GEORGE CHASTAIN

Executive Producer / Creative Director

● Accomplished manager with strong leadership and organization skills, helping to bring over 50+ products to market.

Experienced manager who works collaboratively within a team setting or with 3rd party companies, providing an atmosphere of individual freedom and empowerment but course corrects team members when necessary to ensure that the project’s needs and vision, as well as corporate goals, are met.

Veteran producer with Scrum (Agile) and Waterfall methodologies: Word, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint, MS Project, FMPro, JIRA, Confluence, and Visio.

Proven director with a successful track record for completing projects on time and on budget.

Creative trailblazer who establishes project visions, sets goals, and achieves results.

Strong communicator who ensures that all parties (up, down, and across the organizational chain) are informed and up to speed on all department, project and team issues and statuses.

Seasoned director who spearheads cross-discipline teams (engineers, designers, artists, audio engineers, writers, product marketers, producers, senior producers, associate producers, production assistants, quality assurance teams, publishing support staff) anywhere from 12 to 80 people.

Skilled executive with experience in managing budgets, P&L’s, documentation, and business plans.

Practiced contract negotiator with QA, Localization, Engine, Art, and Audio / Music Outsourcing houses as well as full-house third party studio projects.

Effective pitch and proposal writer with strong research skills.

Expert team builder with the excellent ability to identify talent and recognize the core strengths of individuals in order to create effective and efficient teams .

Accomplished mentor who provides his reports with opportunities to grow, improve and advance.

Personnel evaluator with experience in hiring and firing using a progressive discipline methodology.

Veteran leader of men and women who leads with humor, humility and honesty.

EXPERIENCE

PETROGLYPH GAMES, Las Vegas, Nevada Oct 2008 to Mar 2016

Petroglyph Games develops software products for PC, console, and mobile devices.

Producer (April 2013 to Present)

Managed cross-discipline team of 20 people.

Managed day-to-day and long term development scheduling using Agile best practices.

Met with team leads to determine the priority of tasks and features and developed a working schedule for each team member to meet those priorities.

Determined stakeholder priorities and adjusted schedule and tasks accordingly.

Held daily SCRUM meetings to ensure team members did not face road blocks affecting their work, that all tasks were on schedule, and that all “debt” was identified for rescheduling.

Worked with lawyers to develop third party agreements.

Ensured Marketing and Public Relations plans were in line with Production plans and schedules.

Research Analyst and Proposal Writer (Oct 2012 to April 2013)

Researched Monetization Systems, Game Mechanics, and Free-to-Play Systems.

Created 14 Game Proposals and Design Documents.

Analyzed over 50 games.

Creative Director (Jan 2011 to Oct 2012)

Drove and maintained the creative vision for a $40 million project.

Ensured that all game systems and designs fully promoted the overall goals and vision of the product.

Communicated daily with Publisher and Petroglyph Management to discuss game direction, scheduling issues, and team needs.

Created design specifications for production.

Co-Developed story with game writer.

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Design Development Director (Nov 2010 to Oct 2012)

Managed day-to-day and long term development scheduling for 15 designers.

Held daily meetings to ensure design team was on schedule and without impediments.

Drove task prioritization for Engineering and Art based on design requirements.

Implemented, with the assistance of other department leads, a post-mortem process that helped identify the strengths and weaknesses of company processes.

Producer / Creative Lead (Oct 2009 to Nov 2010)

Managed day-to-day and long term development scheduling for cross-discipline team of 12 junior developers.

Drove and maintained the creative vision for all titles.

Scenario Designer (Oct 2008 to Oct 2009)

Created and implemented designs for 12 scenarios including map layouts.

Production Assistant Manager (Oct 2008 to Nov 2010)

Took over an underperforming Production Assistant department and turned it into an indispensable arm of the company.

Supported all development teams with additional engineering, design, art, graphic and quality assurance resources using Production Assistants to fill team holes as needed.

JOWOOD ENTERTAINMENT/DREAMCATCHER INC., Toronto Oct 2004 to Oct 2008

Jowood Entertainment is a 3rd Party Publisher of software products for the PC and Consoles. Jowood Entertainment purchased Dreamcatcher Inc. in 2006.

