Funding sources

[Incognita Nom de Plume]

Determine the appropriate funding for your project: Post the funding source including providing the url to page for downloading the application form. Fill out the section in which you explain why your project is appropriate for that fund and post to ning

[Scott Vardy]

Director’s statement for grant application. Scott Vardy

Project: 'The Life Of Homunculi'.

Describe in detail the directorial approach to the project and the expected professional benefits from the completion of the project.

The Life of Homunculus (TLOH) is an experimental new form of animation. Unlike traditional machinima which seek to utilize preexisting materials and assets for the production of a narrative. The life of homunculus is a hybrid machinima or game engine rendered documentary. All content and intellectual property used in the production of the animation is produced by the team members for the project. The focus of the project being to produce innovative new portfolio work for the production team and support the development of new digital media artists in the Australian animation industry.

Additional funding of the project would produce benefit in three primary areas.

Firstly funding would enable the expansion of the project development team.
By offering wages to new members TLOH could attract developers with more closely targeted skills such as trained animators, film editors and sound engineers.
At the moment TLOH makes use of a small development team and each team member is asked to perform a wide range of tasks across multiple disciplines.
This results in a generalised skill set with little specialization.
By further specializing the skills of these team members the quality of TLOH would improve and subsequently provide better recognition for the individual developers involved.

Secondly Funding would enable the purchase of up to date computer technology for developers. Computer games engines such as the UT3 games engine make use of the latest technology available on the market, such examples include the direct-X 10 graphics cards and computers capable of developing assets for these game engines can cost between 1500 to 3000 dollars. Purchase of one or more of these computers would reduce the time period required to produce assets resulting in more assets being finished for the project during its production period, and secondly would benefit the quality of assets produced.
Finally Funding for TLOH would be useful for the promotion and distribution of the finalized animation TLOH. Funding could be distributed to purchase Internet homepages and bandwidth for distribution of the final video animation. While alternative free sources of distribution such as you tube are available they are often of lower speed and quality than purchased bandwidth. This compromises the experience of viewing the animation. To best promote the animation, dedicated bandwidth would best be purchased.

[Alec Voang]

Funding source: Film Victoria - Digital Media Prototyping
Link: http://film.vic.gov.au/www/html/721-digital-media-prototyping.asp?i...

One paragraph project synopsis.

Feather - Serve to the sky is an anime style fantasy-tennis game being developed for PC. The game offers the player (anime fans and sport lovers) with 6 playable characters, 4 unique fantasy levels and 17 different tennis rackets to select from. The tools and software that is being used for the development of the project are - Maya, Ogre3D Engine, Xerces-C++ (xml parser), myGUI and FMOD.
The game will have full voice acting characters and incorporates an RPG style battle system that lets the player to unleash devastating attacks on the tennis court, offering the player with a fun gameplay and an engaging experience.
At the moment, the project is being developed by a team of 2 people, a designer/artist and a programmer. Additional funding from Film Victoria would enable us to produce a highly professional and polished quality final product. E.g - Hiring a professional artist and animator to re-work on the character's animations and other visual FX, and as well promoting our finished product in gaming magazine & online ads to reach the audience...

[Benjamin Murphy]

Funding source: Film Victoria - Digital Media Prototyping
http://film.vic.gov.au/www/html/721-digital-media-prototyping.asp?i...

Pitch:
Telekinetic Eric is a 2D puzzle platformer where the player is able to rearrange the play space to facilitate the avatar's passage through each level.

Synopsis:
Telekinetic Eric is a 2D platformer with a focus on puzzle solving. The game combines the traditional run-and-jump control of an avatar with the ability to rearrange objects in the play space. Both actions can be carried out simultaneously allowing the player to shuffle around terrain as they guide the avatar to the level exit. This unique mix of game mechanics is complemented by an off-beat satirical narrative of psychic clones, ethically bankrupt science, and refreshing cola.

Platforms:
Telekinetic Eric is a flash game to be released to the web, accessible via any browser on a custom built web-page.

