A group presentation done during my second to last semester at SAE Expression. This presentation required us to research organizations in the industry we are aspiring to become professionals in. I am a Game Designer, so I researched two organizations that I am very interested in: GDC and IGDA. The focus of our presentation was on helping aspiring professionals (not unlike ourselves) become aware not just of the existence of these organizations, but just how beneficial it is to participate and join the community in these engaging ways.

1. Exploration of
Entertainment
Industry
Associations and
Their Relationships
with Students and
Employees
Group Presentation
Group Names:
Conrad Jayne
Gabby Orosco
Dylan Schrader
Tomoka Bossant

2. For Aspiring Professionals
- We have chosen organizations that we, as students and aspiring professionals, feel are important
organizations to know, research and hopefully become involved in.
- Opportunities for students that our organizations might have, and the benefits of these organizations we wish
we knew about.
- Organizations:
- International Game Developer’s Association (IGDA)
- Game Developer’s Conference (GDC)
- International Alliance of Theatrical/Stage Employees
- Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)
- DiGRA
- ESA
- Audio Engineering Society (AES)
- National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM)

3. International Game Developer’s Association
(IGDA)
- Largest non-profit membership organization in the
world
- Mission: “To support and empower game developers
around the world in their own success; sustaining
one’s own career”
- Focus on aspiring game developers
- Provide educational resources for students
- Student Membership: $30 annually,
all-access (Also includes DISCOUNTS)
- Relevant SIG: Unity
- IGDA Scholars Program
- “One of the most coveted awards”
- “Best and the brightest”; gotta work hard

4. Game Developer’s Conference (GDC)
- Largest Professional Game Developer event
- Place of idea exchange, project demonstrations,
announcements, networking… the list goes on
- Student Benefits:
- Student Pass
- Number 1 reason accepted for attending GDC:
NETWORKING
- Register on the website or on-site
- Chat with other Game Students and even Game Club;
awareness needs to be built here at school to help with
attendance
- Try being a Conference Associate

5. International Alliance of Theatrical/Stage Employees
&
E3 Convention and the Entertainment Software
Association
1. Similarities:
a. Subscription / Dues-Based Membership
b. Informative Websites
i. Equality and Protocol Statements of
Intent
ii. Guidelines for Attendance
iii. Representation
c. Converge briefly at video games

6. Important Points
A. Differences:
a. Payment Structure
i. 1 per event/year (E3)
ii. Locally Voted and Sourced in Districts
(IATSE)
b. Age Restriction
i. 17 (E3)
ii. Ability to Act [0~99] (IATSE)
c. Regional Legislature / Singular Entity
i. Variance vs. Relative Consistency
ii. Local > 13 Regional/2 years > International
Union > International Convention/4 years
B. Benefits:
a. Union Plus
i. Discounts
ii. Special Offers
b. Exposure
c. Representation
i. E3 is the media outlet
ii. IATSE facilitates job security
d. Entertainment

7. Important Details
1. Why?
a. Students/Grads
b. General Employees
c. Other Staff/Leadership
d. Location(s)
e. Mission/Impact
2. Who?
a. E3 Convention and who attends?
i. Benefits of joining ESA
b. IATSE conventions and who attends

8. DiGRA
● Mission Statement: encourages high-quality
research on games, and promotes collaboration
and dissemination of work by its members
● Membership Cost
○ Students membership - 20 Euros or ~ $22.50
○ Regular membership - 40 Euros or ~ $45
● Annual Conferences

9. DiGRA benefits
● Digital Library
● Networking
● Recognized as an important supporter for
DiGRA and it’s activities
● Discounted registration fees for the Digital
Games Research Conference and the regional
DiGRA conferences
● Discounted subscription to the Journal of
Games Development

10. ESA
● Mission Statement: dedicated to
serving the business and public
affairs needs of companies that
publish computer and video games
for video game consoles, handheld
devices, personal computers, and
the Internet
● Membership Cost
● Conferences: E3

11. ESA Benefits
● E3
Expo Access
● research and market data
● protection service
● work groups
● government relations
● direct assistance at the state level
● policy and legal analysis
● networking and public outreach
● charitable giving
● career opportunities

12. Comparing E3
and GDC

13. E3
and GDC Speakers

14. AES
http://www.aes.org/
The Audio Engineering Society is the only professional
society devoted exclusively to audio technology
Founded in the United States in 1948, the AES has
grown to become an international organization that
unites audio engineers, creative artists, scientists and
students worldwide by promoting advances in audio
and disseminating new knowledge and research

15. Member Benefits
http://www.aes.org/membership/benefits.cfm
Get placed on the AES Job Board looked at by
partnership companies like Audio-Technica, Dolby,
Electro-Voice, Harman Kardon, iZotope, Lexicon,
Neutrik, Sennheiser, Sweetwater, and Yamaha
http://www.aes.org/jobs/
Access to the AES E-Library with about 17,000 PDF
files documenting the progression of audio research
from 1953 to the present day
http://www.aes.org/e-lib/
Audio related tutorial video access posted by
members of the AES
http://www.aes.org/tutorials/
Discounts with Apple in U.S., Canada, and Japan

16. Student Benefits
Two types of scholarships - The AESEF Graduate Studies
Grants and the Mary Lea Simpson Memorial Scholarship
http://www.aes.org/education/foundation/
Discounts with certain audio companies like iZotope,
Lexicon, MXL, and APOGEE
http://www.aes.org/students/benefits/
Opportunity to compete in the AES Student Recording
or Design Competition for a medal awarded by the AES
http://www.aes.org/students/awards/
http://www.aes.org/students/awards/sda-sponsors.cfm
Join AES student delegate assembly to share and
discuss ideas with 4000 other student members
http://www.aes.org/students/sda/

17. National Association of Music Merchants
https://www.namm.org/
NAMM, the National Association of Music Merchants
(NAMM), established in 1901, is the not-for-profit
association that strengthens the $17 billion global
music, sound and event technology products industry
The association and the trade shows serve as the
crossroads for professionals wanting to seek out the
newest innovations in music, recording technology,
sound, stage and lighting products

18. Member Benefits
https://www.namm.org/membership/benefits
Access to NAMM trade show that occurs twice a year
https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2020
Educate yourself with NAMM U Online full of helpful tutorial
videos and articles related to the industry - Categories include
sales, marketing, management, finance, music lessons, music
industry, and training for music retail managers and associates
https://www.namm.org/nammu
Access to NAMM Career Center where you can submit your
resume and apply for jobs, search for internships, and learn how
to prepare yourself when applying to jobs https://jobs.namm.org/
https://jobs.namm.org/jobseekers/resources/
Research the music industry through interviews with
professionals and informational articles/blogs
https://www.namm.org/library

20. Call to Action
Links to these organizations:
http://igdafoundation.org/scholarships/igda-scholars/ (IGDA)
https://www.gdconf.com/attend/passes (GDC)
http://www.theesa.com/about-esa/members/ (ESA)
https://www.e3expo.com/ (E3)
https://www.iatse.net/member-resources/member-education (IATSE)
http://www.aes.org/ (AES)
https://www.namm.org/about (NAMM)
Students need to reach out and find an
organization that will fit their field.
Different organizations offer specific
kinds of assistance.
Don’t just choose one; if you can help it.
Cover your bases.