Make Games goes to GDC

edited in Association News
So we're hoping to go to GDC next year. We need to get our submission in soon, please check the list below of the documentation you will need. Add a response to below if you are keen or have questions.

Important things to note:
You organisation/business needs to have existed for more than a year*
If you have a game to sell your chances are better
You can only send 1 person per company/organisation
I will need a hard-copy of your completed forms and documents no later than Friday 6 December 2013
I will also need digitals of your entire bundle


Here is a link to the form. You can start filling it in: THE FORM

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FROM ALL INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANTS
  • A completed Emerging Exporters Application form
  • Proof of registration of the entity if it is a CC or (Pty) Ltd or a copy of the Identity Document in case of a sole proprietor
  • A full visible colour product brochure, CD ROM, photographs, or pictures of the products to be exhibited (not compulsory, but will help)
  • Audited financial statements or bank statements for the last three months
  • Copy of a valid passport of the proposed traveler
  • Original valid tax clearance certificate
  • Profile of the entity
*This doesn't necessarily mean registered, but actively trading. So for example if you had a CC that converted to a Pty, or Sole proprietor that converted to a Pty or a freelancer etc

Comments

  • damn Celestial only registered in September :(
  • @tbulford presumably you can prove that you existed prior to that though? I mean the original Toxic Bunny came out when?
  • edited
    @LexAquillia well originally 1996. Then again 2012 October.
    We only incorporated this year.

    What sort of proof would be sufficient?

    Could simply write an affidavit?

  • Screenshots of the original toxic bunny etc would do etc. Mention your trade history in the "profile of the entity" If the DTI want more they'll ask for it
  • Thanks @LexAquillia will put it all together.
  • I assume the organisation/business has to be South African?

    Totally unrelated: Anyone want to hire me part time as an official GDC representative? I offer very low rates, actually I'll do it for free... 'cause I'm that kinda person.

    next next year raxterwork will be a year old at least ;P
  • @raxter yup, gotta be South African
  • Can we get links to the documents needed?

    Glad this is happening now - our GDC alumni discount expires early in December. Need to get our tickets organised, I assume that we can buy those now and claim them back? (Free Lives will probably do the same thing, I'm guessing)
  • I'll have to go next year unless I can get my day job to sponsor me. My company is not registered yet.
  • I would take ANY opportunity to further my game dev learnings. Like ANYTHING. Can anyone sponsor me? I'll also be asking around. This is pretty damn big...!
  • I have to add a second to what dis said.

    Though I think that the it is likely that the MGSA passes will be done as a group/organization purchase which get a special rate as opposed to regular passes. And the alum and group passes are mutually exclusive in terms of purchasing.
  • I'd love to get the chance to attend. It would be incredible!
    As far as I know I meet all the requirements, where can I get the forms?
  • edited
    OK so I have a company that'll send me - it's Realtokengames, @loet owns it (huge thanks!), and we're working on Rocketto together. I have a few questions:

    1. I can take Bear Chuck (with some more love and polish) with, as well as Rocketto which we're working on and can push to be much further before GDC. What is it that they're looking for - actual product to sell, or representations of product? I can make marketing material if need be.

    2. The company was registered in 2009, so it fits the one-year criteria. However there's no cashflow, so the statement will be rather barren. What can I do about it?

    3. The company's not registered for tax - so there won't be a tax clearance certificate. What can I do about it?

    4. Where do we get the forms?

    5. When is the deadline?

    This is incredible work MGSA is doing and I said as much in that submission thing. OMGOMGOMGOMG. Thanks for everything!
  • damn, almost wish I'd been doing freelance or working with other companies now!

    Well, if there is any way anyone can help me get there I'm ears (though I'm doubting it'll work out, there's always next time). Failing that I'm going as @Tuism's luggage (and no arguing, you know I want to go just as badly! :p)

    @LexAquillia this may be contencious (and, please, let me know if it is), but if there is a company that fits the requirements (maybe except it being a game company but, say, a software house or something) that would be willing to count me as staff (or a contractor or whatnot), would there be any chance of making it work? It's a long shot and I'm not suggesting being overtly devious, want to be above board of course. Just what might the options be? I am building a game, and can go into hyper production to make it look like a sellable product (in a late-alpha / early beta sorta way).

