* Later that day he had a meeting with the higher ups and not only claimed that we had called the meeting but said that is was a bunch of griping from "the usual trouble makers". This is not what Id call conductive to happy staff.

There are other examples of what this man has done but I wasnt witness to them. Suffice to say he is not very popular.

Art leads and producers seem reasonable competent

at their jobs but there does seem to be a general disregard for the grunts in the higher management which has lead to the current practices and some very low morale.

In summary then, some very cool people and art direction. Really low pay and some REALLY dodgy practices which shit on the staff from upon high. I hope this helps out anyone who considers working for Streamline."

Didn't Zazi work for them in the past ?

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