How to Launch a Career in Video Games

Wednesday, March 15, 2023
6:30 PM 8:30 PM

SVA Theatre - 333 West 23rd Street, New York, NY, 10011

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The game industry is the fastest-growing area of media and entertainment, as big tech companies are investing in gaming. Whether you want to be a developer, producer, marketer, or editor, find out how you can build your skills to pursue your passion in this thriving field.

Presented with the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment and SVA Theatre. 

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

The Center's programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Please note: We encourage attendees to be up-to-date with vaccination for COVID-19 and wear an acceptable face covering over their nose and mouth while indoors. Please click here for SVA Theatre's current COVID protocols

EVENT SPEAKERS

Close-up of a smiling woman with long, curly brown hair and bright green eyes, wearing a blue top, indoors.

Emily Pantofel

SENIOR MANAGER, TALENT ACQUISITION, TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE

  • Emily Pantofel (née Rodriguez), Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition at Take-Two Interactive Software Inc, leads a team supporting the corporate entities hiring initiatives in North America. With over 15 years of experience, she specializes in recruiting technology, engineering, and gaming talent. A seasoned pro, she previously served as Director of People Acquisition at MSG Entertainment and held talent acquisition leadership roles in the retail and staffing industries. Prior to joining the staffing industry, Emily was a licensed makeup artist and explored the arts. She is passionate about the candidate and employee experience, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and building meaningful relationships.

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Catt Small

GAME MAKER, DEVELOPER; CO-ORGANIZER, GAME DEVS OF COLOR EXPO

  • Catt is a product design leader, game maker, and developer. She is currently the Director of Product Design at All Turtles, a globally distributed product studio solving meaningful problems.

    With a design career spanning over twelve years, Catt has done design work for companies of all sizes including Asana, Etsy, SoundCloud, and Nasdaq. She started coding around the age of 10 and designing at the age of 15. She graduated from SVA with a BFA in Graphic Design in 2011 and later received an MS in Integrated Digital Media from the NYU Tandon School of Engineering in 2016. She was a member of Rosenfeld Media’s editorial board from 2018–2019.

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Kurt Young

FOUNDER & CEO, MOKUNI GAMES

  • Kurt is the founder and CEO of Mokuni LLC, a New York-based gaming company that creates mobile and VR/AR games. Their flagship mobile game, "Kitty in the Box," has been featured on major platforms and has amassed tens of millions of downloads. Kurt is currently exploring new web 3 projects that integrate AI technology to create innovative gaming experiences. He holds a MFA in Computer Art from the School of Visual Arts and has professional experience working in Shanghai.

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Omar Shakir

GAME DIRECTOR, AVALANCHE STUDIOS

  • Omar Shakir, Game Director at Avalanche Studios, has been making AAA Open World Sandbox games for 10+ Years. He started his career on the publishing/marketing side at Atari working on titles such as The Chronicles of Riddick, Ghostbusters, The Witcher and Champions online before joining Rockstar as an Editor/Camera Artist in 2010. After shipping Max Payne 3 and LA Noire, Omar joined Avalanche Studios New York as a Lead Content Producer on Just Cause 3. Omar’s experience in story and cinematics allowed him to step into the Narrative Director role on Just Cause 4. Immediately following the release of JC4, Omar began serving as Game Director, and he now oversees the development of current and future game IPs for the studio.

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Krysti Pryde

HEAD OF COMMUNITY, PLAYCRAFTING

  • With 10+ years working in video games and tech, Krysti Pryde is an accomplished community and creative marketing specialist with a focus on indie developers and strategy. Krysti's mission is to connect developers with other developers, communities, resources and brands to help galvanize their careers and projects.