Nord Entertainment Conference (NEC)

The entertainment week at campus Røstad in Levanger begins with a hackathon on 2-4 February for media students at Nord University (Faculty of Social Sciences). Everyone who is interested are welcome to experience an exciting and innovative contest.

On 6-7 February you are welcome to join the NEC conference where researchers and professionals in the industry will discuss game development and media entertainment. There is also an exhibition consisting of works and productions by students. The topic for the conference is diversity and inclusion, and will be in English.

Both the hackathon and the conference is free to attend. See the programme including time, place and speakers below:

• Hackathon "Hack 'n jam", 2-4 February

  Full programme: Creative Weekend - Hack'n'Jam on nec.nord.no

  The Hackathon will be arranged in the cafeteria at campus Røstad. Alle Nord University students may participate. Students at study programmes Games and Entertainment Technology, Film and TV Production and CG Art and Animation are especially invited. Others who wish to experience this creative and intense innovation method are warmly welcome to join as audience.

  A hackathon is an entertaining and time limited method to create something new and innovative, for instance within technology, games or media entertainment, where people work together or compete to find creative and smart solutions to small or big challenges.

  Here are some ideas about what may be created during the hackathon:

  • Games and e-learning
  • Entertainment production and process improvements
  • Mixed reality
  • Entertainment applications
  • Short movies and animations
  • AI generated entertainment
  • PC and smartphone applications
• NEC Conference, 6-7 February

  Full programme: Conference Information on nec.nord.no

  Registration: Nettskjema.no

  Maria Gudmundsdottir (Parity Games), Idun Isdrake (www.isdrake.com), Dave Freeman (Sharkmob) and Jon Cato Lorentzen (Film Midt-Norge) are some of the speakers at the NEC conference. The conference will be held at Storsalen and Oransjesalen at campus Røstad.

  The programme is continuously updated on nec.nord.no and will include game developers from England, Sweden, Iceland, Norway and the Netherlands.

  Day 1 – Tuesday, February 6

  Time/Room	Big Auditorium	Orange Auditorium
  9.00-10.30	Keynote: Idun Isdrake Inclusive innovation and design for transmedia experiences	(no activity in orange a. – but the gallery will be open)
  Break	Gallery time, Daniel Mortenson	Gallery time, Daniel Mortenson
  10.45-11.00	Dr Line Kolås, A game analysis of programming games	Dr Torill Mortensen, (streaming) Game studies beyond games
  11.00-11.45	Managing Director Sylvia Duerr, Working on Inclusion in the Norwegian Games Industry	Fredrik Johnsen, From Education To Work
  11.45-12.30	Lunch break	Lunch break
  12.30-12.45	Dr Víctor Manuel Pérez Colado, Where are the games in my learning? A research perspective	Aamna Aamna Exploring the Blended Learning Landscape: Insights into Project-Based Computing Education
  12.45-13.30	Dr Iván José Pérez Colado Generative AI for Serious Games	Sævar Thór Pálsson The Power of Game Jams
  Break	Gallery time, Daniel Mortenson	Gallery time, Daniel Mortenson
  13.45-14.00	Dr Robin Isfold Munkvold A Conflict Management Game in Project-Based Learning	Izabella Jedel A psychological perspective of motivational design in games and education
  14.00-14.45	Chris Hart AR workshop Pencils B4 Pixels (Project Website)	Rita Spica Harmonizing Structure and Creativity towards Well-being and HR in the Gaming and Technology Sectors
  Break	Gallery time, Daniel Mortenson	Gallery time, Daniel Mortenson
  15.15-16.00	Chris Hart: AR workshop continues Pencils B4 Pixels (Project Website)	Dr Helga D. Isfold Sigurdardottir Developing games for 3 to 30 year olds
  16.15-17.00	Chris Hart: AR workshop continues Pencils B4 Pixels (Project Website)	Connie J. Eckholdt Building virtual worlds: A 3D artist’s approach to XR

  Daniel Mortenson
  14.00-14.45	Hack’n’Jam	Project presentations
  15.15-16.00	Hack’n’Jam	Project presentations
  16.15-17.00	Hack’n’Jam	Project presentations

  Day 2 – Wednesday, February 7

  Time/Room	Storsalen, Nylåna	Orange Hall, Nylåna
  09:00 – 10:30	Tim Laning, CEO Grendel Games Games for sustainability: Affecting environments through game design Hack’n’Jam Awards ceremony	FTV films on replay
  Break	Gallery time, Daniel Mortenson	Gallery time, Daniel Mortenson
  10:45 – 11:00	Info about Norwegian Game Awards, Spillprisen and Kosmorama	Fredrik Weisethaunet Altered play: on the role of modding in the video game industry
  11:00 – 11:45	TBD	Marit Emilie Meidelsen Øvrebø Are art and culture open for all?
  11:45 – 12:30	Lunch break	Lunch break
  12:30 – 12:45	Lars Kyed	Simone Elverum Hunt AI in art
  12:45 – 13:30	Maria Gudmundsdottir The windy ways of working on the video game industry	Sunna Sól Sigurdardottir From Pixels to Paychecks: How I got my start in the industry
  13:45 – 14:45	A Conversation with Dave Freeman chat session on concept art and more	(no activity)

• Registration and Information

  The conference on 6-7 February is free and open for everyone. We especially encourage students and staff at Nord University to participate. We also invite young people and others who are interested in media, the entertainment industry, gaming etc.

  Register for the conference