As applications to the Games Enterprise program of the Australian Interactive Fund closes today, Screen Australia have announced two new Games industry experts to the games program assessment committee which already includes Screen Australia’s Investment Managers Mike Cowap and Justin Halliday. The committee will be looking through the applications received and working to decide which applicants will be allocated up to $1 million of funding over the next three years.
The new members of the committee are Siobhan Reddy (Studio Director at Media Molecule) and Rob Murray (founder of Firemint). From the Screen Australia...
Siobhan Reddy is Studio Director at Media Molecule, who created the hugely successful and innovative LittleBigPlanet game franchise. She was recently named Australian Woman of the Year in the UK and by the BBC as one of the 100 most powerful women in the UK. Cultivating an early fascination with fanzines, technology, pop culture and entertainment led to her first job at Spike Wireless. Siobhan entered the games industry at 18 years of age as Production Assistant at Perfect Entertainment in the UK on DiscWorld Noir. By 1999, she had joined Criterion Games as Producer where she consistently shipped high-quality titles including, Burnout 3 and Burnout 4.
Rob Murray has broad experience in the Australian games industry as an entrepreneur, designer, producer and engineer. In 1999, Rob founded Firemint, the critically acclaimed game developer and publisher best known for iPhone hits Real Racing and Flight Control. Firemint’s accolades include Design Awards from Apple, and the Federal Government’s Australian Exporter of the Year (Art & Entertainment). Rob has been personally recognised by Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year awards as well as the Pearcey IT award for taking a risk and making a difference in the development of the Australian ICT industry. Rob sold Firemint to NASDAQ listed Electronic Arts in 2011 and continued there as an executive producer until early 2013. He has also served terms as a director of Film Victoria and the Game Developers’ Association of Australia. Rob is currently pursuing investments in the broader technology industry.
Screen Australia will announce the successful applicants for the Games Enterprise Program at their Jobs, Dollars, Hearts & Minds conference in Canberra on the 18th of June, 2013.