About us

MAD PUMPKINS’ TEAM

Mad Pumpkins is an independent studio creating video games since 2019. The team initially consisted of three people, the founders: Arianna Lona (graphic designer and management), Marie Legrand (game designer and developer) and Alexandre Gomes (videomaker and director of short films). The complementarity of their skills has allowed the team to succeed in a short time in structuring its remote production cycle, in organizing itself through special programmes for remote working, and by doing so they were able to self-finance the development of complete playable prototypes.

In 2020 the studio started to earn money thanks to various services performed for clients, including the Fondazione Cineteca di Milano -Italy- (which is also a partner), and during the pandemic it also worked for online events (Game Jams, Festivals, workshops and online management consulting).

At the end of 2021 Mad Pumpkins then opened an Italian “S.r.l.” (i.e. Ltd.) in order to start the production of its first title (MOVIEROOMS), thanks to the first funding received, and this has meant the growth of the production team (with the arrival of a new lead game developer and a 3D artist).

Moreover, since January 2023 the team has grown further with the arrival of new artists and new Partnership.



Graphic designer since 2012, Italian but moved to France at the end of 2014, she worked as web designer in the marketing division of the society «Skill&You» and then as infographic and 2D artist for «Serious Factory» (game studio) in Paris. Since 2018 she is member of «Women In Games» both in France and Italy. In 2019, she embarked on entrepreneurial life and opened the Mad Pumpkins studio together with her co-founders.
Today, she continues her activity in Italy (2022) -Mad Pumpkins Startup Innovative- as Game Producer & Art Director, also managing projects for several customers. In the Pandemie period, she taught a distance learning master’s course in project management at LC University. Finally, she is also NPO​ Assistant Program Manager of FlyLILLO E.T.S (community et association no profit to developing accessibility devices and software).
Lover of independent videogames and animation movies.

SKILLS:
Illustrations, colorimetry, web design, Identity and Branding design, Print design, UX/UI design, Creative DTP, Gamification, concept art, 2D assets, agile methodology, Project management

arianna.lona@madpumpkins.com


Game director developer, Technical director, and co-founder of Mad Pumpkins, Marie also works as a Programming teacher at ArtFX school in Montpellier. Former president of Push Start, and active member of Women In Games, she is involved in various events throughout the years for the local game industry. Need a way to lift her spirit?
A nice cup of black coffee and a good old game jam.

SKILLS:
C#, C++, Python, Unity Game Engine, Game Design, Gameplay Programming, 3C Programming, UI Programming, AI Programming, Agile methodology, Serious Gaming, Prototype Ninja

marie.legrand@madpumpkins.com


Video editor since 6 years, he works in freelance for a variety of companies and also made 5 short movies. He co-founded Mad Pumpkins to associate his passions for video games and his knowledge in video, cinema and communication.

SKILLS:
Video captation, video editing, VFX, Communication strategies, script-writering, project management, History of cinema

alexandre.gomes@madpumpkins.com


Daniele Franceschini, Game Developer since 2004, he worked as “Lead VR Developer” for Digital Mosaik in Trento: he brought innovation developing various gamification VR projects such as Medical, Museum, Interior Design applications. He worked as “Game Developer” for Gamera Interactive in Padua on Souls-like RPG called Alaloth. He worked as “Game VR Developer” for Another Reality, Milan, on a medical VR gamification project. He has been developing as “DarkTiger Developments” for many years and he is proud of “DvDrum: Ultimate Drum Simulator”, the 4th version of an appreciated drum simulator released on Steam. He loves the Global Game Jams, playing rock-metal music, living the nature, stay in tech and playing games.

SKILLS:
C#, GML, Unity Engine, GameMaker Studio Engine, VR Programming, Multiplayer Programming, AI Programming, UI Programming, Gameplay Programming, Prototyping, Game Design, Level Design, VFX, SFX, Animation, Materials and Lighting

daniele.franceschini@madpumpkins.com


Ivana Murianni is an Italian scriptwriter and narrative designer. After graduating in Mass Media and Politics (MA) and attending several storytelling workshops and masterclasses, she graduated in International Screenwriting and Production at Sacred Heart Catholic University, where she studied with top industry professionals such as John Truby and Bobette Buster. As a scriptwriter for comics, she wrote the mangas “Fr33d0m” (Upper Comics), “Shingan” (Shockdom) e the short story “Baci dalla Tunisia”published in “Mahmood – Sui sentieri dell’anima” (Mondadori). She also works as a teacher of manga storytelling techniques at
Scuola di Manga in Milan, Turin and online.
After years of experience in the video game industry as a journalist (Game Legends, Eurogamer.it), she specialises in narrative design and game writing at The Narrative
Department by Susan O’Connor (BioShock, Far Cry 2, Tomb Raider) and becomes a Women in Games Ambassador.
As a screenwriter, she wrote some episodes for animated series for kids such as NoPets!,
which has been selected as a finalist in the Rai PitchMe! contest at Cartoons on the Bay 2023.

