Christin Overton is a senior producer at Big Fish Games and a professor at DigiPen Institute of Technology, she was kind enough to participate in an interview covering production for videogames, and she had some great insights as someone who has worked in similar roles both in and outside of games. My goal with these interviews is to shine more light on videogame production as a profession. This interview has been adapted and condensed.
How did you start your career? My mom said I’ve always been organized ever since I was little, as for where I got started, I have done a lot of different things over the years. My first role in a software company was as an administrative assistant, I fell into project management through different projects and discovered I was good at it. I’ve been a project manager/producer in software for 23 years, though I was originally in a more traditional software project management role on the beta programs for Office ’97 and Internet Explorer, to name a few. Project management and production used to be more about making sure things got done by tracking them in spreadsheets and checking the Gannt chart, now it’s more about empowering and helping others get things done. Game production is a great fit for me, because I love helping others succeed, and Im happy to ensure all the pieces are moving in the right direction.
I completely fell into being a game producer by chance, not choice, since I did not even know the position of producer existed. I discovered a passion for games and creating games experiences as a Seer and Ancient Seer in Ultima Online and hoped to find a way to work in games. I was hired by Microsoft Casual Games to be a contract Web Producer based on the web development experience I had acquired working at Stratics helping build its games-focused strategy sites. The position at MCG had a little project management and a lot of building content and using content management tools to align game schedules for ads, sales, etc. After my manager found out I was also a project manager with experience working on different software projects, they asked me to switch roles to run the projects for eight premium casual game titles planned for the Vista launch.
I quickly moved over to do that, and I discovered that I absolutely loved working with game developers. This experience, combined with spending the time as a Seer, made me realize how much I loved working on games. I knew I didn’t want to be an engineer; I can code but I don’t like it. I love working on games and helping others to do amazing work. Funny enough, my degree is in history which has very little to do with what I do today. I would have never thought I’d focus on technology the way I do, but I love it.
What is the most challenging part of your job? Having to make really hard decisions that impact passionate people. It’s a creative and personal industry, and it’s so hard to tell people that their idea won’t work, so you must be very empathetic when telling someone that you need to cut their work from a project. Still, I know that’s part of my responsibility, if we say yes to everything, we will never ship anything. The other hard part is that I often have all the responsibility for shipping the game with none of the authority, so my job becomes gathering data and convincing the other person we need to cut something, rather than cutting it myself. Additionally, there are people I absolutely adore working with, but sometimes I can’t be their friend. Sometimes I HAVE to be the person that cancels the feature they are so emotionally invested in, and that is more difficult if there’s a personal relationship.
What are some common misconceptions you’ve noticed about production? There’s a misconception from the outside that we are bosses. We are servant leaders, which requires managing risks, managing schedules, managing people-challenges, dealing with problems, and keeping things visible. We’re usually the first ones who get yelled at, but if we’re doing our job right, that’s okay, because it doesn’t affect the team. We protect the team from the chaos if possible, the more we can protect the team and allow them to focus, the more on track the schedule stays. This is also why it’s such a natural alignment for a producer to also be a scrum master, both jobs are about helping people succeed and using a process to help them do so.
The problem is that most people in leadership roles, like production, think you manage PEOPLE. You manage work, you lead people. Our job is to lead, even though we usually do not have direct authority. Our authority comes from our responsibility of getting the game shipped, we collaborate with the team and across all areas of the studio, but the team and others very rarely directly report to us. For example, not one person on the team I’m on now reports to me, but I am responsible for the success of the game; it’s all about building relationships, partnerships, and collaborating to get to the needed outcome.
What factors do you consider when looking at a potential company? Look for companies that match the environment you want to work in. A lot of people go into companies with a game they want to work on, but the environment is more important. If working in an Agile environment is important to you, identify if a company is truly Agile or if they just use Agile buzzwords.
When I left games intentionally, I went to a company that would allow me to strengthen my abilities with Agile. I went there to hone my Agile skillset and learn about being a teacher and coach. Working for a big company, you’re not turning the Titanic, you’re turning the iceberg. There are so many layers to it, but the power of Agile is the transparency that reveals the problems within the current processes and culture, in time, they just do not stay hidden. As a result of my time outside of games, my approach to learning how a business works became very different. I have no qualms with asking anyone in my current studio about the problems they have with the way things currently operate, these kinds of questions help me do my job. Working in a coaching role made me more forthright and outgoing, because my job was always about helping someone else. This has made it more fun to do what I do now, because of those 4 years I spent outside of games honing my craft, becoming a better communicator and a better listener.
