For the complete list of panels, check out the main TwitchCon 2016 Panel Recap post.

VoD link:https://www.twitch.tv/twitchconfrankerz/v/93570350
FrankerZ Theater Day Two
Moderator: @on3nightstan (Stan Press)
Participants: Andy_Lunique, Faucius (Eric Barnett), DevinNash

• How do you and the brands you represent look at emerging and existing influencers?
  • Andy_Lunique – Doesn’t view emerging influencers as just “streamers”. Views them as Entrepreneurs. Looking at the space, he sees a ton of potential of what could be going on rather than what’s happening now. Twitch is in its infancy. The potential to have direct networking connections between marketers/influencers is great.
  • Faucius – Agrees with Andy on how new Twitch is. The new influencers/streamers that are growing big are networking a ton and putting in the work to network. Exposing brands to Twitch through networking is powerful. At Twitch they’re trying to give more perks to everyone rather than just partners so everyone has the tools to improve.
• How do you integrate into the gaming ecosystem as a whole?
  • DevinNash – From an eSports perspective, most have the foundational skills already from streaming to transfer that into a gaming related career. For example, Devin and other teams are looking for people that have video production experience which almost all streamers should know how to do. Content is the name of the game and it adds value to communities which is something streamers know how to do.
  • Faucius / Andy_Lunique – Traditional education isn’t necessary. Success in this industry is just a matter of showing what you can do and what you offer to people. Putting in the work and hours is what will grant success.
• If you have a 4-year degree, is there a way to circumvent being overqualified for a position.
  • DevinNash – That’s not going to be a problem because most companies in this industry might not even ask about a degree. His company doesn’t hire on that basis and Faucius says Twitch doesn’t either. The ability to break out into this industry is a matter of ability and putting in the “hustle” to provide value to people. Things he looks for when hiring:
    • Are you willing to put in the work to get a portfolio together? A good portfolio (towards eSports) contains:
      • Video content and media production through social media and things like Twitch. Putting together 4-5 videos of your high-quality content. Shoutcasting is in high demand at the moment. Even something like shoutcasting your own VoD can be portfolio material.
      • Shoutcasting: Colour commentating or play by play speaking over eSports events.
• Moderator experience can be useful too. Management in finding partners to talk to is important.
• Portfolios add value to your resume. It directly shows what you offer to a certain company. Figure out your objective(s) and goals.
• Faucius – If an interviewer is just focusing on one area of your resume, that’s a bad resume. Needs to take a whole view of the candidate on what they’ve done and what they can do for my company. This is how Twitch does things.
• On3nightstan – “Value” is the key word here. Despite being in college or not, it’s what you can show. Prove you can bring value to a company. If you have a degree and are wanting to get into stuff like Marketing/PR it can help but you always want to show what you can do. Do as many side projects as you can.

• Don’t half ass your resume. Things to keep in mind:
  • One of the most important documents that gets you a job.
  • Tailor it to each and every company you apply for. That’s worth more than a generic resume.
  • Should be a nice, concise one page. Don’t make the interviewer flip through.
  • Recruiters will be looking at hundreds of resumes. Putting in the work to stand out will lead to your success.

• How do you present value and “take the next step”?
  • DevinNash – Work for free. You’ll get into the company and get not only experience but a chance to show your value to that company. On3nightstan thinks of it almost like an internship. After some time you can go to the company and present what you’ve done.
  • Andy_Lunique – Sometimes you can’t work for free depending on your lifestyle and stage of life you’re in. Have the knowledge to discuss payment because at the end of the day, you’ve got to eat. Protect yourself and know when to call it quits to find other opportunities.
  • Faucius – Have a safety net. Going full time streaming with no back up can be the death of you. Make a contingency plan so you can support yourself if full time streaming falls through. Do research.

• What are eSports brands looking for in a demo reel (Shoutcasting)?
  • DevinNash – Something like 6-8 videos of you shoutcasting high level games. Even if you have no experience, it will provide value for you to just go to a replay system of X game and start shoutcasting. Or, go to VoDs of tournament level play, mute the stream, and shoutcast it. Compile those videos and send them to a company. Networking is also important here. Going to events like BlizzCon holds plenty of opportunities to do this.
  • Faucius – Show you can do the full package. In-depth analysis, hero review, player reviews, etc. Not just one good shoutcasted game. Consistency is key.
  • On3nightstan – Add a 2-3 minute intro of yourself to go along with your videos. Make it digestible so someone can be interested in you enough to watch your 6+ hours of video. Connecting with a brand is important rather than being some random person.

• Gaming events/competitive gaming aside; how do you get into things like talk shows/Creative?
  • Faucius – NETWORK YOUR ASS OFF. Be proactive if you have an idea for a show. Go to people and do collaborations. If you can find a niche, you have to learn to be able to develop it. This is done by finding help and by looking at your work/ideas objectively. Look to the people in the same creative space.
  • Andy_Lunique – Tons of potential in the Twitch Creative section. This untapped area offers many opportunities to tie brands into the Twitch universe that may never have been exposed originally.

• What are some specific examples of people in your brands transitioning from content creators to other things?
  • Andy_Lunique – Community Managers are fairly common and a pretty safe transition from a content creator. Hosting jobs and overseeing events are other job opportunities that are popping up. Internal communications is a broad area but is a common one.
  • Faucius – Sees tons of different people transitioning into a wide range of things such as marketing, PR, professional chefs, hosting, and more. Anytime you can develop a skillset where you can articulate things well to other people, it can get you job opportunities. Companies want to look for you to be good for the company now, but can also grow with the company; growth is valuable.
  • DevinNash – Gaming brings people together. His company looks for a wide area of things ranging from mental/physical therapists to coaches. If you have a dream, take it to a company that can find value in that and in you.