Village Gamer

The Toronto International Microfinance Summit organizers have announced that Philip Smith, successful American entrepreneur and co-author of A Billion Bootstraps: Microcredit, Barefoot Banking, and the Business Solution for Ending Poverty will speak at its Friday Gala and set the tone for the 2-day Toronto event. In its third year, the Summit brings together microfinance practitioners, business, international development agencies, NGOs and students to learn, interact and get involved. This year’s theme – From Microcredit to Financial Inclusion: Making a Difference in our World – is the focus of the signature events:

Gala – September 16 (Arcadian Court, 401 Bay Street) to raise funds for international and domestic microfinance projects and a scholarship. Reception: 6:00 pm, Dinner & Program: 7:30 pm. Silent & live auctions, entertainment.

Conference -September 17 (Allstream Centre, Exhibition Place,105 Princes’ Blvd.) features experts who address the effectiveness of microfinance as a poverty alleviation tool and provide frontline insights from around the world. A NEW MicroMarketplace will showcase products of micro-entrepreneurs. Registration: 7:30 -9:00 am, Program & Lunch: 9:00 am-5:00 pm.

“Microfinance is an effective way to deal with poverty,” says Dr. Carol Golench, President of Toronto International Microfinance Summit. “When you consider that, worldwide, in 2009 over 92 million borrowers from nearly 2,000 microfinance institutions had an average loan balance of $527USD, you realize microfinance is addressing poverty in a significant way and transforming people’s lives.”

“Microcredit enables people to become givers, not takers,” adds Philip Smith. “Microcredit should not be seen as charity but rather as the opportunity poor people need to build a decent life. Through microcredit, donors can shed the old hand-out mentality and become true partners in progress with the people of the developing world.”

Over 30 event speakers include: Bob Annibale – Citi, Joyce Lehman – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Michael Bowles – Aga Khan Foundation, Kadita (A.T.) Tshibaka – Opportunity International USA, Stéphanie Émond – FINCA Canada, Dr. Tanjina Mirza, PLAN Canada, Jeff Rayman – UEnd: Poverty Foundation, Deborah Lindholm – Foundation for Women and Gordon Crann – Rotarian Action Group for Microcredit.

Once again, The MasterCard Foundation is providing financial assistance for the first 100 students to register for the conference. Early Bird Deadline for conference tickets is September 2nd.

The call for submissions to present lectures, roundtables and panel sessions at the 2012 Game Developers Conference® (GDC) is now open through Tuesday, September 6^th. Organized by the UBM TechWeb Game Network, GDC 2012 is the game industry’s most comprehensive and longest running professionals-only event where game developers converge for a week of learning, networking and inspiration. GDC 2012 will take place March 5-9 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California. Session proposals can be submitted via the official GDC website.

The GDC 2012 advisory board welcomes a slate of new members primarily aiding in the content planning for the Business, Marketing & Management, Production, and Visual Arts tracks including:

Chris Charla, Portfolio Director for XBLA, Microsoft Game Studios
Prior to joining Microsoft, Charla served as VP of business development at Foundation 9 Entertainment as well as editor-in-chief of Next Generation Magazine and launch editor of IGN.com.  In his new role at Microsoft Game Studios, Charla helps to shape Microsoft’s first party digital games portfolio.

Rod Fergusson, Executive Producer, Epic Games
As executive producer for Epic Games’ blockbuster Gears of War franchise,
Fergusson led the production of Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360) and the 2006 Game of the Year, Gears of War (Xbox 360, PC), in addition to collaborating with creative talent on the Gears of War novels, comic books and film. During his 10 year tenure at Microsoft, Fergusson also produced a number of game projects including Train Simulator, Blood Wake and Counter-Strike (Xbox).

