Brian Judkins
Chicago
Summary
Over 10+ years as a Creative Director, overseeing production and concept design across multiple disciplines in gaming, print, retail, and media. My communication tactics and resource management have a proven track record of saving time and budget in a department that often demands exorbitant spending.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Art Director
NDA Protected Game Studio
Chicago, IL
06.2024 - Current
- Directed an international art department for an upcoming game.
- Led a team of 12 contractors in the creation of all art assets necessary from creation to distribution.
- Vetted and hired all employees in my department, managed budgets, and handled employment contracts.
- Developed assets for a game across two distribution models, both analog and digital.
- Was directly responsible for reducing development time by 4 months.
Creative Director/ Head Writer
PLAY PLUS ONE, LLC
Remote, CA, IL, NY
09.2020 - Current
- Directed all creative development on an innovation gaming/ media project for WIZARDS OF THE COAST including media broadcasts, merchandising, and franchise development.
- Spearheaded revenue streams of a major intellectual property through compelling narratives across Gaming, TV, OTT, and podcast platforms.
- Led a cross-functional team of international creators by recruiting talent, art direction, and using collaboration tools to create a large quantity of art assets and deliverables.
- Personally reduced a $2 million budget by %24 percent.
- Art directed two original fantasy settings including top/down world design and story development, generating multiple revenue streams targeting international and domestic markets.
Head of Creative
UKIYO-POP
Chicago, IL
03.2016 - 10.2023
- Created a unique brand label and managed an international retail business with a focus in print based media and products, targeting gaming and nerdist markets.
- Collaborated with major gaming and comic book companies to create branded products and content strategy through mutual partnerships.
- Increased annual profits by 5-7% each year for eight straight years through innovative brand strategies, targeted marketing, original sales tactics, and by analyzing content trends.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Film/ Theater Studies
Ithaca College
Ithaca, NY05-2008
Skills
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Creative Direction
- Budget Management
- Communication Skills
- Critical Thinking
- Cross- Media Integration
- Google Suite
- Project Management
- Brand Strategy
- Writing
- Digital Illustration
- Visual Storytelling
Projects And Publications
- Dungeons & Dragons Adventures: Hasbro Studios - Creative Director and Head Writer
- Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game: Fantasy Flight Games - Contributed illustrations, art design, and gameplay design.
Timeline
Art Director
NDA Protected Game Studio
06.2024 - Current
Creative Director/ Head Writer
PLAY PLUS ONE, LLC
09.2020 - Current
Head of Creative
UKIYO-POP
03.2016 - 10.2023
Bachelor of Arts - Film/ Theater Studies
Ithaca College