How Film Victoria funding will be used:
Funding will be pivotal to the project for several reasons. For the two developers, it will provide them with an income by which they can (partially) live by as they devote time to the project. Money will also have to go into the cost of development, which includes workstations with up to date hardware and the appropriate software tools (Adobe Flash, Photoshop and Audition primarily). If there is sufficient funding, the developers can also elect to host the game on their own server space, which includes a database for the high score table. This requires money to hire at (typically monthly) regular intervals that extends for a potentially infinite period of time post development.

Benefits to Victoria:
As the project is distributed online it will reach a global audience. This in turn means it acts as an advertising tool for not only the developers but all associated partners. Film Victoria (and in turn the state of Victoria) will be recognized for their contribution to the project, and any notoriety the project carries will reflect well upon the progressive attitude the state government displays towards the digital media arts. To the people of Victoria it will serve as a cultural benefit, to those who wish to visit the site online to engage with the product. Which they could be directed to be any number of sources, including any Film Victoria wishes to arrange.

[Sandra Pang]

http://film.vic.gov.au/www/html/721-digital-media-prototyping.asp?i...


Funding Sources for Stabbo (Mobile-based game)


Pitch:

Stabbo is a mobile-based game that is simple yet attractive. It involves pressing random numbers as fast as one possibly can - great for one who enjoys texting!


Synopsis:

Each boxes in the game (4 boxes for level 1; 9 for level 2) contains an allocated number, which matches the keypads of most mobile devices. The objective of this game is to “stab” Huffie, who will appear on top of random boxes, by pressing designated numbers on the keypad as quick as they possibly can. If you miss the key, you don’t get any points. Purpose of this game is to test one’s reflexes - the faster you are, the more points you get!


Fundings:

We need extra resources to help us advance the game further. The game only consists of 2 levels as of now. If we get the funding, the team will be able to appoint a second artist, level designer and programmer to improve on the quality of the game and sell it to the public.

Part of the funds will also be used for advertising, which is crucial in order for us to sell the game

New mobile phones are announced almost everyday of our lives, and that it is almost impossible for everyone to keep up with the new updates. Other funds that are given to us will go to software upgrades, which is important for us to keep up with newer versions of mobile phones.



Summary
- An extra programmer, artist and level designer will be hired to help develop the game.
- Advertising, to sell the game.
- Software upgrades, to keep up with the updates of mobile phones.

[Todd Marshall]

Funding source: Film Victoria - Digital Media Prototyping
http://film.vic.gov.au/www/html/721-digital-media-prototyping.asp?i...

Todd Marshall
CEO Mailmen Co.
257 Swanson St
PO Box 12
Mailmen Co.

Tim Reid
Administrative Support Officer
[e-mail]
Film Victoria

RE: DIGITAL MEDIA PROTOTYPING

Dear Tim Reid,

I am writing to request $500,000 in funds regarding a development for a prototype game for the Nintendo Wii.

What if you could play a game without having to use your eyes? Overtone is a 2.5D platformer/strategy game that places more emphasis on the audio aspect of game design. It uses audio feedback to communicate with the player just as much as its visual feedback. Unlike other sound games Overtone cannot be played successfully without the sound turned on. While playing Overtone success is easily distinguished from failure due to the pleasant sounds and music you hear while playing the game, although the look and feel of the game will be of importance, game play is solely dependable on the sounds of the game. The player must react to sounds being heard and play alternative sounds to progress.

Overtone will desirably be playable over the Nintendo Wii platform complimenting the games unique game design with Nintendo’s intuitive controller. The main character is a blind tree-being named Piper that uses the reverberations around him as his eyes. Piper also emits notes from hollow pipes in his back. Direction and sound is controlled via the Wii controller and the enemies are different in look but similar in that they emit sound. Playing the enemies resonating frequency can destroy enemies. If the incorrect note is played, the enemy will react aggressively or your environment may be affected in a way that disadvantages you. The game begins with Piper woken up by a racket, a pipe factory is seen in the distance and is slowly infecting the world. Piper goes to investigate by proceeding towards the meadow. From the meadow Piper enters the forest that has a significant change from organic to mechanical (good to evil). The third and final level is the factory, an unfamiliar environment where Piper will encounter the cause to the racket; a final battle with the boss concludes the game.

