Luke Samuelson, a senior majoring in game design, has found a unique intersection
of creativity, technology, and applied learning through his role at Shocker Studios.
As an LED volume and game design lab technician, he is already laying the foundation
for a career that blends the immersive world of game development with the rapidly
evolving field of virtual production. His dream job would be to produce games for
either AAA companies or as an independent developer while also working to develop
scenes for virtual production.
Luke's work at Shocker Studios has primarily focused on creating virtual scenes using
Unreal Engine. These scenes are then projected onto an LED volume—a cutting-edge tool
in the world of filmmaking—to reduce reliance on green screens and instead embed actors
directly into realistic digital environments. “My responsibilities heavily focus on
communicating with clientele about their visions and developing those visions,” Luke
explained. This blend of creative interpretation and technical implementation has
helped him grow in areas that go beyond what is traditionally expected from a game
design student.
Luke's role at Shocker Studios is funded by the Applied Learning Fund. This financial
support has played a meaningful role in his academic journey. “The greatest benefit
from the scholarship is truly the ease of burden of not having to worry nearly as
much about the financials of college,” he shared. The funds have allowed him to focus
on his degree and not take on extra jobs.
Luke credits this applied learning experience with helping him develop critical industry
skills. “The largest skills that I've developed from this experience are level design
and being able to extrapolate what a client wants,” he said. His role has also brought
professional opportunities, expanding his network and opening doors into the virtual
production world. “This experience at Shocker Studios has already granted me great
connections with the McClure team and has potentially led to more jobs in the virtual
production world.”
Among the most rewarding moments of his time at Shocker Studios was a collaboration
with a fellow student, Cody Wilson. Cody came to Luke last semester wanting to do
a fully virtual shoot for a short film. The two collaborated to develop the project,
and after a long few months of developing and an even longer weekend of shooting,
they captured all the footage for the short film. Luke said of the experience, “this
project has been such a great success from all the collaboration from other students.
The project reshaped Luke's understanding of where game design can take him. He explained,
“I never imagined being able to work in the film industry with my game industry skills.”
Looking ahead, Luke is excited to continue exploring the creative possibilities that
lie at the intersection of game design and virtual production. His experiences at
Shocker Studios have not only equipped him with valuable technical skills but have
also broadened his vision for the future.
Wichita State's applied learning program gives students hands-on, paid experience
with industry partners, helping them build careers before graduation.
For more information, contact theShocker Career Acceleratorat (316) 978-3688, SCA@wichita.edu, or visitwichita.edu/Career. You can also stop by in person at the Marcus Welcome Center, Suite 139, on the Wichita
State campus.
