The College of Charleston Department of Communication kicks off its 2010-2011 Executive Speaker Series with the appearance Rob Jones, Vice President of Gaming Programming for the Machinima.com Network. His talk entitled, “Machinima: Online Video after the Death of the Web” is co-sponsored by the Department of Computer Science.
Free and open to the public, this event will take place in College of Charleston’s Physicians Memorial Auditorium. The program will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, November 12. A reception will be held in the foyer of the auditorium immediately following the program.
As Vice President of Gaming Programming, Jones oversees the video programming of the network which involves finding new talent, developing new shows, and managing a team that curates the best video game related content online. Prior to working at Machinima, he taught at New York University while working on his dissertation which focused on the subcultural phenomenon of machinima. He has published several chapters and articles focusing on video games, specifically on machinima as a participatory medium.
Machinima Inc. is a Los Angeles-based company focused on producing and curating “machinima” (films made using video games– “machine” + “cinema”). They have become the largest online video network for video game content in the world with a global audience reaching over 40 million gamers. In this age of “ego-casting” where everyone online has the potential to be an internet celebrity, they have developed an innovative model that cultivates online talent.
Mr. Jones will discuss the company’s unique approach to content production and distribution, how they have been able to move beyond the stigma of user generated content, and how a content-producing company has managed to grow exponentially at a time when the media industry at large is undergoing a drastic contraction. Mr. Jones will also reserve some time to discuss the current state of the video game industry and some hot-button issues surrounding it, such as the November 2nd Supreme Court case concerning California’s decision to restrict the sale of violent video games and the controversy around game publisher Electronic Arts’ decision not to allow players to take on the role of the Taliban in the multiplayer version of their military simulation game Medal of Honor.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Jones to our Executive Speaker Series,” said Beth Goodier, chair of the Department of Communication, “his unique perspective on the gaming industry and the world of machinima will be invaluable to our students and our community.”
With one of the largest undergraduate majors at the College of Charleston, the Department of Communication enrolls more than 800 students in its undergraduate and graduate programs. Students in the department study such topics as political communication, interpersonal communication, journalism, and public relations. The department is housed in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
The Computer Science Department provides students with the necessary conceptual tools for life-long learning through exposure to a well-designed, up-to-date curriculum and maintains a friendly, encouraging atmosphere in which students can learn more about themselves and the world of technology around them.
