Staying in the Game: Indie Video Game Studios During Lockdown

There is no doubt that all sectors of the entertainment industry have been severely affected by the pandemic, and the game industry is no exception, as it has historically relied on networking at large annual in-person events. When you can’t just pack your bags and head to some of the industry’s biggest events like GDC in San Francisco or E3 in Los Angeles, you miss out on the opportunity for those happy encounters that sometimes happen by the sandwich tray or the coffee machine. 

And then there are the parties. All those parties. Where a good chunk of the fun seems to be talking your way in when you're not technically 'invited'.

But because large in-person events are not an option in the current landscape, a number of online events for the video game industry have been emerging, like MEGA MIGS, the virtual version of the gathering that usually takes place in Montreal. And created specifically for these locked down and working from home times, Canada Games Online recently came together as a collaboration between the provincial interactive media associations across the country. 

These virtual industry gatherings bring game developers together with publishers, investors, and other collaborators. And as with most B2B events, the goal is to find new partners in order to reach new audiences and markets around the world. 

On this episode of the Now & Next podcast, we check in with a handful of game development studios to find out how they’re adapting to changes in their day-to-day operations during Covid-19, including finding fresh ways to network and get their name and game out there to the world. 

And I also talk to the head of one of Canada’s largest industry associations for game developers, La Guilde du jeu vidéo du Québec, and learn about the initiatives happening at the industry level to help keep things moving along amidst the business challenges brought on by the pandemic.

In this episode, you'll hear from/about:

• Angela Mejia, the co-founder of Clever Plays Studio, on what the transition to working from home has been like for game developers (01:24);
• Tony Walsh, founder and CEO of Phantom Compass, and Rob Segal, co-founders of Get Set Games, on the ease of attending virtual events (04:21); 
• How the new Canada Games Online event came to be (06:45);
• The gaming industry is a true ecosystem, meaning that the health of one part affects the health of the whole (10:45);
• Nadine Gelly, CEO of Quebec’s LaGuilde, on Canadian game companies particular advantages in the new landscape (12:25)

Canada Media Fund / Fonds des médias du Canada · Staying in the Game: How Indie Video Game Studios Are Rising to New Challenges

Download a transcript of the episode

Dig Deeper:

• Find out more about how Quebec-based La Caravane inspired the creation of Canada Games Online 
• To get a sense of how the gaming industry events were impacted in 2020, have a look at the Video Game Convention Calendar
• To find out more about Canada’s gaming ecosystem, read Essential Facts 2019, ESAC’s annual publication which provides economic, demographic and public opinion data about the Canadian video game industry;
• Read In a Self-Isolated World, Developers Are Learning to Make Games From Home on The Verge 
• Read Work From Quarantine: How COVID-19 Has Upended Game Development on ShackNews
• Listen to an interview with five-time Counter-Strike World Champ Stephanie Harvey about the booming eSports industry and Canada’s place within it

Going from Broadcasting to Podcasting

Thanks to Vocal Fry Studios for this profile that tells the story of my pretty accidental return to the microphone for Now & Next, the podcast I host that is now into its third season.

You can read the piece here. In the meantime, below you'll find a related Exhibit A and Exhibit B.

                            

Exhibit A: The 'couch studio' being used for the Covid-concurrent Season 3 of the podcast

Exhibit B: Cue the confetti... 

We made it as high as #3 on the charts in the "TV & Film" category on Apple Podcasts!

Veggie Burgers & Clean Grid Power: Eco-conscious TV & Film Production

At a time when fast food restaurants all over North America are serving veggie burgers and most retailers are charging extra for plastic bags, it seems reasonable to assume that the level of eco-consciousness is fairly high. And while that’s true to a large extent, there is still a long way to go. The film and TV industry is no exception, according to Clara George, my guest on this episode of the podcast.

Based in Vancouver, Clara is the VP of Studios & Sustainable Production Services at Sim International, a role she transitioned into after close to three decades working as a producer in film and TV. Clara has had a longstanding interest in environmental issues and has been active in a variety of sustainability initiatives over the years but it wasn’t until Covid-19 hit earlier this year that she made greening film and TV production her full time focus. While the Covid-19 restrictions might seem like a step back in terms of sustainability efforts, they’ve actually provided an opportunity for people to become more aware of unnecessary waste on set, and come up together with new solutions, as Clara explains in this episode.

Among the strides Clara George has made in sustainable production practices: shifting a number of BC-based productions to clean grid power, making a fleet of close to 100 hybrid vehicles available for short term rentals for productions shooting in Vancouver, and finding workaround solutions to the high emissions diesel generators that have been a staple on film and TV sets for several decades.

In this episode of the podcast Clara also shares some examples of how she’s been able to essentially ‘sneak’ more sustainable practices onto set, and explains that crew members and producers are learning to both think and behave differently when it comes to issues that have an environmental impact. And to top it all off , Clara says such initiatives either cost nothing to implement or, even better, end up saving the production money.

In this episode, learn more about:

• What can be done during COVID-19 in terms of sustainable production (01:28)
• What made Clara rethink her entire career during COVID-19 and how she is working to instigate change at the city of Vancouver level (03:50)
• How a few people can make a difference in terms of sustainability and a trick from Clara to encourage some initiatives on set (11:20)
• Making sustainability a common goal in front and behind the cameras (13:35)
• Clara’s pet peeve on set regarding waste in production (17:48)

Canada Media Fund / Fonds des médias du Canada · Staying Eco-Conscious on Set During COVID-19

Download a transcript of the episode