Vice-President of Global Product Development (Nov 2006 to Oct 2008)

Managed day-to-day and long term operations of Global Product Development Department including 12 direct reports across Canada, Austria and Germany.

Monitored third party partners across the globe, assessing risk and product progress.

Communicated production progress and risks to company stakeholders.

Oversaw all outsourcing contracts with voice over talent, music studios, art and animation houses, writers, game designers, middleware providers and engineering studios.

Visited struggling partners’ facilities to advise, identify issues, and remove roadblocks.

Developed and negotiated new product agreements with third party partners.

Managed Business Development Evaluation Team.

Represented company at numerous worldwide conventions, analyzing third party product pitches for acquisition and development.

Implemented SMART goal program for Production team.

Restructured Production Department in order to increase efficiency and quality.

Worked with Finance Department to prioritize third party payments.

Addressed all concerns raised by Production team.

Executive Producer (June 2006 to Nov 2006)

Managed day-to-day and long term operations of Production Team of 6 direct reports.

Communicated production progress and risks to Management Team.

Set schedules, standards, guidelines and goals for team and the expectations for their products.

Moniterd the progress of all products.

Senior Producer (Oct 2004 to June 2006)

Addressed all product concerns including Risk Assessments, Marketing, Asset Approval, Milestone Evaluations, Payments, Localization, QA, Project Coordination and Schedules, Documentation and Third Party Issues.

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STRATEGY FIRST INC, Montreal Nov 2002 to Oct 2004

Strategy First Inc is a 3rd Party Publisher and 1st Party Developer of software products for the PC and Consoles.

Director of Business and Product Development (Aug 2003 to Aug 2004)

Managed day-to-day and long term operations for all third party products and localization teams.

Managed day-to-day operations of the Business Development department.

Negotiated contract points and development agreements.

Created evaluation process for Business Development including P&L and due diligence systems.

Systematically developed and instituted third party product processes for department.

Managed QA (both internal and external resources).

Developed product schedules and timelines.

Executive Producer (Jan 2003 to Aug 2003)

Managed day-to-day and long term operations of Production Team of 5 direct reports.

Communicated production progress and risks to Management Team.

Set schedules, standards, guidelines and goals for team and the expectations for their products.

Moniterd the progress of all products.

Senior Producer (Nov 2002 to Jan 2003)

Addressed all product concerns including Risk Assessments, Marketing, Asset Approval, Milestone.

Evaluations, Payments, Localization, QA, Project Coordination and Schedules, Documentation and Third Party Issues.

UBI SOFT, Montreal Apr 1997 to Nov 2002

Through a series of buyouts I remained with the successive company ending with the purchase by Ubisoft. From last to first, the acquiring companies were Gores Technology, Mattel Interactive, The Learning Company, Mindscape, Strategic Simulations Inc.

Creative Director (Mar 2001 to Nov 2002)

Responsible for all creative content for product and determined creative direction for team of 80.

Provided product vision for all creative elements and set quality standards.

Evaluated art concepts, game, story and sound designs in order to achieve cohesion between departments and to ensure that all elements met product vision.

Producer (Nov 2000 to Mar 2001)

Developed license concepts with Stephen King, The Learning Channel, and UPN

Developed schedules, contracts, and P&L’s for various projects

Negotiated third party and work-for-hire contracts

Developed marketing strategies for product websites

Associate Producer (Aug 1998 to Nov 2000)

Assisted Producers in product reviews and schedule coordination

Wrote test plans

Orchestrated and directed voiceover sessions

Production Assistant (Apr 1997 to Aug 1998)

Managed Quality Assurance teams of 35 people

Stage Director, ENTROPY THEATER, San Francisco Aug 1994 to Nov 1995

Stage Director, CITY LIGHTS THEATER CO., San Jose Mar 1990 to June 1994

Directed, guided and sharpened the actors’ performances based on my vision for the production. Set artistic standards. Planned, coordinated, and set production schedules and deadlines for lighting, set, costume, sound designers, set builders, and publicity. Planned, coordinated, and set rehearsal schedules and deadlines. Hired all technical staff, Auditioned and hired actors.

EDUCATION:

BA in Literature with Emphasis in Creative Writing, University Of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), June 1988.

References Gladly Provided Upon Request

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