Lee Petty, Project Lead & Art Director, Double Fine Productions
Since 1996, Petty has worked in the game industry in a wide variety of art production and leadership roles.  Petty has shipped numerous console and PC titles at companies such as Accolade, Infogrames, and Crystal Dynamics. Petty is currently at Double Fine Productions, where he serves as art director and project lead; his work includes 2009’s Brutal Legend and 2011’s Stacking.

Justin Thavirat , Senior Art Director, Blizzard
Thavirat is a senior art director at Blizzard Entertainment and has been working in the video game industry since 1994. He has contributed game art, concept art, cinematics art and marketing illustrations for many of Blizzard’s games in the Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo, and World of Warcraft series. Most recently, Thavirat served as lead artist on World of Warcraft, art director on World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, and is currently art directing Blizzard’s unannounced massively multiplayer online game.

Ru Weerasuriya, Art and Creative Director and Co-Founder, Ready at Dawn Studios
Weerasuriya is the art and creative director and co-founder of Ready at Dawn Studios. 2006 saw the release of their first game, Daxter, to critical and commercial acclaim, earning them a nomination for the BAFTA awards. Formerly a senior artist with Blizzard Entertainment, Weerasuriya initially worked on Starcraft: Brood War and then contributed to the blockbuster Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. Weerasuriya’s work has been published in several books and magazines, including The Art of Warcraft, The Art of World of Warcraft, Dungeons & Dragons books and Monster Manuals.

“The GDC Advisory Board has made improving the quality of presented talks its number one goal,” said Meggan Scavio, GM, Game Developers Conference Events. “With our new board members and the introduction of a new submissions system, we are able to continue to present talks that are representative of interesting and current work happening in game development each year.”

The Internet Marketing Conference is coming to the Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside Hotel on October 3rd and 4th (Monday and Tuesday). This conference features an experienced roster of speakers who will present their thoughts on the many challenges faced by today’s moderner marketer, with a focus on the following:

• Are the web marketing lessons of the past 10 years still relevant?
• Do we still need to be “site” focused?
• What is our Cross-Platform Content Strategy?
• Who should manage our social media initiatives? Is it replacing PR?
• Should social commerce be managed separately from social media?
• Should we spend more on campaigns, technology or people?
• Is now the time to test mobile? What does a mobile strategy look like?
• Should we invest in an app or mobile site? What kind of results should we expect?
• How do we win the budget for more advanced digital marketing programs?

The digital eco-system has expanded across multiple platforms through multiple devices putting pressure on marketers to not only manage multiple touch points, but make sense of new behavior, sentiment and intent. At IMC Vancouver you will have the chance to explore, discuss and debate today’s challenges, opportunities and solutions in four different tracks:

Content, Community, Campaigns and Insights:

• Content Strategy: Email, Video, Website Content, SEO
• Community Strategy: Social Media Management and Participation
• Campaigns: Paid Search, Display, Social and Mobile
• Insights: Voice of Customer, Analytics and User Experience

Why You Should Attend:

• Take home practical, tactical advice you can apply immediately
• Get up to speed on marketing technology without becoming an engineer
• Improve your ability to manage multiple campaigns across multiple platforms
• Learn how to get insights out of data without becoming a statistician
• Align online marketing with overall business goals

Double Early Bird pricing for this conference is available until July 30th, with Regular Early Bird prices available until September 9th, when Regular prices come into effect.

The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) is pleased to announce the 2011 launch of the Atlantic Mentorship Program. Interested parties have until August 17th to get their applications in.

“It is important to the CMPA to offer regional programs and to support the retention of local talent,” said Susanne Vaas, VP of Business Affairs & Recording Secretary, CMPA. “We are grateful for our partners’ support of this important program and we look forward to another successful program year.”

Offering a total of six placements in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, the program provides local talent long-term, paid training opportunities in the film, television and interactive media sectors.

Those wanting to head back to school to train for a new career are invited to visit the nearest Vancouver Career College campus on Wednesday, July 27th, when the college hosts a province-wide open house at each of its six campuses.

