Project advisor
Capstone projects require one or more project advisors. You should meet with this advisor at minimum three times throughout the development of the capstone project. A project advisor can play a crucial role in your project's development. While your instructors are often able to provide insight into the majority of your project's challenges, having feedback from someone working in the industry can give you more nuanced and accurate perspectives, more up-to-date expectations, and pointed notes for improvement. You can also use this opportunity to start building your professional network, which makes future employment in the your creative field of choice far easier.
Seeking out professionals in the field who are open to working with students can be challenging. Often if students are not successful, the capstone instructor will provide an introduction connection through their own professional network. Sometimes students have someone already in their own network, and sometimes students reach out to people they do not yet know (LinkedIn.com is a great place for this). DMD faculty are often available to act as project advisors as well, though they should be thought of as a last resort.
While it would be nice to assume the everyone in the professional world will be respectful and trustworthy, communicating with strangers that have not been vetted can come with some risk. Please let your instructor know of any issues that might arise. Some project advisors will give you very honest (sometimes brutal) and direct feedback. Being able to listen and receive, interpret, and apply feedback to your own work is part of the job of being a design professional.
Places to search for a project advisor
- The DMD LinkedIn Alumni Group
- Request to join if you are not already a member
- LinkedIn.com
- List of Game Development professionals
- (3D art, audio, animation, art direction, character art, concept art, story, production, VFX, programming, MoCap, lighting, level design, environment artist, engineering, tech art, UI design, writing, etc.)
- Capstone instructor's professional network
- DMD or other Penn State Faculty
- Communities of practice (Facebook groups, forums, ArtStation.com, Behance.net, core77.com, etc.)
- Professional membership community chapters
- ADP List
Sending an email or direct message
Here is an example of an email that you could write to someone to try to elicit their feedback. I would recommend rewriting this in your own voice and writing style.
Dear [the name of the person],
I am a student in the Penn State Digital Multimedia Design capstone
course, and I am developing a project this semester that I was hoping
to get your perspective on. I am making a [type of media] project that
focuses on [why you are making the project]. Given your background
and expertise, your input would be really beneficial. I would love
the opportunity to discuss my project with you if you are interested.
Thanks so much for your time.
Sincerely,
[yournamehere]