Em Media Presents a Public Domain event

When: 28th April

Where: National college school leadership, Nottingham

Speakers:

Codemasters

EA

Em Media

De Montfort University

Game developers searching for new ideas and the innovators of the future may well turn to the yearly crop of graduates fresh from the UK's universities. But is this talent ready for the workplace?

Why do some developers look over-seas?

Does a university course provide the necessary know-how and indeed is the industry ready to embrace this new talent?

These questions and the surrounding issues will be answered at EM Media's next PUBLIC DOMAIN event to be held in Nottingham on Thursday 28 April. PUBLIC DOMAIN: NEW TALENT will focus on new talent in the industry and include a keynote speech from Jolyon Webb (Codemasters) in addition to a panel discussion with Fred Gill (Electronic Arts), Michael Powell (De Montfort University) and Toby Barnes (EM Media).

The event is not the chance to try out a sales pitch or headhunt; instead EM Media aims to facilitate a frank and open discussion of the art and science of games development.

Toby Barnes, Executive Producer (Digital Media) at EM Media comments, "Working with Universities and the companies here in the East Midlands there clearly is a gap to bridge when it comes to the life-blood of our industry. Where do we find the next stars, how do we encourage people to move up in an organisation to a place where they want to be?"

With around 20% of the UK's development occurring within the East Midlands and some of the biggest games icons born here, EM Media has recognised the need to support the games development sector in order to ensure it can grow and mature to produce the world's next top games, both in terms of sales and creativity and innovation."

Confirmed speakers:

Toby Barnes, (EM Media) on EM Media's role within games development in the East Midlands. Fred Gill, (Chief Technology Director, Electronic Arts) on the current needs of the UK's development community. Jolyon Webb, (Principal Artist, Central Technology Group), on developing talent, working with education and the future for developers. Michael Powel, (Senior Lecturer in Games Design, De Montfort University) has been running a game development course for the past three years, and is providing the game community with some of the most talented graduates in the country.

PUBLIC DOMAIN: Developing Games in the East Midlands takes place on Thursday 28 April at NCSL (National College of School Leadership) in Nottingham, starting at 6pm. Registration is free. Places can be booked via games@em-media.org.uk or just turn up on the night.

EM Media is the regional screen agency shaping a vibrant media future across England's East Midlands. It has the full support of the UK Film Council and Skillset at a national level and East Midlands Development Agency and Culture East Midlands at a regional level. Its aims and priorities are focused on the development of a sustainable and accessible film and media industry in the region.

EM Media supports the games development sector within the East Midlands through a variety of routes and by providing these support services aims to provide a backbone to the development of new and existing products and services. EM Media provides investment and support through training, skills development, research and development, tax credit assessment, royalty audit assessment, business development and pitch development services. EM Media has historically invested in products and games and currently has a substantial amount to invest in further media product

EM Media also provides a range of media business support and development services (including location finding and crew support) in addition to financial investment for individuals and businesses working in film, television, radio and digital media across England's East Midlands.

The East Midlands Games Initiative is driven by EM Media and designed for everyone in the business of games within the region. PUBLIC DOMAIN: is a series of events that provide the East Midland's development community with a commercial and technological driven professional analysis of developing games in the region along with a far-reaching program of content.

NCSL (National College of School Leadership) is one of Nottingham's largest exhibition and conference venues. Public transport links to NCSL are well established with the rail station and the City just minutes away by taxi. There is easy access to the M1, A52 and NCSL offers car parking facilities for over 200 cars. For more information visit www.ncsl.org.uk/directions

For further information please contact: Toby.barnes@em-media.org.uk or sally.hodgson@em-media.org.uk.