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Production

smu guildhall specializations grey production Learn to produce games

Production students learn to make games as developers with cross-disciplinary teams in a studio simulation. In the studios, you build content, lead teams, mentor junior producers and leads, conduct usability studies, publish student games, and research team dynamics. Producers also study a secondary specialization (art, design or programming) in the first sequence of the program in order to develop foundational skills for making games.

Who are Guildhall producers?

Our producers are team players and problem solvers. They're philanthropic, entrepreneurial, friendly, charismatic, and creative. You might be a great candidate for our program if you...

  • Are a people person and good communicator
  • Enjoy leading and working with eclectic groups of people
  • Love sticky notes
  • Are interested in studying human and team behaviors
  • Thrive on growth, creativity and being a change agent
  • Like motivating others to reach a common goal

What will I learn as a producer at SMU Guildhall?

  • Game development planning
  • Pitching game concepts
  • Presenting project development status
  • Digital game publishing and marketing
  • Executive leadership
  • Economics of the digital gaming industry
  • User research
  • Organizational behavior
  • Product lifecycles
  • Project management
  • Business communication

What would my career path be as a producer?

Production students prepare for careers in which they will surround themselves with the people and tools that create compelling content. Simulating the studio environment and experience allows them to seamlessly transition into the industry as a game producer. The skills you learn here are also sought after in many other fields.

How do I prepare to be a Guildhall producer?

Our production students come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many come with undergraduate degrees such as business, computer science, fine arts, psychology, communications, and more. Courses in business management, project management, entrepreneurship, accounting, organizational behavior, communication, monetization, marketing, and academic writing and research are helpful. Producers need to be able to work well in a team environment, so courses that teach project and team based learning are valuable.

Learn more: Production Preparation Guide