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BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Wednesday 14 July

On Wednesday 14 July BAFTA launched the Young Game Designers competition with a day of talks and workshops at Walthamstow academy, a secondary school in London.

Pupils from schools in Northampton, Sheffield, London and Barnsley spent the day learning about the video games industry and had a go at designing their own game. Speakers included actor and BAFTA Young Game Designers Ambassador Matthew Lewis , and video games experts from Bright Light, an EA games studio. At the end of the day teams of young people presented their game ideas to the panel of experts. The impressive range of games pitched had titles such as ‘Big Brother’s Big Task’, ‘Monster Force’ and ‘Fallen Kingdom’. One female perticipant described:

It was a fun experience and… it has opened my mind for creativity.

BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Professionals from the video games industry offered their expert advice to students in schools across the UK. Here Lee
Sullivan an Associate Art Director, talks about creating gaming environments and locations. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Lee Sullivan offers advice to the students. Consider how you could create mood and atmosphere in your game's environment. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Lee Sullivan explains to the students that every game must follow a journey. Where will your game start and finish? (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Creative Director Matt Birch explains the importance of gameplay in video game design. Think about how to make your game unique and special. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Executive Producer Rob O'Farrell discusses gaming environments with the class. Think about how to create an exciting new world for your game. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Designer Emily Newton Dunn offers design advice to the class. You will need to submit a visual design with your BAFTA YGD pitch so the judges can imagine what your game will look like. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Designer Emily Newton Dunn helps students get to grips with the look and feel of their game. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Video games Script Writer Andy Walsh talks about characterisation and story telling. An exciting story with interesting characters will make your game even more fun to play. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Students at Walthamstow Academy find out more about the videos games you can buy today. The more research you do the better your game design will be. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Sophie, Laura and Jodie from Northampton Academy present their game; Big Brother's Big Task, "The opportunity to
experience the Big Brother House For Yourself" (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Jasmine, Ikra and Olivia from Paddington Academy pitch their game; Chocolat to the experts. "Enter the magical world of Chocolat!" (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

The students pitched their ideas to an expert panel comprising of Game Designer Vykintas Kazdailia, EA Bright Light's Harvey Elliott, Executive Producer Rob O'Farrell and Actor Matthew Lewis. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Students Jamie, Rosie, Jake and Sam from Sheffield Springs school came up with console game; Fallen Kingdom. "We Must Not Fall!" (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Alex, Malek and Mohammed from Walthamstow Academy show their flare for video game design as they present their game; Monster Force. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Georgie, Jessica and Shannon from Barnsley Academy developed Storm, a game where the player must guide character Tai "through undiscovered lands to learn his powers". (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Students heard all about video game design straight from the experts. One student commented; "It was really interesting learning all the steps to making a game". (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Vykintas Kazdailis, a young game designer and winner of the BAFTA Ones to Watch Award was at the event along with Harry Potter actor Matthew Lewis. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

When asked to sum up the day, one student said; "The experience opened up my mind to new things". (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Vykintas Kazdailis is a game designer and BAFTA Ones to Watch Award winner. If you create a good enough video game, you could be winning BAFTA Awards one day too. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Benedict Arora from NESTA talks about the exciting career opportunities available in video games. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Students were encouraged to ask the experts any questions they had about video games design. This website is packed full of useful information to help you learn more about the industry. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

When asked what she had learnt from the day, one participant explained; "A game doesn't have to have the best graphics to be enjoyable". (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Actor Matthew Lewis poses with NESTA's Education Programme Director; Benedict Arora in front of the BAFTA mask. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Julian Scott, Chair of BAFTA's Children's Committee speaking at the BAFTA Young Game Designers launch event.
(Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Harvey Elliott, VP & General manager of EA Bright Light with Actor Matthew Lewis and Chloe, a student from Walthamstow Academy. T-shirts for BAFTA Young Game Designers workshops were kindly supplied by Joystick Junkies.
(Photography by Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

Chloe, a student from Walthamstow Academy poses with Matthew Lewis and Benedict Arora. (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

BAFTA Young Game Designers from Barnsley Academy (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

BAFTA Young Game Designers from Sheffield Park Academy (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

BAFTA Young Game Designers from Walthamstow Academy (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

BAFTA Young Game Designers from Northampton Academy (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

BAFTA Young Game Designers from Sheffield Springs Academy (Photography: Ed Miller)
BAFTA Young Game Designers Launch Event

BAFTA Young Game Designers from Paddington Academy (Photography: Ed Miller)