Calling all Canadian Game Devs!
by Ken Finney · 11/14/2006 (8:39 am) · 27 comments
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
About the author
#22
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!]
11/15/2006 (5:44 pm)
Josef,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!]
#23
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!
11/15/2006 (5:53 pm)
@Ken,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!
#24
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.
11/16/2006 (10:52 am)
That contest looks very cool, I wonder if they will accept game technology projects? (Middleware and the like)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.
#25
I'm going to try to make it but I have to co-ordinate some work around it.
11/16/2006 (11:23 am)
Anybody know how late the session tonight might run? Or does anybody know how long did the sessions in Montreal and Vancouver ran?I'm going to try to make it but I have to co-ordinate some work around it.
#26
11/16/2006 (12:37 pm)
btw, I know that the Devil's Martini is in the entertainment district so there should be lots of parking around, but does anyone know where specifically the closest place to park is?
#27
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!
11/16/2006 (7:51 pm)
That was a great event. I got the sense that a lot of TV and Film people showed up just for the free booze. I saw a lot of actors that I recognised from Canadian TV and commercials. The guy who plays the toothbrush in the "Listerine Man" commercials was there, among others.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!
Torque 3D Owner Josef Rogovsky
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.