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 the Shocker Career Accelerator at (316) 978-3688, SCA@wichita.edu, or visit wichita.edu/Career. You can also stop by in person at the Marcus Welcome Center, Suite 139, on the Wichita State campus.