GDC Europe 2010 Call for Submissions
The Call for Submissions has closed.
Overview & Guidelines | Submission Criteria
Introduction
The GDC Europe 2010 is the premier professional conference for the creators of games within the European community. If you share our passion and commitment for videogames, we want to hear from you. The GDC Europe is now soliciting session proposals from potential speakers with deep industry expertise and a fresh and unique perspective on the state of the industry.
Suggested topics for each track are now available. Submit your proposals (including your own topics) via the Submission Form.
Guidelines
- When is the submission deadline?
- What are the tracks & topics?
- What are the session formats?
- What do I need to provide in my submission?
- What makes a "good" submission?
- What does the GDC Europe expect from its speakers?
- What are the benefits of speaking?
- What criteria does the Advisory Board use when reviewing submissions?
- Who are the members of the advisory board?
- How do I propose a vendor-specific session?
- When will I be notified of the status of my submission?
When is the submission deadline?
Wednesday, April 28 at 11:59 PM (ET). The Call for Submissions is now closed.
Tracks and Topics
Below is the list of tracks that the GDC Europe 2010 will focus on. The topics to help guide the call for submissions are now available.
Session Formats
As you can see below, there are multiple time period choices. It's up to you to select the appropriate duration of your session.
Lecture
50-minute lectures are issue-oriented, provide concrete examples, and contain both practical and theoretical information. They are normally 50-minutes long (including answering questions from the audience). We generally prefer only one speaker but we may accept two if you can demonstrate the second person is necessary.
Panel
50-minute panels take many different viewpoints on a topic or issue and combine them in one venue. Debate among panelists (with very different opinions) is most welcome and audience participation time should be accounted for. We prefer 50-minute time slots and panels of no more than 3-5 participants, including the moderator.
What do I need to provide in my submission?
- Contact information
Please provide full contact information. The email address* for the speaker is mandatory.
*If you are a PR representative submitting on behalf of a client, you will need to enter the speaker's contact information and email. You will have the chance to enter your own contact information in the PR representative field.
- Speaker Biography
Tell us about your professional experience in the game industry, including credits and URL.
- Speaker History
Tell us about previous speaking engagements and the ratings you may have received.
- Session Title
Please be concise. Don't feel the need to be clever. You want attendees to know what they're getting from your session in just a few words.
- Session Description
In 100-words or less provide a description of your presentation.
- Attendee Takeaway
What NEW information or knowledge will attendees gain from this talk? Remember, most attendees are experts in their field. See links below for examples.
- Extended Abstract/ Presentation Outline
In 500 words or less, describe what the main focus of your session is going to be. Provide a detailed outline describing your submission in greater detail to the Advisory Board. A final decision will be based on this plan. Proposals that are commercial, vendor specific or marketing in nature will not be considered.
What makes a "good" submission?
To have your proposal reviewed by the Advisory Board, complete the form by the specified date and include the main focus of your talk along with attendee takeaway. Submissions that are commercial or marketing in nature will not be considered.
Write your submission so that it is easily understood. The Advisory Board has to read several hundred submissions. Get to your point as quickly as possible. Consider what the proposal is about, why it's interesting? How is it important to game development? What will game developers get out of the session?
Speaker Expectations
Conference attendees are generally very intelligent. They are looking for material that is not obvious and expect excellence from our speakers. After your presentation, they will evaluate it based on the delivery, knowledge of the topic, and visuals presented.
Preparation is one of the most important factors in delivering a successful talk at the GDC Europe. Please keep the following points in mind when you propose to speak:
- The proposed outline you submit now must match the talk you actually present at the GDC Europe
- We suggest that you commit AT LEAST 15 hours to prepare for your session
- We strongly encourage that you rehearse the delivery of your session for it to be effective; preferably in front of your peers (one tip is to video tape yourself speaking then review it. This is also a great way to practice pacing and timing)
- Your presentation materials must be completed and submitted to us four weeks before the conference
Please note we are ALWAYS here to help you. If you have ANY questions you think we need to cover on this area of our website, please email Evelyn Donis.
What are the benefits of speaking?
The benefits of being a speaker include:
- Complimentary registration
- Your name and presentation featured in our conference program and web site
- The opportunity to influence your peers and community
- Access to the GDC Vault
What criteria does the Board use when reviewing submissions?
The Advisory Board will review and rate submissions based on the criteria below:
- Concept: This is the basic idea of your submission. Is it interesting? Is it relevant? Will it be beneficial for game developers to hear? There is plenty of room for innovative ideas and also the tried and true. Depth: Is the basic idea well considered and thought out? To what extent will the audience gain insight? The more in-depth, the better.
- Organization: Are your ideas conducive to present in front of an audience? Will the Advisory Board understand what you are trying to say? Organization helps.
- Credentials: How do your credentials qualify you to speak on the topic you have proposed?
- Takeaway: Is the attendee going to leave this session knowing something they didn't know when they walked in? Are they learning or being inspired? This is the most important aspect of every GDC session.
The speaker selection process is made based on a composite rating drawn from the above criteria.
Who are the members of the advisory board?
Click here to learn about the GDC Europe Advisory Board.
How do I propose a vendor-specific session?
We want our talks to be opportunities for professional game developers to share their ideas and experiences. Proposals that are commercial or marketing in nature will not be considered. In general, content specific to proprietary products and technologies is considered sponsored material. The Advisory Board and conference management reserve the right to exercise their editorial discretion. If you would like to publicize a product, please contact our sales team for information on exhibiting and other vendor opportunities, including sponsored sessions.
When will I be notified of the status of my submission?
You will receive an automated email response once your submission is received. We will notify you of the status of your submission in late May. If you do not hear from us, please contact Evelyn Donis.
