Next Level Dundee

For immediate release: Monday 2 August 30 July

Digital artists and budding new media professionals looking for their big break are invited to Next Level Dundee, an intensive one-week creative event being held at the University of Abertay Dundee.

Anyone not already established in the creative industries can apply – whether you’re a student, non-professional artist or talented member of the public. Applications can be made until Monday 23 August at http://www.nextleveldundee.com/

The successful applicants who are selected will receive hands-on industry mentoring throughout the week. Experts from Abertay University, Dundee Contemporary Arts, Tay Screen, Realtime Worlds and many more will be on hand to guide the teams and offer insights into working to a professional standard.

Teams will be based in Abertay University’s open-plan Centre for Excellence in Computer Games Education. This industry-standard working environment is used for courses like the Professional Masters in Computer Games Development – which event organiser Iain Smith is currently studying.

Iain said: “Last year’s Next Level Dundee was a huge success, giving hugely talented people looking for their break into the creative industries a chance to work alongside professionals, and have their work showcased to the public at the NEoN Digital Arts Festival.

“This year we’ve recruited more varied industry mentors, and are looking for a wider range of skills including art, film and animation. I’m expecting very exciting, very interesting work to be produced by all the successful teams.”

He added: “I set up Next Level Dundee to help give skilled, hard-working individuals the opportunity to create a portfolio piece, attract the attention of employers, and give people the chance to work in a challenging team environment.

“The idea of working in mixed teams is exactly what creative companies look for, and they’re the skills I’m currently developing on the Professional Masters in Computer Games Development at Abertay. Judging by last year’s work, I expect great things from all the teams.”

Next Level Dundee is also incorporating Guest Mentor lectures this year, the first of which is from esteemed animator Fraser MacLean, who has worked with high-profile studios including Warner Brothers and Disney. Further Guest Mentor lectures will be announced soon.

Applications to http://www.nextleveldundee.com/ will close on Monday 23 August, and five teams of five people will be selected to take part in the event.

Applications can be made individually, or as a team. Each team will work to a single, high-level brief throughout the week.

Next Level Dundee runs from 6-10 September, and will be based in the Centre for Excellence in Computer Games Education at Abertay University.

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For high-resolution images and all other media enquiries, please contact Chris Wilson (Communications Officer) – T: 01382 308935 M: 07837 250284 E: chris.wilson@abertay.ac.uk

NOTES FOR EDITORS

This is second year that Next Level Dundee has been run at Abertay University. The event was devised, planned and launched by one highly motivated student, Iain Smith.

Iain studied BA (Hons) Game Design & Production Management before starting the new MProf Computer Games Development course, Abertay’s flagship games design course. This unique postgraduate degree is based entirely on students working in project teams to meet demanding, industry-standard challenges.

This course and Next Level Dundee are both based in Abertay’s Centre for Excellence in Computer Games Education, a £3 million facility funded by the Scottish Government. This open-plan space is designed to give students experience of working in the same environment as leading computer games and creative companies.

Further information about Next Level Dundee – including the online application form – is available at http://www.nextleveldundee.com/

Further information about the Professional Masters in Computer Games Development is available at http://www.abertay.ac.uk/studying/find/pg/cgd/