Protégé Game Studios Strengthens Talent Pool With Addition Of New Creative Director, Andrew Smith
(PRWEB) April 15, 2015 -- Protégé Game Studios in Lowell, Michigan, a video game development studio that trains and develops the next generation of video game designers and creators across a broad range of computer technology skills, is proud to announce Andrew Smith as Creative Director. "Mr. Smith brings an unrivaled wealth of knowledge and depth of experience to Protégé," said, Sandon Newton, owner of Protégé Game Studios. "We are very excited that Andrew Smith has decided to join Protégé Game Studios as Creative Director. His portfolio of game development experience and knowledge brings a lot of value to Protégé.”
In addition to serving as an instructor and program advisor at Ferris State University Digital Animation and Game Design, Mr. Smith has also worked with various game studios, such as S2 Games and Underbite Games, as a professional 3D modeling and animation consultant. Including a two year stint as a lead character artist at the Institute for Creative Technologies in Los Angeles, California where his direction contributed to the success of many different virtual human projects leading to multi-year contracts with the United States Army.
Following these experiences, Andrew began working in the University of Michigan's 3D Lab, where he served as Lead Artist on SciHard – a mobile game designed to assist individuals who have suffered spinal cord injuries. During his time at the University of Michigan, Mr. Smith also worked in several different colleges and departments on a wide range of virtual reality research projects. "Andrew's experience working on various virtual reality platforms will boost our capabilities in this area, especially the learning AR/VR products we are currently developing," said Matt Johnson, PGS Chief Technology Officer.
Andrew Smith's experiences in Hollywood, the Army, and at the University of Michigan have afforded Mr. Smith several unique opportunities to speak at some of the top gaming and technology conferences in North America. In 2010, Andrew gave an address at the Game Education Summit 2010 in Los Angeles, and in 2011, he spoke at SIGGRAPH in Vancouver, Canada regarding his work with Virtual Humans and his advanced studies in the digital arts. In addition, he served as an official film jurist for the 2011 International Family Film Festival in Burbank, California.
Mr. Smith is currently a faculty member at Ferris State University, where he is also pursuing his Masters Degree in Career and Technical Education. His academic pedigree and industry excellence make him the perfect fit for Protégé, whose system of “Play, Passion, and Purpose” is built upon the idea that fostering creativity in young people will someday lead to cultivating talented professionals.
When asked what excited him most about joining the team at Protégé, Mr. Smith said, “I'm eager to join this team of dedicated innovators to continue educating the youth and expanding the positive impact that games and art can have on the community.”
About Protégé: Protégé Game Studios is a technology development firm whose chief goals are to educate, empower and give opportunity to young people interested in coding and video game design. Originally founded by Sandon Newton in 2013 and based in Lowell, Michigan. Protégé recently expanded their influence by opening their second studio in the Holland-Zeeland area. For more information, contact Sandon Newton at the information provided above.
Sandon Newton, Protege Game Studios, http://Sandon Newton, +1 (616) 438-2698, [email protected]
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