SCADFILM presents virtual SCAD GamingFest April 9-10

Savannah and Atlanta — March 25, 2021 Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is pleased to announce the return of SCADFILM’s annual SCAD GamingFest, which will be presented in an all-virtual format April 9-10, 2021.

SCAD GamingFest will feature captivating programming every hour on the hour throughout the two-day event, with sessions that promise to ignite imagination and creativity, and spotlight the innovators, storytellers, and designers on the leading edge of game design and development. The highly anticipated event features a global guest list of working professionals and industry luminaries who will present programming and lead conversations exploring technical advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), photogrammetry, XR, player dynamics, and virtual production.

Over 125 game development companies are based in Georgia, further emphasizing the connection between game design and creative careers in the region. SCAD, always at the forefront of creative industry innovation and knowledge, offers top-ranked instruction in the fields of study and degree programs highlighted at SCAD GamingFest through the SCAD School of Digital Media and SCAD School of Entertainment Arts.

“The world’s greatest games unite two vastly important arenas of human invention: science and storytelling,” says SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace. “At SCAD GamingFest, students and gamers from across the planet explore and experience both the technical and the narrative magic of contemporary games, with panels and presentations on everything from artificial intelligence and photogrammetry to creating genuinely empathetic characters and backstories. SCAD is where creators go to learn, design, and join the ranks of the world’s great game innovators.”

Current SCAD students will have the opportunity to engage with industry leaders throughout the signature event as well as showcase their innovative work. On Saturday, April 10, audiences will have the opportunity to go behind the scenes with SCAD student game designers at “The Making of Zoelie,” a cross-departmental collaboration.

This year’s festival marks the launch of SCAD Games Studio, which will allow participants to download and play student-developed games through Steam. There will also be a Twitch takeover in partnership with Skillshot Media on Saturday, April 10 that will include a SCAD vs. SCAD Rocket League competition.

The university is proud to announce that, for the first time, all SCAD GamingFest keynote speakers are university alumni, demonstrating that SCAD is the preeminent university for game design. These speakers include:

• Jeff White (M.F.A., computer art, 2004), VFX supervisor and creative director, Industrial Light & Magic
• Jolie Menzel (B.F.A., sequential art, 2012), lead narrative designer, The Coalition
• Matt Ward (B.F.A., computer art, 1999), cinematic director, Bungie
• Seth Smith (B.F.A., interactive design and game development, 2010), senior game designer, Riot Games

Actor, producer, and author Wil Wheaton will accept the Spotlight Award and provide a first glimpse into his forthcoming reality competition series GameMaster, which begins production in Atlanta in 2021.

“We are pleased to provide virtual access to our festival to a global audience of digital entertainment developers, designers, and enthusiasts,” said SCADFILM Senior Executive Director Leigh Seaman. “In the past year, the incredible work done by the industry leaders joining us for SCAD GamingFest proved there are no boundaries to the creative opportunity found in game design, especially when it comes to using tools from the gaming industry to create content for other platforms. SCAD GamingFest promises an explosion of creativity from the collision of story, design, and technology.”

SCAD GamingFest is presented by SCADFILM, the leading program for students and working professionals in film and television, animation, gaming, virtual reality, and digital arts.

Passes for SCAD GamingFest are on sale now.

SCADFILM is the leading program for students and working professionals in film and television, animation, gaming, virtual reality, and digital arts. Through access to industry luminaries, state-of-the-art resources, private screenings, and exclusive master classes, SCADFILM offers behind-the-scenes experiences and year-round programming for members and guests, including three festivals — SCAD AnimationFest, SCAD aTVfest, and SCAD GamingFest — and a summer storytelling series.

The preeminent authority in film and television with the only university-run casting office in the country, SCAD is driving the multibilliondollar film and television industry in Atlanta, Business Facilities Magazine’s No. 1 city for film production, and Savannah, MovieMaker’s No. 1 small city for filmmaking. SCAD students, alumni and faculty have won Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, Golden Reels, Tonys, Annies, and more. More than 8,100 SCAD students and alumni work in the fields of animation, entertainment, motion pictures, media production, writing, editing, broadcast media, and performing arts, with over 2,800 in Georgia alone.

SCAD: THE UNIVERSITY FOR CREATIVE CAREERS

The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering more than 100 academic degree programs in more than 40 majors across its locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCAD eLearning and SCADnow.

SCAD enrolls approximately 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 100 countries. The innovative SCAD curriculum engages professional-level technology and other advanced learning resources, and affords students opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and real-world assignments with corporate partners through SCADpro, the university’s renowned research lab and prototype generator. In 2020, the prestigious Red Dot Design Rankings placed SCAD as the No. 1 university in the U.S. and in the top two universities in the Americas and Europe for the fourth consecutive year. Career preparation is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. In a recent study, 99% of SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. SCAD provides students and alumni with ongoing career support through personal coaching, alumni programs, a professional presentation studio, and more.