We’re excited to announce a new effort for SPARKcon 2009 – a Yearbook! Beth and Britt are looking for your best 10-20 photos from each SPARK. Based on the quality and quantity of images, we can figure out the layout and amount of pages. Our intention is to give everyone a chance to relive their best experiences at SPARKcon, and in many cases, see some of the things they missed. We hope to use this book as a fundraiser for next year’s events.

The simplest way to get us images is to mail a CD to:
SPARKcon
323 W Martin St
Raleigh NC 27601

If you email us at contact@sparkcon.com we’ll know to look for it.

Please put each photographer’s name in the actual file name, so that we are sure to credit everyone properly.

Please note: in order to clear us with copyright laws, these images must be owned by a photographer who has signed a Photographer’s Release. Any performers depicted must also have a signed Talent Release.

Look for a “yearbook signing party” coming down the road… SPARK on!

Speaking for the rest of the Bobbleheads, we were amazed by how consistently everyone “got it” this year. All of you seemed to be right on the same page with the same vision, which just gave all of us even more energy. This unified voice seemed to even carry over to every tweet, article and interview that we saw. We’re truly lucky to be living in an environment filled with such positive, creative and community-minded people like all of you. And it’s operating at a level I haven’t seen anywhere else.

There is a symphony of chatter going on about what to do next year. We ask that you write these ideas down as soon as you can – before we forget. As organizers, it might be best if you can write suggestions as comments to this post. However we can read posts on the public site (“feedback” page), or on the facebook group.

If you have any interesting stories or favorite vignettes of the event, please share those as well. Otherwise tag your photos with SPARKcon in flickr or tell us where else you put them.

We will be scheduling a meeting in the next few weeks to try to visit with all of you again and capture all of your thoughts. Be on the lookout and come prepared to celebrate!

Thank you again and Spark on!

Aly

Please note: we hope to have all of you at the kickoff meeting at 6 on Thursday to pick up badges, have a drink, and support the keynote speaker and Pecha Kucha event.

For tonight we just want to go through final logistics:

1. overall plan of the event, with rain plans
2. confirmation of every act in your SPARK as per the published schedule, and turning in all talent release forms
3. your final volunteer needs
4. any outstanding facilities needs
5. your official photographer and videographer names, and turning in all photo/video release forms
6. scheduling a recap meeting *with a SPARKcon yearbook event*

Spark on!

Aly

He can be reached at the following:

FTBPhotography.com
email info@FTBPhotography.com
404.921.8413

Or feel free to send your inquires to me, and I can pass them along.

mwood@themis-media.com

Given the growing nature of SPARKcon,  photography of the event will be organized differently this year.  Cheryl Gottschall and Bryan Regan will be our Overall Photographers. Their purpose will be to capture a few great shots of the whole event. As a result,  they will not be documenting each and every work,  artist or event in SPARKcon. We are asking each SPARK to reach out to their local community and recruit their own SPARK photographers. These photographers need to fill out the Photographer’s Release Form and submit their raw photos to each SPARK team. Each SPARK team is in turn, responsible for getting these photos to the Bobbleheads so we can create a central bank of them.

In our agreement,  SPARKcon is trading special access to these events in exchange for rights to their images for SPARKcon purposes only. Of course the photographers retain ownership of their work and can do what they like with the images as well. SPARKcon will also request that each SPARK post at leat a few images to the SPARKcon flickr group.

We do ask all SPARKcon photos are tagged with sparkcon and ____SPARK whenever uploaded to sites like flickr. This will make for some fun web-fed interactive visualizations during the event.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

RALEIGH (September 3, 2009) Local students and video game developers will show off their latest projects for the first ever gamingSPARK. The list includes a broad range of categories including Serious, Casual, Mobile, and Student. These games will all take the spotlight September 18 at 5 p.m. at Urban Design Center located in downtown Raleigh on the corner of Fayetteville and Hargett Street.

Attendees will also be able to enjoy an exclusive demonstration on Alii Motion Technology presented by Alex Lian of Duke University. This cross-platform technology has the capability to turn any standard webcam into a motion controller for a casual, fun, real-action gaming experience.

The featured designers and developers are:

Serious Games:
“DARTT: During Action Review Tactical Trainer” Submitted by: Chris Hazard of Hazardous Software Inc.
”Virtual Peace” Submitted by: Patrick Herron
“Neotokyo” Submitted by: Studio Radi-8
“Venuegen” Submitted by: The Venue Network

Casual Games:
“DQ Tycoon” Submitted by: Spark Plug Games
“Creeper World” Submitted by: Virgil Wall of Knuckle Cracker

Student Games:
“Alii Motion Technology” Submitted by: Alex Lian of Duke University
“Spectral Assult” Submitted by: PiRadical Studios (A group of 9 NC State students)
“Quark” Submitted by: Mitch Johnson of Wake Tech

Mobile Games:
“StickWars” Submitted by: John Hartzog
“Aya Go” Submitted by: Spark Plug Games
“Witch’s Workshop” Submitted by: Spark Plug Games
“Hyper Word” Submitted by: Bee Appi

GamingSPARK was coordinated by Megan Wood, with support from local game industry professionals Christy White, Steve Greene, Troy Knight, Jeff Palumbo, Jason Sponaugle, Meghan Murphy, and Alexander Macris. Event sponsored by

About SPARKcon:
SPARKcon showcases local creative talent in the NC Triangle. For four days, Raleigh’s Fayetteville St, public spaces, clubs and stages will be filled with art, music, dance, film, fashion, design, proposals, video games, and more.

Celebrating local cultural richness and empowering action through an open-source approach to collaboration and cross-pollination, SPARKcon is not a funded city program or an economic development stunt. It’s completely grassroots and by the people for the people! Join us as we explore the creative spirit of the Triangle!