    Also, to echo the rest: deadlines and where to get the form?

    I thought I'd be all cool and think I'll just wait until the next one but just thinking about the possibilities is slowly blowing my mind (... if you can ... err ... picture that ... :p )

    Let me know!
  • Dude if I get to go you can totally shotgun my suitcase. No question. I'm not even sure if I'll be able to, but I'll be damned if I pass it up when it's possible. DOING ALL I CAN!
    Thanked by 1raxter
  • I'd love to go again, but I've got so much contract work that I don't think I'll have the time to prepare a portfolio that's representative of my growth this year. :/

    I'll probably be sitting next year out unless there's some way I can go without paying for a pass.
  • I'm going to have to include our old CC documentation as well, I presume? We switched to a PTY earlier this year, but we've existed since 2007.
  • @LexAquillia you are a amazing for making this possibility happen. A thousand thank yous for even getting things to this stage!

    Next bit is where do I get the Emerging Exporters Form?
  • I've updated the OP with form you will need.

    @tbulford Did Celestial deregister? or did you just convert your old cc/pty to a new one under the new companies act?

    @Tuism you need a tax clearance certificate. Registering for tax (and getting the tax certificate) doesn't take long, I suggest you get on it ;)

    @Elyaradine Check out the form at the top. The last page describes what needs to be in the "profile" of the company, you don't need to make an extensive portfolio just mention the projects you've worked on in the past if the DTI wants more, they will ask for it. If we get the funding you won't need to pay for the pass.

    @dislekcia yup I'd include both the CC and the Pty forms. Mention in the profile that you converted to comply with the new companies act.
  • @LexAquillia is that then then only thing that I'd need to work on - a tax clearance certificate? Is everything else that I mentioned all ok?
  • @LexAquillia the old CC was deregistered in the early 2000's. We formed a new PTY only now.

  • Sadly SIJO is only 6 Months old booo..., but we have all Tax and legal documents up to date POW
  • @LexAquillia: How up to date do the audited financials need to be? Is end of year 2012 OK, or do they need to be up to date to now (ie. partial 2013s)?

    Otherwise, awesome job for taking this on!
  • @AngryMoose they need to be the latest, so the 2011/2012 year end.
  • Awww giant box games was only registered in October >.< haha
  • @atomicdomb, I think you'd still be able to get on the basis that you where a sole proprioter before then. I mean you and David have collobareted before, again just mention your registration in the company profile part.
  • so, I'm thinking, I'm a big boy with a job n stuff now, what would the expected cost of going to GDC be, flights, accommodation, ticket prices and daily allowance?

    *braces for a number way bigger than expected*
  • edited
    @LexAquillia:

    When is the cut off date for applications this:)

    Re Audited bank statements. Does that mean bank statements signed off by an Auditor / Charted Accountant.

    Would projects that are "game like" be applicable for applications. I.E interactive art pieces

    Thanks

    Shane
  • raxter said:
    so, I'm thinking, I'm a big boy with a job n stuff now, what would the expected cost of going to GDC be, flights, accommodation, ticket prices and daily allowance?

    *braces for a number way bigger than expected*
    Depends... Based on my trip to a conference in the US earlier this year, accommodation will be between $100 and $200 per night, the flights will be somewhere around R15 000, and the conference registration fees are pretty steep too, depending on whether you want an expo pass or the full conference pass. Then you've got to eat and travel. Public transport in the US is not cheap.

    I reckon you're probably going to spend at least R40 000 if you pay your own way.
    Thanked by 1Nitrogen
  • @LexAquillia You are a god among men (and lawyers)! Thanks for getting this on the go :)

    I'm not sure if this has been covered, but is it better to submit docs to you in physical format, or email scans of them? And how soon should we get this in? Would some time next week be OK?

    Thanks
    Thanked by 1Bensonance
  • @Manikin, you'll need to submit the docs to me, so I can send them in with Trade Mission forms. I'll need physical copies, but please also send me scans as I'd like to send a digital version as well.
  • Awesome, thanks
  • Can I assume that all as yet unanswered questions are going to get answers as you find out?

