Tips for getting a job at a top studio

Lastly, an inventive spirit not bound by   clichés or trends. A strong point is that they are often multidisciplinary, i.e. Getting caught in trend feedback loops is merely following a recipe that doesn’t add value to the client or the wider world. Words: Adrian ShaughnessyOpening image: Forever at the VA, Universal Everything
This article originally appeared in Computer Arts issue 232, a design education special packed with insight, inspiration and behind-the-scenes access to the world’s most exciting creative minds. Matt Pyke is a UK-based media artist and designer working between the Peak District and London. Secondly, I look for immense ambition, attention to detail, a distinctive visual style, idea-led concepts, and a clear understanding of what is it they are   saying with their work. As Pyke notes: «There’s long been a shortage of code-based designers and ideas-led motion graphics designers. Work with experts who can do something better than you. Formerly a senior designer at The Designers Republic, he founded multidisciplinary design studio Universal Everything in 2004. The studio has an impressive portfolio of progressive projects that harness new technologies and have attracted numerous global brands and bands, including Radiohead, Chanel,Intel, Nike, Audi, London 2013 Olympics and more. Creative thinking is about being inventive and smartly tailored to a specific need when approaching a problem. Firstly, they should be honest and well-researched, and they should be passionate about their careers. What do you think design schools should be prioritising in their teaching? We struggle to discover these people and often turn to Japan or America to find the talents we need.»
Here, the leading media artist and graphic designer explains what it takes to impress him – and what he looks for in a new graduate…
Matt Pyke founded Universal Everything in 2004What do you look for in the work of a new graduate? Is this a policy you would advocate for students? What are strong and weak points in the make-up of recent graduates? You’ve been quoted saying you don’t feel constrained by not knowing how something is done.