We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rafael Serralheiro. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rafael below.

Rafael, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Moving to a new country has been the most significant risk and most rewarding achievement of my life so far. I originally come from Portugal, a warm place in western Europe with great weather and food, but limited opportunities for growth as a 3D artist. At the time, I was finishing my B.A and had a general idea of where I wanted to be. Even though I always thought that I wanted to live abroad, the transition from concept to reality is not always as direct as we expect.
Movies and games played a big part in my life growing up, and all the iconic ones were created by studios and companies located in one place: Los Angeles.
So, I set my goal to move to this city. However, I had no idea how to do it. Like everyone does, I Googled it! I quickly learned that in order to move, I needed to have a specific reason, either for a job or school. I decided to continue my academic journey after finishing my B.A. Fortunately, I had the time and the resources. But, above all, moving to another place is definitely the most frightening but rewarding sensation. Once we do it, we can do it again.

Rafael, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a passionate artist who has chosen to use computers as the primary medium for expressing my imagination. Specifically, I work as an Environment Artist for Games. If you’re unfamiliar with this role, it involves creating all the surroundings for the main character in a video game. This includes everything from magical doors in a castle to rocks in a forest; as an environment artist, I’m responsible for creating and placing these assets in the game world.

My journey into the video game industry is a familiar one. Like many others, I developed a strong passion for video games from a young age, captivated by their complex narratives and gameplay mechanics. I’ve been playing video games since I was four years old, and although games were very different back then, my passion for them has remained constant. However, at that time, I was unaware that it was possible to work on video games. My friends and I used to dream of creating a game similar to the ones we played, but we didn’t realize how complex and extensive the process was. Creating a game takes a team of dreamers and doers working together, and that’s what makes it such an exciting challenge.

Before deciding to work in the video game industry, I explored other art forms such as film, drawing, design, and even sound. Initially, I wanted to work in movies, and I have a hobby of photography. I find it to be a meditative art form that captures a single moment in time for eternity.

Currently, I am completing my BFA at Gnomon, a school specializing in Visual Effects, Animation, and Games. At Gnomon, I had the opportunity to be part of a Student-Run club, an experience that I value greatly. Through this club, I made amazing friends and contributed to creating connections between students and industry professionals within the school community.

Additionally, I am currently working at LightSpeed L.A, a AAA studio responsible for the new game IP Last Sentinel, and I’m very proud and happy to be part of this team.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I will do my best to answer this deep and philosophical question. To me, being a creative artist is the only way to be. It’s hard to picture myself as anything else. This is because I believe that in every aspect of life, we are all creative in our own way. We start off as kids drawing, singing, or dancing. Even before we learn to read and write, we communicate through drawing and storytelling. I think people who grow up to become “artists” are simply continuing the natural creativity we are born with. For me, this is the most fulfilling part. Even as adults, we can still have the imagination of a child. Of course, as we grow up, we learn to use our creativity in practical ways to make a living. But ultimately, we’re still imagining new worlds, expressing emotions, and capturing our view of the world in art.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal as an artist is to be involved in projects that were influential to me growing up and to work with the people who created those games. Meeting and working with the individuals behind these influential games would be a full circle moment for me. They are the ones who inspired me to pursue a career in this industry. What drives my creative mission is the desire to reach a level where I can contribute to such impactful projects – games that leave a lasting impression on people, games that they will remember as part of their childhood, and games that inspire them to pursue a career in this industry. This, for me, is the ultimate goal, in addition to taking on more responsibility and higher roles in the industry. What truly motivates me is the desire to inspire future generations. The video game industry is still very young, and there is a lot of work and content yet to be created. This can only happen if the younger generations are inspired to join.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rafaelserralheiro.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rafaelserralheiro_/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafael-serralheiro/

Image Credits
My Picture by: Carolina do Lago