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Creative coding as a career
Hey everyone,
I've got a career question I need some assistance with. Im 27 and have been working hard in the film industry for the past 5 years but am thinking of making the move into a different career. Film isn't bad, but its a flooded market, especially with the accessibility of cheaper technology these days and its an unstable career, regardless of talent. Being a creative person with skill in both music and visuals, the idea of a more computer based creative career seems like a possibility. I've been researching creative coding and I feel like we may be at a very interesting time with the emergence of virtual reality, advancing AI, machine learning etc and wonder if creative coding may be a very employable and in demand creative skill over the coming decades.
So my two questions really are: a) do you think creative coding can equate to a career, or is it the same as saying you want to be a successful musician..i.e really more of a hobby than an actual career except for a very lucky few. b) given that I am basically brand new to the world of coding, is it too late to start at 27, and given my disadvantage in age would I have trouble getting good jobs?
Thanks for all your advice, much appreciated.
Answers
Hi TinSolider, I don't have any answer for your questions but I share the same thought as you have. I also want to know if there is any career opportunity for creative coders.
Hey, i can totally relate to you as well. i'm 27... but i don't think that age has so much to do with it. I think you just have to get yourself to a good enough level where you are able to solve problems, do some freelance gigs to test the waters and then find a job. That's how i would try to do it.
Probably depends on what you mean by 'creative coding'. Programming web interfaces can be 'creative' (and occasionally fulfilling); but it's not creative in the sense I think you mean... Still, there are definite avenues for using more creative techniques - particularly data visualisation - to build the basis for a 'career'; but that might mean working, not with other artists, but with companies wanting more interactive ways to communicate their ideas.
As for the age thing: I wouldn't be too concerned on that score. I took two years off to do an MA and started doing 'proper' programming and 'creative coding' around 10 years ago - when I was just over 30. I applied the skills I developed then to learn JavaScript and am now working as a front-end developer. It's not a creative role in the sense you mean; but it's more creative than the website admin/training work I was doing beforehand... and given that JS runs on most platforms (not just the client-side web, but also on mobile platforms, servers etc.) my career prospects are looking good :)