Each open house will showcase the types of career training available at Vancouver Career College. Attendees will learn how the college develops its market-driven curriculum, which is based on input from industry professionals to ensure that graduates meet the demands of the business, healthcare, education, hospitality, legal administration and skilled trades sectors. They’ll also have a chance to tour the campus and meet with instructors and staff.

Whether they’re hoping to change careers or just looking to get started, attendees will learn how Vancouver Career College programs combine classroom learning with practical training from industry-experienced instructors to help students master the tools and techniques they’ll use on the job. The programs include practicum placements that allow students to put their training into practice in a job setting and gain hands-on experience in the field.

Vancouver Career College will host open house events at its campuses in Abbotsford, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey, Kelowna and Vancouver on Wednesday, July 27, 2011 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM. Guests are asked to check in at 3:45 PM.

Saskatoon-based innovative enterprise solution provider cfactor Works Inc. is pleased to announce a live online event scheduled for Thursday, July 28, at 10 am PT / 1pm ET, entitled “Empowering Strategic HR: DeVry’s Agile Approach to the Next Generation Enterprise.”

In addition to sharing examples of how agile HR is driving transformation at DeVry, presenters Deb Maher, Sr. Director, HRIS and Benefits at DeVry, Inc. and Cary Schuler, Co-Founder & CEO of cfactor will answer any questions you may have during (or even after) the event.

Join the event and learn how DeVry is leveraging an agile SaaS platform to:

•     Create and sustain Enterprise-wide engagement
•     Identify and recognize top performers
•     Quickly & effectively adapt to new compliance requirements
•     Extend existing systems and develop new efficiencies
•     Provide secure on-demand access to key workforce insights
•     Support rapid global growth needs

The SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival has a long history of presenting a variety of the world’s most innovative, accomplished, and amazing creators of digital gaming, film, and video. The Computer Animation Festival at SIGGRAPH 2011 in Vancouver this August 7th – 11th, provides a personal viewing experience unlike any other. In addition to film screenings, the Festival includes interactive sessions and exclusive learning opportunities to gain industry secrets and advice from some of the most successful professionals in the field.

“Once again, the content in the Computer Animation Festival offers something of interest to just about everyone – from industry newbies to veterans,” said Joshua Grow, Computer Animation Festival Director from The Creative-Cartel. “The content ranges from commercials to gaming. It is truly the year’s unique opportunity to hear directly from the best in the business. It should prove to be educational and inspirational.”

Listed below are just a few of the learning opportunities during the Computer Animation Festival:

Production Sessions

Production Sessions are high-level discussions that showcase the computer animation and visual effects in some of the Computer Animation Festival’s most provocative works. SIGGRAPH 2011 featured Production Sessions include:

The Visual Effects of “Thor” and “Captain America”: So Different Yet So Marvel

Marvel Studios devotes great time and effort to deliver great storytelling, strong visuals, and compelling characters to movie audiences. This session compares the films “Thor” and “Captain America” and shows how visual effects are a critical aesthetic ingredient in their success. Visual effects supervisors Wesley Sewell and Christopher Townsend and their teams from Digital Domain, Double Negative, Whiskytree, Luma Pictures, and Lola VFX review how the films combine beauty and authenticity.

Pixar: “La Luna”

Enrico Casarosa, Pixar Animation Studios

“La Luna” is the timeless fable of a young boy who is coming of age in the most peculiar of circumstances. Tonight is the very first time his Papa and Grandpa are taking him to work. In an old wooden boat, they row far out to sea, and with no land in sight, they stop and wait. A big surprise awaits the little boy as he discovers his family’s most unusual line of work. Should he follow the example of his Papa or his Grandpa? Will he be able to find his own way in the midst of their conflicting opinions and timeworn traditions? Following the Canadian premiere screening of “La Luna,” its director, Enrico Casarosa, discusses the journey that led him to create this very personal short and demonstrates the singularly artistic style by which the film was crafted.

