Q&A: Andy Robb, graphic design major with videography minor
Andy Robb, graphic design major with videography minor, is one of ten featured on The Signal’s 10 Most Fascinating People of UHCL of 2019 list.
Read The Signal’s Q&A with Robb below and see the complete list here.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself, on both a personal and professional/educational level?
A: My name is Andy Robb! I am a graphic design major here at UHCL with a minor in videography. In my free time, I enjoy collecting and playing video games of all kinds. I’ve always loved video games and knew I wanted something to do with them as a job. I started a small indie game studio in 2016 with a good friend of mine and have since been working on three game projects. I have attended the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco for the last three years and plan to keep it going! It’s one of my yearly trips I look forward to the most.
I started a podcast with my good friend Bryan Sullivan called Desk Pop earlier this year with episodes coming out every Wednesday. We are currently gearing up for our 31st episode which I am very proud of! We use it as a platform to share life stories and discuss our opinions on pop culture. I also like to make short videos with my friends on YouTube.
I took Dr. [Andrea] Baldwin’s public speaking class in my first semester of UHCL and hopped on the performance bandwagon when she formed the Storytelling class the following year. This took me to the Petit Jean Performance Festival with a few other passionate UHCL performers and from there, we formed the UHCL Storytellers and have since put on five shows on campus (one of which was taken to Petit Jean and the University of North Texas). I had the pleasure of performing in three of them as well as writing and directing the last one with my friend McCade Fletcher. I have attended the Petit Jean Performance Festival every year since 2016 and have learned so much from it!
Q: Why did you decide to pursue a degree in graphic design? What do you plan to do with your degree?
A: During my first semester on campus, I noticed a contest that the (then) Student Life Office was having. It was for an official UHCL hand gesture. I thought it would be funny if I filmed a video that parodied a dumb hand gesture idea and posted it on YouTube, so I did! It spread throughout the faculty and staff pretty fast and stirred up a bit of controversy. But [it] spread my name on campus. It eventually led to me getting a job in the Student Life Office as a photographer/videographer. This grew into a graphic design position. I worked next to another graphic designer, Natasha Dewar, who was super patient with me and answered a lot of my questions as I learned how to use all of the programs. I was also helped by my friend Madi Coates! After a while, I realized that I loved working in the Creative Suite and that I could be taking classes in this field. From there, I decided to be a graphic design major.
Q: Aside from having your own company, 3DICE Games, and co-hosting a podcast, Desk Pop, you also co-wrote/directed the UHCL Storytellers production “Kill Mii.” What motivates you to take on these projects?
A: I am inspired to work on these projects by surrounding myself by people who are passionate about what they do. Enthusiasm is contagious and I love bouncing ideas off of other people with different skills/interests. These projects give me a good excuse to work with friends and those I admire (and of course, attempt to absorb as much of their energy as I can).
Q: When you look back on 2019, what are some moments that stick out to you as achievements or challenges? How have those moments impacted you?
A: 2019 was a very busy/fulfilling year for me! I started Desk Pop with Bryan, which was a big personal accomplishment for me. I am very proud of myself and Bryan for not quitting when equipment didn’t work or when scheduling recording sessions got hard. Listening back to the episodes and hearing all of my “like” and “um” moments have definitely made me a better public speaker!
3DICE GAMES reached its first demo phases of one of our projects which I am really excited about (especially watching the product grow from a pen and paper concept to a fully automated PC game over the course of three years). It is a self-funded project so it took a lot of budgeting and patience to get to this point but it is definitely worth it! I am learning SO MUCH about project management and game development.
I also got to write and direct “Kill Mii” with McCade! “Kill Mii” was the very first UHCL Storytellers show to have been put on without the direct involvement of Dr. Baldwin. I think this is super important because this (hopefully) opens the doorway for more independent student productions running alongside Dr. Baldwin’s works. Writing and directing the show was very difficult but it was very rewarding seeing the responses we got during and after the show. I learned a lot about creative development and working with choreography through working on this project with McCade.
I am coming out of 2019 with a good foundation to build future works off of and am looking forward to working with more talented people!
Q: What are some of your favorite hobbies/things to do in your free time?
A: I enjoy going on road trips with my friends and seeing as many movies in the movie theater as I can! I also spend a lot of time building LEGO sets with my girlfriend, Dayna. We have built a little over 30 mid to large scale sets together! We continue to work with LEGOs but are starting to spread into building Gundam figures.
Q: What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given or would give?
A: I’m horrible with things like this! I will say two things:
One, even if it isn’t in your major or if it’s an elective, take Dr. Baldwin’s Storytelling class! It gives you an amazing creative outlet and working with her is very fun. She is also teaching an Adaptation of Text class next semester which is another performance opportunity (students will have a chance to make Sweded films in it)! If you can’t take the class, try to get involved in the UHCL Storytellers in any capacity. The performance scene on campus is growing! Be a part of it!
Two, I couldn’t find a good spot to put this but my favorite quote of all time came from Andrew Reitberger (my former boss in the Student Life Office) when he said, “It would surprise you to know the amount of ping pong that actually happens.” I think it’s funny but also holds some deeper meaning when closely examined. I wouldn’t still be doing graphic design if not for him working with me during my time in Student Life.
Q: Is there anything you would like our readers to know?
A: Time for plugs!
Support the arts on campus! There are a lot of amazing artists on campus doing great things. When you find them, take a moment to check out what they are doing, it will blow your mind! Check out the UHCL Storytellers and the UHCL Art Association!!
Check out the Campus Activities Board. I learned a lot during my time in that org and they are doing some really cool things. It’s a good chance to network and learn new skills for volunteer credit!
Next, consider being an Orientation Leader! It is another good opportunity to network and helps build valuable interpersonal skills! And it pays!
Lastly, if anyone is interested in playtesting a digital card game, hit me up (Robba8477@gmail.com)!
