A few people ask when they learn what I do for a living what exactly being a 'game Director' or a 'Producer' of a game actually means. Likewise the players have often wondered and asked exactly how much I personally control. To be honest, and I know this rather uninspired, the best example I can give you is a sports metaphor.
My role is very much like a combination of the head coach and general manager of an American sport's team. I don't micro-manage individual creative decisions, I might, where relevant get consulted (and do have ultimate veto eventually, although I virtually never use it). I set the top level agenda and spend most of the time managing the business end of things, people, resources, timelines and priorities to allow the team the time and space to do what they do best - make the game. Just as a head coach has a group of specialised coaches under him, I have a great group of producers, project managers and associate and assistant producers who then manage each of the areas of the team.
My job is fun and cool because of the talented people I get to work with, not because of the work in and of itself. It is the people working on the game that have the real talent, I am just there to help steer and make sure we give them the best chance we can to succeed.
The work itself is pretty much like every other management position. I am just very, very lucky to do it in an envionrment and industry that I really enjoy and have a passion for.
My role is very much like a combination of the head coach and general manager of an American sport's team. I don't micro-manage individual creative decisions, I might, where relevant get consulted (and do have ultimate veto eventually, although I virtually never use it). I set the top level agenda and spend most of the time managing the business end of things, people, resources, timelines and priorities to allow the team the time and space to do what they do best - make the game. Just as a head coach has a group of specialised coaches under him, I have a great group of producers, project managers and associate and assistant producers who then manage each of the areas of the team.
My job is fun and cool because of the talented people I get to work with, not because of the work in and of itself. It is the people working on the game that have the real talent, I am just there to help steer and make sure we give them the best chance we can to succeed.
The work itself is pretty much like every other management position. I am just very, very lucky to do it in an envionrment and industry that I really enjoy and have a passion for.
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