# The Production Lab

> Game production consulting, fractional production leadership, contract or interim Production Director, Lead Producer, and Senior Producer roles, and 1:1 mentorship, run by Zach Gonzalez, a game producer with 20 years in games and 15+ years in production across AAA console, PC, VR, and mobile (Naughty Dog, Treyarch, Striking Distance, Survios, BulletFarm, Machine Zone, Super Bit Machine, Vigil Games, Ready at Dawn).

The Production Lab works two ways: embedded production leadership for studios, and career mentorship for individual producers. Engagements are scoped per studio rather than applied from a fixed framework, and are confidential.

## Zach Gonzalez

Roles held: Production Director (BulletFarm), Producer (Naughty Dog), Senior Producer (Striking Distance Studios, Machine Zone), Producer (Super Bit Machine), Lead Producer (Survios), Associate Producer (Treyarch). Available for consulting engagements and for contract or interim Production Director, Lead Producer, and Senior Producer roles. Certified Scrum Master.

## Pages

- [Home](https://prodlab.gg/): overview of both tracks, services, process, and contact options.
- [AAA and established studios](https://prodlab.gg/aaa.html): pipeline audits, production recovery, process redesign, org structure consulting, and contract or interim production roles (feature teams, live operations, launch).
- [Mentorship](https://prodlab.gg/mentorship.html): 1:1 sessions, ongoing coaching, resume and portfolio review, and career strategy for early-career producers and career changers.

## Services

- Fractional production lead: embedded leadership that stands up workflows, communication, and team cadence.
- Pipeline audit and production recovery: locate lost velocity, reset slipped milestones, and stabilize the production.
- Process and studio ops: tools, rituals, and day-to-day structure for the team.
- Org and founder partnership: team structure, role clarity, and strategic support for first-time studio founders.
- Contract and interim production roles: feature teams, live operations, launch and post-launch, senior producer or production director coverage.
- Mentorship: 1:1 sessions, ongoing coaching, resume and portfolio review, career strategy.

## Record

- BulletFarm (NetEase), Production Director, 2024 to 2025: unannounced co-op multiplayer title
- Naughty Dog, Producer, 2021 to 2024: The Last of Us: Part I (PS5, PC), The Last of Us: Part II Remastered (PS5)
- Striking Distance Studios, Senior Producer, 2020 to 2021: The Callisto Protocol
- Machine Zone, Senior Producer, 2019 to 2020: Crystalborne: Heroes of Fate
- Super Bit Machine, Producer, 2018 to 2019: Armajet
- Survios, Lead Producer, 2016 to 2018: Electronauts, Raw Data: Hostile Takeover PvP
- Treyarch (Activision), Associate Producer, 2012 to 2016: Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and DLC seasons
- Vigil Games (THQ), Environment Artist, shipped 2012: Darksiders II
- Ready at Dawn, Environment Artist, shipped 2008 to 2010: God of War: Ghost of Sparta, God of War: Chains of Olympus

## Contact

- Email: zach@prodlab.gg
- Studio consultation (45 min): https://app.onecal.io/b/zach-gonzalez/the-production-lab-consultation-45mins
- Discovery call (30 min, free): https://app.onecal.io/b/zach-gonzalez/30-minute-free-consultation
- Mentorship intro call (30 min, free): https://app.onecal.io/b/zach-gonzalez/coaching-1-1-30-min-call
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachgonzalez/