by date
Calling all Canadian Game Devs!
Calling all Canadian Game Devs!
| Name: | Ken Finney |  |
|---|---|---|
| Date Posted: | Nov 14, 2006 | |
| Rating: |  5.0 out of 5 | |
| Public: | YES | |
| Comments: | YES | |
| RSS Feed: |  or Subscribe with  . | |
| Profile Page: | View profile page for Ken Finney |
Blog post
During the past couple of weeks, I've been to a few game industry events, two of which particularly deserve mention: MIGS (Montreal International Game Summit), and the Microsoft GameOn XNA event in Toronto. I intend to write more about both of these in a later .plan when I have more time.
However, something that happened while I was at the Montreal Summit that I think needs to be publicized here: Telefilm Canada has announced a Big Deal game contest.
Telefilm Canada launches The Great Canadian Video Game Competition
Montreal, November 8, 2006 - In partnership with industry, Telefilm Canada today launched an innovative competition to create the next great Canadian video game.
Canada's top, emerging video-game developers will vie for up to $2 million in financing and invaluable industry mentorship in Telefilm's Great Canadian Video Game Competition, announced Wayne Clarkson, the Corporation's Executive Director, at the Montreal International Game Summit.
"Leveraging the Canada New Media Fund, Telefilm has created a new opportunity for talented Canadian game developers to build business expertise and commercialize original game content that takes advantage of innovative distribution methods," says Clarkson. "With the input and support of industry, this competition will give independent firms the leverage to attract required financing and distribution opportunities for its intellectual property."
Industry consultant and partner Danielle Michael, former Vice President of Business Development for Vancouver game developer Radical Entertainment, adds: "Telefilm is convinced that Canada has the talent and potential to be a world leader in the $20-billion video game market. While the country is already a key international hub for game development, challenges exist for independent game developers to bring original content to market in the multiplatform environment. The Great Canadian Video Game Competition, a first-of-its-kind initiative, will elevate the commercial profile of Canadian-owned gaming companies and help grow the industry."
The Competition is encouraging eligible game development companies to register at www.telefilm.gc.ca/game by December 15, 2006.
The initiative will take place in three rounds that mirror traditional industry financing. In January 2007, 10 companies will be selected by an industry jury to attain Round 1 status (Innovation) and receive up to $50,000 each in financial assistance to explore their gaming concepts, develop a visual identity and elaborate a plan to raise initial private-sector investment. In March 2007 at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, four of the 10 companies will score Round 2 status (Project Development), receiving up to $250,000 each in financing to create a playable prototype. At Vancouver's VidFest, Telefilm will announce the winning company that will reach Round 3 (Commercialization), and receive up to $500,000 in matching funds from Telefilm to support the commercialization of its game.
However, all initial 10 Round 1 companies will receive key mentorship and insight from industry veterans with senior experience in game producing and/or business development.
The Competition is made possible through Telefilm Canada and the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada New Media Fund and the sponsorship of industry partners Electronic Arts, Radical Entertainment and Ubisoft.
Industry jury members include: Yannis Mallat, CEO, Ubisoft Montreal; Ron Moravek, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Electronic Arts Canada; and Kelly Zmak, President, Radical Entertainment (Vivendi Universal Games Canada).
Competition advisory board members include: Lynda Brown, President, New Media BC; Jason Della Rocca, Executive Director, International Game Developers Association; Rick Griffiths, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; and Victor Lucas, producer and co-host, Electric Playground.
Industry mentors include: Warren Currell, President, CEO, Sherpa Games; Rob Edgar, Manager of Business Development, Union Entertainment; Kirsten Forbes, Producer, Radical Entertainment (Vivendi Universal Games Canada); Clint Hocking, Creative Director, Ubisoft Montreal; and Alain Tascan, Vice President and General Manager, Electronic Arts Montreal.
