Company name:
Ravn Studio
Your role in the company?
Creative Producer / COB & Executive Producer / CEO
Could you tell us about your day to day life and responsibilities at your company?
In Ravn Studio Tinka works closely with companion and co-founder, Stine Wærn. Tinka has a background in media/communication and content production, focusing on development and creating game concepts – often based on existing brands, writing presentations and documentation for funding applications, while Stine concentrates on the budgets, plans and executive producer aspects as well as reports and HR. Her background is finance and business development. We both organize and allocate development resources and oversee the project during development, QA and release phases. Stine is in charge of the PR and marketing plans, while Tinka is the ‘traveling circus’ doing talks and other promo stunts.
What was your role in the game project?
We have both worked with Caprino on several projects, also the original game from 2000. When we got the chance to do a 2021 version of one of the bestselling Norwegian produced games ever, Stine had an immense task ahead getting the funding together. We got a Swedish publisher on board, a co-production company, (Rock Pocket Games), hired on a producer to help us coordinate the daily production between the teams and team members located in Drammen, Tønsberg, Hungary, Sweden, Bergen, Oslo and Manchester. The pandemic of course boded for some special circumstance and challenges. Together, Stine, Tinka and their fantastic team managed to pull it off and get the game released in time, even if we had to take on quite a bit of the Publisher’s responsibilities regarding the funding, localization (translation, organizing and directing voice recordings) and organize some extensive AQ. In spite of the different backgrounds/qualifications and roles, Stine and Tinka are the two-headed troll in any Ravn Studio production, supporting each other in both ups and downs.
What was your favourite part of the process?
The favorite part was definitely when the 3D racing arrived at a point where we could get behind the wheel and drive the Il Tempo Gigante on the Flåklypa race tracks! This is how we wanted to do it in the first place back in 2000. It was great fun to revisit and add new gameplay elements to the minigames that we used to love as well. All in all, working with the team and seeing the game materialize, testing, tweaking and getting all the details in place – and, of course receiving positive feedback from the players, makes all the hard work really worth it!
What was your motivation behind seeking a career in the games industry?
For both of us it was probably rather accidental how we ended up in the games industry – but obviously we both fell in love with every aspect of game development and have stayed on through hoops and hurdles. Stine was asked to help fund a game back in 1996, and as Tinka joined from the e-learning industry in 1999, we were soon ready to start our own adventure. We are thankful for having had a highly skilled and loyal team through more than 20 years, and 20 + games.
What advice would you give to people who consider joining the games industry?
Our most important advice is to get a degree and to specialize – ‘become the best,’ in your chosen field. There is no room for self-taught wannabees (we still get a few of the sort knocking on our door). The Norwegian games industry has grown up and become professional, and there is a lot of competition for the fairly limited number of available positions. You no longer have to go abroad to get a degree. There’s plenty of opportunities here in Norway. Just be prepared to roll up your sleeves, work hard (and smart) and have lots of fun!
Instagram: ravn.studio / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RavnStudio
Ravn Studio is nominated to Spillprisen 2021 for their game “Flåklypa Grand Prix”.
Women in Games Norway 