What are APs & Producers? Toby W. Allen Assistant Producer [email_address]

Overview & Background Who am I? Why am I here? What’s this talk about Producers and their roles Beyond Management The Good, Bad and the Ugly Questions

Who am I? Why am I here?

What’s this talk about

Producers and their roles

Beyond Management

The Good, Bad and the Ugly

Questions

Toby who? Sumo What? Assistant Producer (AP) at Sumo Digital Helped on over 6 games (8 SKUs) in 15 months. Worked on PS2, DS, Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, PC and Mac. Current Project: New International Track and Field (DS )

Assistant Producer (AP) at Sumo Digital

Helped on over 6 games (8 SKUs) in 15 months.

Worked on PS2, DS, Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, PC and Mac.

Current Project: New International Track and Field (DS )

What is this all about? Aims Help give an insight into the roles of producers How producers go beyond management The good, the bad and the ugly… What to take out of this talk Questions and Answers

Aims

Help give an insight into the roles of producers

How producers go beyond management

The good, the bad and the ugly…

What to take out of this talk

Questions and Answers

Types of Producers APs, Producers and Executive Producer Developer Types Publisher Types Western vs Asian job titles Online Defined vs Undefined Roles can be very structured Change to meet the demand and requirements

APs, Producers and Executive Producer

Developer Types

Publisher Types

Western vs Asian job titles

Online

Defined vs Undefined

Roles can be very structured

Change to meet the demand and requirements

Some definitions…. Leader “ The role of a producer can vary greatly, too, but essentially, the job entails being the chief organizer .” - Ask the Experts: 'How to Become a Producer‘ Game Careers Guide (2006) Manager “ A game producer is the person in charge of overseeing development of a video game.” – “Game producer” Wikipedia; Communicator “ The producer acts as the communication conduit between the development team, publisher and any other partners, for example outsourcers.” - “FreeStyle Career Tips: Part 1” Patrik McCormack - Producer, FreeStyleGames

Leader

“ The role of a producer can vary greatly, too, but essentially, the job entails being the chief organizer .” - Ask the Experts: 'How to Become a Producer‘ Game Careers Guide (2006)

Manager

“ A game producer is the person in charge of overseeing development of a video game.” – “Game producer” Wikipedia;

Communicator

“ The producer acts as the communication conduit between the development team, publisher and any other partners, for example outsourcers.” - “FreeStyle Career Tips: Part 1” Patrik McCormack - Producer, FreeStyleGames

Beyond Management Development Producers & their role beyond management What producers can bring to new team; the importance of APs at this stage Upcoming Challenges Keep developing their skills

Development Producers &

their role beyond management

What producers can bring to

new team; the importance of

APs at this stage

Upcoming Challenges

Keep developing their skills

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly…

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly…

The good… Amazing Teams Great Projects Challenges Travelling & PR opportunities Demand for the job Schmoozing (Technical Term)

Amazing Teams

Great Projects

Challenges

Travelling & PR opportunities

Demand for the job

Schmoozing (Technical Term)

… the bad…. Headless Chicken Syndrome* Lack of Empowerment Lack of Clarity and Requirements Mundane Jobs *(Which can live up to 2 years according to the Book of General Ignorance).

Headless Chicken Syndrome*

Lack of Empowerment

Lack of Clarity and Requirements

Mundane Jobs

and the ugly…. Abuse Producers & their mistress: Overtime Egos

Abuse

Producers & their mistress: Overtime

Egos

What to get our of this talk Various Roles and Definitions No industry standard. Versatility of Producers and what they can bring to the company/projects/team. Better Understanding of the roles of producers and their multiple facets The good really outweigh the bad

Various Roles and Definitions

No industry standard.

Versatility of Producers and what they can bring to the company/projects/team.

Better Understanding of the roles of producers and their multiple facets

The good really outweigh the bad

Toby W. Allen Assistant Producer [email_address] ? Questions? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?