Scriptwriting Academy

Implementation of a 12-days lasting Visegrad Computer Game Scriptwriting Academy by 11 experts from the V4 and EaP countries and in cooperation with 6 project partners and 3 Krakow-based game studios (planned studies are: Reality Pump Studios, CD PROJEKT Red, iFUN4all) in the Villa Decius, which allows 25 emerging creators to acquire knowledge and skills related to the creation of computer game scenarios, effective functioning in the business environment of the gaming industry and therefore a better access to the labor market. Providing workshop/lecture rooms, technical equipment, accommodation and board for participants, experts and project partners. Project partners will also present their own activities at the Academy. In addition, a photo documentation of the Academy will be commissioned. In order to provide a smooth and timely implementation of the event, technical support will be provided for the period of the whole Academy. Announcements and media messages will be published on a regular basis, e-mails about the Academy will be sent to the subscribers of the applicant's newsletter, information about project activities will be posted on the project website, an intensive information campaign in social media will be conducted, information about project activities will be sent to media patrons. Information about the project will also reach the families and circles of friends of the project participants. The evaluator will prepare the tools of the final evaluation. Program of the Visegrad Computer Game Scriptwriting Academy: Day 1 Arrival of emerging creators, invited experts and project partners, accommodation, inaugural dinner. Getting to know each other. Day 2-11 Introduction to the topic of gaming industry in the form of inspirational lectures conducted by invited experts from V4 and EaP countries, presentation of the project partners’ own activities. Planned lecture topics include i.e. functioning and structure of the gaming industry; business models and marketing strategies for games as global products; the condition of the Visegrad gaming industry – its possibilities and limitations, with particular emphasis on the role of screenwriters; the theory of video games and the concept of games as the new literature; narrative driven game design; the possibility of using computer games for global promotion of V4 region. Experts who will be giving the inspirational lectures shall be practitioners or researchers from the gaming industry from the V4 and EaP countries recommended by the applicant and project partners. Number of lecture hours: min. 8. Scriptwriting workshops with experts, participants' own work on the creation of a Quest (part of the game, an adventure), individual mentoring with experts and study visits to the most interesting Krakow game studios. As part of the workshops, the participants of the Academy will learn about the specificity of the game medium, explore the structures of story and worlds’ building, work in groups of 5 people on a Quest, understand the role of scriptwriters in the game development team, and learn to navigate in the gaming industry. The workshop environment encourages cooperation, direct interaction and continuous dialogue between the participants and the experts. Workshops will focus on teaching how to create a rich, engaging and consistent narrative for players, how to face the challenges that are specific for scriptwriters of computer games, show how the art of writing game scenarios differs from traditional writing and give insight in professional opportunities which writers have in the video game industry. A lot of emphasis will be placed on team work, as the ability to cooperate is a key aspect in game development. The participants will also be able to have individual mentoring meetings with the experts. Experts who will be running the workshops shall be practitioners with a lot of experience - well-known computer game scriptwriters from the V4 and EaP countries recommended by the applicant and project partners. In order for the participants to be gain further insight into the gaming industry, they will also have the opportunity to participate in study visits in the most interesting Krakow game studios: Reality Pump Studios, CD PROJEKT Red, iFUN4all. During the study visits, the participants will be able to familiarize themselves with the activities of the respective studios, see how the work of game development teams looks like, complete the knowledge gained during the lectures and workshops by the perspective of other people from the gaming industry. Workshop hours: 24. Number of hours of mentoring / own work: 24. Number of hours as part of study visits: 12. Day 11-12 Presentations of prepared Quests, awarding diplomas and closing of the Academy.