Village Gamer

Press Release – VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – New Media BC announced today new partnerships and enhanced programming for the second annual Vancouver Digital Week to run May 11-15, 2009 on Granville Island in Vancouver.

Vancouver Digital Week 2009 includes the following events:

• Vancouver International Digital Festival (VIDFEST)
• Game Developers Conference Canada (GDC Canada)
• Convergence 2009 Digital Marketing & Communications Forum
• The International Partnering Forum
• New Media BC’s Digital Media Awards Show and Gala

Vancouver Digital Week is an immersive week of innovative programming and partnership opportunities for the digital media industry that features top minds and deal makers from around the globe. Participants gain access to international business match-making, ‘big picture’ conference sessions on the latest trends and markets in digital media, high-level seminars for creators, designers, and producers, and vibrant networking parties.

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The first annual SPARK Animation Festival was held over the past five days in Vancouver. Organized by our local ACM SIGGRAPH chapter, the event experienced a steady, high attendance and great reviews from those who attended the various panels and screenings.

SPARK’s opening event was an informal question and answer session with Mark Osborne and John Stevenson, co-directors of the Dreamworks animated feature Kung Fu Panda. Through a series of questions led by moderator Glenn Entis, the directors divulged how the film’s artists created animation which not only respected the Chinese culture, it remained true to real-life Kung Fu. In order to help understand the discipline and movement of martial arts, the studio team was led through a grueling five hour instructional session by wushu instructor Eric Chen. Further insight was gained regarding the teamwork, development milestones and philosophies behind Kung Fu Panda were shared with the audience, making it an enjoyable learning experience for all who attended. The panel discussion was followed with a special screening of Kung Fu Panda, which turned out to be a very well-done animation with a simple message – it doesn’t matter who you are, you have it within you to become your own hero.

The entire SPARK Festival was filled with a great mixture of fun, education and social networking. Other

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Through the generous sponsorship of Big Fish Games, a Women In Games International social mixer was held recently in Vancouver – an event I have long hoped for. I have received many invitations in the past to other WIGI events, but was never able to attend as they were always being held at events I wasn’t able to be at. This local event, which was held at the Goldfish Pacific Kitchen in Yaletown, was very well attended. Several of us were invited up to the future home of Big Fish Games Canada for a quick tour and informational session. I am truly envious of that office space – the dark wood beam ceiling and old exposed brick walls make for a warm, welcoming atmosphere, and I am looking forward to seeing how the studio will look once everyone is moved in.

The most exciting news to develop from the social mixer is that WIGI will be increasing their involvement in the Vancouver area, starting with a panel discussion later this fall. The details of the panel are yet to be released, but promises to be an exciting addition to the monthly educational panels hosted in Vancouver, such as those held by our local ACM SIGGRAPH chapter. If you or anyone you know would like to become involved with WIGI, please visit their site for more information.

The 2009 Game Design Expo, hosted by Vancouver Film School, is accepting submissions from game industry professionals wishing to present at Game Design Expo on February 7-8, 2009 in Vancouver, BC.

The sold-out 2008 Expo featured speakers from Bungie, BioWare, Activision, EA, and many more, and garnered unprecedented support from the media and industry. Join the conversation: play a part in your industry’s evolution and the fostering of new talent.

The Game Design Expo organizers are looking for guest speakers with something to say and a desire to share their knowledge. In particular, we welcome talks that fall into the general categories of Pre-Production, Prototyping, and Pitching. If you are interested in becoming a guest speaker at the Game Design Expo, please contact the Event Manager, Shira Gordon at 604-631-3562.

Richmond, British Columbia – September 10, 2008 – Microsoft Corporation’s first Canadian development center officially opened today in Richmond, British Columbia. The Microsoft Canada Development Centre (MCDC) currently employs over 300 of the world’s best software developers who work on over half of Microsoft’s products including Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, the Zune Media Player, Windows Mobile, Ad Platform, AD Search, Unified Communications, Exchange Server, Visual Studios, Silverlight and the Xbox 360.

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The tenth Annual General Meeting for New Media BC will be held on Thursday September 25, 2008 at Radical Entertainment, 8th Floor – 369 Terminal Avenue in Vancouver. The doors will open for registration and networking at 3:15pm, followed by the official meeting at 4:00pm. New Media BC members will be updated on all of the activities which New Media BC has participated in over the past year, see an outline of what is planned for the coming year, go over the financial reports and elect the Board of Directors for 2009-2010. There will also be announcements regarding Digital Week 2009. After the conclusion of the AGM, members are invited to celebrate Canada’s first National Digital Media Day by mingling to catch up with old friends, make new friends, and view a Politube Shorts Screening presented by New Forms Festival. Members need to pre-register for the AGM and Mixer – if you’re not a member of New Media BC but would like more information, please check out the Membership Benefits page on the New Media BC site.

Popular Canadian LAN party site LanPartyEh, which went into hiatus in July 2007 is back with a new look and new proprietors. Once a project of NeoSeeker’s Howard Ha, the site became too large and too time-consuming for Howard to maintain. Local LAN organizers Nathaniel Sabanski and James Charlton spearheaded the project, uniting two separate projects into one. James approached Howard with a proposal regarding the old LanPartyEh site, Howard agreed, and earlier this month the new site was relaunched with a new, updated look and a new sense of unity among Vancouver-area LAN organizers. The project brings together the CapLAN-LowermainLAN, C-Toan, AelatisLAN and Digital Storm events. The administration and staff of LanPartyEh hope to see the site grow into a community which effectively connects not only the BC lan community, but the lan community across Canada.