I’m glad I took a break from games, it was an opportunity to strengthen a skill, but I always intended to come back. When I decided to make the switch to Big Fish, I looked for a couple of things. I looked for a good track record of how they treat their people, the culture I was going into. I knew several people within the company, so I already had information from people I could trust. One thing I always ask during interviews is “if you could change one thing about the company or the team you work on, what would it be?” This brings up some interesting things, you can go into a company much more informed on the procedural or organizational challenges, and you’re less surprised. Every company has issues, but is the culture acceptable to you?
I also need to make sure I have the autonomy to do the job I was hired to do. The most significant disappointment of my entire career was getting a job and not being allowed to perform the job I was hired to do. In that situation, you’re not able to really help people, and that’s very disappointing.
What do you do outside of work that helps you in your job? Learning to be honest with myself. I know that if I get too invested in a project, I might not be able to ensure that the hard decisions get made. I know that about me though it might not be true for everybody, but everybody needs to know their weaknesses, the things that get in their way and prevent them from doing the best job they can as they support the game and the team. I can love helping a team make something great, I know I can’t fall in love with my project and be a good producer too.
What are the best things aspiring project managers/producers can do in order to increase their chances of getting job offers as a project manager/producer? Ensure that the resume youre writing and submitting aligns with the position youre applying for. Usually, there’s some automated system that will look at your resume before a human does, you need keywords to get a pair of eyes on it. Your LinkedIn should be broad, but your resume should be aligned to the job youre applying for, even if that means hacking and slashing away potentially irrelevant information that you think is very important. It is, to you, but your resume needs to matter to the person reading it and explain how you will help solve the problem they have.
That concludes the interview, I hope it shined some light on game production! Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions!
Game Industry Interview Questions: Game Production Resource Management And Planning
Interviews for Top Jobs at Riot Games
Producer Interview
I applied online. I interviewed at Riot Games
Interview
I was offered to interview for a position I did not apply for, so though I wasn’t as interested in that position, I interviewed hoping I had a better chance. In retrospect, I probably should have insisted on at least interviewing for both, especially given that I don’t think I was really a great fit for the position I ended up interviewing for. Unfortunately, I also did not receive any feedback on the interview though I requested for it. At first, the recruiting team was really responsive but as the process went on, they were pretty slow in terms of communication and I was left in the dark for a lot of the process.
- What Sprint processes do you find the most useful or necessary?
Producer Interview
I applied online. I interviewed at Riot Games
Interview
Very long process that totaled 7 interviews all with different people. Most interviews felt pretty dry as they read from a script of questions the entire time so I never felt like I actually got to know most of the people I spoke to. No feedback was able to be provided after the interview process.
- Most questions were hypothetical situations to see how you would react to certain workplace scenarios (describe a time where you worked with a difficult employee, describe a time where you overcame a challenge on a project, etc).
6 Producer Interview Questions and Answers
You’re working on a project with expensive special effects never attempted before. How do you stay under budget?
This question is asking about a candidate’s management skills. When a project has a large budget and creative people pushing the limits of technology, funds can be quickly drained. It’s the task of the producer to keep everyone’s feet on the ground in those situations and make sure the allotted money covers the costs of the entire film. Pay close attention to how the candidate handles conflict in these situations. What to look for in an answer:
- Aptitude for financial management
- Past experience overseeing large projects
- Communication and persuasion skills
Give us some examples of changes you’d make to a movie you produced in the past. Why would you do it differently?
This question will help you gauge the professional growth of the candidate as well as how much experience they have in the industry. Creative projects always involve compromises, but the potential hire should share some insights about what makes a film successful versus mediocre. You can also assess the applicant in terms of management skills. Finally, their choice of lessons learned can indicate how well they’ll fit your organization. What to look for in an answer:
- Explains creative process
- Past management experience
- Cultural and management style fits with the company
Tell us how you go about selecting a director. What are some of the qualities you look for?
