Utlysning: GameLab Hamar

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GameLab Hamar is Hamar Game Collective’s two-year talent development program. The initiative is for game developers who want to develop professionally and who have the ambition to produce their first video game, or have previously produced a video game and have ambition for greater reach and further development of their talent and ideas.

The aim of the program is to clarify the participants’ connection to the industry, as well as to facilitate creative and commercial success. To participate in the program, you apply as a team with an idea for a video game.

Through a series of gatherings, events & exercises, mentors from the national and international game development industry will facilitate the teams to develop projects and get partners and networks. The game developers will also participate in various arenas that will help to make the projects and teams visible nationally and internationally.

The teams are committed to participating in all the gatherings, events & exercises . They will receive guidance tailored to their particular project, and will be allocated funds for the development and production of the game. The development of the projects at this stage will help to strengthen the game developers’ voice and uniqueness, and is used to explore the longer project. In addition, the teams commit to become members of Hamar Game Collective and office space is made available at Hamar Game Collective.

As game developers and industry veterans we know that game development ain’t cheap so thanks to our amazing partners Sparebankstiftelsen Hedmark and Talent Norge AS (Talent Norway AS) we invest a total of 3.500.000 NOK over two years into this program. The funds are meant to cover costs like:

• Salary stipend for talents
• Rent/office space
• Travel  
• Accounting
• Registering fees and share capital (if needed)
• Administration
• Other

The selection of mentors and content of the program, will vary based on what needs of the team, which platforms they choose, what type of games they want to create, what technical challenges and needs they may have etc. This is intended to be clarified as early as possible in order to discover which mentors within which disciplines we need to connect. Areas that should be covered for various parts of game development are storytelling, 2d / 3d animation, concept art, project management, rigging and modeling, marketing / community, business development, programming, music and audio, etc.

To participate in the program you will have to apply as a team with ideas for a game (or several), on any platform. The team will have to be a minimum of four people and a maximum of six people. The roles as CEO/Company Manager, Art Director and Technical Director needs to be in place, as well as additional roles that you would need for your team. 

One team will be chosen to participate in the program based on

• the talents’ personal motivation,
• the nature and uniqueness of the project/game 
• the team’s competence of game development
• the team’s experience & portfolio 

An extensive and full list of criteria will be provided all applicants. The teams must also be prepared to come pitch both the team and their game ideas to us here at Hamar Game Collective. It’s important to note that the focus for the selection will be heavily focused on the team, more than the game/games. This is because we want to give you the coaching and mentorship in ideation, market validation and building/testing ideas and prototypes from the get go!

GameLab Hamar is for game developers who already have results to show, have completed game education or have production experience and / or relevant industry experience.

The program is open to all game developers from across the country / regardless of gender, background and geographical affiliation, but in order to be a part of Hamar Game Collective you have to work from our offices as being part of our great community truly important. 

Application due date is 19.04.2020. You can submit your application up to 23.59 (CET+1)

Below we describe a list of criteria for your application to the GameLab Hamar Talent Program. We know it seems like a lot, but don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it seems. Also, If there are elements that you yet can not provide, that’s fine, but there are some things that are mandatory and we must have in order to evaluate your application. The mandatory bits are marked with *. The more information you provide the better. 

As stated earlier the focus for the selection will be heavily focused on the team, more than the game/games. If you have a game in the works thats great, and we would like you to provide the information you have from the points in the program/game section. If you have several ideas for games, thats super and a quick High Concept Document for each idea will do, or a list of different ideas that you might have that can be explored in the talent program.

Also should you have questions regarding the list of criteria, contact us, and we will help you out.

GAMELAB HAMAR CRITERIA DETAILS

TEAM:

• Team/Company Name*
• Short description of your team, who has which roles*
• Describe your team’s motivation*
• Describe your team’s vision*
• Describe your team’s goals*
• Describe your project vision*
• Describe your project goals*
• Describe your team’s strengths and where you will need help/support*
• Team Portfolio and experience (Your experience in working in this team / If any)*

We want you to describe all things team/company related in a document or presentation. If you do not have experience in working in this team, that’s fine, just state it in the document.

INDIVIDUAL (FOR ALL TEAM MEMBERS):

• Description of personal motivation*
• Personal Resumé / CV*
• Portfolio (if you have one)
• Credits (Have you been credited for games or other projects?)

Here we want to explore the individual experience and motivation. This might be a bit scary, especially if you are going into a role that you have not been in before. It’s not to scare anyone, it’s there so that we know where we can help you out and support you. If you are going into a CEO role, and you have not done that before, we will help you out. If you have yet to be credited for game dev work, let us know.

PROJECT/GAME:

• Game Ideas*
• High Concept Document (If you have)
• Game Design Document (If you have one)
• Concept art (if any)
• Market strategy, marketing plan (Preliminary)
• Community strategy (If any / Preliminary)
• Business Plan/Budget (Preliminary)
• Post release business plan (Preliminary)

The most important things here are the parts that let us easily understand your ideas/project/games. You might not have all these things perfectly clear just yet, but we want you to consider and think about them. We will of course help you out with all of the points that are unclear. We do not need a deep dive into market strategy and a perfect budget, but we need you to have considered this to the best of your ability.

Practical details we need to know:

• Are you a registered AS?*
• In what stage is your idea/game?*
• Where is your Team located at this moment?*
• Contact information*
• Sexual harassment policy
• Other

How you decide to submit it up to you. Share a dropbox link with us, send it via e-mail etc.

And again, should you have any questions, please contact us, and we will help and clarify! We are so so exited to see all the fantastic submissions.