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Make your game with Sickhouse

SICKPROD 2024 - OPEN CALL INDIE / ARTHOUSE GAME STUDIO

In 2024 Sickhouse follows up on its program ”SickProd” to support the creative process of local* independent and/or arthouse gaming makers/studios!** We are looking for indie/arthouse game maker(s) interested to work with us in exchange for :

  • Professional support from our mentor, Zuraida Buter, including brainstorm sessions, interviews with other professionals, studio visits and festival/exhibition tours
  • Tests / Feedback sessions with a young public.
    (A group of young gamers and art curious will be associated to this trajectory as a first community around the, to be developed, game experience.)
  • A monthly fee of 250€ between March and November 2024
  • A production fee (tbd) to present the gaming experience at The Overkill Festival 2024

In exchange Sickhouse expects :

> The studio/maker(s) to program one game night a month between April and November, meaning selecting indie games to present at Sickhouse for the public to play and hosting the event together with the Sickhouse team.
The selection obviously is expected to support the research of the gaming studio. (from local makers to international creatives. Our mentor will help the studio invite these guests and the Sickhouse team will produce the events).

> The studio/maker(s) to present a gaming experience at The Overkill Festival 2024

> Participate in workshops, network and presentation events in relation to SickProd.

To apply for this trajectory, please send Marie (marie@theoverkill.nl)

  • A CV with your game maker experience (if you apply as a studio please mention all the team)
  • A motivation letter explaining how this trajectory could support your creative process
  • A portfolio with links to projects you are proud of

If you have a question don’t hesitate to send an email to ask.

* Local means working in Overijssel or close enough and able to work from Sickhouse and join our events on a regular basis.

** If you are not a professional game maker but you are interested in this field and your experience and knowledge would allow you to create a gaming experience, we are interested too. Joining the Jam is also recommended to discuss the possibilities.

+ GLOBAL GAME JAM (26 to 28-01-2024)

If you are interested in this trajectory you are highly recommended to participate in the global game jam hosted from the 26 to 28th of January 2024. During the Global Game Jam you will be able to meet the team, find out how we work and what our space can facilitate.

>>> DEADLINE TO APPLY :  11-02-2024

Mentor : Zuraida Buter Bio

Zuraida Buter is an award-winning playful culture and playful arts curator based in the Netherlands. She curates, initiates, consults and documents events focused on playful culture and games. With her international network she brings people together for creation and playful experiences.

As a curator she is involved in curating talks, play and game exhibitions at different festivals, events and institutes such as Incubate, Tweetakt and De Brakke Grond in the Netherlands and Screenshake, IndieCade Europe and A.MAZE. / Berlin abroad.

With Women in Games NL (WiGNL) she aims to stimulate diversity in the game industry.

Previously she initiated Dutch indie game showcase INDIGO in the Netherlands as well as the popular DGG network lunches as project manager at Dutch Game Garden (2008-2010). She was worldwide Executive Director of the Global Game Jam (2010-2014) and founding board member of Global Game Jam, Inc. In the past she has been a lecturer at different universities. For 8 years she taught game design theory at Interactive Performance Design at the Utrecht School of Arts (HKU).

In 2020 she received the IndieCade Game Changer award, which is given to "an individual whose extraordinary contributions to games deserve special acknowledgement". In 2013 she won the EA Award for Achievement and Innovation (London). In 2014 she was nominated for the Ambassador Award at Microsoft's Women in Gaming Awards (San Francisco, GDC).

SickProd 2023 : Shaman Garage studio

Shaman Garage is a narrative studio which aims to brew the essence of storytelling and explore new experimental ways of expression. Pablo San Gragorio and Ivan McGill from Shaman Garage followed our first Sick Prod trajectory in 2023. Together we hosted 5 game nights, we started Colliders our new game maker monthly meet-up, we went to AMAZE in Berlin, to INDIGO and Dutch Game Garden network lunch in Utrecht, to Dutch Game Day in Hilversum, and we presented the new one button game “Data Garden” at The Overkill 2023 in Enschede.

To discover their work check their website : https://www.shamangarage.com/

To play Data Garden check steam : https://store.steampowered.com/app/2644670/Data_Garden/