Blue waves lap on the white shores of the Wai'anae coast, shimmering in the hot tropical sun. But this isn't a private beach. The sound of the water is drowned out by the noise of rumbling engines and rubber rolling along asphalt, known to most as Farrington Highway. Across this stretch of pavement stands a small complex that isn't too easy to miss, painted in bright shades of aquamarine and salmon. This is the Wai'anae Cornet Village Shopping Center, Mākaha's main shopping plaza. A man drives along the highway, pulling into the parking lot of the center, catching a glimpse of the mountains standing green and brown behind the old Cornet Building. This man is Chad Brown of Mākaha Studios, and he is an Art Director. You would probably expect me to continue to describe a typical day for the Art Institute of California – Los Angeles graduate, detailing his workday from entry to exit. But here's the problem: there's no such thing. The job of an art director is one full of spontaneity, making it impossible for him to tell what exactly he'll be doing in the future.

Brown is a graphic artist for Mākaha Studios, a multimedia design company born from Wai'anae High's Searider Productions. His job is one that isn't too easy to explain, as his duties may range from designing show graphics to building props for commercials, but basically, he has one main job: “When we come up with an idea,” he said, “I figure out how we can make it happen and I make sure all our projects are up to our standards.” But as any art director can tell you, their job is always unique.

Art directors vary from company to company, depending on the types of media they work on, such as film, video gaming, and television. In truth, the term “art director” is a very loose one, as the variety of jobs they have is so great—some companies don't even have “art directors,” instead giving them more specific titles.

Jobs like Brown's are in high demand these days, due to the immense amount of media being produced, with employment for artists expected to rise 16% through 2016, the fastest average for all occupations. And of course, the feeling is mutual. Thousands, if not millions, aspire to someday work for their favorite video game companies, especially with the advent of the 21st century, and with mammoth companies like Disney and Electronic Arts towering over the markets, it's a bit hard not to be influenced by them.

Art directors are regarded highly in a company, as they're basically responsible for how everything is going to look in a product. Having such an important (and stressful) job, however, doesn't come without its perks. Annual salaries can range from $48,000 for artists starting out, to over $200,000 for very experienced directors, with a median income of around $60,000. I guess all those hours spent working late into the night can really pay off.

Then again, working late at night might not actually be as bad as it seems, as almost every art director works comfortably, doing their jobs in well-lit, air-conditioned studios or offices, not to mention the fun set of people they work with. There are exceptions, however, usually when it involves film. According to producer Chris Lee, who worked on movies such as Superman Returns and Valkyrie, much of the artists spend their time in “...a full-on work shop, with tools for crafting everything from paintings to foam models, lots of drafting tables, computers, massive drawings and beautiful conceptual paintings of scenes,” even saying that it's “usually the most fun to visit because it is filled with drawings and miniature sets and fabrics and types of wood and various props.”

While artists and art directors do spend some of their time alone, brains whirring and churning out ideas, they also collaborate often with other artists, producers, and most importantly, clients, in order to end up with the right results. One would probably spend even less time alone when they're friends with their coworkers, a not-so-uncommon occurrence in studios. According to Brown, “Somebody's always playing music, games, watching movies, or playing darts. These things help us to be creative and not stress too much.” It probably helps them survive the typical 40-hour week art directors work in (a bit reminiscent of a school environment).

But what exactly do they do? Well, it all depends on what type of art they direct, but in general, they are responsible for making sure that every visual aspect of their product meets the requirements of the commissioners, supervising the work of the artists along the way. A game art director (my preferred directorial position), for example, develops an idea for a game, which is then turned into concept art, reviewed by clients and producers, and then prepared for production, with various meetings peppered in. Artists are then hired, who then work out exactly what the game will look like, the director guiding them the entire time, until it is finally time for the game to be released to the hungry public, who decides whether it should be chewed and spat out or savored in its entirety. Obviously, there's a lot more to the process than this, which is why games can take years to finish. This, however, is merely a dip of a finger into the pool (of media arts, that is), as the jobs of other directors can be completely different.

Now onto the tough part: getting to that spot. It's not like any artist can walk in and get the job, even with the high demand. Most lack the qualities necessary to handle everything. One important quality is patience, according to Brown. “Designs don't just come to you in five minutes,” he said. “I usually spend a day or two just coming up with ideas. Then I pick the idea I think fits best and try to make it work. Sometimes I spend days designing a logo only to start from scratch. You have to be very patient and try multiple design [sic] before locking into just one.” The two most important skills, however, are art and leadership; no director can be considered “good” without both. A good artist that isn't a leader will end up confused and pushed around, while a good leader without artistic ability won't get any respect from the artists, who want one of their own to guide them. So if you ever want a job like this, a good idea would be to work on you skills early, and by early, I mean right now.

High school is one of the most important (and influential) parts of your life, so skills you learn here will probably last you a good 50 years (minus the physical ones). It always helps to start early, like Brown, who got interested in 7th grade, eventually joining Searider Productions in high school, where he learned the basics of his career. Students interested in art-related careers can train several ways, with the most common being the “drawing-every-second-you-can” technique. Another good tip is to “write down your ideas,” according to Brown, who learned to do so the hard way. “You'd be surprised how much ideas I have right before I go to sleep, good and bad, but without those notes I would never have remembered them.”

College is the next big step, and whatever choices you make here can affect the rest of your working life. Here, Brown took his knowledge from high school and “sharpened them, learned [sic] in depth about video production.” A Bachelor's or Master's degree in fine arts is also recommended.

From schooling, one can go on to getting a taste of the actual job by becoming a graphic artist (or something similar). Starting out as an intern or an assistant to an established art director is a good move, as it gives you experience and allows you to develop your own skills. From there, all you need to do is work hard, do your best, and try to get the feel of the job, climbing up the ladder until you reach the grand position of art director. From there, most don't advance much further, instead deciding to move on to a more prestigious company.

But as for Brown, another company isn't in his future. “I would not want to work anywhere else,” said Brown, who has worked at Mākaha Studios for the past three years, “I have a fun, challenging job, near family and friends. I am content with my position, but there is always room for Mākaha Studios to grow into something bigger.” As for some advice to aspiring art directors (and everybody in general), “Reach for the sky... Never settle for good, push it as far as you can. It will show in your final product.” It's definitely shown in his.