Producers oversee the production of a film project, which means they’re responsible for hiring staff. One of the most important decisions a producer will make is choosing the director. An experienced candidate should have examples of previous hiring decisions from past projects, both good and bad, that illustrate their criteria. You can also use questions like this to determine their cultural fitness for your organization. What to look for in an answer:
- Explains hiring process for director position
- Past experience with choosing staff
- Cultural fitness
Tell me about the mediums you have delivered content for in the past?
Producers have to create and deliver content for a wide range of mediums, including theater, radio, television and the web. This question can show interviewers that a candidate has experience and the required skills to deliver content across a wide range of mediums. A skilled producer candidate’s response will emphasize working on a variety of content productions for multiple mediums relevant to your role. The candidate’s answer should emphasize:
- A deep understanding of mediums for delivering content
- Expert production skills
- Flexibility
Describe how you set a deadline for a project and keep it on schedule. What are some strategies you use?
Project management is another major skill a producer needs to master. As the head of a movie production, they’ll oversee various aspects that often work in parallel and depend on each other. Filming can’t begin before sets and costumes are ready, for example. A candidate should be aware of these issues and describe how they’ll keep the project on time with their management skills. What to look for in an answer:
- Experience with project management
- Understanding of the film production process
- Effective communication and persuasion skills
When deciding whether to join a project as a producer, what do you look for in a script?
This question explores the creative ideas of the candidate and the types of movies they prefer to produce. Discovering this will help you decide whether the producer would be a good fit for the movies you plan to release in the future. You can also get a sense of the applicant’s past writing and editing experience. What to look for in an answer:
- Creative preferences
- Writing and editing experience
- Cultural and creative fit
What was the purpose of all that?
Now that youve done the sections of Ideal Process > Applied Example > Complications, you will get to step back and see how the candidate did on the whole.
The 3 sections are positioned in this way to try and show the most contrast between the answers provided in Ideal Process and how different they might be compared to the solutions chosen for the Applied Example and in dealing with Complications.
I find that when asked about Ideal Process, most producers have enough training and knowledge to list out what we all expect to hear; Step by step processes that are common to our industry and others like it. This is all well and good, but its one thing to read up on these resources and get familiar with processes, and another to reach for them when faced with real situations.
Where it really counts is how you can then apply that process during the Applied Example, which immediately follows the Ideal Process section. Its actually quite astonishing how often candidates answers in Ideal Process look nothing like what they reach for in the Applied Example. Something seems to change for people when we start to move from the theoretical to the practical. I also think its quite natural.
Ive seen a broad spectrum here and its interesting to note how far the distance is between ideal and applied for your candidate, to give you a sense of the type of producer you are interviewing. There are many types. Im personally not very buttoned up on ideal process, but I am pretty creative and can adapt to ever changing problems and complications easily. Other producers are word for word perfect on ideal process quoting from project management books or other manuals, and then struggle after only a few complications. We are all different. Strengths and weaknesses vary greatlly.
When the difference between answers is quite extreme and I feel comfortable in the interview, I sometimes ask the candidate what they think about the difference themselves. Answers here can be really insightful.
Just remember to have fun and create a safe space for candidates to problem solve and hopefully you will also enjoy these sections as well!
This is one of the remaining modes of thinking that I try to spend time on with candidates. Its also a great place for them to demonstrate agency, or rather the idea that “their actions and choices can directly affect the outcomes of a project”.
I like to ask about when candidates felt they were not successful in the past and what they could have done differently to change things, if they had infinite time, resources, etc. Optionally if you feel that results in the Applied Example were mixed, you can also ask what they would have done differently not looking back on the whole example. This can be valuable but it is something I do far less than the former question where they get to choose the example from their past.
I am always looking for producers who reflect on how things went and strive to do better. They look at factors that went into both failure and success. Both are equally as important, although failure seems to get more attention. Being able to reproduce positive effects is just as important as avoiding negative ones.
This is an optional step I mention in case you feel you need to backtrack on topics, or ask additional questions to fill in gaps in your observations during the interview. Not much to say here. Use at your discretion but make sure not to eat up all the remaining time!
The most important section is next!
