Amanda Farough

About Amanda Farough

I\'m an independent game developer who works at the intersection of creativity and business. I work across disciplines as production leadership, as well as in narrative design and writing.Every piece of my career, from journalism to production, business, and narrative, shapes the way I approach every single project that I work on, regardless of my role(s). Bringing me into your studio gives you access to my 15+ years of experience in this industry in every facet.I\'m best suited to helping independent game studios, especially new ones, sort out operations and production processes and define both design and narrative structure. If you don\'t know what you need for your studio, I\'m the best person to help you figure it out.I believe that the game development process needs to be people centric, ensuring that the team has a strong production foundation with clear boundaries and expectations communicated with an abundance of compassion and transparency.Games are made by people, not systems, so establishing psychological safety for a team is one of the most important things a good producer can do. Sure, managing scope, deadlines, and budget ensure that the game gets shipped, but if you have miserable developers, the game is going to feel miserable when it ships.Not every developer thrives in person, so much of what I do as a producer centers around building inclusive systems that take into account contractors, part-time workers, timezones, and asynchronous check-ins.Clear communication doesn\'t end in production, either. It extends to thoughtful, player-centric narrative design that prioritizes player agency, which in turn rolls into pithy dialogue, emotionally resonant character work, and enrapturing worldbuilding. And, y\'know, I write killer documentation from GDDs to SOPs.

Experience

1. Co-founder

   F-Squared Llc

   Mar 2020 — Present · NJ, US

   The business of making video games is complexity incarnate. It doesn’t matter if the game is made by one person or thousands, getting from concept to code to launch can be daunting. It’s one thing to make the game, but it’s another to communicate to both the press and the public about the game and why folks should care. So, that\'s part of what I do at F-Squared. I work with developers and publishers of all sizes and renown to demystify messaging and polish games into the best experiences that they can be. With well over a decade of expertise reporting on the game industry, I\'ve crafted a reputation for being tough but fair and passionate yet measured. I\'m your gal for critiquing and nurturing indie games, delivering solid business analysis, and developing better business processes.

Education

• Thompson Rivers University

  Computer Science, Software Development, Database Administration

  2004 — 2007

• Simon Fraser University

  Bachelor of Arts, Interactive Design

  2008 — 2009

Skills

• Web Development
• User Interface Design
• Information Architecture
• Web Design
• User Experience Design
• Creative Direction
• Social Media Marketing
• Social Media
• Wordpress
• Social Networking
• Video Games
• Photoshop
• Css
• Html
• Creative Writing
• Branding & Identity
• User Experience
• Graphic Design
• SEO
• Entrepreneurship
• Interaction Design
• Brand Development
• Cms
• Adobe Photoshop
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Writing