Jake Birkett (@greyalien) Helen Carmichael (@bchezza)

Married indies: How to ship a successful game

without killing your spouse

A game about decorating a ballroom?

FundingCan you really get free money?

A good pitch• Researched the market• Researched sales data• Sensible budget• Unique but familiar idea• Working demo• Risks and contingencies

MOAR Money:• Bank loans/overdraft• Other indie businesses• Personal savings• Tax credits• Crowdfunding

MOAR Money:• Bank loans/overdraft• Other indie businesses• Personal savings• Tax credits• Crowdfunding

MOAR Money:• Bank loans/overdraft• Other indie businesses• Personal savings• Tax credits• Crowdfunding

Jake• Producer• Designer• Coder• Project

Manager• Sound FX• Art Director• PR• Biz Dev

Helen• Researcher• Writer• Designer• Tester• Grant Admin• PR

Contractors• Art• Music

Risks• Time wasted mentoring Helen• Jeopardising science writing career• Putting all our eggs in one basket• Not being a good team

Our Experience• Employees = admin/legal/financial• Separate office spaces• Design by committee• Sharing PR duties• Visiting nice places

A learning curve• Mentorship vs reality of shipping• Using photoshop• Making a story fit the game• Project management• Different daily routines

Having kids = indie hard mode

The Big Picture

Photo credit:Jason Alan Dewey

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Questions?•@GreyAlien•@BCHezza• info@greyaliengames.com•www.ShadowhandGame.com