SKILLS:
Storytelling, screenwriting, narrative design, writing for comics, story editing, game
design, production


Chiara Orsi, 3D and VR artist based in Italy, born as visual and graphic designer, soon she has met the natural evolution of creativity in gaming industry. With a more than five years working experience on creative industry, she has extremely enjoyed facing new challenges and the teamwork. In 2019 the amazing journey in the VR industry began and brought with it the opportunity to discover a new incredible world. That represented a strong creative booster to grew and experiment new techniques and skills through technology. What’s more? Strong passion for video games and digital art, immersive storytelling maniac, great experience in visual communication, and Virtual Reality Coach at Girls Code it Better. 

SKILLS:
3D modeling, Environment Design & modeling, Character Design, Digital illustration and motion design.


Paolo Silvestri & Eliana Dondoni, 3D Artist Generalists and Character Animators with a passion for video games and extensive experience in multiple areas of 3D. AR-VR, Games Developers, VFX Technicians, Master Videogame Teachers at Numen Institute, Master Visual at IED Milan(Unity Game Developer).

SKILLS:
VFX Effects, 3D Modeling, Character Animators


Riccardo Rossi aka Twenty_one Avenue is an Italian cartoonist and illustrator. He studied animation, cinema and screenwriting. In 2012 he signed his first comic story. In 2015 he published in the Almanacco Milanosesto for the Milano Expo. In 2018 he began his partnership with the German publishing house Ostfalia Verlag by publishing the historical comics Bamberg, Königslutter and Braunschweig. In 2021 he illustrates the children’s book A Brief History Of Mankind for the Chinese publishing house Beijing RZBook. In 2022 he creates the illustrations for the Namma Walls project for the walls of the city of Bangalore in India. Today he continues his career as a cartoonist and illustrator working for Italian and international companies.
He madly loves cinema

SKILLS:
Sketch art, illustrations, comics, storyboard, animation, concept art


Déborah Martin is graduated with a Master’s degree in marketing and communication, Déborah has turned it into her freelance profession. She is passionate about culture, video games, passions that she has been able to combine with MadPumpkins where she handles marketing and social media. She is also part of the JVM (Musical Video Games) association where she is responsible for communication.


Massimiliano Bertolini, known as Max Bertolini, is a profesionnal with 30 years of experience in mobile and videogames, publishing, comics, advertising and fashion sectors. He worked for CD Projekt RED, Dark Horse Comics for ‘The Witcher III’ and in 2012 Max does all the illustrations for “Fantasy Vengeance”, an MMORPG game made by MSquaredApplications for Android mobiles and tablet. He is a lead artist at Afterhours Games and he was a cover and illustrator artist at Games Workshop for «Blood Bown», «Demon Hour (WarHammer World) and «Slaine» novels. Card Artist for «Talisman» boardgame. His work has been published worldwide: France, Germany, USA, England, Spain, Russia, China and Czechoslovakia, for publishers such as Random House Germany, AST Publisher, Paper Tiger, Games Workshop, MG Publishing and magazines such as Fantasy & Science Fiction, Heavy Metal, Chinese Fantasy Magazine.

SKILLS:
Illustrations, colorimetry, concept art, anatomy, environmental art, comics, adv



Alexandre Houngbo, aka Alexandre Ash, composer, producer and sound engineer, wears many hats in music. Atlantis Chronicles, has taken him all over Europe and even to Japan for more than 200 dates where he has played 2 EPs and 2 albums. He leads different musical projects through 8-bit music and also creates soundtracks for videogames, short films, theatre, escape games.

SKILLS :
Music, Sound Designer, FX voix


Giovanni Vassallo Since 2018, he has been managing projects funded by institutional bodies at a national (e.g. Invitalia, Ministry of Culture, etc.), European (European Commission) and international (United Nations) level, also dealing with drafting project proposals and fundraising on behalf of SMEs/startups and major universities (Luiss Guido Carli), and acting as project manager for Movierooms. Since 2015, Giovanni has also been a member of the Order of Journalists. In his spare time, he devotes himself to activities that can enrich him on a personal level, such as spending time with his family, travelling, playing sports and being in contact with nature.

SKILLS:
Project manager, Copywriter,
journalism, writing


Marilisa Cotroneo, born in a small town in northern Italy, began her journey with a suitcase in hand. After graduating in art disciplines in Turin, she continued her path towards Rome with two master’s degrees in Illustration and Visual development. For now, her suitcase is stationary in Rome where she lives and works. He collaborates with Italian and foreign publishing houses. He creates his worlds and characters in his small studio between a cup of tea and a dog stealing his shoes.

SKILLS:
Art, anatomy, comics, illustrations, cartoons