For further information contact:
Megan Wood
mwood@themis-media.com
919-806-4209
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September 18th and September 19th

Starts September 18th at 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm and continues the following day at 1:00 pm until the end of the Gears of War 2 Tournament.

Located at the Urban Design Center

133 Fayetteville St Mall, Suite 100 (on the corner of Fayetteville and Hargett St)

LOCALLY CREATED VIDEO GAMES

Showcases videogames developed locally which were submitted by the creators themselves. This event will feature games in the following categories: Casual Games, Simulation/Serious Games, Mobile Games, and Student Games.

We are  accepting submissions for games to be featured in this event until 8/28/09. If you are interested in featuring a game that you worked on in any portion of the development process, please go to http://www.sparkcon.com/sparks/gamingspark/ to fill out the application.

“GEARS OF WAR 2 TOURNAMENT”

September 19th

Starts September 19th at 1:00 pm and goes until we have our final winners!

Located at the Urban Design Center

133 Fayetteville St Mall, Suite 100 (on the corner of Fayetteville and Hargett St)

GEARS OF WAR 2 TOURNAMENT

Commences at 1:00 pm and brings a locally created game to the masses in a style of  tournament that allows maximum participation. The players will try to rack up the most points possible in the allotted time frame. The Gears of War 2 Tournament is open to anyone who wishes to participate with the exception of those who have actually worked on the creation of the game itself. All entries in the tournament will have the chance to win prizes. Integrated Audio Video @ Southpoint is donating a 37 inch flat screen TV to go to one of the participants. Participants will have additional opportunities to win other prizes to be named at a later date, donated by The Escapist.

Sponsored by:

The Escapist, Triangle Game Initiative, GameFrog, Integrated Audio Video @ Southpoint

Main Contact:

Megan Wood

Team:

Christy White, Troy Knight, Meghan Murphy, Steve Greene, and Garrett French

Members:

• Matt Tendam (mtendam77@gmail.com)
• Todd Delk (Todd.Delk@kimley-horn.com)
• Ryan Cummings (rcdec@earthlink.net)
• Michael Gilchrist (mrg123@earthlink.net)

The greenSPARK team has been working since our kick-off meeting on 7/2/09 to put the following ideas into motion, with the appropriate event tie-in and contact person in parentheses:

·Recycling stations (eventwide – Matt Tendam)

We are acquiring bins/cans/etc. to provide 4-6 recycling stations around the Fayetteville Street event venue, including a composting bin for food waste near the tastySPARK and bazaarSPARK locations. VOLUNTEERS WILL BE NEEDED DURING THE EVENT. volunteers will be needed to ensure that waste is properly separated and non compostable items are not collected in the compost bins. A brief training session prior to the event will be necessary as well. City of Raleigh will provide recycling bins and collection services. McGill Environmental Services will collect and process compostable materials. McGill has offered to waive their processing fee of $20/ton given some advertisement will be available. We are still working on procuring a large roll off container for mass collection of compostable materials.

·Printing and brochures (eventwide – Matt Tendam)

We hope to help Bobbleheads with using post-consumer/sustainable forests paper and eco-friendly inks for any event media. We are looking for in-kind donations of these products. I need a deadline as to when these materials will be needed.

·Reusable water bottles (eventwide, tastySPARK – Todd Delk)

We want to have reusable water bottles for sale (price or suggested donation) and 4-6 water-filling stations at event in lieu of sale of bottled water. We are searching for sponsor that can contribute/donate/front ordering 300-500 water bottles with SPARKcon and sponsor logo. This feature needs to be advertised as available at event and for participants can buy bottle or bring your favorite from home

·Water filling stations (eventwide, tastySPARK – Todd Delk)

We organizing to have 4-6 water stations around event using 2 large water coolers per station with ice and tap water. We are investigating a water cooler sponsor like LeBleu as option as well. VOLUNTEERS WILL BE NEEDED TO HELP KEEP STATIONS FILLED and we are looking for in-kind ice sponsor.

·Alternative transportation (eventwide – Todd Delk)

• Bike Valet – Efforts to secure bike racks has transitioned to approaching parking deck to provide space for a “bike valet” area (VOLUNTEERS TO STAFF WILL BE NEEDED)
• spokeSPARK (online submission) – Commenter suggested we create display space and have camera set-up to display photo collage of area’s fashionable bicycle and cyclists.
• Transit – We are looking for promotions with and highlighting getting to/from SPARKcon via CAT, TTA and R-Line
• Some kind of tie-in with Raleigh Rickshaw, Segway Store

·Reusable shopping bags (bazaarSPARK – Michael Gilchrist) – We are looking for in-kind donation of reusable shopping bags to support vendors at event.

·Relay for Light/Stationary Bike Power Generator(s) (healthSPARK?, groundSPARK?, artSPARK?, main stage? – Todd Delk)

We hope to SOMEHOW acquire/build stationary bike generator(s) to provide power as carbon offset for event. Discussion of single bike possibilities include powering the message board, tent lights, lights for artSPARK pod; multiple bike possibilities (maybe for next year) include night lighting for groundSPARK artists based on people signing up for shifts.

* NC Green Power Raffle (Ryan Cummings)

A raffle will be held with proceeds from the ticket sales being given to NC Green Power to fund their alternative energy projects. We are still trying to procure prizes but initial efforts have been made to find a bike made of recycled parts as the main prize. We are looking for other in-kind donations of eco-friendly products and services to raffle off.

·Other ideas tossed around: eco-friendly make-up for fashionSPARK, bio-diesel generators for main stage, cooperative farming highlighted at bazaarSPARK