Matthew Kean

Sharpening one's writing skills as a leader is crucial, and tools like whiteboarding through Miro have revolutionized the way I structure and present my thoughts to the team. The beauty of platforms like Miro is their ability to capture my brainstorming in real-time, letting me connect the dots between ideas organically. This "mind mapping" technique doesn't just help in organizing, but after a few refinements, it can often become the blueprint for team documentation. It offers clarity on what information is vital and what can be set aside. Essentially, it's a lifeline for those of us who tend to juggle a myriad of ideas at once, ensuring that our communication remains clear and impactful.

Navigating leadership as an introvert has been an interesting journey for me. I've found that instead of endless meetings, I prefer fewer, meaningful chats that really count. I've got this knack for noticing when conversations start wandering off into the wilderness, so I gently steer them back. But hey, creativity doesn't always stick to a script, so I'm all for those brilliant off-topic moments too. It's all about finding that sweet spot. The biggest game-changer? Knowing when to say, "Let's chat tomorrow." On days when I'm feeling a bit spent, I've learned it's okay to hit pause and regroup later. It keeps me sane and ensures I'm giving my best to the team.

Being a mentor, especially to budding artists, has greatly honed my leadership abilities. Mentoring compels you to shift your perspective beyond personal achievements, channeling your expertise towards the growth of others. True leadership transcends personal gains, centering on the collective success of the team and the project. Hence, mentoring is a potent tool; it transforms the benchmark of your success from personal milestones to the development and triumphs of those you guide.

To engage team members feeling dispassionate, I start by visually mapping out the project on a whiteboard (miro). This highlights the project's goals, intended audience, and core values. Often, creative professionals feel detached when they perceive their tasks as misaligned with the project's main objectives. It's essential to: -Determine their perspective regarding the project's core objectives. -Emphasize the significance of their role within the bigger picture. -Solicit their input and foster personal ownership by delegating tasks, empowering team members with responsibility. Ensuring each member's contributions resonate with the project's tentpoles and giving them a sense of ownership, you can reignite their passion

When sculpting characters or props, using a realistic reference (the "ground truth") is invaluable, especially for stylized pieces. Anchoring stylized anatomy in real-world accuracy ensures cleaner deformations and a natural feel for viewers. Maintaining technical accuracy while pursuing bold artistic visions helps gauge the degree of stylization. Comparing only with other stylized works can distort one's sense of reality, particularly for projects aiming for a "stylized-realism" appearance.

When giving feedback on 3D game modeling, I start with a framework using tools such as whiteboards or Miro boards. This foundation, agreed upon with team leads, sets the project's tone and objectives. Upon receiving a model, if it doesn't align with our brief, I prefer a real-time sculpt-over, walking the artist through my thought process. This way, they can understand and then reinterpret in their style, maintaining their piece's essence. Feedback should enhance models, not just change them. Recognizing and valuing an artist's unique take that aligns with our framework is key to nurturing creativity.