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External Producer - Computer Games

As the job title suggest, the External Producer is responsible for ensuring the successful delivery of a game, while working externally from the development team.

External Producers are almost always employed by a game publisher. Working out of the publisher's head office, they will liaise between the publisher's sales and marketing departments and the game developer, which may be located hundreds of miles away. Large developers may also employ External Producers; for example, if they are subcontracting projects to smaller developers.

Most External Producers handle more than one project and work with more than one development studio. For this reason, the job can involve travel, and plans that change at short notice.

Game development is a highly complex process often lasting two years or more, involving teams of up to 100 people and budgets over £5 million.  Helping to managing this is a big job, which involves a lot of responsibility, as well as the requirement to work long hours and deal with high levels of stress, particularly during the final stages of production.

What is the job?
The External Producer works closely with the game's internal producer, who is part of the on-site development team. While the internal producer focuses on the man management tasks of getting a game finished on time and on budget, the External Producer is concerned with broader issues.

Many External Producers consider the role comparable to consultancy, where they will advise the developer instead of dealing with day-to-day problems.

This role can be varied depending on the number of other senior producers involved in a game project. The biggest challenge for the External Producer is to not become too involved in the detail of a game's production. Instead, their responsibility is best described as ensuring the publisher has all the relevant information required to make the game as commercially successful as possible.

This can involve anything from co-ordinating the release of screenshots and demo disks with the game's marketing manager, to handling the outsourcing of audio, cutscenes or language localisation with the developer's internal producer, and running focus tests on early versions of the game.

In addition, the External Producer will act as the developer's go-between with the publisher in terms of milestone payments or major changes to the game's design or appearance.

Typical career routes
There is no set route to becoming an External Producer, but it is not an entry-level role. External Producers usually have over five years experience in games development, and will have worked on several commercially available titles.

One common progression route is through more junior positions in the production department such as Assistant Producer, Producer or Project Manager.

Alternatively, practitioners can come from outside the games industry having a number of years production experience in creative media industries such as TV, film, web development or publishing.

Essential knowledge and skills
The External Producer works as the go-between for a game's publisher and developer and needs to understand why different issues are important to both types of organisation.

Understanding the development and publishing processes from a game's design phase through to its release is key, and solid project management skills including scheduling, budget and risk management are a must.

Key Skills include:

  • a passion for games;
  • ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously;
  • excellent communication and presentation skills;
  • ability to manage people, time and resources;
  • ability to carefully manage a budget;
  • good negotiation skills;
  • knowledge of the requirements of the relevant Health and Safety legislation and procedures.

Training and qualifications
No formal qualifications are required to be an External Producer, but they must be able to demonstrate a track record gained across the whole life cycle of a project. Experience at a senior level of game development, and enthusiasm for and detailed knowledge of the games industry are prerequisites.

Other desirable skills include a wide knowledge of project management software, with Microsoft Project experience often required. Most External Producers are graduates, with common areas of study including visual and technical arts.

Where to go for more information
Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the Creative Media industries. The first sources of information for all jobs in the industry are the National Occupational Standards. Browse Skillset's website for links to our network of training partners, information about training and access to the comprehensive Skillset/BFI course database. Finally, Skillset Careers is the UK's only specialist media careers advice service; for detailed media careers information and advice, visit www.skillset.org/careers.

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