PILOT INTERVIEW Questions And Answers! (How to PASS an Airline Pilot Interview)
1. What is CRM process as Airline Pilot? The systematic and effective use of all available resources to ensure a desirable outcome and completion of the flight. Focusing on communication, teamwork, task allocation, decision-making and situational awareness. The major contributors in the CRM process are: Dispatchers, flight attendants, maintenance, ATC and of course the cockpit crew.
2. What is the MAP on a non-precision approach? Non-precision: MAP is usually visually identified by a capitol and bold “M” in the Jepps or at the end of the solid line on NOS. There are several ways to id the MAP: Published DME at the MAP, Navaid such as the middle marker (MM), or timing from the FAF
3. What is the importance of proficiency in several languages for a pilot? A private pilot may limit himself to knowledge of English good enough to understand control towers. Other pilots, being more publicly involved figures by necessity, greatly benefit from knowing more than one language.
4. What is your Proudest accomplishment? Becoming a pilot and graduating from college as to be the biggest accomplish so far.
5. What is the 1-2-3 rule? Requirements for filing an alternate. 1-2-3: 1hr before to 1hr after estimated time of arrival, the weather must be forecast to be 2000′ ceiling and 3SM vis.
6. What makes a good captain or what do you expect from a Captain? one that is knowledgeable, decisive, conservative and safety conscious, good people skills, superior communication skills, solid piloting skills, can manage stress and avoid confrontation
7. List your qualifications as a pilot? Besides relevant college degree(s), pilots graduate from flying school and participate in annual additional training.
8. What is GRID MORA? It’s an altitude derived by Jepp or provided by state authorities. If derived by Jepp, Grid MORA clear all terrain and structures by 1000′ in areas where highest elevations are 5000′ MSL or lower. MORA values clear all terrain and structures by 2000′ in areas where highest elevations are 5001′ MSL or higher. Grid MORA (State) altitude supplied by the State Authority provides 2000′ clearance in mountainous areas and 1000′ in non-mountainous areas. Also… a +/- denote doubtful accuracy but are believed to provide sufficient reference point clearance.
9. What is the definition of CRM? CRM is a system which allows optimum use of all available resources – equipment, procedures, interpersonal communication, team work – all to promote safety and enhance efficiency in operations
10. What is Vso of your most recent aircraft? Cessna 172 is 41Kts
11. What is the max distance from the runway if you were to circle to land? Depends on your speed
12. Have you applied anywhere else? Just be honest on this one. If you are in the job hunt, it’s normal to apply to several companies. It’s great to tell them that Cathay is your top choice, but it would be suspect to say Cathay is your only choice.
13. What is mach tuck? As the aircraft reaches critical mach the nose of the aircraft tends to pitch downwards due to the flow of air over the wing reaching supersonic speeds producing additional life and center of pressure moving rearward. As the center of pressure moves rearward the elevators become less effective, pushing the aircraft into a potentially unrecoverable dive.
14. What is tower’s NORDO signal to be cleared to land? Steady green
15. What is VMCG? minimum speed control in the ground
16. What is the difference between Blue, Green Airports? blue is IFR (has approaches) green is VFR (no approaches)
17. What is GRADIENT CLIMB? 3%
18. What is VMCA? Minimun Speed Control in the Air
19. What is windshear? its a change on direction and speed of the wind
20. What is MOCA? Minimum Obstacle Clearance that provides obstable clearance between Vor airways. It also ensures VOR coverage 22nm from the nearest VOR
21. What is hyperventilation? hyperventilation is when the body has too much Oxygen and not enough Co2
22. Ever had an emergency? yes, many over the years
23. Pilots have many simultaneous responsibilities during the flight. What can you tell me about this? Pilots navigate the flight, observe and direct the activities of the crew, check instruments, keep an eye on the weather, and monitor altitude and air traffic. Doing all these and more, often simultaneously, requires outstanding multi-tasking skills and power of concentration.
24. What are the max airspeeds in C airspace? 200 KIAS within 4 NM of Primary Class C Airport
25. How would you behave as the pilot of a plane during an emergency? Describe first what your emotional response would be. It is important to demonstrate, preferably through examples, that you can maintain your poise during such events, and that you possess enough presence of mind to activate emergency procedures and delegate duties among crew members as necessary.
