After five successful editions of the PROFilm Days conference, the Croatian film and video game industries are merging to create a new platform for discussing current topics – Blender: Film & Games. The conference will take place tomorrow, October 4, 2024, at Algebra University, with panels and workshops being free for all interested participants, provided they register in advance. Registration is still open today until 6:00 PM via this link. The program will be held on two stages and in workshop rooms, while the foyer of Algebra University will host AV Career Day, where interested participants will be informed about career opportunities in the audiovisual industry.
The Blender conference is organized by Zagreb Film Office and Games Croatia (HAVC). The Games Croatia project is aimed at promoting and further developing the Croatian video game industry at the national, European, and global levels, all with the goal of fostering growth in this rapidly growing sector through promotion at international fairs and conferences. Additionally, the conference is held with the support of partners Algebra University, the City Office for Culture and Civil Society, and the Zagreb Tourist Board. Significant support has also been provided by film and gaming associations: HDFK, HDFD, CGDA, the Croatian Esports Federation, Reboot, Hu-iz-vi, PISMO, as well as the brewery Međimurski lepi dečki, Free Spirit Distillery, and GameBoost Energy.
This year, for the first time as part of the conference, the Day of Audiovisual Careers is being held, which is intended for everyone who wants a career in film or video game creation. The following companies and educational institutions will present their programs at the promotional booths in the foyer of Algebra University:
- 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 / Algebra University / PISMO Incubator / Games Croatia, HAVC
Below, we highlight some of the panels that visitors will be able to attend tomorrow:
- First Croatian Feature Film about the Legend of Sports – Dražen // speakers: Ivor Šiber, Jučer d.o.o / Ljubo Zdjelarević, Kinoteka // Moderator: doc. dr. sc. Boško Picula, Faculty of Political Science
- How we create sets for world film 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.
- Global 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
- Virtual Production: Using 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, Algebra University / Armin Konjalić, LED Unit (Riga, Latvia) // Moderator: Velimir Grgić, Pulsar Produkcija
- The Man Who Could Not Be Silent – Croatian candidate for the 97th Oscar and the first Croatian film to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes! // Nebojša Slijepčević, director // Moderator: dr. sc. Višnja Pentić / filmologist and film critic
- Sound Design and Music – Similarities and Differences in Sound and Music Design for Films 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
- Where to get educated for work in the audiovisual industry? // Speakers: Academy of Dramatic Arts, Vice Dean for Teaching, Mato Ilijić / PISMO Incubator, Incubator Manager Vlado Vujica / Algebra University, Assistant Professor Predrag Šuka, Head of Multimedia Production Studies / VERN University, Head of Film, Television and Multimedia Design Studies, Assistant Professor Dr. Ozana Ramljak // Moderator: Antonija Mandić
- Game designer / Game director and film director: Creative blending of direction // 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
Three workshops will be held in special halls:
- How to realize a script for a hit movie? // Workshop leader: Branko Ružić // from 9:45 AM to 1:15 PM
- How to create a script for a hit video game? // Workshop leader: Siniša Bahun // from 2:30 PM to 6 PM
- FILM & GAMING: From 2D photo to 3D world // Workshop leader: Ivan Šivak // from 10 AM to 1:30 PM
Registration starts at 8:30 AM, and the program runs from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. All news about the conference can be followed on the official conference website and on social media: Instagram and Facebook page of the conference.
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