GDC Volunteer

[Olninyo]

I recently applied for one of the volunteer positions at GDC 2011 and unfortunately didnt make the cut. After realising the submission write up was only not 1500 characters and not the 1500 words I'd written I cut my piece down to this:

"Videogames are a most unique and engaging form of media. I wrote my A2 essay on Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. I came to intimately know the game and its themes, I realised that gaming can be so much more than what I initially thought: through interactivity you can experience things in ways no other medium can offer. I am now studying my second year of Digital Animation at the University College Falmouth and I feel its time to meet some people in the industry, hear what they have to say, show them what I have to offer. After all the amazing things I’ve heard about GDC; from the Indie panels to the incredible technical seminars, it sounds like the perfect place to start networking with people who share that view that games can be more. Games are being expanded in small ways by a number of more cerebral and more interestingly designed games; Flower brought a sense of serenity I hadn’t thought possible in a videogame, Braid, a cerebral brilliance matched only by its thematic complexity expressed through the gameplay itself. Far Cry 2 showed me how the same philosophy could combat ludo-narrative dissonance by crafting the immersive story around the gameplay, while maintaining the impact player interactions and choices had on the experience. I feel I’d be a good volunteer as I’ve lead teams on creative projects on both my Media A level and Digital Animation degree. I can also be an invaluable asset to any team and I’m eager to meet and learn from like-minded people."

I wondered if anyone had ever got on this program and could give me some idea of what these people want to see from a candidate so I can do better next year. Thanks.

Olly.