“Meet The Team” is an offbeat interview with the studio’s talents. Get to know us and discover our backgrounds, favorite games, life at Ubisoft, and hidden talents! For this first publication, let’s meet Canelle Endewelt: Office Manager at the studio, reader of Heroic Fantasy, Twitch fan, and multitasking pro!
HI CANELLE! AMONG THE STUDIO’S COLLABORATORS, MANY PLAY GAMES, AND OTHERS DO NOT. WHAT ABOUT YOU? ARE YOU A GAMER?
I have two older brothers, and I started playing with them when I was little, and then I continued on my own. I remember entire days spent on Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Pokemon, and GTA, to name a few. Today I play almost every day, mainly with friends online, on Rocket League, for example. I’m also playing Ni No Kuni 2, I totally recommend it!
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR JOB IN AN IMAGE OR A MEME?
I do many things: assistant work, internal communication, project management for the Ghost Recon teams. I work on diversity and inclusion programs as well. People come to me all day long, and I try to answer their questions about our projects and tools. Inevitably, just like SpongeBob in this image, I juggle a lot!
WHAT DO VIDEO GAMES MEAN TO YOU?
At first, video games were a way for me to have fun and be entertained, but I’ve realized over time that it’s actually much more than that. I am in awe when witnessing such artistic directions and scenarios worthy of the greatest movies! Even though I don’t have the time to play all the games I like, I still enjoy watching others play those on Twitch.
If I could work on another Ubisoft game, it would be Rayman without hesitation! It is the very first Ubisoft game I knew as a child. I’ve always loved this game, and it’s always a pleasure to play the latest ones.
WHICH OTHER GAMES HAVE IMPACTED YOU THE MOST?
I started playing Resident Evil games when I was a kid, and you can imagine how it gave me zombie nightmares for a while. Laughter. But I had a hard time stopping myself from playing because the stories were always so engaging. I also loved the three Jak & Daxter games, and just talking about them makes me want to play them again right away!
HOW DID YOU LAND IN OUR STUDIO?
“I ACQUIRED EXPERIENCE WITH ONE GOAL IN MIND: JOIN UBISOFT.”
I studied audio-visual and music production, but the creative job market was a bit saturated, so I started working as an assistant. I explored several fields: training, politics, real estate, architecture, communication, etc. I let myself be carried away by life and opportunities while gradually getting closer to what I liked. Then I arrived at Ubisoft, my dream company.
I had already applied a few years ago, but I am aware that my lack of experience tipped the scales at that time. So I acquired experience with one goal in mind: join Ubisoft. I would check job opportunities every day for a few weeks until I found the one that suited me. I applied, contacted HR on LinkedIn, had three interviews, and here I am! Now that I’m here, I’m not leaving. Laughter.
THE LAST BOOK, MOVIE, AND SERIES YOU WATCHED OR READ?
I read a lot of Fantasy. Right now, I’m reading Philip Pullman’s His Dark Material. I also like to read sociology books from time to time. It fascinates me.
As for movies, I’m watching The Matrix again in anticipation of the release of the new opus. But mainly a lot of series. Right now, I’m watching One Piece, Naruto, Good Girls, and I just finished Gilmore Girls 10 years late.
WHO INSPIRES YOU IN YOUR WORK?
It is a fictional character: Donna Paulsen in Suits. She is an assistant like me and always manages to have an answer to everything. She anticipates everything and can get her team out of all tricky situations. I see myself a little in her because I need to have a global vision of the project. As everyone comes to talk to me and I speak to everyone, I have information from everywhere. It’s valuable, and I love it!
A FINAL WORD FOR THE END?
If you’ve ever worked with me, you know I love to sing! To all the theater, music, and musicals enthusiasts, you are not alone. Let’s chat!
Credits :
Editor: Jennifer Lufau
Graphist: Stéphanie Guerin