DreamWorks Animation: The Yin and Yang of Creating the Final Battle in “Kung Fu Panda 2”

The climax of the CG-animated movie “Kung Fu Panda 2” is an epic battle featuring a flotilla of boats, an ancient Chinese-styled city, thousands of wolves armed for battle, action featuring hundreds of characters in a single shot, stylized graphic lighting, fantastical cannon fire and explosions, and a set of effects-supported Kung Fu moves. This talk provides a unique insight into the making of a CG-animated movie that goes beyond the traditional idealized concept of the pipeline.

Industrial Light & Magic Presents: Getting Dirty: Bringing the Digital Feature “Rango” to Life

This in-depth discussion focuses on the production of Industrial Light & Magic’s first animated feature “Rango.” ILM’s unique approach to the genre brings a new dimension to the animated feature, giving “Rango” the visceral quality that the company is best known for in its visual effects work. The presenters review all aspects of the work from initial asset development through animation, simulation, lighting, and compositing.

Imageworks: The Smurf-alution: A Half-Century of Character Development

Sony Pictures Imageworks animation supervisor Troy Saliba and leading members of their Vancouver animation team take the Smurfs from the most primitive pencil sketch to a contemporary 3D stereo rendering.

Industrial Light & Magic: New Solutions for New Challenges

The Industrial Light & Magic team delves into the effects created for three of 2011’s largest summer films, dissecting the challenges and revealing their solutions. The panel breaks down the visual effects challenges presented on this year’s slate of films including: “Cowboys & Aliens,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” and “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.”

Guerrilla: The Creation of Killzone 3 – Game Production Session

This talk details various aspects of designing and developing videogames at Guerrilla. It highlights methods that are very similar to methods used in the CGI industry, and it illuminates some of the most important differences. And it covers the complete breadth of videogame development from artistic design to production pipelines and tool and engine development.

Real-Time Live!

This program showcases the latest trends and best techniques for pushing the boundaries of interactive visuals in video games and real-time simulations. To help emphasize the difference between these works and pre-rendered works, real-time pieces are demonstrated live on their actual platforms without any post-production. Each live presentation lasts less than five minutes in a fast-paced, 45-minute show of diverse and aesthetically stimulating work. SIGGRAPH 2011 Real-Time Live! highlights include:

Chrysaora: WebGL Jellyfish Simulation

Savannah College of Art and Design

Chrysaora is a real-time jellyfish simulation created entirely with web technologies such as JavaScript, WebGL, WebSockets, and CSS. It uses realistic rendering and simulation techniques similar to those used in modern 3D video games, but it can run in an internet browser on any operating system.

Enlighten Real-Time Radiosity

Geomerics Ltd.

Using Geomerics Enlighten technology, this demo shows how dynamic real-time lighting enhances game play and visual quality in computer games. Enlighten is a cross-platform, real-time radiosity solution that can generate bounce lighting for a game level in a fraction of a frame.

Samaritan Real-Time Demo

Epic Games Inc.

Samaritan is a real-time demonstration of the latest Unreal Engine 3 technology that shows off DirectX 11 support and DirectX features such as tessellation and displacement mapping, geometry shaders, multi-sampled textures, and Shader Model 5. High-end rendering enhancements include image-based reflections, Bokeh depth of field, subsurface scattering, anti-aliased masked materials, deferred rendering with MSAA support, and high-quality dynamic shadows.

iMedic: Immersive Medical Environment for Distributed Interactive Consultation

Digital Artforms, Inc.

This interactive medical visualization system is based on two hand-held tracked controllers that directly control the position and orientation of two 3D cursors. Button presses enable direct manipulation of space with either or both hands, resulting in intuitive manipulation of the viewpoint. You can place yourself anywhere at any orientation and at any scale with just a few simple gestures.

