Devoted Talks

Timecodes for your convenient navigation:00:00 Intro and guest presentation01:59 Key things to know about developing live service games07:22 Release process and release managers11:58 Building the culture of engineering teams

16:26 About the Palia experience: how to grow the team efficiently 

18:18 Working at Gardens: what is Serge’s role in the project19:45 Collective performance: what it means22:06 Tech debt. Examples of how to deal with it27:36 Riot experience: what Serge did good and bad30:38 AI tools for engineers  

In today's episode, we delve into the intricate engineering world with our guest, Serge Knystautas. With a solid background as a software entrepreneur in the gaming industry, Serge has held pivotal roles such as Director of Software Engineering at Riot Games, Head of Engineering at Singularity 6, and currently serves as the head of engineering at Gardens Interactive. 

Gardens Interactive gained significant attention last year for securing $31.3 million in funding to develop a fantasy action role-playing game. Join us as we explore the complexities of live service games, navigate their releases, and delve into the future landscape of AI and engineering environments. Don't miss out on this insightful episode! Tune in now.

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#devotedstudios #speakeasy #liveservice #gaming #riotgames #leageoflegends #engineering

🎙️ Welcome to SpeakEasy Episode 23! Watch the video version on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/T-CiGIReBxE

In this episode, Artem shares his journey of becoming a game art director without traditional training and discusses his transition from creating 3D art assets to leading art teams on major game projects. You will find out how to become a game artist!

Artem offers valuable insights into balancing artistic vision with game design development and shares his expertise in shaping stunning game environments, characters, and props.

🎙️ Welcome to SpeakEasy Episode 22! 🎮 Watch the video version on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/HaEPtlDfYkc

Timecodes for your convenient navigation:

0:00 Intro.

0:41 Emmanuel Valdez Introduction

2:16 Working with licenses in video games

6:38 Working with the Lego License.

10:10 Where High Moon Studio came from.

10:45 How to be an Art Director and a Co-Founder.

13:20 A Good Professional Artist.

14:19 Lego Masters anecdote

16:08 The importance of Research on working with Licenses.

18:42 Building a production Pipeline on working with different Brands.

24:45 Mixing Lego with the Real World.

28:00 Feedback sessions with Licensors.

31:00 Ending. 

In this electrifying episode, our host Ninel Anderson engages in a riveting conversation with Emmanuel Valdez, a seasoned Art Director with over 30 years of gaming industry mastery. Emmanuel's illustrious career spans from directing AAA console games to founding and leading game development studios. Currently serving as the Art Director at Visual Concepts (2K Games), he brings his artistic genius to life in titles like the Lego 2K Drive. 🚀🎮

Join us as we unravel the secrets behind working with gaming giants, exploring Emmanuel's experiences with renowned franchises. Emmanuel Valdez shares his journey, insights, and the creative forces that drive the industry's most iconic titles, from the intricacies of creative direction to shaping entire gaming landscapes. 🌟

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🔹 Visit our website: https://devotedstudios.com/Stay Devoted!

#SpeakEasyPodcast #GamingIndustry #Licensing #branding #Storytelling #DevotedStudios #LEgo

In the 19th episode of the Devoted SpeakEasy podcast, Ninel Anderson interviews an honored Concept Artist and Art Director Jeremy Fenske who is currently working at Singularity 6. Jeremy is one of those guys who stood at the origins of Palia. He created the unique visual style of this charming game which was recently launched in its open-beta version.

Let's talk about outsourcing game development.

It's an essential part of the industry and no one of prominent AAA titles wouldn't be released without it. However, some people consider external developers as something unreliable.

In the 18th episode of the Devoted SpeakEasy podcast, we're going to break this myth and prove that outsourcing game-dev may be both efficient and high-quality. Besides, we try to find out how to set up a workflow, how to build communication with artists from different time zones and with different cultural backgrounds, what tools to use, and what to consider while preparing an outsource brief.

