Franck Delfortrie

A look back at your ESMA years

WHAT ARE THE REASONS THAT LED YOU TO CHOOSE THE PATH OF CG ANIMATION?

I have always been very good at math. I always liked drawing. Moreover, I was a great fan of video games. After the baccalaureate, I started a degree in mathematics and computing but I didn’t see myself as a math teacher, nor working in the army to crack codes, nor in the banks. As I was still drawing, a friend told me why don’t you go into 3D computer graphics? I was also doing a lot of computer science with math, so I decided to go that way.

AND WHY ESMA?

I first went to another school in Montpellier for a year. I had good results. I looked at what other schools were doing, especially ESMA. I was stunned to see the high level of this school compared to mine. So I migrated and started again in the first year at ESMA, which gave me the quality technical background that few artistic structures offer, in my opinion. I did three years, which was the length of the curriculum at that time.

WHAT MAY SEEM STRANGE IS TO HAVE CHOSEN THE 3D TRAINING WHEN YOU HAD A TASTE FOR VIDEO GAMES?

It’s true! In fact, it came little by little. As time went by, I knew that video games were what really attracted me. The 3D training at ESMA is very rewarding and very qualitative. I’m not playing politics (sic) but ESMA is very positive. It’s just a bonus!

I still use this training every day. It allowed me to blossom in the video game industry, even if at the beginning it was not the ideal path. I had a very solid technical and artistic foundation, beyond what I would have had in video game school. The first job I found was in the video game sector.

Your career path

HOW DID THE INTEGRATION INTO THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD GO?

I was a little worried about not having made video games. In the end, it went well! I started in Montpellier right next to ESMA at the time, at Feerik Games. I was comfortable with the instructions, I had no problems. For the anecdote, I lied a little about my knowledge of a software, Autodesk 3ds Max. I learned the software by myself in a few days. You don’t have to be afraid of the technique as long as the background is good and solid. Then, I arrived at Magic Pockets as a CG graphic designer. I became lead artist after two months. I was 25 years old, I had to manage people of 40-45 years old. Very quickly, thanks to my self-confidence and the basics of ESMA, I was able to evolve. After two years, I was Associate Creative Director. A big step up! I was in charge of both the design and art parts.

DID YOU FEEL COMPLETELY AT EASE?

Absolutely! With the added social and team management skills, it went well!

WHERE ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING?

Currently, I am at Shiro Games in Bordeaux as Game Director. I am in charge of managing the entire game production. Concretely, I manage two projects: Dune: Spice Wars, which is based on the Franck Herbert license, and Northgard. It goes from the creation of the game, to the maintenance, to the issues, to the interviews. My role is that of a conductor!

HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE THESE GAMES?

They are games of strategy, life management and military strategies. Dune is coming out next year, it is currently in early access. Northgard was released four years ago.

I’ve also worked on Smurfs, Rabbids, Ninja Turtles, Cartoon Network and others. The one I’m most proud of is Dune.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE NOTABLE EVOLUTION IN VIDEO GAMES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS?

There has always been a progression of technique brought by the cinema. A race towards realism! It’s a bit asymptotic now! As a result, we can do less and less better than previous games in terms of perfect rendering, for example. What is catching up with us at the moment is the awareness of ecology in games.

SO SOCIAL ISSUES ARE HAVING AN IMPACT ON VIDEO GAMES?

Yes, clearly. We say to ourselves, my game is prettier and prettier, more and more greedy in terms of graphic resources, etc., at the expense of the planet because it requires more and more energy, more and more powerful computers, regular updates. Our customers are becoming aware of this and are asking themselves: instead of making a more beautiful game, how could we make a game that would require fewer resources, that would be more ecological? I feel this expectation. I hope that we will continue along this path: to make games that are more environmentally friendly. The developer world will have to take this into account.

YOU ARE ALSO VICE-PRESIDENT OF SO GAMES. WHAT ABOUT THIS STRUCTURE?

It’s the official association of video game professionals in New Aquitaine. This is the political aspect of my work as a volunteer. We work with schools to help train students with other game companies. We solicit the Region, try to unlock funds for small structures, create events, develop the culture of video games, etc. This is our mission!

In conclusion

HAVE YOU MET ANY ESMA PEOPLE IN YOUR CAREER?

At Magic Pockets, I have recruited ESMA alumni. I still see friends from my class. We were very close. ESMA is a bit of a congregation that reaches out to the whole world.

IN 5 YEARS, WHERE WILL YOU BE?

For the moment I’m fine where I am! I’ve kind of maxed out in video games. When you’re a game director, you can’t hope for more. I know everyone at Shiro Games, it’s a very good French company on a human scale. I see myself continuing like this. But I don’t know what I will do in five years. I’m quite a sanguine person, so I can change my path from one day to the next. I’ll let myself be carried by the wind!

A FINAL AMBITION IN YOUR HEAD?

To continue to be happy, to get up every morning and be happy to go to work with a bit of a kick. And also to continue an associative work on the side like SO Games.

ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE STUDENTS?

Put your ego aside and always rely on openness! This is a profession in video games where there are many talented people. You have to respect the work of others, know how to question yourself, be careful about the image you give by being frank with people and learn to say things.