Games for Girls FREE March 26, 2008

How much? FREE – but booking essential, via the website www.createkx.org.uk

Japanese women have overtaken their male counterparts to become the biggest users of Nintendo’s Wii and DS machines in a seismic shift that the company said would “transform the video games industry”. Leo Lewis, The Guardian

Girl? Geek? Gamer? None of the above? If you’re already in the industry or considering a move to the sector then join us.
As Japanese women overtake men as the main users of Wii and DS, what is the future for women and the games industry? We’ll be holding a lively discussion on the changing role of women in games, from some very different perspectives. You’ll also have a chance to stick your own oar in.
Hot topics will include:
 The Future of Gaming: How is software/content changing? Are women playing a fundamental role in its development? And will current changes make the sector a more popular choice for the next generation?
 A Different Perspective: What are the qualities which women can offer in design, development, management, leadership and steering?
 The Road to Success: in a growing industry with such diverse skills requirements, what are the necessary skills, opportunities and rewards?
 The Female Factor: Matthew Jeffery, Head of European Recruitment at EA Games advised responding to growing skills shortages by attracting talent from other new industries - particularly women. Should there be more incentives for women to work in games? Is it really beneficial to target women separately? Should we stop focussing on gender, or is it the best way to ensure continued innovation in the industry?

And the most important part follows: Wine, nibbles and chat.

Speakers:
Toby Barnes
Executive Producer, Pixel-lab

Toby has a 14-year history within the interactive media industries working in a variety of roles through publishing, publication, investment and development for a number of key UK industry organisations such as MTV, NTL (Virgin Media), Emap (Future Publishing) and Two Way TV Games. As a founding member of ntl's Interactive Division he launched Europe's first commercial interactive TV service. More recently he was responsible for interactive content across all platforms for MTV multiple European channels, winning a BAFTA for his work launching MTV2. At the regional sectorial development agency for media in Central UK, he built on his substantial knowledge of the games sector, gaining in-depth understanding of government support and commercial investments. He is currently the managing director of Pixel-Lab. Pixel-Lab is a consultancy and production company, adept at developing strategies and delivering projects to grow and support the videogames and digital media industries. Pixel-Lab's work ranges from producing research to inform partners' decisions, to producing strategies to deliver against priorities for a specific organisation, country or region. Alongside this strategic work, Pixel-Lab delivers a number of projects for clients, ranging from event management to interactive product development. Pixel-Lab often works directly with individuals and organisations many of who are in start up stages or are defined as 'new talent' around key issues identified as barriers to development in our sector.

Emmeline Dobson
Game Designer, Nik Nak Games

Emmeline has been professionally testing and designing big-budget videogames for home console since 1999. Her work on games has covered projects for all three major players, Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, and involves collaboration with programming, animation, music and writing specialists.

Additionally she has an active interest in issues facing the international games industry, such as the challenge of managing increasingly large teams required to make the new generation of blockbuster games. In her spare time she makes things with paint, pencils, paper, computers, or whatever else at hand, and is progressing steadily towards 120 stars in Super Mario Galaxy.

Currently she works at Nik Nak Games.

Divinia Knowles
Head Of Operations & Financial Controller
Mind Candy specialises in the development of interactive online entertainment, most notably the award winning Perplex City and currently Moshi Monsters, a virtual world and online game for little and big kids alike. Divinia joined Mind Candy in early 2006, leveraging eight years experience in the high end retail industry and valuable insight and knowledge regarding the leadership and management challenges faced by small start up and growing companies.

Sandi Kurkdjian
Partner, Harbottle & Lewis, lawyers specialising in media and entertainment law.
Steering Committee, Women In Games

Sandi Kurkdjian is a Partner in the Litigation Practice at Harbottle & Lewis LLP which is one of the leading law firms in the United Kingdom in the computer games industry. Sandi advises in relation to a wide range of disputes in the interactive entertainment industry. Areas of particular speciality are copyright and contractual disputes.
As one of the few female lawyers in the video games industry, Sandi attended the inaugural “Women In Games” conference and has since been a member of the Women In Games steering committee.

Official Website: http://www.createkx.org.uk