As a Melbourne Based company Mailmen offer a combined 15 years experience in the games industry as well as recognition and royalties to Film Victoria. Funding will be used to contract the appropriate game development team. As well as used to purchase the appropriate dev-kits and licenses for the Nintendo Wii.

Overtone brings an abundance of benefits to Victoria as the first non discriminative video game to the visually impaired/blind. A video game that does not require visuals to play opens up a larger market for video games and taking videos games to a new level, starting here in Victoria. With no swearing, violence, drugs or sex, Overtone is a G-rated game for all ages. It will target the younger end of the age spectrum, being a non complicated platformer. Overtones unique game play also provides an opportunity to engage with both sexes, as it exhibits only androgynous characters dealing with themes relevant to all such as good versus evil, equality and survival of the underdog.
A development team is waiting on standby to start right as soon as possible. With a timeline and goal of completing the title in under a year we are proposing the prototype be completed in 11 months with a working demo of Overtone ready to distribute for the Nintendo Wii.

If you need more information, please contact me on 9876 5432. Thank you for your consideration

Sincerely,
Todd Marshall
CEO Mailmen Co.

[Tanya Kimpton]

Funding source: Film Victoria - Digital Media Prototyping
http://film.vic.gov.au/www/html/721-digital-media-prototyping.asp?i...

PITCH:
A cowboy, a small village, is this the end of the world? … This is a 2d game in flash where your mission is to save the world with rhythm n sound.


SYNOPSIS:
What could be more exciting than fighting to the death with nothing left to lose? Probably a few things? but when you’re a lone wanderer in a desert, In a world that was almost completely destroyed, nothing comes even close.
Imagine being in a post apocalyptic environment a desert land teaming with mutants and bandits, hot and uncomfortable, well you don’t have to imagine any more it is your time to shine!!! You are the wanderer, you are the hero, and you are amazing! You r the brilliant metal Sheriff! Your in huge demand, in fact you’re so desperately needed it’s beyond comprehension!!! Without you the earth’s only real human inhabitants will suffer, among other things a stolen puppy, and then of course die. If you have any compassion at all? you will step up and not let any further pain occur at, the hands of these altered beings, these evil doers. You r the hero, you r the only chance of the human race surviving!
Metal sheriff brings a new 2d adventure quest in flash, the likes of, no one has dared to produce before! it is an innovative and humorous approach to a post apocalyptic environment.
From beginning to end you will be shocked and intrigued by the stories. You the player will have the opportunity to be involved in musical combat and daring rescues, unlike anything experienced before, in inside a computer.

PLATFORMS:
Flash website or browsers that can insert flash files, very easy to share accessible game.

HOW FUNDING WILL BE USED:
Funding would be of great assistance to the project it would mean the developers T for team can focus more of there energy on production.

BENEFITS:
Being an online game, a game accessible via any computer with flash capabilities the game will be a great little stress reliever for anyone to play any time of day. It is humorous and it is fairly short it wont distract a player for too long but is the perfect little game for packaging as a promotional tool or something extra in a website for a bit of fun. It has the capabilities to be expanded into more versions and or have product placement/advertising of issues and current events. In this fast paced lifestyle little games like this for relaxation are of great benefit ;)

[KULA]

Pitch:
Stabbo is a flash mobile game requires you to type fast, move your fingers as fast as you can to kill the evil Huffie!

Synopsis:
To stab Huffie, you need to type the numbers on the key pad as fast as you can when Huffie appears in the boxes. The more you stab, more points you get!!

Fundings:
We need some fundings to help us to advance the game more. We can have more animators and produce better graphics and animations and more levels. Also we need more programmers to program a more complicated game. Funds can be used to advertise the mobile game and become more attractive and popular.

