Check out the details of how to get involved after the fold.

Speakers and sessions

Freeplay 2010′s theme is ‘Play is Everywhere’, and our focus is on the creative process, the experience of making things, and on the sharing of ideas and learning. A big part of that is finding really interesting people doing interesting things and putting them together in surprising ways. To make that work, we put our program together a little differently from other events – rather than pitch sessions to us (although you can do that if you want), we want to hear from you about what you do, why you do it, and how that fits with Freeplay. When we have that info, we’ll put you where you might not be entirely comfortable, but where we’re sure you’ll be interesting.

Email us at speakers@freeplay.net.au with the following details:

• Your contact details
• Who you are
• What you do
• Why you want to be involved with Freeplay
• What general area you’d like to cover (code, art, design, audio…), what format you’re comfortable with (workshops, lectures, panels…), and how that fits with the ‘Play is Everywhere’ theme

Speakers will get free access to Freeplay 2010 and an invitation to our exclusive speakers party.

Volunteers

Freeplay wouldn’t be possible without the support of volunteers, and this year we’re looking for them early to better integrate them into the event and the library infrastructure.

Volunteers are needed to help usher and check tickets in the conference centre, staff the information table in Experimedia, hand out feedback forms, direct attendees, and provide additional event support.

This year, we’re also looking for volunteers interested in helping to run public board game sessions in Experimedia, explaining the rules to drop-ins and making sure things run smoothly.

The library itself is also really interested in broadening their games related programs and have asked us to support their official volunteer program this year. For more details, email us at the address below or check out their website – http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/about/supporting/volunteers/

Volunteers get tickets for the event and invitations to our private speakers party.

To register your interest, send an email to volunteers@freeplay.net.au with:

• Your contact details
• Your availability throughout the day for August 14th & 15th
• Why you want to participate
• What relevant skills and experience you might have

Indie Expo

As with last year, we’re having an expo space in Experimedia and we’d like to showcase even more of the exciting and innovative work happening in Melbourne. If you have a project, email expo@freeplay.net.au and let us know:

• Your contact details
• Some details of your project & team
• How complete it’ll be in on August 14th & 15th

Look for more announcements soon…

Panels & Workshops

If you’ve been to previous events, you know that Freeplay is a diverse event, with people delivering everything from traditional keynote lectures to running interactive workshops to staffing demo machines running their projects, with people from all walks of gaming culture, including independent and professional developers, multimedia artists, students, and games players.

We want to continue that in 2009 and the only way we can do that is to get a broad range of people willing to give up some of their time to come along and be part of the Freeplay community.

So, we’re putting the callout for exactly those people.  We’ve drawn up a draft program, but for now, we want to keep that a little bit secret to see what we get – we’re hoping to be inspired and excited by the ideas that come to us.   If you want to be involved, but you don’t have a specific topic, email us anyway and we’ll work on fitting you in.

For 2009, we want to focus on creativity and ideas and better communication and understanding between creative disciplines.  We want to foster a positive and pro-active vibe across the two days, and we want people to leave the event excited about making games.  We also want to make the event more interactive –which means more panels and workshops as opposed to traditional lectures.  That’s not to say you shouldn’t pitch those, but if you can fit them into a discussion format, all the better.

Email: speakers@freeplay.net.au

Expo Space

We’re also looking for people and teams that would like to demo their game in the Experimedia space at the State Library.  We’ll give you a table, access to power and the internet, and all we ask is that you have someone there to mind your equipment and that you’re willing to talk to the general public if they have any questions.

Email: expo@freeplay.net.au

Volunteers

Volunteers have always played an integral part at past Freeplays – from administrative support to venue assistance, we wouldn’t be able to achieve half as much without them.

In return for volunteering, we’ll give you a free ticket for both days, and give you the chance to peek behind the curtain at what goes into putting an event like Freeplay together.  We’ll also give you the chance to meet and hang out with our speakers, other volunteers, and visit parts of the state library you wouldn’t normally see.

Email: volunteers@freeplay.net.au