The ACM SIGGRAPH Vancouver Chapter has announced the calendar of events for the upcoming SPARK Animation Festival taking place this September 10 – 14 at the Vancity and Empire Theatres. With featured speakers from Dreamworks and Pixar, along with animation pioneer Ed Hooks, movie screenings and more, SPARK promises to be an exciting event to attend. Please see the Vancouver SIGGRAPH event page for further information and to purchase tickets.

Schedule of Events:

Day 1 – September 10 at the Empire Theatre
A Night With Dreamworks

Day 2 – September 11 at the Vancity Theatre
A Night With Blue Sky Studios

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UK Rock Sensation Mendella was given a taste of home yesterday, while playing a free concert for anyone choosing to seek shelter under the big blue tarp at the Aldergrove Band Shell, next to the Heritage Telephone Museum. Even the pouring rain and threats of lightning could not keep these rockers off the stage and away from the people listening in, and only those who dared to venture out beyond the reaches of the makeshift shelter felt the fury of the weather falling upon them.

What started off as a wet morning turned rather suddenly into an outright downpour. But, thanks to some quick thinking and creativity of the sound and tech crew (Curtis and Ryan from Sonic Voodoo Productions), promoter and owner of VillageGamer Tami, and “space occupier and video camera person” Scott, a very large tarp was strung out over the field, giving the feeling of watching a concert inside a circus tent. Thus it was born, “Under The Tarp Productions: Always A Unique Show”. While the wind battered at our defenses of black poly from the sides and rear of the stage, the rain tried to bring down our shelter. Still the band played on, and in moments of true creativity, even added it into the act. Lead singer Tom “Butters” occasionally changing around lyrics of their songs to reference “the rain keeps coming down” (and down and down), while “set design and emergency water management” Scott (that’s me, people) scrambled to pop various small holes in the tarp to drain the growing lake forming overhead in the low points of the shelter. Drummer Toby Parker was even supplied some “backup beats” from the thunder in the distance, which simply added to the effect of “Rain or shine, we come to rock your (soaking wet) socks off!”.
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A Battle of the Hard Rock Bands will be taking place this weekend, Saturday August 9th at the bandshell in the Heritage Museum Park which is located at the corner of 272 Street and 32 Avenue in Aldergrove. There is room for 4 bands to compete, with the competition slated to begin at 3pm. Bands will be judged on performance quality (vocals and instrumentation), stage presence and audience participation (this means bring your fans to cheer you on). Participating bands will need to be in attendance at the competition from 2pm until approximately 8:30pm, with competitive play beginning at 3pm. Each band is to perform for 30 to 45 minutes, then after the last band there will be a chance for the audience to show their appreciation for the four bands. Audience appreciation counts for points, so rock their socks off.

Following the competition segment of the event, the UK rock group Mendella will be giving a free performance while the judges make their final decisions and the winner will be announced following Mendella’s set. Prizes and judges will be announced, but thus far Mendella’s management, Orpheus Sounds, is offering $100.00 cash and Village Gamer (a division of KillaNet Technology Ltd.) is offering a free outdoor promo photography shoot to the winning band, along with a DVD and photos of the entire show. Endoplasmic Entertainment Recording Studio in Langley has also offered studio rehearsal time – more details on that are forthcoming. Any company wishing to contribute to the prize offerings is more than welcome, and will be given full recognition at the competition and in follow-up press coverage.

To qualify for this competition, bands must not yet have recorded a commercial album or have a record deal, but be working towards them. Band members must be under the age of 25, and an mp3 song sample must be provided by 5pm on Friday, August 8th. This can be in the form of a demo on MySpace, FaceBook, YouTube or personal site, and bands must sign up at http://www.villagegamer.net/battle-of-the-bands/. Winners of the four performance slots will be notified on Friday evening between 8 and 9pm.

The competition’s host band Mendella is currently on a two week tour of the Lower Mainland promoting their music prior to hitting the studio to record their first commercial album, which is due in stores Spring 2009. The hard-hitting sound of Mendella is certain to rocket them to the top of rock charts around the world, and they put on a show to remember. Mendella first visited Vancouver for the New Music West Festival in May, and after seeing the plight of the homeless in the downtown eastside, were moved to write the song Saw Me Bleeding. Now, fresh from performances at the Digital Storm Videogame Tournament and the Tom Lee Music Hall in Vancouver, Mendella is ready to rock the country side of the valley before performing at The Roxy on August 13th in Vancouver. Mendella will be taking the stage at 7pm on Saturday night, but you can get a preview by visiting myspace.com/mendellaband.

Finalist bands will need to provide:

Drum Breakables – Sticks, Cymbals, Snare
Guitars, cords, pedals
Fans to cheer them on

We will provide:

Drum kit (minus breakables), amps, mics, PA, sound board, sound mixer (you can use your own sound tech if you have one)

If you have any questions, please use the Contact form and we’ll get back to you asap.