Industry information sessions will be held in the following cities:
- Montreal: Montreal International Game Summit, Montreal Convention Centre, Room 522, Level 5, November 9, 10:00 AM;
- Vancouver: Hosted by New Media BC, Centre for Excellence, 555 Great Northern Way, November 14, 5:00 PM; and
- Toronto: Hosted by the New Media Business Alliance, Devil's Martini, 473 Adelaide Street West, November 16, 6:00 PM.
Competition information is available at www.telefilm.gc.ca/game.
Developing and promoting the Canadian audiovisual industry
Telefilm Canada is a federal cultural agency dedicated to the development and promotion of the Canadian audiovisual industry. Telefilm provides financial support to the private sector to create distinctively Canadian productions that appeal to domestic and international audiences. The Corporation also administers the funding programs of the Canadian Television Fund.
Media inquiries:
Glen Edwards, Competition Media Relations
(604) 561-4640, glen@karyo.net
Douglas Chow, Deputy Director, Strategic Communications, Telefilm Canada
(514) 283-6363 or 1-800-567-0890, chowd@telefilm.gc.ca
However, something that happened while I was at the Montreal Summit that I think needs to be publicized here: Telefilm Canada has announced a Big Deal game contest.
Telefilm Canada launches The Great Canadian Video Game Competition
Montreal, November 8, 2006 - In partnership with industry, Telefilm Canada today launched an innovative competition to create the next great Canadian video game.
Canada's top, emerging video-game developers will vie for up to $2 million in financing and invaluable industry mentorship in Telefilm's Great Canadian Video Game Competition, announced Wayne Clarkson, the Corporation's Executive Director, at the Montreal International Game Summit.
"Leveraging the Canada New Media Fund, Telefilm has created a new opportunity for talented Canadian game developers to build business expertise and commercialize original game content that takes advantage of innovative distribution methods," says Clarkson. "With the input and support of industry, this competition will give independent firms the leverage to attract required financing and distribution opportunities for its intellectual property."
Industry consultant and partner Danielle Michael, former Vice President of Business Development for Vancouver game developer Radical Entertainment, adds: "Telefilm is convinced that Canada has the talent and potential to be a world leader in the $20-billion video game market. While the country is already a key international hub for game development, challenges exist for independent game developers to bring original content to market in the multiplatform environment. The Great Canadian Video Game Competition, a first-of-its-kind initiative, will elevate the commercial profile of Canadian-owned gaming companies and help grow the industry."
The Competition is encouraging eligible game development companies to register at www.telefilm.gc.ca/game by December 15, 2006.
The initiative will take place in three rounds that mirror traditional industry financing. In January 2007, 10 companies will be selected by an industry jury to attain Round 1 status (Innovation) and receive up to $50,000 each in financial assistance to explore their gaming concepts, develop a visual identity and elaborate a plan to raise initial private-sector investment. In March 2007 at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, four of the 10 companies will score Round 2 status (Project Development), receiving up to $250,000 each in financing to create a playable prototype. At Vancouver's VidFest, Telefilm will announce the winning company that will reach Round 3 (Commercialization), and receive up to $500,000 in matching funds from Telefilm to support the commercialization of its game.
However, all initial 10 Round 1 companies will receive key mentorship and insight from industry veterans with senior experience in game producing and/or business development.
The Competition is made possible through Telefilm Canada and the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada New Media Fund and the sponsorship of industry partners Electronic Arts, Radical Entertainment and Ubisoft.
Industry jury members include: Yannis Mallat, CEO, Ubisoft Montreal; Ron Moravek, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Electronic Arts Canada; and Kelly Zmak, President, Radical Entertainment (Vivendi Universal Games Canada).
Competition advisory board members include: Lynda Brown, President, New Media BC; Jason Della Rocca, Executive Director, International Game Developers Association; Rick Griffiths, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; and Victor Lucas, producer and co-host, Electric Playground.
