About Game Production Academy

Many producers learn the job with no training at all. We would like to change that.

Game Production Academy is Liam Wickham and Ali Durrant. Between us we have led production and studios at companies including PlayStation, nDreams, Sumo Digital and Dream Reality Interactive. We turn that experience into courses, mentoring, studio training and direct advice for producers and the studios they work in.

Meet Liam and Ali

Portrait of Liam Wickham. — Liam Wickham

The people behind the work

What each of us brings

Founder

Liam Wickham

25+ years in production and studio leadership, including Chief Development Officer at nDreams.

Selected experience

Liam has led development teams, run studio operations and been the person asked to change how a studio works. He knows what a producer's week looks like and what the leadership team is deciding above it, and much of his work is about joining those two up.

He advises studios and trains producers, mostly on risk, priorities and production systems that teams will actually use rather than quietly work around. He is the author of Risk Management for Video Game Professionals.

nDreams: Former Chief Development Officer
Sony PlayStation: General Manager / Programme Manager at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
Sumo Digital: Senior Executive Producer
Lockwood Publishing: VP of Production & Chief of Staff
Wargaming: Operations and Project Manager; studio setup in Berlin
AstraZeneca: Programme management in digital transformation

See how Liam works with studios Connect with Liam on LinkedIn

Experience includes

Senior Consultant

Ali Durrant

Two decades in game development, from European production leadership to live esports events.

Selected experience

Ali has led production on complex development projects and on live events, where the deadline does not move however politely you ask. Her work covers games, interactive experiences and augmented and virtual reality.

At the Academy she turns that experience into producer foundations, leadership development and practical learning. She starts with the people doing the work and helps them plan, communicate and decide more clearly.

PlayStation Home: Led the European Production team
Riot Games: Designed esports events
Dream Reality Interactive: Head of Production experience
MCV recognition: Included in the Top 100 UK Women in Video Games, 2013

See studio training Connect with Ali on LinkedIn

Experience includes

Chris Keeling

On working with Ali

“She makes people feel listened to and helps teams find collaborative solutions rather than simply telling them what to do.”

Dr Dave RanyardFounder & CEO, Dream Reality Interactive; Chair, Interior Night

Read Dave’s full testimonial

Who else is involved

More voices over time

The Academy started with one person and now has two. We expect other experienced practitioners to contribute over time, because nobody, us included, knows everything about making games.

Whoever joins, you will always be able to see who wrote or taught something and what experience it comes from.

Read the articles and free resources

Work with the Academy

Where would you like to start?

You might want to build your own skills, develop a team of producers or get help with one specific problem. Each has its own route.

Courses

Improve your own production skills.

Explore courses

Studios

Train your producers together.

Explore studio programmes

Consulting

Get senior help with a production or leadership problem.

Explore consulting

Resources

Free articles, videos and tools.

Browse resources

Not sure which fits? Tell us what is going on and we will point you in the right direction.

Get in touch