Three workshops, 19 panels in two halls, more than 80 speakers, AV Careers Day – all this and more at the Blender: Film & Games conference!

Below we present the program for the Blender: Film & Games conference. The panels and lectures that visitors will be able to attend on October 4th in two halls are:

• Crossmedia and Transmedia: from film to video games and from video games to film // speakers: Aleksandar Gavrilović, Croatian Game Development Alliance / Hrvoje Mitić, Games Scout, GamesCo London / Ivan Murat, Nanobit / Peđa Čačić, Protopixel / dr.sc. Ilija Barišić // Moderator: Dunja Trojan, CEO, Broadcast.hr
• 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.

• Narrative Design vs. Script Writing: writing for movies and video games // speakers: Siniša Bahun, academic dramaturg / Jan Juračić, narrative designer / Sanja Adorea Valor, narrative designer / Velimir Grgić, screenwriter & author / Igor Margan, Algebra University // Moderator: Marin Pavelić, Netokracija
• 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
• Film Criticism in the Age of Social Media // speakers: Iva Rosandić, Dokumentarni.net / Milena Zajović, journalist and film critic / Josip Jurčić, Kinofilm / Marko Stojiljković, freelance journalist and film critic (Ormož, Slovenia) // Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boško Picula, Faculty of Political Science.
• From Westeros to Middle Earth: Art and Exploration in 3D Scenography // lecturer: Doc.art. Predrag Šuka, Algebra University

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

• 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
• How the Stage 32 platform can help you engage in global film production; Sam Sokolow, Head of Certification and 2x Emmy-nominated producer
• 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
• Actor for All: 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 Vukelić, Teatra Prima Vista / Erna Rudnički, actress // Moderator: Igor Belan, HCL.hr
• How to Promote Your Film on Roblox? // lecturer: Branko Ružić, screenwriter
• Where to get educated for work in the audiovisual industry? // Representatives of VERN University, Academy of Dramatic Arts, Algebra University, and Incubator Pismo (Novska)

• 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
• And they are not even 30 yet! // Presentation of young hopes of the Croatian AV scene; Screenwriters: Karla Leko, Filip Rutić, Marko Vukušić / Set 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 // Lecturer: Dr. sc. Ilija Barišić
• SHAME: A Recipe for a Successful Teen Series // Ivan Lovreček, CGM Films / Maja Fišter, project editor (HRT) / Prof. Miranda Novak, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences // Moderator: Milena Zajović, film critic

In a special hall, three workshops will be held for which interested parties can register no later than October 2 via email info@blenderzagreb.eu:

• 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

Day AV career is a special program within the conference aimed at everyone who wants a career in creating films or video games. The following companies and educational institutions will present their programs at the promo booths in the lobby 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

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 national, European, and global levels, all with the goal of developing and growing this rapidly expanding 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, Croatian Esports Federation, Reboot, Hu-iz-vi, Pismo, as well as the brewery Međimurski lepi dečki, Free Spirit Distillery, and GameBoost Energy.

Registration starts at 8:30 AM, and the program runs from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. All news about the conference can also be followed on the Instagram and Facebook page of the conference.

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 be held on October 4, 2024, at Algebra University, and the panels and workshops are free for all interested participants, with prior registration open until October 3 at 6:00 PM via this link. The program will take place across two stages and in workshop rooms, while the lobby of Algebra University will host the AV Career Day, providing interested participants with information on career opportunities in the audiovisual industry.