Industry mentors include: Warren Currell, President, CEO, Sherpa Games; Rob Edgar, Manager of Business Development, Union Entertainment; Kirsten Forbes, Producer, Radical Entertainment (Vivendi Universal Games Canada); Clint Hocking, Creative Director, Ubisoft Montreal; and Alain Tascan, Vice President and General Manager, Electronic Arts Montreal.
Industry information sessions will be held in the following cities:
- Montreal: Montreal International Game Summit, Montreal Convention Centre, Room 522, Level 5, November 9, 10:00 AM;
- Vancouver: Hosted by New Media BC, Centre for Excellence, 555 Great Northern Way, November 14, 5:00 PM; and
- Toronto: Hosted by the New Media Business Alliance, Devil's Martini, 473 Adelaide Street West, November 16, 6:00 PM.
Competition information is available at www.telefilm.gc.ca/game.
Developing and promoting the Canadian audiovisual industry
Telefilm Canada is a federal cultural agency dedicated to the development and promotion of the Canadian audiovisual industry. Telefilm provides financial support to the private sector to create distinctively Canadian productions that appeal to domestic and international audiences. The Corporation also administers the funding programs of the Canadian Television Fund.
Media inquiries:
Glen Edwards, Competition Media Relations
(604) 561-4640, glen@karyo.net
Douglas Chow, Deputy Director, Strategic Communications, Telefilm Canada
(514) 283-6363 or 1-800-567-0890, chowd@telefilm.gc.ca
Recent Blog Posts
| List: | 06/14/07 - Here and There 04/12/07 - Canadian Torque Developer killed in Afghanistan 12/16/06 - Bopping along at Sprite House Games 11/14/06 - Calling all Canadian Game Devs! 09/26/06 - What goes around, comes around 06/11/04 - Plan for Ken 12/02/02 - Plan for Ken 05/18/02 - Plan for Ken |
|---|
Submit your own resources!| Anthony Harris (Nov 14, 2006 at 17:43 GMT) |
| James (Nov 14, 2006 at 17:51 GMT) |
At the very least, it will contribute to the experience getting thing ;)
| Steve Flowers (Nov 14, 2006 at 18:15 GMT) |
| Benoit Touchette (Nov 14, 2006 at 18:59 GMT) |
| Rubes (Nov 14, 2006 at 19:46 GMT) |
| Graham Evans (Nov 14, 2006 at 20:55 GMT) |
Good luck all
Regards
Graham
| Logan Foster (Nov 14, 2006 at 20:57 GMT) |
| T Squared (Thanhda Tie) (Nov 14, 2006 at 22:36 GMT) |
| Matthew Spindle Harris (Nov 14, 2006 at 22:58 GMT) |
| Jeppie (Nov 15, 2006 at 06:10 GMT) |
No seriously, I just got your newest book in the mail Ken. OMFG it's the biggest book I've ever seen. The UPS driver needed to beef up his suspension just to carry it. It took 2 guys to take it out of the truck and move it onto the dolly. I'm worried about my desk holding up under the weight of this puppy. I hear it kind of creaking under the strain. I think I'd better add some extra supports.
| Lateral Punk (Nov 15, 2006 at 08:46 GMT) |
| Ken Finney (Nov 15, 2006 at 13:30 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
...which just highlights yet another reason why it's you always have your towel with you: to wipe the sweat off your hoopy brow...
@Punk
Np! I intend to be there on Thursday. But I'm in a bit of a scheduling bind, so my wife will likely go in my place if I can't make it.
| Josef Rogovsky (Nov 15, 2006 at 19:28 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
I'm going to try to get a team together to work on something for this.
| James (Nov 15, 2006 at 20:41 GMT) |
| J Sears (Nov 15, 2006 at 21:31 GMT) |
would like to see an event like that, in which I could enter
| Lateral Punk (Nov 16, 2006 at 01:02 GMT) |
Ubisoft is a Canadian company, Splinter Cell was made by Ubisoft, by consequence, that's ONE great Canadian video game :)
| Josef Rogovsky (Nov 16, 2006 at 01:08 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
The studio that made Splinter Cell is Canadian, but I think the parent company is not.
| Lateral Punk (Nov 16, 2006 at 01:11 GMT) |
| Josef Rogovsky (Nov 16, 2006 at 01:19 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
How are the plans for a T.O. Torque Users Group going? Is it likely that you're going to have a meeting this month?