[Eyal]

Funding from Film Victoria, Cross Platform development
http://film.vic.gov.au/www/html/936-cross-platform-development.asp

"ShowDown" is a 3D animated movie taking place in a peculiar future, where the line between machine and man has become twisted and broken. In a galaxy that has spread too far for any central government to rule it worlds turn to barbarism, knowledge is being lost and those who survive do so on their own. It's an almost wild west cliche with robot cowboys, four handed gunmen, duels at high noon and swinging saloon doors. There's a tongue in cheek to this world too, allowing us to touch on deeper subjects without losing the playfulness of this enviroment.

The general look and feel of the product has been well established and developed, characters have been debated and created with intricate plots and personalities. With the appropriate funding we could develop this product further into a game and not just a movie. Because the Assets already exist, the additional funds could be spent into programming and engine development, something which can benefit us, and other game designers greatly.

We are currently in the process of entering "Showdown" into short animation festivals (Shiralee - this part is a big fat lie) , hopefully this exposer will allow us to draw more attention to this project.

We believe that with enough financial help, we could take our idea into a working demo, allowing us to try to pitch this idea to further game developers

Eyal.

[Hou Lay08]

The documents are my funding source statements

[Marvielous]

Pitch : Team Ominous is a Map that we are making for Unreal Tournament.

Synopsis : Team Ominous can be a single or multiplayer game which can be used as a battle ground or play along to the story. Team Ominous is based in the near distant future in a Neo Gothic City where the main protagonist crashes and must go through to save himself and his team mates from monsters that have devoured the city.

Fundings : If we were to get funding for this map, it would allow us to get much needed programmers who can create the pazzaz of getting the mapp working smoothly and efficiently. Hiring a number of animators who will create the the environment, with these professionals the map will be more playable and the visual appeal of the map will be freatly improved.

[Tom Jiang]

Digital Media Prototyping

Application Form

Pitch:
Forget the visuals, listen.

Synopsis:
Overtone is a game like no other, it's a game that takes a new look at what we know so well. We break down the fundamental elements of a game and piece it together to create something fresh. Imagine a game you could play without sight. That is what Overtone is about, traditionally the element of feedback to the user has always been a visual cue, what Overtone has done is flipped that around and focused on our other senses. That is not to say it's all sound, together with our unique visuals and gameplay, Overtone is the next step in pushing Victoria to the very edge of media interactivity.

Funding:
We are currently a 3 man team, consisting of programmer, artist and designer. Unfortunately our creativity have over grown our human resources. Although we are very able to finish this, some extra funding for other aspect of the project would greatly speed things up. Especially an Audio technician, although our game is based on sound, none of us have any experience in this field, an audio technician would greatly improve the quality of work as well as help us flesh out the game design. We are also in dire need of more artists, our artist have been working overtime production art assets. But there is just too many things that needs to be created in order to produce unique and professional visuals.
I believe this is a great opportunity of Victoria to show the world the creative talents that we have, and also the great quality of work we do.

I look forward in meeting you to further discuss this matter.

Tom Jiang
Creative Director of Mailmen

[Jonathan Marquez]

Funding source: Film Victoria - Digital Media Prototyping
Link: http://film.vic.gov.au/www/html/721-digital-media-prototyping.asp?i...

Title:
Metal Sheriff

Pitch:
This game is a cross between Guitar Hero and an RPG.

Synopsis:
The player assumes the role of a cowboy who wanders in a post-apocalyptic town completing different tasks. When players encounter enemies they have a “play-off” since characters use music instruments to defeat their enemies. Depending on players’ performances in the play-off, the results may damage the players or help them defeat their enemies.

Platforms:
This game is appropriate as a web game accessible by web browsers.

Fundings:
Fundings would be advantageous for us as we are a team of five consisting of two artists, two programmers and one website designer. We still need more advanced programmers as our game could be full of glitches. Level designers and artists would also be needed for high quality background images. Fundings could also be for advertising and viral marketing.

We believe that this would help us create a working beta for us to pitch to other developers as well as boosting the team's morale.