    Thanks again for everything @LexAquillia!
  • I'll need hard copies of forms and all supporting documents by Friday 7 December 2013. We can probably get away with some of the stuff missing, but I'll need the substantial lot by then. Also please send me digital copies.
  • Sigh.... This makes me sad. I can't even try to qualify for this, as I don't have a company registered for more than a year. Does it make sense to try and register a company now-ish in order to qualify for the NEEEEXT GDC? Can a random individual like myself even register a company?
  • @Darkra88iT: Yes you can register a company (I can even do it for you if you like). You can go as an individual (that is what a sole proprietor is) you just need to be able to show that you've been "trading" (read making games) in the industry for at least a year. Finished products that you have released will obviously help.
  • @LexAquillia Sent you a PM! And I concur with @Manikin's sentiment, "A god among men and lawyers"!
  • @LexAquillia you need hard copies of documents by Friday 7 December (7 December is a Saturday, so you mean Friday 6th?) - does that mean we need to courier stuff to you or can we send it to you digitally to print out? Do these documents need any sort of endorsement/officiation/affidavit thing?
  • @LexAquillia I have some questions about the form, I'd PM but I suspect this'll be useful for others filling it out:

    "Commitment fee paid (R750 for local events and R1500 for international events)": do we pay you or will this be covered with the funding somehow?

    "Indicate the organizer of the SSAS Emerging Exporters Funding Project": Is that you?

    "Event Details": Is that "Game Developers Conference" or something similar? Do we need to elaborate?

    also for anyone wondering the HS Code is: "991599" is for "Computer Programming Services" (link). it might just be 9915 but I am unsure so I just put the full one in
  • @Raxter, don't worry about the committment fee (unless you want to give MGSA the money...)

    The Organiser is Make Games SA

    Game Developers Conference 2014 is the event

    @Tuism, no you don't require certified copies of stuff (AFAIK), don't worry about couriering me the docs. What we will probably do is get someone at the JHB meetup in Dec to collect them, and I'll pick them up when I'm in Jozi after that
  • Going through the forms, there are some things I'm not certain of:

    1. Are we "manufacturer, service provider, export trading house, or commission agent"? - Are we hybrid manufacturer + service provider? Can we multi-select? Are there other terms we can/should be using?

    2. Under products available, do we strictly put down commercially released games? Can we put down game developing as a service (as game dev freelancers)? Is there room for unreleased titles? Is this checked against company bank statements - as in no sale- no product?

    3. The form states that it is "required that the individual participant submits an entity profile" - does that mean the profile is about the individual being sent, or about the company? It should be the company, but it sounds like it would be of the individual?
  • Put Service Provider/Manufacturer

    Unreleased titles work, but put (still in development). Game Development totally counts as a service

    Profile of the entity. Where ever it says "individual participant" read "company"
  • Do unreleased titles have "Rand value" in export?
  • @Tuism, put the estimated rand value
  • I have no idea what game art services would fall under in terms of HS code. My options:
    990999 Commercial Art and Graphic Design
    991599 Computer Programming Services
    999599 Animation
    999099 Video Production
    992399 Computer Related Services, Nec
    The most correct one, I think, is "Computer Related Services", and only because apparently "nec" stands for "not elsewhere classified", which I guess puts it in sort of a miscellaneous group. <_<
  • @Elyaradine I think game art fits best under Commercial Art and Graphic Design and Animation?

    @LexAquillia what would games fall under, like @raxter said "991599" is for "Computer Programming Services" - but that's not a product...

    I remember games were classified under film or something?

    I found 950410 Video Games of a Kind Used With a Television Receiver - is that right or is that referring to the actual machine (console)?
  • Okay, got the first part of the form done and the other paperwork in processing.

    What do I do in regards to:
    A completed Emerging Exporters Application form - since we aren't emerging exporters?
  • edited
    The form you're filling in is the Emerging Exporters form : P.
  • >.< Please excuse me while I go back to doing something smart...
  • edited
    @Tuism, I think the code you are looking for is 991699 for "Prepackaged Software", this is the closest thing I could find, it is under group '99' for services so I don't think it means a boxed product.

    also, @Elyaradine , would you fall under 990999 "commercial art and graphic design" ?

    http://www.foreign-trade.com/reference/hscode.cfm?cat=16 - has a search function as well
    Thanked by 1Tuism
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