If you're in Melbourne and free during mid November, then be sure to check out the inaugural International Digital Entertainment Festival (iDEF)! Taking part will be a slew of presentations from international guests such as Pixar, Google, Lucas Arts and more, as well as local game developers such as Infinite Interactive and Tantalus.
There's also a presentation from the CEO of Hybrid TV who'll be doing two sessions for game developers and enthusiasts on making games for the TiVo platform. You'll find out a whole lot about developer kits and revenue streams, and I've been told that those particular sessions will be free to attend as well. Spaces are limited, and you need to register first. Click here to find out more! The following is the media release where you can find out a bit more about iDEF!
The International Digital Entertainment Festival set to bring the world's digital best to Melbourne
Spokespeople from many of the world's leading digital entertainment organisations will convene in Melbourne in November to deliver keynote presentations as part of the inaugural International Digital Entertainment Festival (iDEF).
Stemming from the hugely successful eGames Expo, iDEF is a celebration of all things digital and will present a series of events highlighting various aspects of the broader digital entertainment industries.
iDEF will 'kick off' with the two day 'Develop' Symposium and Industry Showcase held at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre on Wednesday 12th November. Develop will provide industry professionals, educators, students and government representatives with a rare opportunity to hear from local and international keynote speakers from some of the world's leading digital entertainment companies.
The Develop program boasts an impressive array of speakers that will provide delegates with an inside perspective into how these organisations operate in order to continually maintain a competitive edge in these fast-paced and ever-emerging industries. Presentations will cover a wide range of topics, such as workplace operations, R&D and current projects and will also explore the ways in which Australian operators can enter the industry or continue to improve their international business competitiveness.
The organisations involved in the Industry Symposium read like a 'whos who' of the industry and include Pixar, Google, Infinite Interactive (recent recipients of Film Victoria's inaugural Tim Richards award for leadership in the digital media arena), HyperFactory, Microsoft, Tantalus Media, Intel, Lucas Arts, Iloura and Reactive.
Scottish education luminary, Derek Robertson will present a much anticipated keynote in which he will discuss his findings regarding the specific games that he has found to help with learning.
TiVo CEO, Robbee Minicola will deliver a presentation which will look at the new world of TiVo Hybrid TV.
A 'hot' panel discussion, featuring particpants from HyperFactory, Pixar, Microsoft and Primal Clarity, will also explore where digital entertainment is heading.
On Friday, 14th November, Develop will continue its foray into the digital entertainment industries with the famous eGames Expo, Australia's premier digital video games event and the Digital Lifestyle Show, enabling visitors to gain an insight into the latest digital entertainment and lifestyle products. The 'Develop' ICT Careers Expo will be included as part of these expos in order to provide students with the opportunity to gain an understanding of the career opportunities that exist in the digital space.
iDEF has been established to encompass the Digital Entertainment Industry in its entirety. With Australian consumers expected to spend over $6 billion on digital devices in 2008, the digital content industry is recognised as the fastest growing economic sector internationally. Further, the fact that Australian electronic games industry totalled sales of over $156M in 2008 demonstrates that the digital entertainment industry is continuing to boom.
iDEF will offer the ideal combination of events to enable industry professionals and consumers alike to get a better insight into the current state of play in the digital space.
Tickets for the 'Develop' Industry Symposium, Careers Expo, eGames Expo and the Digital Lifestyle Show are available through the iDEF website www.idef.com.au
Develop Symposium and Industry Showcase
Develop ICT Symposium 12-13 November, Auditorium, Melbourne Exhibition Centre
Digital Lifestyle Show and eGames Expo 14-16 Nov, Melbourne Exhibition Centre