mikemcguff.com: Video game expert coming to Houston

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Video game expert coming to Houston

I've been getting a lot of calls about this event. So if you are a video gamer, you might want to check it out:

Houston Community College to Present
“Creating Blockbuster Worlds,” Talk by Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment

More than 200 local students and professionals expected to hear the secrets of “creating blockbuster worlds” and breaking in to the entertainment industry

Who: Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment and creator of imaginary and profitable “worlds” for The Walt Disney Company, Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast and others. The event is hosted by HCC’s Video Gaming and Simulation Department and is part of the International Game Developers Association’s quarterly meeting.

What: Gomez will speak to an expected 200 local students and professionals who want to learn the secrets of breaking in to the entertainment industry. A Latino who grew up in Manhattan’s projects, Gomez offers real-world insight into how the imagination can be a ticket out. The evening event is free and open to the public. Audience Q&A to follow.

When: Thursday, January 26, 2006

Times: 10:00 A.M. – 12 Noon for Houston high-school students.
7 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. for HCC students and local professionals; open to the public. *Please note 7:00 – 7:30 P.M. will be a meet-and-greet. Talk begins at 7:30 P.M.

Where: HCC West Loop Campus Auditorium, 5601 West Loop South, Houston, TX 77081. Call 713-718-6743 for directions.

Why: The entertainment industry offers a wealth of career opportunities for creative individuals besides acting and directing in Hollywood. There are ways to entice interest from the entertainment industry by showing them the potential profits of how a video game, say, can be franchised into feature-length films, books and comics and even cell-phone “mini-sodes.” Attendees will be told the secrets of breaking into this lucrative industry.