26. Where do you see yourself in 6 months? with your company
27. Did you ever have to modify the flight course in the past? Pilots are able to modify the course in flight, if this is dictated by internal or external conditions. This is not a small responsibility and needs careful coordination with control towers and scrupulous attention to detail.
28. What Is V2? takeoff safety speed
29. What Is Max A/s In Class C? Airspeed maximum of 200 knots indicated within 4 nautical or 5 statute miles and 2500 feet above the ground of the primary airport.
30. What Are The Cdi/raim Sensitivities Of A Gps Outside 30nm? Inside 30nm? +- 5 mi +- 1 mi
31. What Is The Effect Of Aft Cg On Performance? rearward Cg gives better fuel efficiency
32. What Is An Lda? a precision approach that is offset from the runway, it may have GS
33. Where Is The Faf On A Vor/ils Approach? On a VOR approach, the FAP is whenever you are established on course inbound and the final decent may be started. For non-precision approaches, the FAF is the “Maltese Cross” and for precision, the arrow which identifies the GS intercept.
34. Why Cape Air? big airline paneer
35. What Kind Of Airspace Is Around Lax? Class B. Very congested airspace.
36. What Is V1? Take off decision speed
37. What is hypoxia? Lack of oxygen to body tissues
38. Why do you like Compass? I like the new modern equipment and I like the fact that it’s got flow through to/ is part of Northwest.
39. What is a squall line? It is a continuous narrow line active of thunderstorms ahead of cold front but can develop far removed of any front. May be too long to detour, too thick to penetrate. It forms very rapidly reach Max intensity in late afternoon or early evening. IT IS THE SINGLE MOST INTENSE WEATHER HAZARD FOR AIRCRAFT.
40. Why do you want to work for Allegiant? growing company, day trips, upgrade potential
41. Why Ameriflight? I’d like to fly cargo and gain the single-pilot IFR experience
42. Did you ever have a problem with an F/O? Yes
43. What is your clearance limit when cleared for the approach and then you loose coms? The published hold on the missed.
44. What is MEA? Minimum En Route Altitude, lowest altitude on that airway that assures obstacle clearance and acceptable navigational reception.
45. What is Definition of V2? Single engine climb speed until safe altitude or clear of obstacles
46. What is Definition of V1? on a balance runway it is the last chance for you to decide not to go if you have and emergency and still stop on the runway according to the air data
47. What is the definition of Hypoxia? Not enough Oxygen
48. What is the seating capacity of the Dash 8 100 and 300 and how many flight attendants you need? DA-100 (37) DA-300 (50) FA 1
49. Tell me the biggest factor as far as fuel conservation goes as it relates to a jet engine? TSFC thrust specific fuel consumption which directly inperpolates to power setting and altitude. Higher you climb the less fuel required. Throttle settings also have a say in conservation and relates more to maintenance issues which is why full throttle takeoffs are rarely done.
50. What qualities make a good captain? Confident, Diligent, Good CRM skills, Good Problem Solver
51. What’s your choice of base? PDX or Seattle
52. World Airways Pilot Interview Questions:
53. Flight Express Airline Pilot Interview Questions:
54. Lion Air Airline Pilot Interview Questions:
55. LAN Airline Pilot Interview Questions:
56. Miami Air International Airline Pilot Interview Questions:
57. Mokulele Airlines Pilot Interview Questions:
58. Ryan International Airlines Airline Pilot Interview Questions:
59. Seaborne Airlines Pilot Interview Questions:
60. XOJET Airline Pilot Interview Questions:
I am shortlisted for an interview for the position of Producer/ PM in F2P FPS gaming company.
FAQ
How do you prepare for a producer interview?
- What, in your experience, is the most important quality in a TV producer? …
- What is your approach to delegation of responsibility? …
- What is the most difficult production problem you had to solve? …
- What do you look for in a script? …
- How do you select a director?
What skills should a game producer have?
What makes a great game producer?
How do I prepare for a gaming interview?
- Don’t Overdress.
- Research The Company Beforehand.
- Sell Yourself.
- Prepare For A Test.
- Relax!
- Study Common Interview Questions.
- Don’t Lie.
- Be On Time.