I ask because I have an idea for a game that I think would work really well for this contest (it has a really strong Canadian angle) but my team, as it is, is too small to develop it.
I'd like to share the idea with other, maybe more experienced, Torque devs at the meeting and guage interest in forming a larger team to go after this prize.
If the meeting isn't going to happen then I'll likely post a blog entry here at GG to see if any other Canadian Torque users are interested in signing on.
| Lateral Punk (Nov 16, 2006 at 01:28 GMT) |
So I talked with Ken regardding having a little seminar. YOu can find out about it here www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=1161.... Nothing is etched in stone right now, but once something is finalized, I will post it here.
Also, me and a bunch of my colleagues are heading off to:
- Toronto: Hosted by the New Media Business Alliance, Devil's Martini, 473 Adelaide Street West, November 16, 6:00 PM.
It would be a great opportunity to find out more about the contest. I'll be the dude in the red shirt :) You should feel free to share your idea in any way you see fit.
| Josef Rogovsky (Nov 16, 2006 at 01:41 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
I'm not sure what colour shirt I'm going to be wearing. I'm going to try to make it for the meeting but I can't be sure if I will.
I'm really eager to be there but I might run into some work complications (project deadlines).
I think it should be the basis of your next blog entry!
If I make it I'll try to find you to discuss my idea.
| Ken Finney (Nov 16, 2006 at 01:44 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
Come to the Telefilm event tomorrow. That's probably the best thing to do. We can all meet up there. I'll have a camouflage hunting jacket on, most likely.
Alternatively:
If you can't make it tomorrow, you should at least come on Sat. 25 Nov. to AiTO at 655 Bay St. (2nd Floor) at around 2 or 2:30. There will probably be a desk set up down in the front foyer. Just tell them that you're there to see me, and they will send you up.
Krunal is the organizer for the 25th, so if he wants us to move elsewhere at some point, like maybe the pub on the ground floor (hint hint :-), then we will do that.
[edit: oops, Josef posted while I was typing!]
Edited on Nov 16, 2006 01:45 GMT
| Josef Rogovsky (Nov 16, 2006 at 01:53 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
Whether I make it to the meeting tomorrow or not, I will definitely come on the 25th. I might bring some colleagues, too.
edit: I ordered your book from Chapters last week but it hasn't arrived yet. I'm eager to get it signed on the 25th!
Edited on Nov 16, 2006 01:54 GMT
| Mathieu Marquis-Bolduc (Nov 16, 2006 at 18:52 GMT) |
As for canadian games...
http://www.gamedevmap.com/index.php?tool=location&query=Montreal
look at Montreal studios and Vancouver studios.
Ubisoft, EA, Activision, Relic, Rockstar, Bioware and a good hundred others all develop some or all of their games in Canada.
| Josef Rogovsky (Nov 16, 2006 at 19:23 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
I'm going to try to make it but I have to co-ordinate some work around it.
| Josef Rogovsky (Nov 16, 2006 at 20:37 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Josef Rogovsky (Nov 17, 2006 at 03:51 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
Victor Lucas is such a nice guy. I went up to him to say 'hi' and told him I was a fan of EP. He seemed genuinely happy to meet me and asked me questions about my company and the kind of work I do. I told him to remember me because I'd be on the winning team. :hehe: I also told him to say 'hi' to Tommy for me.
Anyway, I look forward to seeing Ken, Krunal, Shiraz and the rest on the 25!
You must be a member and be logged in to either append comments or rate this resource.
