Womenize! – Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Morrigan (Mori) Pickford, Outreach Coordinator & Games Design Lecturer. She speaks about her varied experiences from bartending and freelancing to teaching and directing have shaped a collaborative leadership style focused on communication, adaptability, supporting new talent, and trusting her team to help guide the creative vision of TheVampiresManor. Read more about Mori here:
Hi Mori! Your career path has spanned freelance art, customer service, bartending, teaching, and now directing your own indie studio, TheVampiresManor. How have these diverse experiences shaped the way you approach your work and lead your team today?

Every single experience I have had has shaped the decisions I have made today. Honestly, I learned just as much as a bartender or bookmaker as I have as a director; we use analysis of consumers from my retail days to make decisions on how we market the game, I learn kindness and communication in my teaching job, I learnt how to change the brief on a fly with my freelancing. It all really boils down to the same skills! Equally, my team also have a huge range of experience so there’s always new ideas and perspectives brought to the table.

As the creator and director of TheVampiresManor, you guide both the artistic vision of the game and the people behind it. What have you learned about leadership and trusting your own creative voice while building and supporting a diverse team?

I’ll be honest, 3 years in, I still don’t trust my own voice- not at all. Imposter syndrome in the industry is a real and scary thing, and it hit me hard. What I do trust is my team- I know if I am not making the right call, they will call me on it. They help me make informed choices by giving me extra perspective and research I otherwise wouldn’t have considered. I’ve been given opportunities in industry to teach me as much as possible to help my confidence in pulling the game in certain directions. I do still make the ‘top’ decisions, but it is never without input from the team, and I always explain my reasoning. If that reasoning doesn’t hold up, we start over.

Alongside directing your studio, you also work as a Games Design Lecturer and Outreach Coordinator. How does working with students and the wider community influence the way you approach game development, and what advice do you share with aspiring creators who want to start their own projects?

I’ve always tried to work with the wider community in my stride with TVM anyway; with the WorkEXP programme we worked with numerous local collages in order to bolster the skills of their students. There’s a very negative view of juniors in the higher industry for some reason, but nurturing their talent ensures the next generation of games will come to life. I learn new things from my own classroom! As for aspiring creators, follow the CC rule – be cool, in that don’t over stress yourself with perfection and funding and deadlines, it takes the magic out of it. And be Cringe, in that it is YOUR work for a reason; it represents YOU and YOUR thought process or experience. Be true to that!

Thanks for this interview, Mori!

Morrigan’s links: LinkedIn

Womenize! – Inspiring Stories Feature by Madeleine Egger