From Telefilm to Telemachus

So I’ve been doing this for a couple months now and just never had the time to post about it.

Telefilm Canada is running the Great Canadian Video Game Competition, which invites independent Canadian developers to propose projects and get funding for development. From all of the entries to the competition, the jury (which includes my boss Yannis) selected 10 teams. For making it past the first selection each of the teams were given a small amount of initial financing (I think) as well as biz-dev support from Price Waterhouse Coopers, and mentoring from various industry professionals. I accepted the offer to act as mentor to two of the teams.

I don’t know whether I can say which ones, so I won’t, but I will say the entire process of meeting with these teams, talking to them about their concept and helping them push it forward so they can hopefully make it to the next round has been exciting and inspiring.

The next gate for these teams is another presentation to the jury at GDC. Only four of the ten teams from the first round will make it to the next round. Regardless of whether or not either (or both) of the teams I’ve been working with makes it through, I think they both have extremely interesting concepts and I’m very happy to have had a chance to work with them up this point.

Comments

[David Sirlin]

Clint, mentor me. I would so much like to make a game that raises awareness about civil rights. Such a game, I think, cannot be made within the normal industry: it must be an indie project. Finding tech people has always been my Achilles heel, not to mention how to handle funding in a case where you need to be absolutely sure that the people with the purse-strings aren't influencing the message.

PS, this game would actually be fun, too. ;) I'm jealous of these other teams getting your good advice.

Good luck at GDC,
--Sirlin
www.sirlin.net