Game time: a screenshot taken from the BAFTA award-nominated One Life game devised by 15-year-old Brit School pupil Ethan Dale
A pupil from the Brit School and another who attends Carshalton Boys are both up for a BAFTA after being named as finalists for the Young Game Designers awards.
Ethan Dale, 15, who lives in Sutton and goes to the Brit School, has been shortlisted for the Game Making Award category. “I can’t believe I got nominated for the BAFTA YGD Award!
“It really boosted my confidence and showed me that my games can make it in the world. I’d like to develop and expand my game One Life in the future. I want to polish the graphics with more effects and add a level editor. That way, gamers around the world can use their imagination and build new levels for themselves.”
Julian Tanca is 14. He submitted a game titled Potato Ninjas vs. Coconuts 2.
“Mine is a 2D shooter game but with a little more sense of humour added to it,” he said.
“There are multiple things you have to be aware of such as pirates and one volcano. There’s just so much you could do with a game isn’t there? You could customise every last aspect of it.”
Dale and Tanca are among 44 finalists, divided into two different awards sets across two age groups (10-14 and 15-18 years). The YGD Game Concept Award rewards the most original and best thought-out game idea, and the YGD Game Making Award goes to the most impressive use of coding skills on a freely available software, to create a prototype game.
BAFTA’s Young Game Designers awards were first held in 2010.
BAFTA – The British Academy of Film and Television Arts – has connected young people with experts from the gaming industry, as part of their Young Game Designers competition.
Ninja gaming: a screen shot from 14-year-old Julian Tanca’s BAFTA entry
BAFTA YGD is a year-round initiative of public events and workshops for 10-to-18-year-olds, culminating in the annual awards ceremony to celebrate finalists and winners.
Through initiatives like YGD, BAFTA aims to demonstrate that games can be more than just a hobby. BAFTA is committed to working with educators to support children who are interested in getting hands-on experience in the field, and to creating accessible pathways into games careers. Nearly half of YGD competition entrants this year heard about the scheme through school.
This year’s ceremony is taking place on Thursday June 22, and will be hosted by multi-award nominated actor and comedian Inel Tomlinson, and streamed live on BAFTA Kids & Teens YouTube from 5pm.
Winning games will be displayed at the Science Museum’s Power Up experience.
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