Celebrating new talent and innovation in the video games industry…with Dare to be Digital and Dare ProtoPlay
“The decision by BAFTA to make computer games its ‘third arm’ is overdue endorsement of a genre that has struggled for artistic recognition…If recognition by BAFTA helps the industry to raise its game, then it will soon be accepted without dispute.”
Mark Brown, The Guardian
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is the UK’s leading organisation dedicated to the recognition and promotion of excellence in the fields of the moving image. Renowned for its high profile Film and Television Awards ceremonies, the prestigious BAFTA mask has long been seen as a symbol of excellence. Video games now sit alongside film and television in their power to entertain and educate and the Academy is dedicated to encouraging the long-term development of this burgeoning art form which is continually pushing the boundaries of creative excellence and technical virtuosity.
Whilst the Academy recognises those individuals at the top of their game, it also wishes to nurture the developers of tomorrow by recognising up and coming talent. Dare to be Digital, originated by Abertay University and now covering the whole of the UK, represents the perfect means to do this.
The teams who showcase their prototypes at Dare ProtoPlay in Edinburgh in August are judged on the basis of Innovation & Creativity, Market Potential and Use of Technology. Three teams are selected to form the nominees for the BAFTA Ones to Watch Award, with one of these teams eventually being awarded the coveted prize at the BAFTA Video Games Awards, held annually in London.
In 2010 (for the Dare 2009 competition), the three nominees are (in no particular order) The Butterflyers for Shrunk!, Gentlemen of Fortune for Quick As Thieves and PixelPirates for Colour Coded. We'll have to wait until 2010 to find out who walks away with the prize!
In 2009 (for the Dare 2008 competition), the three nominees were (in no particular order) Blue Skies for Origamee, Ctrl_D for Vege Me, and DarkMatter Designs for Boro Toro. The winners were DarkMatter Designs.
In 2007, the nominees were (in no particular order) Carebox for ClimbActic, Phoenix Seed for Bear Go Home and Voodoo Boogy for Ragnarawk. Voodoo Boogy were the winners (pictured below).
See photos from the 2007 British Academy Video Games Awards here.
For further information on the Awards, visit the Academy’s website at www.bafta.org/games