BLENDER: FILM & GAMES CONFERENCE

26 Sept

The Croatian film industry and the video game industry are ‘‘blending’’ and creating a new platform for discussing current topics - Blender: Film & Games!

The conference will be held on October 4, 2024 at the University of Algebra, and panels and workshops are free for all interested parties, with advance registration open until October 3, 6:00 p.m.. The program will take place on two stages, and in the workshop rooms, while the AV Career Day will be organized in the lobby of the University of Algebra, which will inform all interested participants about the possibilities of finding a career in the audiovisual industry.

Panels and lectures that visitors will be able to listen to on October 4th in the two halls are:

• Crossmedia and Transmedia: From Film to Video Game and From Video Games to Film // speakers: Aleksandar Gavrilović, Cluster of Croatian Video Game Producers / Hrvoje Mitić, Games Scout, GamesCo London / Ivan Murat, Nanobit / Peđa Čačić, Protopixel / Ph.D. Ilija Barišić // Moderator: Dunja Trojan, CEO, Broadcast.hr

• The First Croatian Feature Film about a Sports Legend – Dražen // speakers: Ivor Šiber, Jučer d.o.o / Ljubo Zdjelarević, Kinoteka // Moderator: doc. Ph.D. Boško Picula, Faculty of Political Sciences

• How We Create Sets of World Movie Hits! // speakers: Naomi Liston (Belfast, Ireland) / Klaus Grosse Darrlemann (Berlin, Germany); Location managers of hits such as: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Game of Thrones, Avengers: Endgame, Game of Thrones: The Last Watch and Red Sparrow // Moderator: Mia Pećina Drašković, Zagreb film office

• Narrative Design vs. Script Writing: writing for films and video games // speakers: Siniša Bahun, academic playwright / Jan Juračić, narrative designer / Sanja Adorea Valor, narrative designer / Velimir Grgić, screenwriter & author / Igor Margan, Algebra University // Moderator: Marin Pavelić, Netocracy

• Worldwide Successes of Croatian Video Games // speakers: Boris Barbir, Pine Studio / Davor Hunski, Croteam / Tomislav Uzelac, 2X2 Games / Ivan Murat, Nanobit / Mario Mihoković, LGM & Overseer Games // Moderator: Dunja Trojan, Broadcast.hr

• Film Criticism in the Age of Social Networks // speakers: Iva Rosandić, Dokumentarni.net / Milena Zajović, journalist and film critic / Josip Jurčić, Kinofilm / Marko Stojiljković, freelance journalist and film critic (Ormož, Slovenia) // Moderator: doc. Ph.D. Boško Picula, Faculty of Political Sciences.

• From Westeros to Middle Earth: Art and Research in 3D Scenography // lecturer: Doc.art. Predrag Šuka, University of Algebra

• Animation - Similarities and Differences in Animation for Films and Video Games // speakers: Danijel Dizdarević, Gamepires / Sara Jurić, Gamempires / Mladen Đukić (Banja Luka, BiH), Aeon Production Ltd. // Moderator: Lucija Pilić, journalist

• Virtual production: The Use of Game Engines in the Production of Feature Films, series, TV programs // speakers: Antonio Nuić, film director / Jurica Šimunković, Digital Dynamics & Novalis Europe / Hrvoje Boljkovac, Light Film International / Boris Hergešić, Livada Produkcija / Andrija Zorić, University of Algebra/ Armin Konjalić, LED Unit (Riga, Latvia) // Moderator: Velimir Grgić, Pulsar Produkcija

• How the Stage 32 Platform Can Help You Get Involved in Worldwide Film Production; Sam Sokolow, Head of Certification and 2x Emmy nominated producer

• The Man Who Couldn't Keep Silent - Croatian Candidate for the 97th Oscar and the First Croatian Film to Win the Palme d'Or in Cannes! // Nebojša Slijepčević, director // Moderator: Ph.D. Višnja Pentić / filmologist and film critic

• Sound Design and Music - Similarities and Differences in the Design of Sound and Music for Movies and Video Games // speakers: Ivan Zelić, sound designer / Dalibor Grubačević, composer / Davor Manojlović, composer / Ana Krstajić, composer (Belgrade, Serbia) // Moderator : Damjan Mravunac, composer and sound designer

• An Actor for Everything: Voice Acting, Motion Capture and Performance Capture // Veselin Krstovski, Motion Capture Operations & Performer / Danijel Dizdar, voice actor / Admir Elezović, Croteam / Igor Pecotić, Rubikon SF / Petra Vukelic, Teatra Prima Vista / Erna Rudnički , actress // Moderator: Igor Belan, HCL.hr

• How to Promote your Movie on Roblox? // lecturer: Branko Ružić, screenwriter

• Where to Get Educated to Work in the Audiovisual Industry? // Representatives of the University of VERN, the Academy of Dramatic Arts, the University of Algebra and the Pismo Incubator (Novska)

• Game designer / Game Director and Film Director: Creative Blending of Directing // Davor Hunski, Croteam / Boris Vuković, film director & game designer / Rea Budić, Tiny Meow studio / Filip Zadro, film director / Tea Stepanić, BlackMill Games // Moderator : Igor Belan, HCL.hr

• And They Are Not Even 30 yet! // Presentation of the young hopes of the Croatian AV scene; Screenwriters: Karla Leko, Filip Rutić, Marko Vukušić / Stage designers: Matej Kniewald, Iva Stanković / Producers: Lucija Perić, Iris Tomić / Directors: Dina Uglešić, Lovro Badelj, Sara Alavanić

• The Future of Film and Video Game Adaptations // Predavač: dr.sc. Ilija Barisic

• SRAM: Recipe for a Successful Teen Series // Ivan Lovreček, CGM Films / Maja Fišter, project editor (HRT) / prof. Miranda Novak, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation // Moderator: Milena Zajović, film critic

Three workshops will be held in a special hall, for which those interested can register no later than October 2nd via email info@blenderzagreb.eu:

How to realize a script for a hit movie? // Workshop leader: Branko Ružić // from 9:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m
How to make a screenplay for a hit video game? // Workshop leader: Siniša Bahun // from 14:30 to 18h
FILM & GAMING: From 2D photography to a 3D world // Workshop leader: Ivan Šivak // from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

AV Career Day is a special program within the conference aimed at anyone who wants a career in film or video game creation. The following companies and educational institutions will present their programs at the promotional desks in the lobby of the University of Algebra:

• Presentation of video games: The Dunkers (Pet Rusa), Dark Queen (Downtown Game studio), Bura: The Way the Wind Blows (Tiny Meow studio), Professor Balthazar (Gamechuck)

• Academy of Dramatic Arts (ADU) / VERN University / University of Algebra / PISMO Incubator / Games Croatia, HAVC

The Blender conference is organized by the Zagreb Film Office and Games Croatia (Croatian Audiovisual Centre - HAVC ). The Games Croatia project is intended to promote and further develop the Croatian video game industry at the national, European and world level, all with the aim of developing and growing this rapidly growing sector through promotion at international fairs and conferences. Also, the conference is held with the support of the University of Algebra, the City Office for Culture and Civil Society, and the Tourist Board of the City of Zagreb. Additional support was also provided by film and gaming associations: HDFK, HDFD, CGDA, Croatian esports federation, Reboot, Hu-iz-vi, Pismo, as well as Međimurski lepi dečki brewery, Free Spirit Distillery and GameBoost Energy.