Join the nice company of our host Ninel Anderson and her titled guest Tuan Ngo. Both of them are experienced experts in the field of external development. Ninel is the CEO of Devoted Studios which contributed to the production of Guild Wars 2, Halo The Masterchief Collection, WWE 2K22, Grounded, Angry Birds, and other prominent titles. Tuan had been working as an outsourcing specialist at Amazon. Before that, he had collaborated with Blizzards, EA, Konami, Snap Inc., and other studios.

Listen to the episode, get useful insights, and feel free to share it.

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Visit our website: https://devotedstudios.com/ 

Prepare to be inspired as Virtual Production industry powerhouses discuss the transformative impact of virtual production on the filmmaking landscape. Gain valuable insights into the creative possibilities, technological advancements, and the future of virtual production as they share their firsthand experiences and expertise.

Joan Bevan Webb, formerly a Strategic Brand Marketing Consultant (Media Webb) and VP of Entertainment Marketing & Business Development (Mav12), brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. Her illustrious client list boasts renowned names like James Cameron, Oliver Stone, Doug Trumbull, Tim Burton, and the Coen Brothers. With collaborations with industry giants such as IMAX, Pixar, Sony, DreamWorks, MGM, and Disney, Joan Bevan Webb has been at the forefront of cutting-edge virtual production techniques.

Joining Joan Bevan Webb is Vitalii Boiko, Founder and CEO at PixelaLabs, a leading virtual production company. Known for their groundbreaking UE4/5 cluster rendering technology called nDisplay, Vitalii Boiko has been revolutionizing the virtual production landscape. With previous experience as a Lead Engineer at IndustrialVR and Software Engineer at EON Reality, DirecTV, Softline, and Frogwares, Vitalii Boiko brings a unique perspective and technical prowess to the roundtable.

Completing the panel is Dani Bellar Pilukas, the Director of Physical Production at Lux Machina Consulting. With an impressive background as an Imagineer, Show Programmer, and Principal at Walt Disney Imagineering, Dani Bellar Pilukas has played a pivotal role in the development and engineering of cutting-edge technical video solutions for film and TV, broadcast, live events, and permanent installations. Her notable projects, including Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Thea Award 2020), Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (Thea Award 2019), and Pandora: World of Avatar (Thea Award 2018), have showcased his innovative approach to physical production.

Follow us on Social Media:

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Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios 

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/devotedstudios_  

Visit our website: https://devotedstudios.com/ 

Join us in this exciting episode as we delve into the world of animation, uncovering its future prospects, industry challenges, and common mistakes made by animators. Our special guest, Harvey Newman, a distinguished BAFTA Board Member, YouTube blogger, and renowned figure in the animation industry, shares invaluable insights on building effective teams and fostering cross-department collaboration.

Check out the YouTube version of the podcast:

https://youtu.be/X3Re0lwAiCI

Watch the episode video version on our YouTube!

https://youtu.be/w4gWNJlrIZg  

Noah Kadner’s LinkedIn page:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahkadner/  

Visit our website and check out our projects:

https://devotedstudios.com 

Follow us on Social Media:

Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/devoted-studios/  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/devotedstudios/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedstudios     
Twitter: https://twitter.com/devotedstudios_

Have you heard of Virtual Production? It's cutting-edge technology that has revolutionized the movie industry. Believe it or not, some of the blockbuster movies you've watched recently were created using game engines.

In this episode, we'll explore the exciting new possibilities that Virtual Production offers filmmakers. We'll discuss the skills required for artists who work with this technology and the demand for professionals in this field. We'll also take a look at other industries that can benefit from Virtual Production and how to get involved in creating Hollywood's biggest blockbusters.

Our special guest for today is Noah Kadner, a renowned figure in the Virtual Production world. He's the founder and editor-in-chief of VirtualProducer.io, co-founder of The Virtual Company, and a senior writer for Epic Games, Apple, and American Cinematographer magazines. Noah is also the author of the Virtual Production Field Guide series for Epic Games and the host of the Virtual Production Podcast. 

So, tune in and join us for an insightful discussion on Virtual Production.