April 26, 2024

Jon Keevy Headlines Ravel Workshop: Writing Stories with Ink in South Africa

In an exciting development for South Africa’s burgeoning game development scene, Nyamakop‘s scriptwriter, Jon Keevy, is set to share his insights at the upcoming Ravel Workshop: Writing Interactive Stories With Ink. The event, scheduled for Sunday, January 28th, will take place at the Makers Massive in the Homecoming Centre in South Africa, providing a unique opportunity for aspiring gamewriters and developers to hone their skills.

Keevy, an award-winning writer renowned for his work in games, expressed his enthusiasm for the local game development industry, stating, “South Africa has an amazing game development industry. We’ve also got phenomenal writers. My mission is to get those fantastic writers working with the game devs to make games with great stories.”

His notable achievements include a nomination for the IGF’s Narrative Excellence Award in 2019 for his work on the Free Lives computer game, Genital Jousting. Since then, Keevy has served as a scriptwriter, narrative consultant, creative researcher, and copywriter for esteemed companies such as Free Lives, QCF Design, Clockwork Acorn, The Machine Intelligence Research Institute, and Made by Eden VR. His diverse portfolio showcases his versatility and expertise in crafting compelling narratives across various mediums.

The Ravel Workshop: Writing Interactive Stories With Ink is sponsored by the National Arts Council and supported by key players in the industry, including Free Lives, Nyamakop Studios, Renderheads, Studio Bolland, Clockwork Acorn, and the Academy of Digital Arts. The workshop aims to unpack the techniques and tools necessary to create successful and compelling interactive fiction.

Participants will delve into the theory and gain the skills to craft their interactive stories. The workshop will be followed by an exciting Game Jam, challenging participants to create a game from scratch while collaborating with a team of game developers. This hands-on experience aims to empower storytellers with the basics of writing for games, covering narrative structure, terminology, and the use of the accessible and professional game development tool, Ink.

Tickets for the Ravel Workshop are priced at R500, offering attendees a unique opportunity to learn from an industry expert and network with like-minded individuals. Interested participants can register for the event by clicking on the provided link.

Don’t miss out on this chance to gain valuable insights into the world of interactive storytelling and game development from one of South Africa’s most accomplished scriptwriters. Jon Keevy’s expertise promises to inspire and elevate the local gaming scene to new heights, fostering collaboration between writers and game developers for the creation of games with truly captivating narratives.