Ustwo Producer, Fit Test
I found a job ad on GlassDoor for a Senior Producer at UsTwo in Shoreditch. I thought I'd take a look at the kinds of traits they would be looking for in a producer and see if I would measure up, and what areas I'd need to work on.
First things first, OOOOH USTWO! If you've never heard of Monument Valley, then you're seriously missing out. Not only is it a beautiful, wonderful, innovative, brilliant game, its a major flagship game for what the UK games industry can do. In the words of UKIE:
So, is an USTWO job spec a good thing to use as a framework for professional goal setting? I'd say so, yes! I like the games, I like the company values (transparency, innovation, artistry and accessibility) and their start-up story. I remember the cheerful insanity that was Whale Trail. So I think its a solid basis upon which to compare myself to as I am now vs where I might like to be.
There is a lot to like here. More than just a Project Management role, it sounds like the applicant is encouraged to get involved wherever and whenever they are needed, and really become part of the team. This appeals to me much better than sitting in an ivory tower office and refusing to do half of everything because "that's not my job." I like getting stuck in, getting stuff done, and being really responsible for taking ideas through to implementation. I know for some people it's scary to take direct ownership of projects, but for me, it's really important to feel like I'm making an impact and having a purpose. You only live once and then you are totally and irrevocably dead, so I'd rather look back and say "I helped make that happen" than hiding in a back office shuffling papers around hoping not to get noticed.
This is what I would need to demonstrate in order to be considered for a role of this kind:
What is clear is that I need more experience. I don't have my five years quite yet, and the words "Senior Producer" have yet to be affixed to my office door. Yet, I've run my own projects, run projects for other people and I've mentored young people. Just need to gain more opportunities to do more of the same!
I've always worked exclusively in small teams, usually around six people. I've negotiated salaries, investments and project parameters and I've done a lot of pitching. I'm not as familiar with the ins and outs of mobile releases as I could be, as I've mainly been involved in PC releases. But I am learning Mandarin! The Chinese game market is massive, but also immensely challenging for foreigners to enter. I think that anyone trying to access the Chinese games market is going to need an agent over there who is familiar with the landscape as a bare minimum. I'm currently learning Intermediate Mandarin Chinese because I think it's an advantage. China is the world's oldest continuous civilisation, and you can learn so much about the culture from the structures and forms of the written language. I also study Chinese History and Art History, so hopefully I get a tick in the "Drive To Keep Learning" box! I really do like learning new things. I am a genuine nerd for trivia and skills.
Flexitime is a big bonus for me. Not just personally for days when I need five extra minutes of motivation in order to get out of bed! Programming works best when taken in sprints of productivity, and a programmer will find it hard to just stop dead in the middle of a train of thought just because the clock has hit five. Imagine an artist giving up half-way through a line! The games industry requires skills that don't fit into a rigid 9-5 box. Flexitime allows that to be acknowledged and appreciated, and so I always look for the words "remote work" and "flexible work" in job adverts.
