How big do you think the digital gaming business sector can get in Louisiana?
I believe Louisiana can become the No. 1 location for digital media, gaming, and creative development. We need to focus on improving our talent generation programs and have capital more readily available for new start-up companies. Recruitment also plays a huge role in our future successes.
Why isn’t it bigger already, given the generous incentives that are available throughout the state?
We have to continue to get the word out; Louisiana is open for business and has generous offerings for those who locate here. There are a plethora of industry professionals and existing companies that are not aware of our current incentives. We also need to continue to boast Louisiana’s talent generation program, like LSU’s Avatar Program, Baton Rouge Community College’s ETEC [Entertainment Technologies] Program, and UL-Lafayette’s Moving Image Arts program. Most C-level executives aren’t aware of Louisiana’s talent for 3D art and programming. Our focus at LDGI is to educate my professional colleagues that Louisiana is the No. 1 place to relocate, expand, or start new digital gaming studios.
What are the Capital Region’s most important assets today to compete in the digital gaming sector, and what aspects most need to improve?
Assets:
· Digital Interactive Media Production Tax Credit program and the research and development incentives
· Workforce development programs like Baton Rouge’s incubators such as the Louisiana Technology Park and the Louisiana Business & Technology Center.
· Regional economic development authority or regional partners that support digital gaming growth like the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and Baton Rouge Digital Industries Consortium.
· Talent generation programs like LSU’s Avatar and BRCC’s ETEC.
· Community Support Programs like the Baton Rouge chapter of the International Game Developer Association. Meets every Wednesday at the Fox and Hound backroom at 6:00pm. Developers, CPAs, IP attorneys, etc., discuss the industry and best practices, and network.
· Locations that foster creativity and innovation like the Celtic Media Centre. In time, companies will graduate from Baton Rouge’s incubators and will need commercial leases or office space; Celtic has proven to be the place for film and digital production companies to foster and grow.
· EA Sports’ Global Quality Assurance Center. EA has been huge for BR and they support our efforts at LDGI. They understand that having competition is necessary for industry and talent growth.
Improvements:
· The re-emergence of the Angel Tax Credit Program and more opportunities for small business units to be introduced to angel and venture investors.
· More talent generation programs.
· Continuous support for community programs like the Red Stick Animation Festival and IGDA of Baton Rouge.
· More aggressive marketing to educate the independent game develop community on all Louisiana has to offer.
· Baton Rouge needs to have a Launch Pad facility like New Orleans has. I believe several real estate developers and regional partners are already working on this concept. This will allow affordable operations to smaller companies.
· More focus on workforce development programs to build the game developer industry, instead of trying to recruit white whales to Louisiana. If you build it, they will come…
· Recruit more game development support companies. Game production cannot exist without outsourcing solutions companies. In the film industry, we have seen a large number of catering companies, Hollywood trucks, green screens, and talent management companies. Video games developers are not much different when it comes to having support companies. Some of these outsourcing solutions include:
a. Game engines like Unreal, Unity and BigWorld.
b. 3D art outsourcing
c. External quality assurance and game masters for support channels
d. Payment solutions, such as revenue and billing support
e. Middleware and tools
f. Video game music composers and available sound design companies
Why do you do what you do?
I believe Louisiana offers the current best incentives, both monetary (tax incentives, subsidized resources/facilities, capital funding options) and non-monetary (culture, lifestyle, etc.), for creative development in North America.
We had seen great strides in film, art, music and digital productions; however I want Louisiana to be the new capital for video games and digital media development, since we do have the best available resources. Once that ultimate goal is accomplished, then I would like to go back to producing my own console video game titles.
What is your greatest professional accomplishment?
Managing 78 employees to produce a playable demo for a future massive multiplayer online game title for PAX (Penny Arcade Expo) in 90 days. Our greatest challenge was to build the playable demo game with both Flash and 3D technologies, to integrate two virtual worlds into one playable game using the BigWorld game engine . No other company was pushing this type of technology within the industry. These titles earned a cumulative $480 million in sales.
However, my earliest professional accomplishment is when I was 10 years old, I was featured in Nintendo Power magazine as a feature power player in August 1992.
What was your first job?
Blockbuster. During college, I did marketing, then business development for TurboSquid in New Orleans. I started as an intern for TurboSquid in the marketing department and loved every second I had over there.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
“THANK YOU MARIO! BUT OUR PRINCESS IS IN ANOTHER CASTLE!” (Toad, Super Mario Bros.)
Also, “Don’t fall in love with a project.”
If you could have any job other than your own, what would it be?
To become a studio director for a triple AAA (popular console game) title or MMOG (massive multiplayer online game) title within the industry.
What is the greatest personal or professional obstacle you’ve overcome?
Going from the basic business practices that I learned in my collegiate education to using best industry methodologies in an exciting and ever changing industry.
If you started over, what would you do differently?
Obtain my computer science degree at LSU instead of marketing, then take the necessary courses for my MBA education. Programming should be everyone’s second language if you are pursuing any job in the technology industry, no matter if you are an executive administrator or in human resources.
What is your prescription for life?
Port of Call burger and Neptune’s Monsoon drink; just kidding. My father is a pharmacist, so I should know this answer, but I would say to enjoy everything Louisiana’s hospitality, restaurants and tourism have to offer. Every weekend can be an adventure down here; this can range from an airboat swamp tours to enjoying the horse races in Shreveport.
What book are you currently reading?
Business & Legal Primer for Game Development, edited by S. Gregory Boyd and Brian Green. Also, Steve Martin’s An Object of Beauty.
If you could have dinner with any three living people, who would they be?
Conrad Gordon Walton, Richard Garriott, and Robert Evans- Three individuals who all changed film, digital, and video game productions into what they are today. Also Chef John Besh would be the cook.
Who would play you in a movie?
It’s a tie between Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird and Bradley Cooper as Phil Wenneck in The Hangover.
What do you do to unwind?
I enjoy Churchill’s; there is nothing like a nice cigar with an aged scotch.
What is the most expensive purchase you’ve made for yourself?
My MBA diploma.
What is your favorite weekend activity?
Most of the time, I am catching up on work’s emails and projects. During football season, definitely LSU and Saints football games. Bashing my fantasy football opponents is also in my top 3…
What’s your favorite spot in Baton Rouge?
The Louisiana Technology Park. I love seeing the innovation that happens there.
How do you take your coffee/tea?
I take my coffee with lots of Louisiana sugar and a ton of cream.
What is your favorite movie? TV show? Band?
Lord of the Rings, Treme, Cowboy Mouth
What is your favorite gadget?
iPad
What is something that you can’t live without?
My guilty pleasure, which is WoW (World of Warcraft).
If you could change one thing about Baton Rouge, what would it be?
Stronger advocacy of, and education about, Baton Rouge’s resources, benefits and talent-generation programs.
What is your greatest hope for Baton Rouge?
For the angel funding tax credit program to be reintroduced and passed.
What is your greatest fear for Baton Rouge?
Coach Les Miles leaving LSU…I am a Hat fan!