RealD Presents 3D Day

The Computer Animation Festival also features an entire day highlighting the enormously popular growth of 3D in movies, including an introduction to 3D by 3ality and an excerpt from Disney’s “Lion King” in 3D. SIGGRAPH 2011 3D highlights include:

JURY AWARD

Paths of Hate

Platige Image

Two pilots, driven by blind hate, chase each other in their airplanes and thereby write cryptic messages of madness into the firmament. On their way into the abyss they transform into inhuman and distorted creatures that finally become part of the history of hate.

BEST STUDENT PROJECT PRIZE

Flamingo Pride

The Konrad Wolf Potsdam-Babelsberg Film and Television University

Frustrated being the only straight flamingo in a gay flock, our hero falls in love with a lady stork that flies by. Unable to convince her of his serious intentions he isolates himself and goes through an identity crisis. An intensive encounter inspires him to make a bold move.

IMAX Hubble 3D Visualization Excerpt: Journey Into the Orion Nebula

Space Telescope Science Institute

An excerpt from IMAX “Hubble 3D” takes viewers inside the Orion Nebula to witness the birth of stars and planets. This cinematic scientific visualization, based on data from the Hubble Space Telescope and other observatories, is the result of close collaboration between research astronomers, computer programmers, and visualization artists.

“Green Lantern”

Sony Pictures Imageworks

In a vast universe a small powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice: the Green Lantern Corps. A new enemy, Parallax, threatens to destroy the balance of power. Their fate and that of Earth lie in the hands of the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan.

Make It Home – Join Us In Vancouver This August For SIGGRAPH 2011

From ACETECH: Are you a the founder of a new technology company wondering how to validate your new product in the market?

The deadline to apply for this program has been extended to Friday July 15th.

Only 20 spots available  –  Apply Online

ACETECH is delivering a go-to-market boot camp for very early stage technology companies.  The program provides a structured process and one-on-one mentoring from an experienced technology CEO to help you get to market faster with less risk.

After successful completion of the Market Validation Program, ACETECH can refer you into the BCIC Mento Program to receive ongoing mentoring.  The BCIC Mentor Program is entirely funded by BCIC and ther is no cost to participate for 12 months.

The program includes:

• 3 full-day interactive, educational sessions
  • September 20
  • October 18
  • November 15
• 3 one-on-one mentoring sessions with an experienced technology CEO (one session per month – September to December) – to be scheduled with the mentor.

You leave with:

• A completed positioning statement and value proposition
• A strategy to go to market
• Priorities identified to achieve early adopter customers
• Training to sell to early adopters
• Actionable tools and templates
• Access to contacts and resources

Who’s eligible:

• Technology company CEO/founders
• Less than 10 employees
• Pre-revenue
• Must have a product or an early working version of the product

Program Cost & Application

The application deadline is July 1, 2011 July 15, 2011.  Your application is not a formal registration for the program.  All applicants will be contacted by ACETECH once the application has been reviewed.

JobServe.ca has introduced job branding solutions to assist customers with their employment branding initiatives. Available to all customers free of charge, these value added services enable recruiters to display their company logo on their job postings. Recruiters can further highlight their brand through a banner advertisement appearing on top of their job details page and within the Recruiter Directory. Job branding services can be easily configured and managed through the customer’s account.

Les Powell, General Manager Product & Service Delivery, commented, “At JobServe we have always taken pride in providing the best possible user experience to our candidates and continuously seeking ways to provide value added services to our customers. Candidates performing job searches on JobServe will now see company logos displayed alongside job search results. This branding will be carried forward into the job description pages allowing candidates to quickly identify the company recruiting and in turn complement the employer’s employment branding initiatives.”

Explaining how recruiters can setup their logos, Powell continued, “For recruiters, getting their branding on JobServe is very easy. Recruiters may log into the website and upload their branding through their account configuration/settings page. Once checked, the logo will then be put live and will display against search results and job descriptions.”