Call for Submissions 2009 Guidelines

Closed on May 13, 2009

The Game Developers Conference® Austin is dedicated to connected games, audio for games, and writing for games. If you have an idea, issue, or problem you'd like to share with your colleagues, the board of advisors would like to hear from you by 12 pm PT on May 13, 2009.

The GDC Austin Advisory Boards are looking for high-level, specific content that will fit into one of the programs listed below. An extended abstract will be necessary for the advisory board to determine whether your talk will be a good fit. You may be asked to submit additional materials to the Advisory Board before a decision is made on your proposal.  Concise, precise language and a discernable thesis will also help your chances in the review process.

The online submission page will “time out” if it remains idle for more than 10 minutes, causing an interruption in the process, and an incomplete submission that will not be reviewed. To avoid this, click on “Extend Current Session” (located at the top of this page next to your name) so that you have ample time to complete all the steps of the submission form.

If you are a PR representative submitting on behalf of a client, please list the client as the speaker and provide all of their contact information. You will have the option to include your contact details so we can keep you informed on the status of the submission.

Speaker Expectations

Please read the submission guidelines and criteria before preparing a proposal.

Conference attendees expect excellence from our speakers. They will evaluate your class based on delivery, knowledge on the topic addressed, and the visuals presented.

Preparation is one of the most important factors in delivering a successful talk at GDC Austin. Please consider the following when proposing to speak:

• The proposed outline must match the talk you present at GDC Austin
• We suggest that you commit at least 6 hours to prepare for your session
• We strongly encourage that you rehearse the delivery of your session for it to be effective; preferably in front of your peers
• Your presentation materials must be completed and submitted to us four weeks before the conference
• You must be available to present your talk on any day of the event

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What is the submission deadline?
• What makes a good submission?
• What do I need to provide in my submission?
• What are the session formats?
• What does the GDC Austin expect from speakers?
• What is the selection process for speaking proposals?
• What are the benefits of speaking?
• How do I propose a vendor-specific session?
• When will I be notified of the status of my submission?

Q: What is the submission deadline?
A: May 13, 2009, 12pm PT

Q: What makes a good submission?
A: To have your proposal reviewed by the Advisory Boards, complete the form and include an extended abstract.  Incomplete submissions that are commercial or marketing in nature will not be considered.

Write your abstract so that it is easily understood. The Advisory Board will read several hundred abstracts. Get to your point as quickly as possible. Consider what the proposal is about. Why is it interesting? How is it important to game development? What will game developers get out of the session?

Concise language goes a long way. Use of conventional writing standards such as topic and supporting sentences also helps. Please write in third person present tense. For example, "This lecture focuses on 3D graphics." Not, "I want to talk about 3D graphics."

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Q: What do I need to provide in my submission?
A: The submission form will require these five key items:

1. Contact information
   Please provide full contact information and include a short biography.

2. Concise presentation description
   A description of your presentation as you would have it appear in the conference program in 100 words or less.

3. Session takeaway
   In 40 words or less, describe what attendees will learn from your session.

4. Extended abstract/Outline
   In 500 words or less, provide a description of your presentation in greater detail.

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Session Formats

Q: What are the session formats?
A: We are seeking lecture and roundtables for all three programs.  Full day tutorial submissions will also be considered for the GDC Austin program. 

If you are submitting a roundtable, please include the questions or themes you hope to address, and what the idea takeaway will be.

Panel sessions are discouraged from the submission process. Submissions that appear to be advertisements for specific products or services will not be considered.

Speaker Expectations

Q: What does the GDC Austin expect from speakers?
A: When you agree to speak at the conference, you're making a commitment to be well-prepared and to speak on the topic you've proposed. We expect our speakers to:

(1) submit a paper or suitable contribution for the conference proceedings, by the prescribed deadline;
(2) have adequate visual accompaniment to your speech
(3) to provide copies of slides or handouts for distribution in the classroom and
(4) allow Think Services to record and sell copies of your presentation

The submitter also agrees to be available to present his/her session during any day of GDC Austin.

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Q: What is the selection process for submissions?

A: We will email you a confirmation when we receive your proposal. If you do not receive this confirmation, contact Jennifer Steele at jsteele@think-services.com. The advisory board will review submissions in the coming months and you will receive a notification in late June as to the status of your proposal.

• Concept: This is the basic idea of your proposal. Is it interesting? Is it relevant? Will it be beneficial for game development professionals to hear? There's plenty of room for innovative ideas and also the tried and true.
  
• Depth: Has the idea in your proposal been well considered and fleshed out? To what extent will the audience gain insight? The more in-depth, the better.
  
• Organization: Are your ideas organized in a fashion conducive to presentation in front of an audience? Will the Advisory Board "follow" what you are trying to say? Organization helps!
  
• Credentials: How do your credentials qualify you to speak on the topic you've proposed?

A composite rating is then drawn from these four categories and then the decisions are made from them.

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Q: What are the benefits to speaking?
A: The benefits to being a speaker include:

• Complimentary All Access Pass
  
• Extensive exposure
  - Your name and presentation featured in our conference program and web site
  
• The opportunity to influence your peers and community
• Invitation to the GDC Austin Speaker Party

Q: How do I propose a vendor-specific session?
A: We want our talks to be opportunities for professional game developers to share their ideas and experiences. Proposals that are commercial or marketing in nature will not be considered. In general, content specific to proprietary products and technologies is considered sponsored material. The Advisory Board and conference management reserve the right to exercise their editorial discretion. If you would like to publicize a product, please contact our sales team for information on exhibiting and other vendor opportunities, including sponsored sessions.

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Q: When will I be notified of the status of my submission?
A: You will receive an automated email response once your submission is received. We will notify you of the status of your submission in late June 2009. If you do not hear from us, please contact Jennifer Steele at jsteele@think-services.com.

Still have questions?  Please contact Jennifer Steele at jsteele@think-services.com for more information.

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